Words by Mitch Melheim Some albums are just albums. Merely a collection of songs that an artist was inspired to write during a certain period of their life. Portland, Oregon’s fiery, soulful neo-diva, Aniana, challenges that notion with her debut album, Chapters . Written in chronological order, both lyrically and stylistically, Chapters spans the entirety of Aniana’s adult life. From playing with reggae and hip-hop bands in Phoenix to the funk, soul, and rock & roll she’s become known for in Portland, all genres are represented in the album and symbolize her turbulent yet triumphant journey through life. The album begins with the title track, “Chapters,” which acts as a preface to the album’s story. “Been up and down this road a thousand times. I ain’t got no regrets and I’ve still got love for the journey,” she sings as a three-piece horn sections comes in and leads the listener into her most infectious chorus of the album, backed vocally by Kellen Asebrook (Fruition) and