Ani Difranco

The most important thing about Ani is that she did it on her own. Hailing from Buffalo, New York and a graduate of a performing arts school, Ani moved to New York City whilst still in her teens. She had been a performer for years, and record labels were keen to sign her up.
Ani had different ideas. She registered her own company, Righteous Babe Records, which runs from its office in Buffalo. In the beginning, so the story goes, she sold tapes and CDs from the back of a van after gigs. Her fame spread quickly, and although not well known in the UK, Ani is famous enough to have appeared in cartoon form in King of the Hill.
Ani is well known for her forthright, pull-no-punches lyrical style and, more recently, for her laid-back jazz rhythms. In general, Ani is something of a relief if you are sick of the mass-produced, the plastic and the saccharine. With songs that are always different and frequently challenging, Ani's album output is well into its teens. It is well worth checking out her back catalogue, which charts her growth from girl with a guitar to an acclaimed and respected performer.
Rachel Pass