Anne James, a singer-songwriter, music therapist & teacher based in Kent UK, who crafts emotive melodies and meaningful lyrics, captivating audiences with her genuine, soulful performances.
Born and raised in the South East of England, Anne’s musical journey started young. Lessons on the piano were followed by learning the flute and songwriting flowed naturally from a young age.
Beyond the stage, she extends her musical passion as a session musician. Her versatility in singing, playing the piano, and the flute allows me to contribute to various projects, whether in a studio or a live setting. This aspect of my career is about collaboration and exploration, pushing the boundaries of my musical abilities.
As she honed her skills in songwriting and performing, she found her own unique voice and her music has pop, folk, jazz and gospel influences.
Her journey took an exciting turn when she met Olivia Cunnington and they formed the band Keeping Cornelius with a guitarist performing Anne’s original songs and pop covers. Following this she formed a duo with James Taylor. Their collaboration has been a harmonious blend of talents, bringing fresh interpretations to jazz standards and pop covers.
Her solo career, parallel to these partnerships, has been an exploration of personal expression, with each original song reflecting a chapter of her life story. Music, for her is a lifelong passion that continues to evolve and inspire.
As part of her music degree she was able to explore different musical genres – playing flute in the symphony and jazz orchestras, classical flute and piano lessons, and singing in various choirs and ensembles. Her exposure to various music styles helped her develop versatility as an artist, fostering a deep appreciation for diverse musical genres.
After completing her degree, she trained first as a primary teacher and then subsequently as a music therapist. All the while, she continued to write and perform her own songs.
She has performed her self-penned songs as a solo artist, in bands and collaborated with other musicians at various events including festivals, weddings, celebrations and pub gigs. Anne enjoys singing with Canterbury Gospel choir and was thrilled to be able to work with them to perform an arrangement of her song Mystery.
She has collaborated with musicians and producers to record her songs which have been released on various platforms including Spotify, Youtube and Soundcloud. Anne has had four of her songs featured on BBC Radio Kent through BBC Upload with Leo Ulph and was interviewed by Stephen Brown for his radio show Access All Areas.
Anne is currently working as a self-employed HCPC registered music therapist running sessions with groups and individuals as well as teaching, composing and performing.
