A natural performer, creative improviser and talented musician, Leeds native Lucy-Anne Daniels draws inspiration from singers such as Betty Carter, gospel duo Mary Mary and, most pertinently, Amy Winehouse.
At the age of sixteen, Lucy-Anne became the lead vocalist for the band at the close of 2019. Since then, she has performed at various venues and festivals across the country, most memorably a hometown gig which saw her return to the historic Leeds Town Hall.
In September 2020, Lucy-Anne began studying jazz voice at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, receiving tuition from both Sara Colman and Noemi Nutti. Lucy-Anne has matured incredibly since joining the London-based band and has since established herself as an emerging artist on the Birmingham jazz scene in her own right.
Having graced the Woolwich Works stage for its opening in September 2021, followed by various collaborative projects – most recently, fronting the Jazz Orchestra’s ‘Amy Winehouse: A Celebration of her Life and Music’ tour, Lucy-Anne Daniels returned to NYJO HQ for her debut solo performance in June 2022.
Since joining NYJO, I’m so much more confident as a performer. Especially in terms of being able to entertain and keep the crowd engaged with you. It’s really nice to be able to feel that difference.
Lucy-Anne Daniels, NYJO Singer
The show, entitled ‘This Music Made Me’ was an opportunity for Lucy-Anne to take the next step in her career by curating an intimate and honest concert of songs that have shaped her musical identity, exploring the origins of her sound and style, through the work of iconic singer/songwriters such as Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell and Nina Simone.
Having grown up with the vibrant sounds of gospel and jazz, Lucy-Anne is a vivid storyteller and creative improviser whose rich vocals effortlessly weave her through an array of genres, from folk to funk, gospel to latin music and more.
Still only 19 years old, we’ve been thrilled to see Lucy-Anne grow these past three years, while at the same time knowing how much untapped potential she has as a musician.
To hear from Lucy-Anne directly regarding her growth as a musician during the Amy Winehouse project, you can watch a recent interview alongside lead arranger, Olivia Murphy below!