Singer from Rutland listed in BBC Introducing’s ‘Hot For 2024’ scheme

A singer has been listed in the BBC Introducing’s ‘Hot For 2024’ scheme.

Jean, whose real name is Annabel Jean Withers, started making music in the bedroom of her Ketton home at 16 and released her first EP ‘How To Do Nothing’ a few years later while in lockdown.

Since then she has played live on BBC Radio 1’s New Music Monday, performed at London Fashion Week and hosted a sold-out show in Rutland during the summer.

She said: “I do everything myself and produce it all from my bedroom. It has always been that way.

“The song ideas usually are about what is going on in my life but I write as a character.”

Jean has continued to write music and upload songs to the BBC Introducing portal, which has gained her recognition from presenters.

She has now been selected as one of the 'BBC Hot for 2024' artists by BBC Leicester's Dean Jackson.

“They choose artists they expect to blow up,” the 23-year-old said.

“It is so exciting and means so much.”

Jean, who now lives in London, will be releasing her first single of 2024, Magic, on January 1 followed by a music video in spring.

She said: “I used to get really nervous about what people think and cringe on the release day but now I tend to embrace that.

“Now I don’t get embarrassed. Instead I want to get on stage and perform.”