大象传媒

Ayanna Witter-Johnson is a multi-talented singer, songwriter, pianist and cellist. She has a phenomenal mastery for seamlessly crossing the boundaries of classical, jazz, reggae, soul and R&B, to imprint her unique musical signature and her virtuosic tap, strum and bow into her cello into her sound and vibe.

After graduating with a first-class degree from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and the Manhattan School of Music, Ayanna participated in the London Symphony Orchestra's Panufnik Young Composers Scheme. Soon after, as Emerging Artist in Residence at London's Southbank Centre, Ayanna performed as a featured artist with Courtney Pine's Afropeans: Jazz Warriors. Later, whilst studying in the USA at New York's Manhattan School of Music, she became the only non-American to win 'Amateur Night' Live at the legendary Apollo Theatre in Harlem, NYC.

As a composer, Ayanna has been commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra, Güerzenich Orchester, Ligeti Quartet, Kronos Quartet and The Hip-Hop Shakespeare Company to name but a few. She was also selected as an arranger/orchestrator for the London Symphony Orchestra (Hugh Masekela, Belief) and the 大象传媒 Symphony Orchestra (Urban Classic).

Whilst releasing EP’s and her debut album ‘Road Runner’, Ayanna has extensively toured the UK and Europe, gaining a MOBO award nomination and receiving airplay on 大象传媒 Radio 1 & 大象传媒 1Xtra. A performer of extraordinary versatility, her live shows are intimate journeys that chronicle her experience as a female artist in the 21st century. Ayanna has collaborated and toured with artists as diverse as Akala, Riz MC, Nitin Sawhney, Anoushka Shankar and Andrea Bocelli. Currently working on her sophomore album, Ayanna has recently appeared on Channel 4 (Sing It Loud: Black and Proud), 大象传媒 Proms and a stunning performance on Later…with Jools Holland (大象传媒 One).

Ayanna Witter-Johnson is the very definition of eclectic soul