Ayanna Witter-Johnson - New Roots (2026) [Hi-Res]

Dearest gentle listener,

‘New Roots’ is my second album, born from many moments of solitude. I wrote much of it during lockdown, on solo retreats in the English countryside, and in hotel rooms while touring. Those quiet moments became a kind of portal for me — a chance to listen more deeply, reflect, and reconnect with where I come from.

The songs explore themes that feel central to my life: my British-Caribbean identity, the wisdom passed down from the Windrush generation in my family, grief, healing, and the process of finding your centre again amid life’s unexpected shifts.

Throughout the album, my cello, Reuben, acts as a grounding force — sometimes a bassline, sometimes the drumming of a heartbeat, an anchor beneath the music. For me, ‘New Roots’ is about learning that even when emotions feel overwhelming, or life feels uncertain or fractured, it’s still possible to grow new roots.

Many of these songs were written in quiet moments of reflection, so wherever you are as you hear them, I hope they offer a place to pause, reflect, and perhaps feel a little closer to the things that ground us — the stories we carry, the people who came before us, and the possibility of growing new roots of our own.

Thank you for lending your ears to this music.

Ay x