Artist
Annah Mac
From Tokanui in Southland – a sheep farm to be exact – in a station wagon with her family, and more than 200,000km on NZ roads, Annah Mac from the age of 8 years old, took to any stage she could, and she sang her pitch perfect heart out.
Annah won the national schools Play It Strange songwriting competition at 15 and the Smoke-free rock quest female musician award at 16. She has just turned 18 and recently completed a songwriter’s scholarship to Memphis, where she played and wrote with some of the best session musicians on the planet.
Whilst at school Annah entered into the Play It Strange songwriting competition for secondary school students three times. The first year she won that award with her song ‘Blue Butterfly’ at the age of 15. In the two subsequent years, both of her compositions were placed in the top 5 making her the most consistent artist since the inception of this competition.
In 2007, her song ‘Home’ was not only placed third but won the competition’s lyric award for that year.
‘Home’ was also selected to feature on the ‘Great New Zealand Songbook’ compilation, the only unsigned artist at that time to feature and as a representative for a new breed of New Zealand music stars.
Annah is a singer/songwriter with a dedicated and ferocious ambition; a sincere love of performing; and a writing talent rarely seen. Annah Mac has achieved much in her preparation. And at last she is ready to take her music to the people. She has written a repertoire of truly insightful, evocative songs.
Annah has just completed recording her debut album at Auckland’s Roundhead studios with American producer and drummer Brady Blade (Opshop, Brooke Fraser). Blade and Annah have made a record which captures Annah’s youth while showcasing a songwriting talent that belies her years. There are 12 tracks, some straight down the middle pop, some with a RnB influence and some heart stopping ballads to round it all off.
Over the past few weeks Annah has been busy putting together her own band of young skilled musicians including the multi-talented Haddon Smith of Electric Confectionaries fame. Live shows are next on the agenda.
She tested the waters by playing support for Kelly Clarkson on her recent tour. ‘It was quite a crazy induction into playing the record live. I didn’t expect to be playing Vector Arena on the very first show’ says Annah.
Her first single ‘Focus’ was released early this year. It has spent 27 weeks in the radio charts Top 100 and reached the number 3 position on the NZ Top 40 chart.
Annah’s latest single, ‘Baby Don’t Change’ is out now.
Visit Annah'sMySpace Page or herFacebook Page
Baby Don't Change from ‘Little Stranger’ Play