Ani DiFranco | Artist
Angela Maria "Ani" DiFranco is an American-Canadian singer-songwriter born 1970 in Buffalo, New York. Her music has been classified as folk rock and alternative rock, although it has additional influences from punk, funk, hip hop and jazz. Her grassroots method, relentless touring, and lyrics that confront issues like rape, abortion, racism, misogyny, queer culture, and class politics with insight and compassion; empower the singer's anger, which she reveals with empathy and poignant candor. DiFranco started out playing Beatles covers at local bars and busking, at the age of nine. By 14 she was writing her own songs, playing them at bars and coffee houses throughout her teens. She graduated from the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts high school at 16 and began attending classes at Buffalo State College. She was living by herself, having moved out of her mother's apartment after she became an emancipated minor when she was 15. DiFranco started her own record company, Righteous Babe Records, and had written over 100 original songs by the age of 19. She released her self-titled debut album in 1990, shortly after relocating to New York City. She then toured steadily for the next 15 years, pausing only to record albums. Appearances at Canadian folk festivals and increasingly larger venues in the U.S. reflected her popularity on the North American folk and roots scene. The 1990s were a period of heightened exposure for DiFranco, as she continued playing larger venues around the world and attracted international attention of the press, including appearances on MTV and VH1. Ani DiFranco has employed a D.I.Y. ethos in all aspects of career. From a genre-blending songwriting approach to self-reliant distribution, DiFranco produces, releases, and distributes her own and others' records through her company. She has recorded 27 studio albums, all via her own label, Righteous Babe. Standout albums include Ani DiFranco (1990), Imperfectly (1992), Out of Range (1994), Not a Pretty Girl (1995), Dilate (1996), and the live album Living in Clip (2022). DiFranco supports many social and political movements by performing benefits, appearing on benefit albums and speaking at rallies. Through the Righteous Babe Foundation, DiFranco has backed grassroots cultural and political organizations supporting causes including abortion rights and LGBT visibility. She counts American folk singer and songwriter Pete Seeger among her mentors. DiFranco released a memoir, No Walls and the Recurring Dream, on May 7, 2019, via Viking Books and made The New York Times Best Seller list.
Artist Website : anidifranco.com
Featured Albums: Ani Difranco
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