Everything Daphne Willis has done up to now in both her music and her life has led to this moment—her new album, Because I Can (Vanguard), marks the 23-year-old writer/singer/guitarist’s artistic coming of age in thrilling—and at times heart-wrenching—fashion. This captivating LP represents an exponential leap, as she grows into her enormous talent and puts it to powerful and relatable use via her singular sensibility. Because I Can sounds very much like the defining work of a young artist who matters.
“I pushed myself hard on this album, and I really let myself be pushed,” says Willis, who recently relocated to Nashville from her native Chicago. “It involved opening the door and working with new people—a lot of the songs on the record are co-writes. I learned so much from writing with all these different people and making it a collaborative effort from start to finish. It’s been a blast all the way through.”