About the event
Ayanna Witter-Johnson, cello and vocals
With a distinctive artistic voice that brings together cultural influences, personal stories and contemporary songwriting, Ayanna Witter-Johnson is one of the most compelling artists on today’s British music scene. A singer, composer, songwriter and virtuoso cellist, she creates music in which personal history, cultural heritage and spirituality become the foundation for deeply emotional and captivating musical narratives. As Time Out famously wrote, “Ayanna Witter-Johnson has to be heard to be believed.” At the heart of Ayanna’s artistic world lies her unique relationship with the cello. More than an accompanying instrument, it serves as a rhythmic foundation, an emotional compass and a natural extension of her voice. Her compositions draw inspiration from memory, heritage, spirituality and questions of identity, weaving together personal stories and universal human experiences. Her latest album, New Roots, explores themes of belonging, renewal and British-Caribbean identity. Written during periods of solitude, travel and reflection, the album blends soul, jazz and contemporary songwriting with a rich sense of storytelling and cultural memory. Through its music, Ayanna reflects on resilience, ancestry and the search for connection in an increasingly fragmented world. A graduate of Trinity Laban Conservatoire and the Manhattan School of Music, Ayanna has composed for the London Symphony Orchestra and collaborated with artists including Andrea Bocelli, Peter Gabriel, Nitin Sawhney and Anoushka Shankar. She made history as the first and only non-American artist to win Amateur Night Live at Harlem’s legendary Apollo Theater, using the prize money to fund her debut EP.
At RADAR Festival, Ayanna Witter-Johnson will present original compositions in which voice and cello intertwine in a deeply personal exploration of roots, identity and human connection.
The concert is supported by Fund Culture of Varna Municipality.