An esteemed member of Melbourne's bustling jazz scene, acclaimed guitarist Stella Anning is branching out as a songwriter-vocalist as she works towards releasing her next body of work.
An established figure who has collaborated with a who's who of the Australian music scene – Guy Sebastian, Thndo, C.W. Stoneking, Kylie Auldist, Nina Ferro, and Clare Bowditch – Stella can be found as the resident guitarist with Melbourne collective Jazzlab Orchestra.Her newest single is titled 'Watching You As You Fall', and sees Stella debut as a lead vocalist, the track lyrically finding humour within testing situations, a reminder that we're not alone in our individual journeys through life, despite how alienating survival seems at times.
A riveting, yet loose jazz beat slowly serenades the rhythm, Stella's vocals vibrant as she tells us to watch out for a rock on the ground that's a metaphoric emotional blockage.
A story time, almost cinematic vibe quickly flourishes as the song twirls mystically, Stella's voice enchanting as the song shimmers magically like a chapter from The Faraway Tree.
Mesmerising rolling drums, stabby yet psych-drenched guitar licks, and spirited, twinkling keys provide a noodling escapism to drift away that's locked together by the honey-smooth bass tones that provide a sonic sweetener.
The track rounds back with Stella playfully cooing through the chorus, joined by some sweet harmonies as those twinkling keys and shimmering drums chaperone the song's beautiful conclusion.
Ahead of the song's release tomorrow (16 July), today scenestr is thrilled to premiere the 'Watching You As You Fall' music video. Enjoy.
"A sense of recognition," shares Stella, explaining what she hopes listeners gain from 'Watching You As You Fall', "like they're not alone in the messy, funny, and sometimes disorienting parts of life.
"I hope they feel heard, maybe even smile knowingly, and know that it's okay not to have it all together. . . and maybe we can even laugh about it!"
The DIY video, that Stella wrote, produced and edited, features her superimposed taking a stroll on classic suburban streets of Naarm/ Melbourne. "The concept is deceptively simple," shares Stella.
"It's just me, walking down a classic Melbourne suburban street, but what looks like a straightforward scene quickly unravels into something far more chaotic and symbolic.
"We shot the entire clip using green screen, allowing the background to shift and distort, mirroring the mental noise, self-doubt, and impostor syndrome that can creep in, even during something as mundane as a walk down the street.
"Along the way, I encounter a rock. This rock becomes a metaphor for the emotional and psychological blockages I've experienced in life – those moments where moving forward feels unexpectedly difficult.
"The video plays with that fine line between external simplicity and internal complexity, blending humour, vulnerability, and a bit of surreal visual chaos."
With two previous instrumental albums, Stella's upcoming 'Yellow Brick Veneer' is a record exploring themes related to motherhood, mental health, identity, and the complexities of personal and familial relationships.
Each of the ten tracks unveils a facet of the human journey, inviting listeners to navigate life's intricacies with openness, all written at a time that coincided with Stella's journey into motherhood.
"In the quiet solitude of pregnancy and childbirth during this period, I spent a lot of time reflecting on my past and envisioning the future I hoped for both myself, my child and my community.
"This experience made me want to write words, to be able to communicate directly with my audience and engage with them in a more personal and meaningful way than my previous instrumental albums."
Stella Anning 2025 Tour Dates
Sat 20 Sep - Smith's Alternative (Canberra)Sun 21 Sep - El Horses (South Coast)
Mon 22 Sep - Monday Night Confessions @ Church Street Studios (Sydney)
Sun 5 Oct - Shotkickers (Melbourne)* matinee
Sat 11 Oct - Cosmopolitan Hotel (Trentham)
