Ayanna Witter-Johnson

Ayanna Witter-Johnson is a multi-talented singer, songwriter, pianist and cellist. She has a phenomenal mastery for seamlessly crossing the boundaries of classical, jazz, reggae, soul and R&B, to imprint her unique musical signature with her virtuosic tap, strum and bow with her cello into her sound and vibe.

After graduating with a first-class degree from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and the Manhattan School of Music, Ayanna participated in the London Symphony Orchestra's Panufnik Young Composers Scheme. Soon after, as Emerging Artist in Residence at London's Southbank Centre, Ayanna performed as a featured artist with Courtney Pine's Afropeans: Jazz Warriors. Later, whilst studying in the USA at New York's Manhattan School of Music, she became the only non-American to win 'Amateur Night Live at the legendary Apollo Theatre in Harlem, NYC.

As a composer, Ayanna has been commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra, Güerzenich Orchester, Ligeti Quartet, Kronos Quartet and The Hip-Hop Shakespeare Company to name but a few. She was also selected as an arranger/orchestrator for the London Symphony Orchestra (Hugh Masekela, Belief) and the BBC Symphony Orchestra (Urban Classic). Her talent has seen her compose for the sold out, hit theatre production, ‘The Collaboration’, at London’s Young Vic Theatre (and MTC's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre in New York), and compose for the renowned documentary 'Hostile'.


Whilst releasing EP’s and her debut album ‘Road Runner’, Ayanna has extensively toured the UK and Europe, gaining a MOBO award nomination and receiving airplay on BBC Radio 1 & BBC 1Xtra. A performer of extraordinary versatility, her live shows are intimate journeys that chronicle her experience as a female artist in the 21st century. Ayanna has collaborated and toured with artists as diverse as Akala, Riz MC, Nitin Sawhney, Anoushka Shankar and Andrea Bocelli. Currently working on her sophomore album Ayanna has recently appeared on Channel 4 (Sing It Loud: Black and Proud), BBC Proms and a stunning performance on Later…with Jools Holland (BBC 1)

Ayanna Witter-Johnson is the very definition of eclectic soul.