Jhana Allan Fake Paradise Launch @ McCrossins

Jhana with Anousha Victoire and Strung

Uralla-based, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, Jhana Allan, will release her sophomore album Fake Paradise, a labour of love for over three years. She recorded the album in Nashville in 2023, working closely with her mentor and producer, Rachel Baiman, and multi-Grammy award-winning engineer, Sean Sullivan. Drawing inspiration from musicians like The Weather Station, Sam Amidon, PJ Harvey, and Lucy Thorne, the album moves through folk, jazz, and rock soundscapes, retaining a throughline of Allan’s visceral and emotive writing and singing, and grounded by her layered vocal presence. She is joined by Tom Kneebone on guitar (The Audreys, Kaurna Cronin), Isaac Gunnoo (The Maes, Rowena Wise, FIM) on bass, Steve Harris on drums and Essie Lindeman (Strung) on harmonies.

Anousha Victoire is a weaver of everyday dreams, stitching together folk/world influenced melodies with bell-over-water clarity of vocal tone. The introspective singer-songwriter blends delicate ideas with a heart-aching immediacy. Her trademark fingerpicking folk guitar style and haunting vocal melodies in French and English are complemented by soaring, emotive strings and vocal harmonies, blending into folk storytelling songs that sound like timeless classics. Anousha’s live performance has been described as combining the soaring vocal range of Kate Bush, the melodic pop folk feels of Beth Orton, the fearless feminist fire of Ani Difranco, and the haunting roots melodies of Gillian Welch. Add the dynamism and sparkle of Jamie Pollock’s dazzling violin and harmonies and the show takes flight.

Strung is a local folk trio comprising Elsie Goldzieher (fiddle), Josie O’Baoill (vocals, guitar, clarinet) and Essie Lindeman (mandolin, guitar, vocals) who combine classic covers (Bowie, Helen Reddy) with their own innovative original songs. With lush harmonies reminiscent of Phoebe Bridgers and a distinctive bluegrass influence, they continue to captivate the hearts of their audiences.