Hi, my name is Anna Ling

I've been singing my songs in pubs and festivals, round fires, and in front rooms since my early teens, and somehow it's become easy to bare the most tender parts of myself to an audience. But recording? Creating something that will go out naked into the world of form? Terrifying.

Songwriting has seen me through the hardest and most beautiful times of my life, but recording is the unmet longing, and the thing I'm most scared of.

During lockdown, I started meeting that longing, and I built a studio and learned how to record. I wanted to understand the mechanics and be able to make creative decisions about the process; I once recorded in a studio, and it was beautifully held, but I didn't feel like I understood enough to make creative decisions and keep hold of the magic.

And now I'm starting to, and recording has become exciting and creative rather than scary. 

I am about halfway through, and so far I have borrowed, worked for, and exchanged my way. All the musicians and technicians have been paid fairly, and quite simply, I've borrowed and pulled all the favors I can, and I need more money to finish it.

The minimum needed for this project: £8000

Each track has around 7 musicians and needs to be mixed and mastered, which costs around £500-£700 (which is cheap because I'm producing, editing, and recording a lot of it at home). I hope to record 10 or more tracks, which gets us to £5000-£7000. Album artwork £400, Manufacturing £1100, and Postage and Indigogo fees £500.

Dream target £9500 or beyond

PR £1500. 

This is a fee to get it 'out there'; radio plays, reviews, print, playlists, and generally giving it a little fledgling chance of success. I would honestly be happy if I made an album that I was proud of and that my friends and family liked, but I want to give it the best chance I can. 

If more money comes in, there are so many more things I'd love to do with this music, I'd love to make more videos, and print vinyl, I'd love to get some of my favorite musician friends to do covers, and I'd love to take it on tour.

I don't pay myself for this work, it is such a privilege to be able to make this, and every penny donated will go into the music. This is my big life dream, and at times it's felt like an uphill journey. I'm proud of where I've got to and believe the best is yet to come, and with your help, I know I can make something really beautiful. 

What will happen now?

I've already traveled a fair distance, I've finished 4 tracks and have started to release them as singles, and am 80% through the next 3. It will take another 6 months or so to be fully finished, but it's got momentum. The first thing is to finish the music. I'll also get the album artist on board as soon as there are the funds to start designing the album artwork, and if I get the dream target, I'll be contacting Will, who's a PR magician who has his fingers in all the right pies. Once everything is recorded I'll choose an environmentally friendly pressing company to manufacture the CDs (with recycled cardboard cases). Then it's releasing, posting and all the while I'll be delivering whatever perks you guys have selected. 

How can you help?

You can select a Perk. The Perks include a physical (CD) or digital version of the album. There are also personal gifts and prints, individual voice lessons, and tickets to the release gig. You could have me write you a song, or even have me play a concert for you and your friends in your own home. In this time where music is mostly consumed freely, 'pre-ordering' a Perk is a way to get money to the artists directly.

Or you can simply make a straight donation by selecting 'Back It'. All donations will be received by me and go straight into the recording project.

For some of you, contributing won't be possible but please share this with anyone you think is interested in supporting new music. You can share it on your socials or send it directly via email or message. I can't stress how useful this is and thank you in advance.  

One last thing...

On a personal level, this is a moment of my life where I'm ready to put everything into this music thing, and having professional recordings could be a gateway to so many of my dreams. It's a mysterious industry but I'm ready to show up as best I can and let this music into the world. As a young creative, I don't mind living very cheaply, but these recordings will support me far into the future. 

On a universal level, these songs seem to touch people. I believe that songs can be safe containers within which we can feel deeply, and this is a time to feel. I see us humans struggling to comprehend a lot of what we are living through, it's a lot to be alive right now. It's through music that I let myself feel the hugeness of it all, and my hope is that these songs can offer people ways into their own feeling. 

With love

Anna x