Catherine Anne Davies (aka The Anchoress), Jess Smyth (aka Biig Piig) and Rina Sawayama elected to the FAC board

10 November 2025 - Press release

Following an Annual General Meeting (AGM), the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) is delighted to announce the election of Catherine Anne Davies (aka The Anchoress), Jess Smyth (aka Biig Piig) and Rina Sawayama as board directors. 

All are hugely respected for their creative endeavours. 

Alongside her acclaimed artist project, The Anchoress, Catherine has worked as a producer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter - collaborating with Manic Street Preachers, Bernard Butler and Simple Minds. She is also a Professor of Music Production and Songwriting at ICMP. As Biig Piig, Jess has developed her career through a string of tracks, EPs and mixtapes, releasing her debut studio album 11:11 in February 2025. Rina was nominated for the BRIT Award’s Rising Star in 2021 and Best New Artist in 2023. Her Hold That Girl album received global acclaim while reaching number three in the UK charts, and she remains a vocal activist of the LGBTQIA+ community. 

Catherine, Jess and Rina will replace fellow artists Imogen Heap, Katie Melua and Roxanne de Bastion, all of whom have now officially stepped down from FAC board duties, having reached their maximum term limits. 

All have been directors for almost ten years. Imogen also previously served as the FAC’s CEO and Artist In Residence, while Roxanne held the role of Community Lead and played a key role in development of the BeatBoard - since rebranded as the FAC’s Artist Council.  

David Martin, Chief Executive, Featured Artists Coalition: “This feels like a real passing of the baton, and I am delighted to welcome three renowned, innovative and respected artists to the FAC board. Catherine, Jess and Rina operate across very different genres of music, but all have shown a real bravery to stand up for the rights of artists and campaign for a more equitable industry. I can’t wait to start working with them. 

“I would also like to put on record my personal thanks to Imogen, Katie and Roxanne. Their support of the FAC predates my own, and, in the midst of some crazy personal schedules, all have continued to dedicate their precious time and energies to this organisation. I know they will remain active members behind the scenes, but the FAC is much stronger and inclusive because of their involvement.” 

Rina Sawayama: "I am proud to be joining a board of artists who are unified in their desire to create a fairer and more equitable music business. As creatives, performers and entrepreneurs, it is vital our collective voices can be amplified on important issues such as rights ownership, contractual reforms, AI and live touring."

Jess Smyth: "I'm so excited to join the FAC board, and to contribute to their work championing the rights of artists. I’ve understood first hand, and through the stories of fellow artists - especially female artists and writers - how much is still ahead of us in the fight for better splits and equality in the music industry. The FAC are doing great work in changing what the future of being an artist looks like, and I'm so looking forward to being a part of that journey."

Catherine Anne Davies: "I'm honoured to join the FAC board at such a critical time for artists. Having worked across major label and independent releases, both as an artist and producer, I've seen first-hand how opaque the industry can be—from streaming economics to rights ownership. I'm particularly passionate about gender equity in production and engineering roles, and ensuring that artists at every level have access to transparent accounting and fair remuneration. We need systemic change that makes sustainable careers possible."

Hosted at Cambridge Audio, attendees at Thursday evening’s AGM were updated on all aspects of the FAC’s work - including the latest on the UK Artist Touring Fund that will distribute artist-allocated revenues collected by the LIVE Trust.

FAC, Chair, David Rowntree revealed the fund is anticipated to be operational in Q1 2026 with a remit to help cover shortfalls in touring budgets. 

“The UKAT Fund is potentially the single most important initiative the FAC have been involved with,” he explained. “The revenue raised by a ticket levy on arena and stadium shows could offer a genuine lifeline to artists who are struggling to finance the cost of grassroots touring. Albeit, we do have to be realistic. Demand for this type of funding, which has never previously been made available for artists, is likely to vastly outstrip what the FAC can deliver. So in the first instance it’s vital we prioritise making the distribution processes as efficient as possible, and assisting the widest range of applicants we can.” 

A spotlight was also placed on the ongoing successes of the Step Up Fund, the FAC’s annual grants programme for independent artists which is powered by Amazon Music. Currently in its fourth year, the initiative has enabled more than 40 UK-based artists to complete and deliver a wide range of creative projects. 

This year’s awardees included BINA. who recently supported Little Simz on a string of European shows; Ellie Dixon, who has just completed European and UK live dates in support of her well-received EP Tales of a Knight; Balancing Act, who released their debut album, Who You Come As? (Part 1), in October; and Jadu Heart, who have toured extensively in 2025, including US shows supporting Fontaines D.C. 

The AGM concluded with a Q&A panel, hosted by NME News Editor, Andrew Trendell, and featuring FAC members Bishi, edbl, Orla Gartland and San Soucis who discussed their experiences, views and thoughts on the past 12 months in music.