Anna Mannering has returned to her musical roots and the family fold.
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The Border singer-songwriter, 18, spent six months in Queensland working as a nanny to ponder the future after finishing her HSC at Albury High School last year.
Looking after a baby 24-7, Anna’s musical talent and her tight-knit East Albury family kept her connected and grounded.
![WRITE STUFF: Anna Mannering is working on songs for an album, which she hopes to record in 2016. WRITE STUFF: Anna Mannering is working on songs for an album, which she hopes to record in 2016.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/9jp2tjuwKpcNcyMwTq82JY/b5826673-7c48-42a9-94d5-7777f479b89c.jpg/r0_13_2000_1333_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
“I have been singing for as long as I can remember; obviously I get that from my mother (Border singer Treena Mannering),” Anna said.
![THE VOICE: Anna Mannering was raised in the Christian faith, which fostered her love of singing and playing the keyboard. THE VOICE: Anna Mannering was raised in the Christian faith, which fostered her love of singing and playing the keyboard.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/9jp2tjuwKpcNcyMwTq82JY/b8875db8-cd15-4bea-9932-c4024ab87ffc.jpg/r0_0_475_420_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Anna has had a whirlwind year since she was named Kool Skools Victorian Female Vocalist 2014 for her original indie song Son of Korah; she wrote and performed the hypnotic melody including the piano part.
The track was recorded at Studio 52 in Melbourne late last year and in January Empire Records agreed to foot the cost for the stunning video at Eltham Castle – such was their faith in the song.
“I had been working on the song for so long and then it just came together in about 15 minutes!” Anna said.
“It’s based on fairytales – Jack and the Beanstalk and Little Red Riding Hood – I love creative things and I love the idea of writing something that is really beautiful. It’s just pure.”
Son of Korah began getting airplay in Melbourne in late May and was included in a CD, Sounds Like Cafe, distributed to cafes nationwide. Her song rated in the top five of that compilation.
![FAMILY TRIO: Anna Mannering, centre, performs with her sister Hollie and mother Treena in Albury during 2012. FAMILY TRIO: Anna Mannering, centre, performs with her sister Hollie and mother Treena in Albury during 2012.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/9jp2tjuwKpcNcyMwTq82JY/94b329ab-d310-4cd6-bcc5-dd657e53af24.jpg/r533_0_4200_3264_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
In August Anna was announced as a finalist in the US-based Unsigned Only 2015 song competition.
Now in a telecommunications job on the Border, Anna is working on her first album, which she hoped would come off in 2016.
She is also writing songs in collaboration with an American DJ Johnny Orchard.
“I have eclectic taste in music,” she mused.
“Son of Korah is folk-indie-pop; I write more ballads and I could have some DJ mixes. I’m doing a bit of everything.”
Growing up in the Christian faith, Anna said she was inspired to make the most of her musical gifts.
The former Thurgoona Public School student loved singing at primary school, where her choir teacher was her main mentor.
“Later I found I loved telling stories through music.”
By 12 Anna wrote her first song Boundaries, which was on A Canvas to Colour CD.
Son of Korah is available on iTunes. Keep track of Anna at www.soundcloud.com/annamannering.