Music – Hobart
Annia Baron – Hobart-based soulful, blues-infused piano songstress – has been capturing the attention of the local and international music industry, with consecutive shows at the Paris Cat Jazz Club (Melbourne, Australia) and her song, ‘Freedom In Me’ from her EP “Coastal Ray” recently announced as a Finalist in the prestigious 2016 American Songwriting Awards. Annia fuses elements of contemporary pop with sultry blues to create a sound that is smooth, clever, and polished. With her honeyed vocals, it’s not all sugar sweet; this girl has some serious pipes, delivering with a raw bittersweet, guttural expression.
“Jaw-droppingly-good” (936 ABC Hobart).
“Superb. Her vocal delivery and performance aura draws you in. She’s definitely one to watch" (Tim Rozemulder, Curator, End of the Earth Music Festival 2017).
“…her collection of songs are written with beautiful honesty and sung equally so.” (Jude Elliot, Director, Voice Academy Tasmania, Australia).
Annia uses a variety of musical influences. As a youngster, she sang gospel with her preacher dad, classical opera with her mother, and mainstream pop with her school friends. Blues, however, remained a pertinent influence. “It was the Rays, Ettas, and Otis who pulled at my heartstrings…they made me yearn for something that I couldn’t put into words. In many ways, they gave me permission to express my emotions – whether joyous and lustful or lonesome and heartbroken.”
Annia’s music is available for download on iTunes. Her follow up EP “Lace and Blue” is due for release mid-2017.
In 2016, this community-minded musician established Acts of Musickindology, an initiative that sees herself (and encourages others to) donate 10% of all performance payments to local not-for-profit organisations. Contributions have been made to Headspace, the Australian Children’s Music Foundation, The Dogs’ Home of Tasmania and Annia’s local Women’s Shelter in Hobart.