By Giulia Piceni. Cover illustration by Khadiga Etman.
The internet has been buzzing with exciting news: American songwriter Ethel Cain is the artist has announced not only a tour across the U.S. and Europe but also the release of a new album this summer. In Willoughby Tucker I Will Always Love You, she revisits the meticulously crafted universe of her music, this time exploring a love that shaped her stage character’s past. However, Cain’s artistry extends beyond sound and storytelling; it is also a powerful political statement.
Selected as a runway model for Miu Miu, Cain embodies Miuccia Prada’s signature approach of selecting bold, unconventional artists rather than just random faces. This distinctive quality makes her one of the most artistically sensitive figures in today’s music scene. In this article, we’ll delve into why she is one of the most precise and compelling artists of our time—so don’t be surprised if you find yourself reaching out to strangers on social media for tickets to her next tour.
4 Facts That Make Ethel Cain the Breakout Artist of the Moment
- Dante’s Inferno is at the Base of Her Stage Character Name
Ethel Cain’s name has been carefully chosen to evoke a Southern, almost biblical quality. “Ethel” conveys an old-fashioned, grandmotherly charm, while “Cain” references the biblical figure associated with exile and suffering, which perfectly aligns with the themes present inher music. It’s no coincidence that the opening track of her album Preacher’s Daughter is titled Family Tree.
In Dante’s Inferno, the ninth circle of Hell—reserved for traitors—is a frozen lake divided into four sections, the first of which is named Caina, after Cain, and is dedicated to those who betray their own family. In a way, the character of Ethel Cain embodies this notion of betrayal—not in an overtly malicious sense, but as someone who seeks to break free from the constraints of her upbringing. She longs to experience life beyond the rigid, small-town dynamics and the oppressive religious environment of Shady Grove, Alabama, where she is supposedly born and raised.
This creates an intriguing duality in her relationship with her family, her community, and religion itself—a tension between the comfort of familiarity and the insatiable desire for something more authentic and liberating.
These crosses all over my body / Remind me of who I used to be / And Christ, forgive these bones I’ve been hiding / Oh, and the bones I’m about to leave, yeah
- Preacher’s Daughter Tells the Collapse of the American Dream
In Ethel Cain’s Preacher’s Daughter (2022), the unravelling of the American Dream is a central theme that reveals the stark contrast between its glossy ideal and the grim realities underneath. This disillusionment is most explicitly explored in American Teenager, a track that, despite its anthemic sound, lays bare the rot festering within small-town life and national mythmaking. The song depicts a world where youthful patriotism, faith, and suburban dreams are undermined by hidden struggles. Ethel sings about addiction, dissatisfaction, and the quiet despair lurking behind church doors and football fields, which are often seen as the pillars of traditional American values. Although she clings to faith, there’s a lingering sense of abandonment in her prayers, foreshadowing the absence of divine intervention in her darkest moments.
A life full of whiskey but I always deliver / Jesus, if You’re listening, let me handle my liquor / And Jesus, if You’re there / Why do I feel alone in this room with You?
As the album progresses, this disillusionment deepens. After experiencing a teenage love affair in A House in Nebraska, Ethel Cain sets out on a journey that mirrors the quintessential American road adventure in Thoroughfare. Yet, instead of leading to freedom, this journey spirals into tragedy, first forcing her into prostitution (Gibson Girl) and ultimately resulting in her murder (Ptolomea). Her travel companion and killer, Isaiah, embodies both passion and destruction. Their journey culminates in violence, transforming the dream of reinvention into a nightmare. Despite this, Ethel eventually finds the faith and strength to forgive (Strangers). Through biblical symbolism, the album reinforces the notion that the American Dream was never meant for Ethel, making her its ultimate sacrifice.
In your basement, I grow cold / Thinking back to what I was always told / “Don’t talk to strangers or you might fall in love”
- Ethel Cain Enters the Sound Art Scene with Perverts (2025)
Ethel Cain has recently released an album that marks a departure from her signature Southern Gothic rock style, allowing her to explore ambient soundscapes while still incorporating the folk influences that have always defined her work. The album, titled Perverts, carries themes of isolation and transcendence, delving into the liminal spaces between devotion and exile, akin to what Dante defined as Purgatory. This project stands apart from the Preacher’s Daughter narrative, as it abandons traditional lyricism in favour of experimental compositions and raw, unfiltered recordings. The result is haunting and unsettling, bordering on repellent. This evolution serves as a reminder that Hayden Anhedönia originally aspired to be a filmmaker; even Preacher’s Daughter was based on a script. In this context, the ambient project feels almost cinematic, as if it were a score for a film yet to be made.
The folk undercurrents remain but are now set within a purgatorial void—a dead space filled with echoes of the unlived. It provides a sonic exploration of internal darkness, spiralling sensations, and the voices of those cast out by God, mingling with the screams of the damned. In Pulldrone, Ethel Cain presents twelve pillars, each representing a possible path to reach God, only to ultimately fail, slipping into Purgatory instead. Thatorchia, a term signifying that God may draw you close but will never let you stay, is a purely instrumental piece. Meanwhile, Onanist references Dante’s Inferno, borrowing from its opening verses.
- Her Next Album Blends Storytelling and Music
Ethel Cain has crafted a rich and narrative-driven musical universe, and her upcoming album, Willoughby Tucker I Will Always Love You (2025), will both continue and expand upon this world—serving as another piece of the intricate puzzle she has carefully assembled. Her keen directorial vision is once again apparent, shaping not just an album but an unfolding story. The album will centre on Willoughby Tucker, the male figure mentioned in A House in Nebraska, portraying him as the first and purest love that Ethel Cain’s character has ever known. This thematic connection deepens the album’s relationship to her previous work, further immersing listeners in the melancholic and all-consuming world she has built.
Beyond her music, Cain’s impact extends into tangible activism. A portion of ticket sales from her recent tour, named after the soon-to-be-released album, will support organisations dedicated to protecting the transgender community. In a time when the American Dream is rapidly deteriorating—dismantled law by law and through discrimination after discrimination—her decision to actively support one of the most marginalised demographics, a group whose identity is not recognised under the Trump administration, is a powerful political statement. This is the kind of artistic accountability we truly need.
