Ani Difranco

Born in 1970 in Buffalo, New York, Ani DiFranco forged a career as a singer-songwriter from the late 1980s, rooted in the independent American folk scene. In 1990 she founded her own label, Righteous Babe Records, which became the outlet for most of her releases and a symbol of her commitment to independence from the music industry. Her debut album, simply titled “Ani DiFranco” (1990), established a direct acoustic folk style combining introspective songwriting, social commentary and a highly rhythmic guitar approach. Across subsequent records, notably “Not a Pretty Girl” (1995), “Dilate” (1996) and “Little Plastic Castle” (1998), she broadened her palette toward folk rock, with punk accents as well as jazz and funk inflections, regularly incorporating fuller ensemble arrangements. The 2000s and 2010s saw her continue a prolific discography including “Revelling/Reckoning” (2001), “Knuckle Down” (2005), “Red Letter Year” (2008), “Which Side Are You On?” (2012), “Binary” (2017) and “Revolutionary Love” (2021). A vigorous live performer, Ani DiFranco appears both solo and with a band, plays festivals and alternative circuits, and has engaged in numerous collaborations—from the politically engaged folk world of Utah Phillips to intersections with American rock and pop.