Stella Anning is a Naarm-based guitarist, singer/songwriter and composer whose genre-crossing sound draws from jazz, neo-soul, and folk traditions. With roots in jazz and a foundation in improvisation, her work explores deeply personal storytelling through song, reflecting Naarm/Melbourne’s rich and diverse artistic community. Her influences span from guitarists Bill Frisell and Marc Ribot, to her favourite vocalist/songwriter influences, from Esperanza Spalding and Brittany Howard to Adrianne Lenker, resulting in music that is emotive, raw, and resonant.

In 2025, Stella completed two East Coast tours and performed at major festivals including the Clarence Jazz Festival, Folk Rhythm and Life, Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival and Fusion on Fitzroy St. She is a regular collaborator with artists such as John Flanagan, Sal Kimber, ISEULA, AXIS (Xani Colac) and Laura Ingram, and is also the resident guitarist and a composer with the Jazzlab Orchestra.

Recent career highlights include a Banff Jazz and Sonic Arts residency under the mentorship of Shabaka Hutchings and Ganavya, a mentorship with Aaron Choulai through the Australian Art Orchestra, and performances at Bluesfest, the National Folk Festival, and the Melbourne International Jazz Festival.

Part of a new generation of jazz artists, Stella’s work is evolving in tandem with her life. Motherhood has opened new creative pathways, leading her to embrace songwriting and the expressive power of her own voice—expanding on decades of musicianship to forge a sound that is both grounded and exploratory.

This is the waiting room. Would you like some coffee? Some of your friends are here.

For one night only, Bar Open will transform into a liminal space between worlds. Enjoy drag and cabaret performances from a dimension very much like ours, pulled from fear and from love, like so many of the things we do. Dance and sway to music inspired by the soundtracks to David Lynch's works. What will you do while you wait here for your next life?
We're still here. We're still here. We're still here.

Attendees are asked to wear a mask while in the performance area. Lynch himself was housebound for the final few years of his life because of his emphysema, and Covid posed too big a risk for him to go outside. To honour his legacy, we will not leave behind anyone suffering the same way.