Diana Anaid - “The Better Girl Tour”
Brought to you by The Music
With support from Ben Camden and Kristy Coote
$12/15
“There’s only one Diana Anaid”. Iain Sheddon
In 1997 Diana Anaid exploded onto the Australian music scene. From the small alt-village of Nimbin in Northern NSW, Anaid was fearless, punchy and a dynamic performer with oodles of natural born talent. Her debut album - Diana ah Naid stood out amongst the hip hop and teen-pop that was dominating the 90’s airwaves, spawning the #1 hit I Go Off. That year she opened the ARIA Awards armed just with guitar and her powerful voice setting her place firmly within the mainstream, but yet she was not like the mainstream, her untameable presence had a anarchistic independant vibe, which remains in her music to this day. Her follow up album I Don’t Think I’m Pregnant saw her receive her 5th ARIA nomination and her second inclusion in Triple J's Hottest 100. With critical excitement and comparisons to Liz Phair, PJ Harvey and Ani DiFranco, she cracked the U.S market in 2004 with Last Thing, which saw the single climb into the US Billboard Top 40.
My Queen is Anaid’s first album in 7 years. In imagining this record she wondered “how does one create a classic rock album, an album timeless to the foibles of musical fads and fashions”? The first step was taken when Anaid fortuitously met Grammy nominated and ARIA producer of the Year, Steve James, (UK) in 2016. James had famously worked on many projects that are feted as classic albums in the history of music the world over, most notably The Sex Pistols, Toyah Wilcox, Monty Python and The Jam. When Diana described her album vision to James they both knew they had found musical kindred spirits. Steve James wanted to make a record that sounded timeless, a record you could put on in 20 years and not be able to date, an album that would stand the test of time and remain just bloody good whenever it was played. So excited was James by Diana’s undeniable musical talent that he hooked his muse up with his UK network, to help deliver My Queen. First off the rank was having My Queen mastered in the UK by Tim Young ( Massive Attack/Madonna ). Next off the rank was Rock n Roll Hall of Fame recipient Nick Egan, (Oasis, Duran Duran, INXS ) who created the album cover art and shot the first video release from the album, Can’t Apologise.
Together they have created the album of Diana's career. My Queen is indeed a classic timeless rock album that will probably outlive it’s creators. �
My Queen's 11 songs reveal the tremendous personal and musical growth of the artist with themes of endurance and transformation. Diana’s life, not a conventional existence - even by music industry standards, has inspired her to be an artist of great integrity. She is not chasing chart success, but rather aims to creates music as an art form. In this case the art is Rock and Roll. My Queen is a paean to Rock. It sounds modern yet not modern, it is, indeed, timeless. The Australian music scene is getting on board with airplay on Double J, Triple M and ABC RN and critics raving about this breath of fresh air in our over-produced hit machine market.
“Anaid…continues delivering authentic, original music” Kathy McCabe
�“a pioneer of a different kind of girl power” Music Network
"her sound is indie-rock-folk if you want a genre, but the spirit is honest, heartfelt and pleads with listeners to, well, listen...her quest to help the disenfranchised hasn't changed in fact, it burns stronger than ever." Music Love 2017
"...wistful and edgy, rebellious and arty, relentlessly creative..with an amazing voice." 100% Rock Mag 2017
"..beautiful singer/songwriter with well constructed songs about life, love, ups and downs and everything inbetween. Coming across as the Australian equivalent of Alanis Morissette, the alternative rock/pop on display is world class." OverDrive Mag 2017
“…sounding like Kate Bush mixed with Alanis Morissette with a sprinkling of Kate Ceberano and Kasey Chambers, you are in for a journey of music euphoria. The feel of “My Queen” is one of homage to the great female rock albums of the 90’s dragged dazzlingly into 2017. “
Michael Smith Album Review
“My Queen has all the heartache, wit, poetry and honesty of her most well-known work. If anything, Anaid's latest songs feel like they could sit right alongside the work of rising songwriters like Ali Barter and Alex The Astronaut. A great release from a great artist.” MJ O’Neill. The Music.
