Diana Gosper is a 35 year-old singer/songwriter from northern NSW and is best known as independent Australian musician Diana Anaid (Diana Ah Naid). In 2007 Diana formed ‘Forola Music’ and has produced 2 albums, a 4 track single and 2 film clips for the songs Cheatin’ On Me (2007) and Cynical On Waking (2009) and she is currently working on the next studio release.
Critical acclaim for current Forola Music releases.
Diana Anaid Cheatin On Me Store Video Clip by Cyber City Films www.youtube.com/watch
Diana Anaid Live At The Bush Theatre Store Video documentary by students of Southern Cross University www.youtube.com/watch
Diana Anaid Cynical On Waking Store Video Clip by Sideways Films www.youtube.com/watch
Diana Anaid Self Titled 2010 Store
"...the return of a truly talented singer/songwriter" The Music Network, Australia
“Australian music fans will remember Diana Anaid and her feisty, emotion-charged musical journeys back in the late 1990s/early 2000s. She has been a singer with a no-nonsense attitude, yet with that devilish, charismatic charm that endeared her to many. Raw passion with a touch of flamboyance would sum up a public statement about her career to date. It has certainly been an up-and-down ride for the Sydney singer-songwriter as she springs to a new phase and she seems determined to build strength in edgy songwriting and performance. In the last couple of years she has been introduced into the US market with a good response and it has now set her goals higher in order to re-establish herself in her own country. "Live At The Bush Theatre: showcases some of Diana's old favorites and the real crowd pleasers. This live acoustic recording demonstrates the honesty and enthusiasm of her stage persona and the appreciation by her audience. She shows her chick power with particular intimacy and endearment. It's terrific to see her back and we await her new material with interest.” Carmine Pascuzzi, CD review
“ Step aside Patti Smith. Diana Anaid is in town. Diana Anaid might not be as butch but she is just as ‘in your face’ and maybe, just maybe, more challenging than Patti” Warwick Fry, review of Live At The Bush Theatre live recording/show
“After ten years of hard work, this staunchly independent and single-minded artist remains convinced that good songs, rather than a stylist and make-over, will win out” Kathy McCabe, Daily Telegraph, 22/3/07
“Anaid is loved by fans for writing honest, emotional lyrics and this acoustic performance shows they’re right. With just her voice and an acoustic guitar, Anaid’s lyrics come to the fore, forcing you to pay attention to them. Whether it’s Perfect Family, a bittersweet yet angry break-up song, or the story of a one-night stand gone somewhat wrong in Piece Of Me, the lyrics are worth listening to on their own. And the acoustic guitar comes across as the perfect accompaniment to what can be raw, heartfelt songs. Go buy It. “ Glen Humphries, Illuwarra Mercury. CD review
“ Diana Anaid’s calling card has always been her feisty stage appearances, and the way she infused her songs with chutzpah and angst. This year she has two albums out. One completes a cycle, the other opens new doors.” Christie Eliezer, Brag
“ Feisty and prevailing Aussie rock chick, Diana Anaid, is set to fire up radio waves all over again with the release of her brand new single, Cheatin On Me. Cheatin On me is a heart felt, strong rock/pop track that was produced by Kalju Tonuma, who also produced her hit single Last Thing (which set a record for the most down loaded single in one week after selling 125,000 on I-Tunes.) Cheatin On Me takes over where Last Thing left off. More addictive with each listen, Cheatin On Me should receive attention from CHR nights.” The Music Network, Australia
“Diana Anaid is still best known for her breakthrough song I Go Off which became something of an anthem in the 90’s, followed up by Perfect family which again saw the singer/songwriter pound up the charts. Now she’s back again with a new single, Cheatin On me continuing the female power pop style she’s recognized for; strong vocals, rocky guitar and a fair serving of synth. It’s a formula that’s worked well for Anaid over the years with a number of singles falling into that description including Love Song For A Girl and Last Thing. Her songs are catchy and Diana is well aware of their success…. In the late 90’s Diana struck a chord here in Australia, a chord that sounded a little like Alanis Morrisette meets Placebo, and although her success hasn’t exactly been mirrored in the States she’s done pretty well over the years as a touring artist there and a power pop artist here. All you need to do is have a look around her Myspace page to notice that she’s got some pretty intense fans who will follow her around shows in Australia and call her at home” Claire Stuchbury BEAT
“In your face rock chick Diana Anaid has just released her new single, Cheatin On me, a raucous, whirling rollercoaster ride of a break-up song in the vein we’ve become used to, though not completely comfortable with, from the northern NSW diva of disaffection. Hostility and isolation run like a river through most of Anaid’s work, and Cheatin On Me is no exception. Of Course, we wouldn’t want it any other way, would we? Say what you like about Anaid’s music, it’s impossible to deny she’s tapped a vein concerning female anxiety surrounding love and relationships. There’s obviously a kind of universality to her work…..What’s the live show like? There’s such a confrontational element to Anaid’s work, It would be almost frightening wouldn’t it?.....Despite suggestions that Cheatin On Me is Anaid’s poppiest work yet, everything is relative here. It’s still tough not to feel slapped across the face by the energy and attitude of the song, tougher still to claim she’s mellowed with age at all.” Tony McMahon
During Diana Anaid’s hiatus from making records, she read spiritual books, looked after her dying father and bonded with her son. So if you’re expecting some sappy New Age drooling about how good life is on her self-titled fourth album (out April 2010), you’ve caught the wrong train. As the new sinewy strumming single “Cynical On Waking” makes obvious, the earthgirl brat from Byron Bay has not shed the folk-punk attack of her first album over a decade ago.
_
The album has even more pissed-off moments. Opening track “Make Me Change My Name” rails at her father’s absence during her teen days. Lines as “The drugs and the sex that you fed to me. Made me old too soon/ So I buried myself in music” are as compelling as they are disturbing.
_
Over ten years ago, some dude told Anaid she didn’t have what it took to make it in music. On each of her albums, she has penned at least one song to kick him in the bollocks with. This album is no different. We’re never sure, though, it’s him, or some other miscreant in the line of fire, as she spits with ill-concealed malevolence, lines like “This mess you left for me” and “what about ‘friends forever?’”
_
But it’s not all days of whine and neuroses. “Diana Anaid” is her most radio-friendly, particularly on the poignant harmony-shrouded “Black Rainbow” and melodic “Peace”. Her strength always has been providing a voice to the tongue-tied and the truly disenchanted members of the ‘illing. The anthemic “Nothing Special”, for instance, strikes a chord when she advises, “Don’t worry about the things that they say/ You can’t please everyone all the time anyway.” On the sing-along “Get Your Freak On” she scolds gently, “You missed a million opportunities/ I’m overcoming insecurities.” Her awkward love songs (“the tension in me is because of you”, “The riot you made in me”) make sense to people who are by nature awkward about love -and about love songs.
_
Anaid’s well-documented childhood poverty and alienation continues to fuel her anguish and revenge. But she has developed as a tunesmith, as a communicator and as a confessor. Her voice has never been more expressive. This is her most “balanced” record to date. Or, maybe you’re drawn into her world because she’s learned new ways to piss off the people she wants to piss off, and new ways to embrace the people whom she wants to embrace.
Christie Eliezer- POLLSTAR MAGAZINE
