KARNEY sets protest songs for new FREE COUNTRY EP

San Francisco songwriter KARNEY will release the three-song protest EP FREE COUNTRY on Oct. 2, 2026, drawing on civil rights-era influences and a No Kings rally performance for inspiration. The project tees up a full-length album planned for 2027 and centers on social justice themes in a stripped-back folk-rock format.

Why it matters: - KARNEY is using a new release to channel protest music into a current political moment. - The FREE COUNTRY EP adds three new songs to a catalog built around social justice, folk rock and acoustic songwriting. - The release arrives ahead of a full-length album planned for 2027, signaling more new music to come.

What happened: - Anna Karney will release the three-track FREE COUNTRY EP on Oct. 2, 2026. - The San Francisco-based songwriter wrote the title track after performing social justice songs at a No Kings rally in San Francisco. - KARNEY said the song “Free Country (No Monarchs Welcome Here)” was inspired by civil rights-era music she learned from her parents’ record of CORE songs. - The EP includes “Free Country (No Monarchs Welcome Here),” “Anymore” and “Just for Now.”

The details: - “Free Country (No Monarchs Welcome Here)” features KARNEY on acoustic guitar and vocals with Ben Dubin on string bass and harmonica. - “Just For Now” and “Anymore” feature KARNEY on acoustic guitar and vocals with Ben Dubin on bass, James Deprato on guitar, Mike Anderson on bass and Kyle Caprista on drums. - Michael Rosen recorded and co-produced all three songs at East Bay Recorders. - KARNEY said “Anymore” reflects feeling lost in a place she used to call home. - KARNEY said “Just for Now” was written as an antidote to the darker emotions in the other songs and was shaped by a connection to nature. - The EP follows 2024’s One True Song, which featured Bay Area musicians and a mix of folk rock and acoustic arrangements. - KARNEY’s previous release, Creatures In The Garden, featured Santana band members Bill Ortiz and Karl Perazzo and reached No. 4 on the Roots Rhythm Report Top Folk Rock Album chart in 2024. - Other recent releases include the 2022 album Gonna Be Beautiful and the 2021 EP Better, which received Triple-A and Americana radio airplay. - KARNEY also released the holiday single “Ring In The Holidays” after One True Song. - Her earlier catalog includes No Mercy, Manifest Destiny, Vol. 1, Restless Wind, Vol. 2, Love & Respect, All Connected and her 1999 debut Karney. - KARNEY has worked with producers and engineers including Mark Pistel, Michael Rosen and Adam Munoz. - KARNEY’s influences include Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Patti Smith, John Lennon, Sheryl Crow, Chrissie Hynde and Joni Mitchell. - As an arranger, pianist and guitarist, KARNEY has worked with George Clinton, Linda Perry and Dennis Bovell.

Between the lines: - The EP leans into protest music at a time when artists are again using direct political language in songwriting. - The stripped-down lineup suggests KARNEY is emphasizing message and performance over production-heavy polish. - The title track ties her current work to older civil rights traditions, which gives the project a historical frame as well as a contemporary one.

What's next: - KARNEY says a full-length album is planned for 2027. - Fans can stream or order the EP through digital services. - More information is available on the KARNEY website and Bandcamp.