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Anna Neale has worked in the music industry professionally for twenty years as an artist, songwriter, composer, engineer and producer.Anna Neale has worked in the music industry professionally for over twenty years as a creative practitioner (artist, songwriter, composer, recording engineer and producer), academic and industry consultant. Anna has toured the world, released three albums and two EPs independently to critical acclaim, written songs for other artists, radio and TV advertising, and provided vocals for many TV animations, songs and adverts.
Her most recent album Wide Sky received a 5-star review in national music magazine RnR. (Rock n Reel). Much of her commercial work has been commissioned by Global Media (Capital, Radio X, Heart, and Classic FM). Her writing credits include Dave Rowntree (Blur), John Wozniak (Marcy’s Playground), Justin Gray (Joss Stone, Avril Lavine, James Bay), Hayley McKay, James Warren (The Korgis), Kevin Brennan MP, Jali Fily Cissokho, the English National Opera and New Noise Audio.
As well as her composing and performing credits, Anna has worked extensively in the music industry. Until recently she was an elected member of the Executive Committee for the Musicians Union, an elected member of The Ivors Academy Senate and part of the Ivor’s Academy Awards Committee. Her credits include the newly formed ECSA’s (European Composers & Songwriter Alliance) AI & Technology working group and The Brit Awards Voting Academy for The Brits. Before this Anna was elected as the first female Chair of the Writers Committee for the Musicians Union, an elected member of The Ivors Academy Songwriter Committee and The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steergroup (EDI) (formally the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors / BASCA). As part of her Equality, Diversity and Inclusion work, Anna is an ambassador for the F-List and was one of the first mentors for the SheGrows mentoring scheme in partnership with the Musicians Union and SheSaidSo in 2019. She has been a driver of change in the music industry, utilising her networks to support and represent creators, the independent sector, neurodiversity and women. She has been involved with various campaigns across the music industry supporting the independent sector and talent pipeline in both education and policy areas, such as the DCMS #fixstreaming campaign, removal of the top 100 chart criteria for The Ivor Novello Awards to allow great diversity and the Let the Music Move report on creative practice after Brexit.
As an artist, Anna has released various albums, eps and singles independently. Her latest single, Stormy Daughter was co-written with MP, DCMS member and Chair of the APPG for Music, Kevin Brennan, as a song of empowerment for those who feel sidelined, and is the first entirely solo produced outing for Anna. Wide Sky, her album from 2018, which was co-produced with Jez Larder (Amy MacDonald, Estelle, David Bowie), was critically applauded throughout the industry with regular play on BBC Introducing: The South. Featuring performances from Syrian musicians, as well as singers from English National Opera (ENO), Wide Sky fused Middle Eastern music with Western pop, continuing the world music theme featured in her previous album River Man. Wide Sky was funded through Pledge Music, with the campaign reaching 275% of its target funding in three days. Her previous EP Free Falling was also crowdfunded. The title track Free Falling was chosen as BBC Introducing: The South's 'Track of the Day' twice in 2016.
Her previous award-winning album River Man, (2012), took the listener on an epic musical odyssey through Roman history and heralded a change of musical direction. Voted one of RnR (Rock n Reel) Magazine’s albums of 2012, River Man features guest performances from Gary Brooker (Procol Harum), Patch Hannan (The Sundays, The Audience), and world-renowned Senegal virtuoso Jali Fily Cissokho. Influenced by the life, times, loves and legacy of Pompeii, Anna Neale’s River Man enthralled listeners with songs that chronicled universal themes of love and knowledge and the eternal question of the human spirit and human identity. Part of the River Man tour in 2013 saw Anna and her band performing at The British Museum as part of their 'Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum' exhibition and at the University of Cambridge with Classics Professor Mary Beard.
She has shared the stage with musicians such as Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols), Gerry Diver (Graham Coxon, Paul Heaton, Lisa Knapp), Pete Flood (Bellowhead), Kevin Brennan MP, and Gino Lupari (Four Men and a Dog). She has supported many well-known acts, including Britpop band Space, Martin Carthy and Edwin Starr.
Anna is co-host and producer of the podcast ‘What’s the Point?’ along with broadcaster Dan Chisholm, exploring issues creators face within the music industry. She is the Director of President and Creators at CISAC and a Doctoral Researcher at Birmingham City University, focusing on technological, economic and artist considerations within commercial songwriting practice. https://whatsthepointpodcast.co.uk.
Origins:
A winner of 2009's Guildford Music Award for Best Female Solo Artist, Anna started her professional life touring as a vocalist with Dublin soul band, the stars from 'The Commitments', moving on to become a well-established performer and songwriter in her own right by playing to an increasing number of fans through her live, TV and Radio performances. In 2008 Anna reached the finals of the London Metro's 'On-line, On-tour' competition and MTV’s 2008 ‘Get Seen, Get Heard’ competition. Her interview and song (filmed live at 'Bed' bar in her hometown of Woking) Soul Momma received regular play on various MTV channels across the UK over the spring and summer. Later on in the year she played at the O2 in Greenwich as part of O2 Undiscovered. Anna has performed worldwide, across US, Canada, Europe and Asia, both as a solo artist and as a member of various bands, being described by the press as 'sensual, fiery and playful'.
At home and internationally, Anna has performed at most major music industry conferences. In 2010 she showcased at Brighton's 'Great Escape' Festival with Recharged Radio. Anna has also performed at Manchester’s renowned ‘In The City’ music conference and was a regular performer on the main stage at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Internationally Anna has headlined at the world-renownedCanadian Music Week festival (CMW) in Toronto in 2009, and at the sell-outBPI showcase as part of Canada’sNXNEfestival in 2006, where she was the highest-rated solo artist in the Canadian press. She has also performed as part of SXSW in Austin, Texas and at the NEMO Music Festival in Boston USA in 2005. Anna’s Boston appearances resulted in her track All For Nothing topping the Starbucks download charts across New England.
