Annaca

Annaca is a young lady with a dark and smoky voice along with a striking style on stage.
Her current EP, ‘Haunted’, was released recently and showcases her jazzy sound and soulful roots. She has already been picked as an up and coming star and her shows at the 12 Bar in London’s Denmark St (aka Tin Pan Alley) havce taken on legendary status among her fans.
I was able to catch up with her via email:

MN: Hi Annaca, having seen you twice and enjoyed both shows I wanted to get a little closer to you and your music. I hope you don't mind the imposition.
Not an imposition at all, I really appreciate your wonderful reviews!

MN Who is Annaca? What are her aspirations and dreams?
I’m not only a songwriter, I’m also a performer and entertainer who loves dressing up and putting on a show.
I aspire to strike an emotion in people through the music I write and perform.

MN How would you describe your music if you were talking to someone who hasn't heard you before?
My music has a carnival-esque, jazzy feel to it; my songs are very soulful, dramatic and theatrical.

MN What are you origins: is there music in your background? What did you grow up listening to?
My parents listened to a lot of the greats when I was growing up like Edith Piaf, Jacques Brel, Miriam Makeba, The Beach Boys and Bob Dylan.
I went through some dodgy music tastes myself to discover all the brilliant music from the past and now.

MN Your band sounds very accomplished, very advanced for a new artist. What is their history and how did you get together with them?
Thank you, they are very talented aren’t they?
They’ve all played their instruments for many years, so this is why the three of them are pretty much experts in their instruments.
We formed into a band at Music College in Brighton, the hub of music and creativity.

MN How did your style develop? I assume that you didn’t begin by playing the way you do now so what were the changes along the way?
I guess my writing has just matured into what it is now and is further developing.
I’ve gotten better at playing the piano through time so that has definitely affected my style of writing.

MN You featured at the Olympics and then in the Emerging Icons. How were you picked? What was the experience like for you?
Emerging Icons are a company that work along side the Unsigned Band Review to discover and help new artists and bands further their music career.
We signed up to their website and was nominated amongst several other bands and artists to perform on the Emerging Icons stage at the Olympics.
The experience was incredible and never to be forgotten. It was a real honour to have been apart of it and we’re so thankful to the Emerging Icons for making it happen.
My track “Delilah” was also featured on the Emerging Icons in the Park compilation album, which showcased all the up-and-coming artists that played in the Olympic Park- as something special to remember it by.

MN One of the big talking points today around the business of music is the influence of Simon Cowell etc. How do you feel about the Pop Idol/BGT star selection thing?
I think it’s giving people a distorted vision of how to make it as a musician and songwriter.
Those talent shows have nothing to do with what I’m doing as songwriter and musician.

MN Your new EP has just been released - where was it recorded? How much did you learn from the experience - good or bad - and is there something you will take on to an album sometime soon?
It was recorded in Stereophonics beautiful studio in London. I’ve learned the importance of the bond between the producer and the recording musicians.
I don’t think so, I’ve already written lots of new songs, and I think another EP is the pipeline.

MN The venue I last saw you at - St Pancras Old Church - seemed a strange location for a gig (I must admit to having seen the Lucky Strikes there before), especially a singer with as striking a voice as yours. Was there anything special that you needed to do to prepare for a how in a venue such as that?
People have sung in churches for centuries and I love the atmosphere and the beauty of churches- it’s far better than simply performing in a little pub or club.
The acoustics were actually a bit overwhelming, in sound check all the sounds were bouncing from the walls, we had to try and play quite tamely to prevent too many echoes.

MN What can we expect to see from you in the near future?
Over the coming months there is the release of the EP on the 24th June 2013.
Throughout the summer months we’re going to be performing at a few festivals including Beach Break, Transcend Festival and the International Youth Arts Festival.
I’ve also got plenty of new songs up my sleeve, can't wait to get back in the studio and record.

MN How do you relate to other musicians around today? Are there any other singers that you have as role models or whose style influences you?
I adore Cat Power; she’s had a massive influence on me. Her music has gone through so many phases, and I love that. I relate to her because of her husky tones and the way she taught herself to play her instruments too. I love the sparseness in all of her music, she’s not afraid of having a bit of space, leaving room for the listener’s imagination.