Ayanna Witter-Johnson

MOBO nominated composer, cellist and singer, Ayanna Witter-Johnson’s work sits across classical, jazz and soul. 

Seamlessly blending classical, jazz, reggae, soul and R&B, Ayanna’s sound lives between worlds. She taps, strums and bows her cello while singing in a voice that’s rich, grounded and transcendent. A second-generation Jamaican born in Britain, her work celebrates her heritage, culture and identity through music that is both deeply rooted and boundlessly inventive. Each performance is a masterclass in musical storytelling – honest, virtuosic and utterly original. 

Ayanna has been championed by icons from Gilles Peterson to Jools Holland. She has collaborated and toured with musical legends including Andrea Bocelli, Peter Gabriel, Nitin Sawhney and Anoushka Shankar, co-writing and featuring on her single ‘Those Words’ from the Grammy-nominated ‘Love Letters’ EP.  

Her latest release ‘New Roots’ is a reflection on identity, belonging and rebirth. It traces her Jamaican heritage through lush orchestrations and raw, personal storytelling. The result is both deeply rooted and boldly forward-looking.