A Gateshead musician is redefining live performance by turning audience-submitted thoughts, memories, and ideas into fully improvised songs on stage, using a masked persona designed to remove fear, inspire connection, and give everyone a voice.
Annie Enclave is an artist whose music is rooted in connection, creativity, and community. Her journey into music began not on a stage, but in the playground where she discovered that singing could build bridges.
As a child, Annie would perform theme songs from popular cartoons for classmates, often improvising songs about their favourite characters, pets, or stories. It became her way of connecting with others at a time when making friends didn’t come easily. Creativity for Annie, became belonging, not just expression.
That early link between music and human connection would go on to define her artistic identity.
Her first experience of live performance came years later at a local open mic night, encouraged by her then-partner who accompanied her on guitar. Performing to even a small audience proved transformative for her. On stage, Annie found herself immersed in a world of her own, while simultaneously rediscovering the joy she once saw in the faces of children in the playground.
What followed was a deep and lasting connection to live performance. Teaching herself guitar, she became a regular on the open mic circuit, building friendships and confidence. Known for her spontaneity, Annie developed a unique performance style; improvising lyrics in real time when her memory faltered, often transforming forgotten lines into entirely new songs created in the moment.
Alongside music, Annie pursued a degree in animation and illustration, balancing her studies with caring responsibilities as she supported her family through her grandparents’ battle with dementia. Personal loss marked this period, with the passing of both her grandmother and grandfather within a short span of time.
By late 2019, Annie had secured a stable role in animation, but like many, the events of 2020 brought new challenges. Despite working from home, her focus on music began to fade. Previous relationships had left her feeling that her creativity should be limited, but with renewed support during this time, she slowly began to return to performing and reconnecting with creative communities.
In October 2025, facing declining mental health and increasing isolation, Annie made a pivotal decision. To return to music fully, but in a new way. To overcome fear of judgment and rejection, she created a masked character to act as the face of her artistic expression.
When she unexpectedly found herself unable to keep her job in December 2025, this project became her sole focus. What began as a protective layer quickly evolved into something much more powerful.
Through her performances, Annie invites audiences to become part of the creative process. Using a simple but profound concept.
She asks audience members to submit words, phrases, or personal stories into a basket. During the show, she selects submissions at random and transforms them into fully improvised songs on the spot.
The result is a shared experience where audience members see their thoughts, emotions, and ideas brought to life in real time.
The mask, once intended as a shield, has become a symbol of collective expression. It allows not only Annie, but everyone watching, to feel safe in sharing a part of themselves, without fear of judgment.
“I created the mask because I feared being seen but it’s become something much bigger than me. Now it’s not about hiding, it’s about giving other people a safe space to be heard. Every song I create on stage carries a piece of someone else’s story, and that’s what makes it so powerful.”
Now, Annie Enclave is focused on growing this project into something larger: a platform for storytelling, connection, and community, where every voice has the potential to be heard.
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Photo: Annie Enclave at the Angel of the North (SSERRATED)
PR and Media keith@highlightspr.co.uk 07814 397951