Getting To Know: Anna Anise

Anna Anise is the epitome of modern folk, captivating audiences with her lyrical storytelling and glorious melodies that echo the essence of her Cornish roots. Her music is a vivid tapestry of rhythmic, full-bodied guitar tunings and richly textured vocals, drawing comparisons to artists like The Staves, Joni Mitchell, and Laura Marling. Described as "truly great modern folk music" by FATEA's Neil King, Anna's sound is a blend of traditional and alternative folk that feels both fresh and deeply connected to old-school roots. With her new EP, *Awakening*, Anna continues to enchant listeners, offering a warm, uplifting breeze of folk music that lingers long after the last note.

1.Your music has been described as a "warm summer breeze" of modern folk. Can you share how your Cornish roots and Celtic influences shape your songwriting and sound?

Discovering folk music in Cornwall as a teenager was a real turning point for me musically, but it’s taken me a long time of living in other places and travelling to come back and find the Cornish music communities where I feel most at home. Over the years I’ve been drawn a lot to Irish traditional music, and this has inspired a lot of my writing but I think you can always hear that I grew up on pop as a kid. I reckon I’ve found a middle ground in folk/pop/americana space… but you may disagree - carving out descriptors for your own music is always hard!

 2. You've received high praise for your "fantastic melodies" and "fresh arrangements." What is your process for crafting these melodies, and how do you ensure they remain both modern and connected to traditional folk roots?

I think it’s all in the listening and absorbing of artists that inspire me from the traditional and modern folk spaces, and then also being around others where this music is part of the fabric. From travelling around Ireland in my beloved van, to working on the crew team at folk music camps, I think I’m placed well for collecting ideas and new artists, and seeing the links between the lyrics and music and how that’s relevant today.

 3. Your recent EP, Awakening, seems to weave storytelling and rich vocal textures together beautifully. Can you talk about the inspiration behind this project and the stories you're telling through these songs?

For this EP I’ve included the songs that came to me all at once. In previous releases I’ve worked with a variety of tools and methods to explore songwriting which has been great for experimenting. For Awakening, it’s just straight up what happens when I go to write without thought to the structure or form or particular format. It’s meant these songs are a lot more personal, even Servant’s Child which is a story set hundreds of years ago. I still feel like there is just a much of me in this track as the others. Then I’ve worked with my collaborator boci to bring these works to life with traditional tunes.

4. You've played at iconic Bristol venues like Thekla and The Trinity Centre. How have these experiences influenced your music career, and what have you learned from performing live in these diverse settings?

Having these opportunities while I was studying music at BIMM taught me so much about stagecraft and working with live sound at a time when I hadn’t experienced working with bands and live sound on the stage. Up to then I’d been an acoustic around-the-campfire musician, so this was very important to help me develop the skills I’d need to move into the touring circuit and playing with bigger ensembles.

5. Community and connection are central themes in your music. How do you incorporate these values into your live performances, and why is it important to you to create a communal experience through your shows?

I’ve always been curious about the perfect recipe for feeling connected from live performances. Sometimes you go to a show and you leave feeling so high from experiencing the music and being part of it, and this can happen from all kinds of music and artist styles. I am not sure what the key is to sparking this atmosphere, but I’m always intrigued to explore it as I think it’s in these moments that we can feel so alive and part of something. And that’s what it’s all for I think.

6.What was different about the creative process for In Your Head single , and how do you see your music evolving in the future?

This track has a drive and attitude that is so fun to play live. The tune in this track (Dunmore Lasses) brings so much character as played by my bestie and incredible artist boci. I see this sound being part of my future writing, but I’m keen to explore some new ideas that are brewing currently!