The idea of structuring the EP around your grandmother’s painting and revealing a new section with each release until the whole artwork is unveiled is one of the most beautiful creative concepts I’ve come across in a long time. Where did that idea come from, and what was it like to write music that had to honour something so close to your family’s heart?

Thank you! ☺️

I currently live with my grandma. She showed me the painting one day and actually wanted to give it away. Straight away I said I wanted it. It’s one of the most amazing paintings I’ve ever seen. At the time I was working in the studio on my EP and hadn’t chosen what to use as the cover artwork. It was like a lightbulb moment. The painting fit so perfectly with the concept of my EP. Everything just matched and fell into place like it was meant to be.

My grandma is Greek Cypriot and one of my biggest supporters. The fact that I can bring her creativity into my music means so much to me, especially as I’m incorporating part of my Greek heritage into my music as well.

‘Stay’ has such warmth and a bit of cheekiness to it, it feels like basking in glorious sunshine with a glass of something cold. When you were writing, did you know immediately that it was going to be the one to open the EP? What made it the right first chapter?

I love that! It’s definitely cheeky, warm and light-hearted. It felt like the right song to open the EP. It’s not too heavy, there’s not too much going on musically – just pure summer romance, feel-good vibes and a Mediterranean twist. It felt like the perfect introduction before the EP starts to explore some of the deeper themes.

The bouzouki is such a distinctive sound, it carries so much cultural weight and immediately transports you. Is it a traditional instrument used on the recording, and did you play it yourself? And is there a full Greek-language version of the track, because I have a feeling Greece might fall completely in love with this?

I didn’t play the bouzouki, although I’d absolutely love to learn one day! It was played by a fantastic Greek musician from the North East called Fotis. Learning to play it is definitely something I’d love to do for future live performances.

And I love the idea of translating the song into a full Greek version. Maybe that will have to be a future project!

 Your journey back to music came through yoga, specifically during your teacher training in Bali. That’s quite a significant pivot, from performing other people’s stories on stage to writing and telling your own. What did that process feel like on the inside?

It was incredibly healing, freeing and therapeutic. Music and yoga have grounded me and, honestly, have saved my life at times when I felt overwhelmed by the chaos that sometimes comes with being a musical theatre performer. They’re both my therapy and my safe space.

You spent a decade in musical theatre, performing in Dirty Dancing, Rock of Ages, West Side Story, Tanz der Vampire, roles that required you to be fully inside someone else’s world. How different is it to stand on stage or in a recording studio as entirely yourself? Was that vulnerability something you had to learn, or did it come naturally once you started writing?

I didn’t realise it at first, but I felt completely at home. It honestly felt like that’s where I was always meant to be. As cheesy as that may sound, it’s true.

Since following music and yoga, it feels like I’ve found the right path, and the right people have naturally come into my life. I finally feel like I belong somewhere that truly fits who I am.

‘Eyes Wide Open’, is it a full love story in the romantic sense, or something bigger than that? And is the whole EP shaped purely by your grandmother’s piece of artwork, or is it your interpretation of that and what it speaks to you as the EP unfolds?

The EP isn’t just a love story. Part of it is about finding love within myself and taking pain and turning it into power. It also explores experiences that were difficult for me but that so many people go through in life. At its heart, though, it’s about hope and not letting those experiences break you, but allowing them to make you stronger.

What’s amazing is that my grandma and I see the painting completely differently. What she believes it’s about and what I see in it are two different things, yet somehow it still works perfectly.

I think that’s what I love most about music and art – it’s so subjective. People connect with it in whatever way resonates with them. One person might think it’s terrible, while for someone else it could change their life.

That’s the beauty of art.

You’re from Newton Aycliffe, you trained in London, you’ve performed across Europe, found yourself in Bali, and now you’re back in the Northeast releasing your debut EP. What does it feel like to be doing this here, in this region, with this community around you?

I’ve loved travelling around the world, but the North East will always feel like home.

The support here has genuinely felt like being part of one big family. From the covers gigging scene and all the amazing people involved in that, to the people who’ve supported and written about my original music, everyone has been so encouraging.

There’s so much talent in the North East, and I think everyone is really proud of that, so we all support each other. What I love most is how collaborative the music scene is. People genuinely want to help one another. It’s not about competition—it’s about connection, collaboration and lifting each other up.

That really aligns with who I am as a person. I’m all about bringing people together, creating connections and supporting one another through music and creativity. I feel incredibly grateful to be releasing my debut EP surrounded by a community that shares those values. It makes coming home feel even more meaningful.

Halo Yoga Loft in Darlington sounds like somewhere I genuinely need to visit. How did the idea for that space come about, and do you see the yoga and the music as separate practices, or do they feed directly into each other for you?

You should come! ☺️

Stephen from Butterfly Effect Records offered me the space after we met to talk about music. Darlington doesn’t have many dedicated yoga spaces, so it’s been lovely to bring that to the local community. Even better, it’s connected to a music venue like Angels Cut.

The name “Halo” actually came from Angels Cut, and, quite fittingly, I often incorporate angel cards into my classes. They’re something I’ve used in my own practice to help me understand my feelings and set an intention before each session.

For me, music and yoga go completely hand in hand. Without yoga, I don’t think I would have connected deeply enough with myself to start songwriting. It was after completing my yoga teacher training in 2023 that I wrote and released my first song, Éna Astéri.

You’re launching ‘Stay’ on 10th July at the Slug and Lettuce in Durham, free entry, live support, the whole thing. What do you want people to walk away feeling that night?

I hope people leave feeling inspired to connect more with other people, with art and with music. I really believe those things are medicine for the soul.

I think more and more people are realising how important creativity and human connection are. It’s amazing to see more venues hosting live music and creative events, and I’d love people to leave wanting more of that in their lives.

If your grandmother’s painting could play music, not your music, just any music it wanted, what do you think it would choose?

I honestly think it was made for this EP.

As cliché as it may sound, I think it would choose ‘Eyes Wide Open’. It’s crazy how perfectly the painting fits with the music and the story of the EP. I can’t wait for everyone to finally see the whole painting revealed as each single is released.

‘Stay’ is available from 10th July, pre-save here.

And you can find Annis on Spotify, Instagram, YouTube, and SoundCloud.

July 8th 2026

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