**FREE ENTRY** Stella Anning (Front Bar)

** FREE ENTRY // FRONT BAR // 6:30-8:30PM **
 

Stella Anning is a Naarm-based guitarist, singer/songwriter and composer whose genre-crossing sound draws from jazz, neo-soul, and folk traditions. With roots in jazz and a foundation in improvisation, her work explores deeply personal storytelling through song, reflecting Naarm/Melbourne’s rich and diverse artistic community. Her influences span from guitarists Bill Frisell and Marc Ribot, to her favourite vocalist/songwriter influences, from Esperanza Spalding and Brittany Howard to Adrianne Lenker, resulting in music that is emotive, raw, and resonant.

In 2025, Stella completed two East Coast tours and performed at major festivals including the Clarence Jazz Festival, Folk Rhythm and Life, Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival and Fusion on Fitzroy St. She is a regular collaborator with artists such as John Flanagan, Sal Kimber, ISEULA, AXIS (Xani Colac) and Laura Ingram, and is also the resident guitarist and a composer with the Jazzlab Orchestra.

Recent career highlights include a Banff Jazz and Sonic Arts residency under the mentorship of Shabaka Hutchings and Ganavya, a mentorship with Aaron Choulai through the Australian Art Orchestra, and performances at Bluesfest, the National Folk Festival, and the Melbourne International Jazz Festival.

Part of a new generation of jazz artists, Stella’s work is evolving in tandem with her life. Motherhood has opened new creative pathways, leading her to embrace songwriting and the expressive power of her own voice—expanding on decades of musicianship to forge a sound that is both grounded and exploratory.