A Kingston-based, AI-assisted band has released a new Halloween single just in time for the annual spooky celebration.

MaryAianne & Me is an emerging independent AI-assisted music artist project created through the collaboration of songwriter Maryanne and music manager and co-songwriter John Hewlett, released through the independent label ITZAFUNI.

The project combines original songwriting, contemporary AI-assisted production and a wide-ranging musical style, moving between pop, country, rock, ballads and more experimental sounds.

Since beginning its release campaign in 2025, MaryAianne & Me has built a growing international audience, with music available across major streaming platforms.

The project has received radio exposure internationally, including airplay on UbuntuFM Jazz Radio, America, South Africa, Canada, UK, Australia, etc., while several releases have achieved No.1 positions on CHBN Radio's The Playlist chart in the UK.

The band's songs 'Checkmate', 'I'll Find The Light' and 'Ocean Motion' have all been highlighted as No. 1 charting releases on CHBN.

Maryanne is originally from Newport, Wales, but moved to Kingston to attend university in 2019 and achieved her degree in Creative Writing.

She suffered a mental breakdown due to earlier abuse and became involved with the local Kingston charity, Save The World Club (STWC), which supported her during a crisis period.

There she met John Hewlett, who encouraged her to use her lyrical gifts to write songs and to form a band.

She began to work on a project called Mad Mary and The Psychiatric Ward, writing with local guitarist Justin Mitchell.

Her mental issues were making progress difficult, so Maryanne took a break to Wittering early in 2025, and whilst there she discovered SUNO AI and began to use the app to produce tracks around her original lyrics and melodies.

John then began working with her, and that's when the project MaryAianne & Me started, initially visualising a virtual performer named MaryAianne, with the Me being Maryanne and her material/songs.

MaryAianne & Me's new single 'Halloween Dessert Menu' can be listened to on YouTube here.

Speaking about the new single, John told Nub News: "I'm not personally a fan of Halloween, scary movies or horror, I see enough of that in observing daily life but I really like this song 'Halloween Dessert Menu'.

"It highlights the theatrical side of Maryanne, her style and creativity - it is light-hearted and fun. Maryanne said she wrote it during the night and couldn't get to sleep afterwards and had to have the lights on.

"She no longer likes to listen to it as she finds it too scary.

"That makes me wonder about my view of it being "fun". Does it reinforce a negative, stimulate an interest in an area that undermines us and open a window in our minds to the spiritual realm that allows fear and unbelief in the saving grace and Holy nature of God to fester or is Halloween itself simply a reminder, reflection or celebration of the transition of the seasons from the brightness of summer to the darkness of winter or a time perhaps to confront or remember the fine line between life and death and the spiritual realm of life after death? Possibly both.

"Whilst I am wary of the occult, divination, sorcery, consulting with spirits, idol or demon worship i do not feel the "fun" of Halloween necessarily leads to embracing the "works of darkness", rather it can expose those dangers and negative possibilities, enlighten us and make us aware of the very real and positive "fear of the living God" i.e. the beginning of wisdom.

"If this song awakens us to positive fear and awareness of the opposite then it serves those at the table with a greater purpose than just fun."

The band recently released its debut album too.

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