Biography
Anna Moss is a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist who was born and raised in the rural Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, though she is currently based in New Orleans, Louisiana. Growing up as a self-described "bathroom-singing nerd" who played saxophone in her school band, Moss developed into a versatile musician with deep roots in folk, soul, and Americana traditions. She initially gained recognition as part of Handmade Moments, a long-running political folk-hop duo formed with partner Joel Ludford, with whom she has toured extensively across the country and collaborated with major names in the Americana scene.
Moss's solo career emerged unexpectedly during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Isolated in her New Orleans home during lockdown, she channeled her anxiety, depression, and despair into songwriting, armed with only a guitar and introspection. Beginning in January 2021, she began performing nascent compositions on Royal Street in the French Quarter, where she connected with drummer Fernando Lima and continued collaborating with Ludford on electric bass. This creative period resulted in her solo debut album Amnesty, released in March 2024 via Empire Records. The album represents a sonic departure from her work with Handmade Moments, blending bedroom pop with existential R&B, featuring stripped-down organic soul production with ethereal harmonies, subtle sensuality, and throbbing basslines.
Amnesty showcases Moss's sharp-tongued lyricism and thematic depth, exploring compassion, abolition, and forgiveness across ten tracks. Notable songs include the album opener "Slow Down Kamikaze," the vulnerable "Colors," the introspective "Day After Day," and the defiant "Penis Envy"—a Freudian refutation of patriarchal dogma that traces back over a decade in her creative archive. The album features contributions from acclaimed collaborators including French vocalist Cyrille Aimée, the harmonically rich Rainbow Girls, trumpeter Ashlin Parker, and Grammy-winning trombonist Miles Lyons, establishing Moss as a distinctive voice in contemporary soul and folk music.
Fun Facts
- If she could wield any superpower, Anna Moss says it would be invisibility—an ironic aspiration for an openly political folk festival favorite with a big voice who has made a name for herself sitting in with major Americana artists.
- Anna and her musical partner Joel Ludford survived a serious head-on collision during a freak accident on a run in Northern California years ago, which influenced her decision to keep things mellower in recent years.
- The song "Penis Envy" from Amnesty is a dusty, dormant idea that had been sitting in her creative archive for over a dozen years before she finally arranged it for guitar and brought it to fruition on the album.
- During the pandemic lockdown in 2020, Moss's low-pressure sidewalk performances on Royal Street in New Orleans's French Quarter were often powered by car batteries, with tourists milling about as she rehearsed new material.
Musical Connections
Key Collaborators
- Joel Ludford - Long-running musical partner and co-founder of political folk-hop duo (Handmade Moments (band), Amnesty (electric bass contributions)) [Multiple years through 2024]
- Fernando Lima - Brazil-born drummer who connected with Moss during Royal Street busking sessions in New Orleans (Amnesty (2024)) [2021-2024]
- Rainbow Girls - California-based collaborators who provided harmonies and worked on multiple projects (Amnesty title track, "Big Dick Energy" (earlier collaboration)) [2022-2024]
- Cyrille Aimée - French vocalist featured on duet (Amnesty - "Neverending") [2024]
- Ashlin Parker - Muted trumpet contributor (Amnesty - "Gravy") [2024]
- Miles Lyons - Grammy-winning trombonist (Amnesty (2024)) [2024]
- Alex Toth - Rubblebucket collaborator (Amnesty (2024)) [2024]
Connection Network
Discography
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Paraxenes Ikones | 2003-12-04 | Album |
| Hotel Ermou Live 2015 - 2018 | 2018-07-23 | Album |
| Kravgi | 2000-11-16 | Album |
| Apagorevmeno | 2008-12-09 | Album |
| Klima Tropiko | 1996-02-29 | Album |
| 50 Years (Live at Odeon of Herodes Atticus) | 2024-12-04 | Album |
| Agapi Ine Esi | 2010-12-24 | Album |
| Methismeni Politia - Ihografisis 1974 -1981 | 2004 | Album |
| X | 2002-10-03 | Album |
| Anna Vissi Live | 2005-01-27 | Album |
| Travma | 1997-04-16 | Album |
| Antidoto | 1998-04-01 | Album |
| Emis | 1992-05-28 | Album |
| Synentefxi | 2015-11-30 | Album |
| Nylon | 2005-09-26 | Album |
Top Tracks
- Se Periptosi Pou
- Lekes
- Sandre
- Einai Asteio
- Psihedelia (Paraxenes Ikones)
- Sti Pira (Apagorevmeno)
- Eho Pethani Gia Sena (Paraxenes Ikones)
- Protimo
- Ise (Paraxenes Ikones)
- Aima
External Links
References
Heard on WWOZ
Anna Moss has been played 4 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1, 2026 | 22:29 | LOVE YOU ANYWAY live | Kitchen Sinkw/ Jennifer Brady | |
| Dec 7, 2025 | 15:27 | IDK Y I Do Itfrom Amnesty | Homespun Americanaw/ Ol Man River | |
| Dec 1, 2025 | 23:57 | Slow Down Kamikaze | Kitchen Sinkw/ Derrick Freeman | |
| Nov 25, 2025 | 06:41 | Don't Stop Me Nowfrom Don't Stop Me Now | The Morning Setw/ Fox Duhon or Mark LaMaire |