Stella Anning

Based in Naarm/Melbourne, Stella Anning is a versatile guitarist, composer, songwriter, and performer whose practice spans jazz, contemporary songwriting, and genre-defying improvisation. With a foundation in jazz and composition, her evolving artistry now incorporates a distinct singer/songwriter voice, reflecting a deeply personal and expressive new phase of her career.

An established figure in Melbourne’s vibrant jazz scene and a sought-after session musician, Stella has performed with artists such as Guy Sebastian, Thndo, C.W. Stoneking, Sarah Blasko, Kylie Auldist, Nina Ferro, and Clare Bowditch. Her playing features on dozens of recordings across genres, and she has toured extensively both in Australia and internationally.

As a bandleader and composer, Stella has released two instrumental albums: Paper Planes (supported by a Creative Australia Buzz Grant) and STAT. These works feature some of Australia’s top improvisers and have been performed at major venues and festivals including Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Lazybones (Sydney), The Ellington (Perth), and Northcote Social Club. STAT received critical acclaim for its genre-crossing aesthetic and further cemented Stella’s reputation as a bold and boundary-pushing artist and guitarist.

Her latest project under her own name, with the album ‘Yellow Brick Veneer’, marks her full emergence as a songwriter. This new body of work explores themes of motherhood, mental health, identity, and the complexities of personal and familial relationships. Deeply inspired by the creative community of Naarm, the album showcases Stella’s voice as an expressive instrument and continues her commitment to innovation and vulnerability in her music. Over the past year, Stella took this project on the road with two East-Coast tours, a tour to WA South Australia and Tasmania and a performance at Clarence Jazz Festival (Tasmania), and local shows including Jazzlab and Shotkickers to name a few.

“Sonically rich… with Anning’s guitar nudging post-rock territory… ‘Yellow Brick Veneer’ is the sound of an artist stretching their wings, concocting a blend of folk jazz hinged upon melodic contours, searing beauty, and spirited guitar” - Des Cowley.

As a composer, Stella writes for small and large ensembles alike. She is the resident guitarist with the Jazzlab Orchestra and has recently contributed a new work for their forthcoming 2026 release. Her recent development as a composer has been supported by key mentorships, including with Aaron Choulai (Australian Art Orchestra, 2023) and at the Banff Jazz and Sonic Arts Residency (2024), where she worked under Shabaka Hutchings and Ganavya.

Some performance highlights include Bluesfest (Women of Soul), the National Folk Festival (John Flanagan), Tanglewood Festival (Tanya George), the feature artist for Sound Sorcery Jam (Sydney), Winter Blues Festival Echuca (ISEULA) and the Melbourne International Jazz Festival (STAT).

Stella contributes as a guitarist and backing vocalist for a range of contemporary artists, including John Flanagan, ISEULA, Laura Ingram, Sal Kimber, Tanya George, Elly Poletti, Xani Colac’s AXIS and continues her work with the JazzLab Orchestra.

Outside of performance, Stella is dedicated to music education and mentorship. She teaches privately in Thornbury and at Eltham High School, and was a mentor with YoWo Music, a not-for-profit program promoting gender equity in the music industry and empowering young women and gender-diverse musicians. Stella has also been a mentor for Melbourne Youth Orchestra's music programs, running the rhythm sections and also running their big band program.