Iona Zajac tackles formative experiences with toxic men in brave new single ‘Anton’
Iona Zajac by Joshua Cobb
Today, Glasgow's Iona Zajac shares her third single of the year, the heart-wrenching and deeply personal ‘Anton’.
Zajac's last single ‘Bang’, released back in June, combined a rich blend of folk textures and vibrant indie-rock tones to reflect on the joyous discovery that sex can be more than a performative act for the male gaze. ‘Anton’ continues to show off Zajac's deeply personal writing prowess, but in stark contrast, presents us with a brutal and brave reflection on formative experiences with toxic men. Another direct and unapologetic song has arrived from Iona Zajac.
Zajac explains it best in her own words: "Anton is all the men who assumed they had the upper hand. The men that haunted my teens with their egos and their hands. It’s for the girls who said ok or didn’t. Who were expected to be ok or pretended to be. Anton is the power and the rage I’ve found since. I’m facing these bad times and giving them a terrifying scream, a wink, a handshake, a headbutt.”
Listen to ‘Anton’ here
Lyrically, Zajac guides the listener through these painful chapters with a stoic, visceral poeticism. "Anton I can’t remember the time you said I saved your life // Babes and bitches keep you warm until there’s something they don’t like // When I don’t have answers it’s not cause I want to see us fight // Anton I don’t love you like you want me to don’t ask me why." The song begins simply. Zajac’s haunting vocal delivery shines over clean, bittersweet guitar chords. With subtle close vocal harmonies and increasing vocal tension, she builds texture which ultimately explodes into a climax of rage and impassioned pain.
Watch the music video for Anton below.
Iona's 2025 has been off to a flying start. Since the release of her first single of the year, ‘Summer’ - her first release in three years - she joined Alison Moyet as the main support on a completely sold-out, 25-date academy tour. This run saw her perform to the biggest crowds of her career to date, including shows at London’s Palladium, Dublin’s 3Olympia, and Belfast’s Ulster Hall.
In December last year, at what was originally billed as a one-off 40th anniversary show, Zajac and her band supported the Pogues at Dublin’s 3Arena, later joining the band on stage to share vocal duties across the band's iconic catalogue. To follow up her monumental run with Moyet, she reprised her role on a seven-date tour, performing vocals and harp alongside Lankum’s Daragh Lynch, John Francis Flynn, Lisa O’Neill, Nadine Shah, and bassist Holly Mullineaux of Goat Girl, as part of the new touring lineup of the Irish folk legends.
Though brief, the seven-date run made its mark in the band’s history. Following the tour, original member Spider Stacy joined the new lineup in a post-tour tattoo session, each committing the word ‘Pogue’ to their skin in celebration of the group's new chapter.
Zajac's been back performing solo material recently with a run of dates at the Pavilion Theatre supporting fellow The Pogues vocalist Lisa O'Neill, as well as a one-off show reprising her support slot with Alison Moyet at a special show at Kew Gardens. Iona plays a solo show at Belladrum Festival in Inverness before continuing her run with The Pogues, playing across the USA and Canada from the 5th of September in Washington through until September 19th at Chicago. Full list of dates below.
August 1st - Belladrum Festival, Inverness
Sept 5th - Lincoln Centre, Washington (As part of The Pogues)
Sept 7th - Seasun Festival, Boston (As part of The Pogues)
Sept 8th - Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia (As part of The Pogues)
Sept 10th - History, Toronto (As part of The Pogues)
Sept 12th - Mtelus, Montreal (As part of The Pogues)
Sept 13th - CityFolk Festival, Ottowa (As part of The Pogues)
Sept 16th - Terminal 5, New York (As part of The Pogues)
Sept 17th - Terminal 5, New York (As part of The Pogues)
Sept 19th - Riot Fest, Chicago (As part of The Pogues)
