The Anchoress is the moniker of Welsh multi-instrumentalist Catherine Anne Davies.
Her debut album, ‘Confessions of A Romance Novelist’, was released to widespread critical acclaim and was named amongst the Guardian critics’ Albums of the Year, won HMV’s Welsh Album of the Year, Best Newcomer at the PROG awards, and a nomination for Welsh Music Prize.
MOJO described Davies as being in possession of “a devastatingly powerful voice”. The Observer called it “a blackly witty break up album…compelling”, while PROG magazine described the record as “Kate Bush’s Hounds Of Love updated for the 21st century”. The genre-hopping, expansive production of Confessions of a Romance Novelist draws on influences as far and wide as Prince, Tori Amos, Roxy Music, The Carpenters, and David Bowie. On the album, Catherine plays a variety of instruments, including piano, guitar, flute, omnichord, mellotron, wurlitzer, glockenspiel, and celeste, as well as sampling church bells, and an orchestra of typewriters.
Music video by The Anchoress performing ‘What Goes Around’.
The Anchoress has also recently supported and duetted with fellow Welshmen, the Manic Street Preachers and recently supported Simple Minds on the UK leg of their Acoustic Tour (May/June 2017).
Recently, The Anchoress was also invited to perform a special guest tribute to David Bowie as part of Simple Minds’ Radio 2 In Concert. She’s also appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, BBC Radio 3’s The Verb, and been interviewed by MOJO and The Guardian.
From the critically acclaimed album ‘Confessions of a Romance Novelist’ come’s ‘Doesn’t Kill You’.
Music Producers Guild nominated producer and songwriter The Anchoress (aka Catherine Anne Davies) has created a one-woman sonic vision on her second album, The Art of Losing, a collection of songs that Caitlin Moran hailed as “the inadvertent, beautiful, and truthful soundtrack to this moment” and The Sunday Times named as one of their 7 “must-hear” Albums of 2021.
Produced and written by Davies, the album features the BBC 6 Music playlisted singles ‘Show Your Face’ & ‘The Art of Losing’, alongside guest performances from James Dean Bradfield (Manic Street Preachers) and Sterling Campbell (David Bowie, Duran Duran).
Whilst her 2016 debut album Confessions of a Romance Novelist won awards and attracted critical acclaim, The Art of Losing successfully transformed wall-to-wall critical plaudits into a Top 10 position in the UK physical album charts, as well as the #1 spot on iTunes and a second nomination for the Welsh Music Prize. It was also named album of the year by The Sunday Times, The Line of Best Fit, Mail on Sunday, Prog, and The Sun, and hailed as “one of my favourite records of the year” by Sir Elton John.
Let’s see what The Anchoress has to say about Vocalzone!
“I have used and enthused about Vocalzone as an essential part of my touring and studio toolkit for the past five years.”
Follow The Anchoress on either Songkick or Bandsintown to see where she is performing next!