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Joel Ansett Brings Unseen Pain to Light in New Single “Just Fine”

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Denver artist Joel Ansett is returning with the release of “Just Fine” on February 5th. Fresh off the release of his single “Ease” which premiered in American Songwriter, Ansett is again blending genres of folk, pop, and R&B to create a thoughtful single that touches on the topic of unseen pain and suffering. Premiering on Where The Music Meets and praised for his “brilliant composition,” the single was inspired by a friend who was walking through chronic pain.

“We would get together and they would look completely healthy and happy, and then they would share that at that moment they’re dealing with a level 7 or 8 pain… Unseen pain,” says Ansett. “I’m sitting right across from them and without them sharing that, I would have had no idea.”

Ansett goes on to explain after experiencing several other stories in a similar fashion, he drew a connection to the sickness of depression and how that pain is also very unseen. Incorporating this idea into the lyrics, “Nobody can see this fight I’m fighting now – When it’s all inside – And ‘you look just fine’” Ansett also found symbolism in the sounds being recorded. “Sonically, the feel-good hip hop beat represents the surface level appearance of things going well and life being good, and the slightly atonal bass loop underneath represents the unseen pain,” says Ansett.

Hailed as a “songwriter to watch” from The Huffington Post, Ansett showcases his thoughtful songwriting and unique voice that continues to win fans. With a new EP just around the bend, “Just Fine” is the second tease of what is to come from Ansett in 2021. American Songwriter described Ansett’s last single as “display[ing] his ability to blend folk and R ’n B together with gentle aplomb” (American Songwriter). “Just Fine” follows in that vein as it straddles the lines between folk, pop, and R&B, going beyond the limitations of genre to create a memorable experience for listeners.

Ansett has found fans all over the country with more than 12 million streams online, a song placed in Marvel’s “The Punisher”, and a spot at #9 on the iTunes singer/songwriter chart for his debut LP The Nature of Us (2015). Ansett followed up his first album with the release of A Place I Knew Before (2019) which was described as “Striking a careful balance that only comes with great intention, A Place I Knew Before blends sonic experimentation with strong songwriting, but more deeply places grief and hope side by side” (Marquee Mag). His sound has also been hailed as “the sonic lovechild of John Legend and The Tallest Man On Earth” (The Huffington Post) and showcases Ansett’s individuality in an over-saturated industry of singer-songwriters.

Cover art for “Just Fine” by Joel Ansett

Dawn Jones is the curator of the V13 imPRESSED Column. Previously known as imPRESSED Indie Music Blog, Jones and her team joined forces with V13 in 2020 to collaborate on an exclusive column on V13's site (imPRESSED) to bring a niche focus to the rapidly evolving indie music genre. Dawn is also the founder of Pressed PR - a boutique PR agency that focuses on PR for independent creatives. Pressed PR’s team works on a variety of campaigns partnering with independent filmmakers, independent artists, and independent labels. Pressed PR’s music clientele has landed in the pages of Billboard, Atwood Magazine, EARMILK, HYPE Magazine, and many others.

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