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In The Press

Newest Entries at the Top

  • A&R Factory Review of "Man of Mystery" Sept 18, 2023


    Anni & John Lister taught a lesson in cinematic seduction in their jazz score, Man of Mystery

    The art of seduction is stitched across the intricate tapestry of the latest cinematic jazz score from multi-instrumentalist and producer John Lister of Fingerman Studios and singer-songwriter, Anni. With Anni's demurely siren-esque vocal lines narrating a tale of a Man of Mystery over the retro big band spy movie sound and the soft jazz stylings bringing decadence by the smorgasbord, the espionage-centric vignette will leave you hot under the collar and beyond.

    If the producers for the next Bond film don't enlist the superlative talents pertaining to Anni and Lister, who co-wrote the song together, they will have missed a lascivious trick. Heaven knows the franchise needs to redeem itself after Billie Eilish sang the last Bond theme.

    The official music video for Man of Mystery premiered on September 8th; stream it on YouTube.

    Review by Amelia Vandergast

    Full Review

  • Some Anonymous Listener Feedback from Reverb Nation Sept 13, 2023

    We were able to receive some feedback from individual listeners hearing 'Man of Mystery'.

    "I love the big booming production quality on this track. This could be in a movie soundtrack. The players are all total pros. The singer has a great voice, awesome tone and clever lyrics. "
    MALE AGE: 45

    "Lyrics are just words until they get the voice of a singer like you who can turn them into a beautiful song. I really love how you add your twist in the song, only a well-learned can do this. You craft every song into a beautiful masterpiece. "
    FEMALE AGE: 41

    "A nice song to hear and I really love it. The music is fantastic. The song structure and lyrics are amazing. I will recommend this song to my friends. "
    MALE AGE: 25

    "Nice audio mix, solid production. The Bond thing going on is pretty fun. I wouldn't mind listening to this again. It's not the sort of thing I seek out, but if it popped into my streaming I would be fine with it."
    FEMALE AGE: 45

    "The track has a pleasant jazz atmosphere that is classic to me, I enjoy the tone of the bass here, it sounds sensual her singing voice. "
    MALE AGE: 28

    "Boy did I really enjoy of this, a very retro sounding James Bond song with such a modern delivery. I couldn't find the song on iTunes though! "
    FEMALE AGE: 40

    "Was very impressed with the vocals as they had a Billy Holiday vibe going, while I liked the lyrics as I could relate to it. "
    MALE AGE: 57

    "Boy did I really enjoy of this, a very retro sounding James Bond song with such a modern delivery. I couldn't find the song on iTunes though! "
    FEMALE AGE: 40
    ANNI: It takes a bit of time for a new song to be found on iTunes, Spotify, etc. It will show up before too long.

    "This is actually really cool. The vocals are strong. It's an easy song to get into. Really nice job on this one. Well done. "
    MALE AGE: 51

    "Was very impressed with the vocals as they had a Billy Holiday vibe going, while I liked the lyrics as I could relate to it. "
    MALE AGE: 57

  • A few random responses from Facebook . . . Apr 20, 2023

    "Your sound is beautiful"

    "Excellence~"

    "Great sounds here!"

    "Great tune and great voice ~ really!"

    "Great tracks"

  • Some Anonymous Listener Feedback from Reverb Nation Apr 3, 2023

    We were able to receive some feedback from individual listeners hearing 'The Caves of Zenda'.

    "The intro really drew me in. Her voice is really great and the backing instruments add a lot of mystique and intrigue to the piece. Great vocals and great potential. Reminded me of Nightwish."
    MALE AGE: 37

    "You have set a new standard with this performance. Indeed incredible singing skills. Can't appreciate it enough! It gives some positive feel."
    FEMALE AGE: 41

    "Great vocals and song structure and it has a haunting quality to it. Strong, strong lyrics and this song could also be great live. The vocals and lyrics are of quality and the strings section in the background give a strong emotive quality. This song would be good for a movie score or tv soundtrack."
    MALE AGE: 55

    "I love the strings. The vocals are also very good. I'm not sure what genre I would place this song in, but I do know that I would listen to it again."
    FEMALE AGE: 47

    "The music is really amazing and I really love this. While hearing this song I felt relaxed. The song structure is also fantastic. I will recommend this song to all my friends."
    MALE AGE: 25

    "We are very proud that someone from our town has achieved such great success. Looking forward to listening to your next song/album. You're an incredible singer."
    FEMALE AGE: 30

    "I liked this deep and emotional sounding song. The singer has a good sounding voice which shows their range and harmony with the melody. The melody is deep and pleasing to listen to."
    MALE AGE: 39

  • Interview with A&R Factory Mar 28, 2023


    Anni opens up the curtain Till The End Of Time

    We had the pleasure of sitting down with the hugely inspiring young artist Anni lately. She tells us more about playing the piano, Till The End Of Time, her connection with John Lister and why we all needed to listen to that wise inner voice.

    Hello Anni. Thank you for speaking with us today. Firstly, how did you get into performing music and what sparked your interest?
     Anni: I began playing my parents' piano and singing at a very young age. I would make up happy melodies and words and sing them whenever I was afraid or got hurt or had something coming up such as a test or a visit to the dentist. When I look back, I see that it was kind of like visualizing a more positive outcome.

     Please tell us all about your debut solo release Till The End Of Time and what was the process like.
     Anni: "Till the End of Time" is a song from my upcoming second album, and it deals with how our days are numbered and we ought to make the most of them. I had a lot to do with the structure of this song, and wrote the melody and lyrics. My producer took care of the more complex musical details and wrote the chords, arranged it, etc. He would have me sing harmony parts or change a few things, but it resulted in a better song.

     How did you first get connected with John Lister and how has he helped your career?
     Anni: John had heard of me as a freelance singer and had me come to his studio to sing on a couple of pop songs he had written. But he also had worked on rock music and I expressed interest in this, so our journey began in creating the 'Anni' persona and music. The first album contained some pop, but the new one will be all rock.

     What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?
     Anni: Don't leave life to chance. Imagine yourself where you want to be, visualize a better outcome and just work towards that goal as though it is unstoppable. I guarantee it will happen, based on my own experience. The best advice I can give is to always listen to your inner voice, your intuition.

     Your music has passionate energy brewing from each corner and features many different genres. How would you describe your sound and your vision for your new project?
     Anni: The second album, "Revealed", is more focused on the symphonic rock genre. This is a combination of hard rock music and orchestration, blended together to create a very powerful sound. My vision is to strengthen my voice, hit higher highs and stronger lows to become the very best I can be. My lyrics have evolved too, as these songs deal with more complex themes.

     When you close your eyes and imagine performing live, what does it feel like deep in your bones?
     Anni: This is an excellent question. My first album "The Revealing" has a title track that talks about this very thing. I start off with stage fright, knowing there is no place to hide, but then I just boldly go for it and face the audience. I feel that when the time comes for a concert, I will take over the room, I will fill it with the songs I have conceived and as a messenger, it will not make me nervous, because they are not staring and listening to me, but to the delivery, the presence and message.

     Lastly, what goals do you have for the rest of 2023 music-wise?
     Anni: My first goal is to complete the second album, but these symphonic rock tunes are much more complex to compose and execute, so it's going much slower than my first album. I believe it will all be worth the wait though, and the new album should be ready by summertime. After that, I'll seek out live venues and maybe take a bit of a vacation. I've also been thinking about changing my look, which could happen once the second album is done. I'm thinking shorter purple hair, but we'll have to wait and see. I expect to continue with the symphonic rock though, as it's a niche I feel completely comfortable with. Thank you for interviewing me!

    Listen up to her story on Soundcloud.

    Interview by Llewelyn Screen

  • A&R Factory Review of "The Vortex is Closing" Mar 26, 2023


    Anni is a symphonic rock siren in her single, The Vortex is Closing

    Taking me right back to when Apocalyptia deservedly reigned the alternative scene, the symphonic rock artist, Anni, left me nostalgically arrested by her single, The Vortex is Closing, which closed curtains on sanity with elevated ethereal grace.
    By choosing the same sonic palette as a wind-up music box as a prelude before bringing in the artfully gothic atmosphere, which wouldn't be out of place in a Cradle of Filth intro, the humanism creeps in through Anni's seamlessly cutting vocal lines that compel you to lean into compassion for a protagonist who is fighting a losing battle with inertia and mania.
    With enough raw power in her vocal lines they could be used as a natural energy source around the airy interludes, Anni is gorgeously vulnerable and unfuckwithable in the same harmonically pitched breath. We officially can't wait to hear her debut album, The Revealing, which promises to pull prog rock in around her symphonic rock beguile.
    The Vortex is Closing is now available to stream on SoundCloud.

    Review by Amelia Vandergast

    Full Review

  • A&R Factory Review of "The Revealing" Feb 22, 2023


    There's No Place To Hide: Anni fearlessly escapes from the suffocating cage on The Revealing

    Produced by her friend and encouraging role model to the next step in her life named John Lister, Anni is that honest shy hero the world needed on the astonishing release, The Revealing.
    Anni (pronounced Ann-Eye) is an Ontario, Canada-based indie rock singer-songwriter and music producer who has emerged from the shadows to sing away her fears forever.
    Urging her shaken heart to break free from worrying about things she can't control, Anni opens up her vulnerability to the world and shows such courageousness. Working with the well-respected John Lister, we find out what a truly brave single sounds like.
    The Revealing from Ontario, Canada-based indie rock singer-songwriter Anni is a rather brilliant effort from a soul who wants to fly free from her own mind. Sung with purpose and passion, featuring a stunning melody and production to savour, we find a sure-fire classic to turn up loud.

    Review by Llewelyn Screen

    Full Review

  • Interview with T.S.R.T.S. Feb 3, 2023

    On-Air music review blog, 'The Song Remains The Same' did a telephone interview and we're posting a condensed excerpt of some of the transcript here:

    Anni, when did you know you were ready to start out on your own as a singer?
    I felt this way late last year (2022) when I was in the studio adding vocals to projects for other bands. I thought why am I always a background singer, when will I have a chance to really shine?

    So that was when you decided to shine, by working on your own album?
    Well, it wasn't quite so decided yet. It was John at Fingerman Studios who had been the engineer and producer on the projects I had been doing, and he suggested that we could create a few tracks of my own songs.

    So you're also a songwriter?
    Not to the degree of most songwriters, but I did have a couple of melodies and lots of lyrics that I had been working on. We were able to sort them out and John created the band and backing instruments each song needed.

    In closing, where do you see yourself by the end of 2023?
    I hope to have gotten a little recognition, hopefully some online music sales, and it would be awesome if I got some radio play. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

  • Some Anonymous Listener Feedback Jan 26, 2023

    We were able to receive some feedback from individual listeners. Here are a few of them:

    "Looking forward to listening to your next song/album. You're an incredible singer. You so inspire me."
    FEMALE AGE: 30

    "Anni has a beautiful sound to her voice and puts on a good show."
    MALE AGE: 42

    "The vocals have a cool ethereal quality to them and they are very pleasant to the ear. "
    FEMALE AGE: 46

    "Your vocals sound pure amazing"
    MALE AGE: 43