Independent Spirit Ani Difranco Brings Punk/Folk To The Met

Sifting through Ani DiFranco’s pile of press clippings, the same words continually pop up when it comes to describing the singer and her music.

Two of them are “fiercely independent.”

DiFranco’s independent spirit is one of her most endearing qualities, and it’s something she’s maintained since she began playing folk music at age 9. The 25-year-old musician plays The Met Tuesday.

At 15, DiFranco, who grew up in Buffalo, moved into her own apartment. By the time she was 18, the gifted artist had already established an impressive following in New York City, a town glutted with talented artists.

Musically, she does her own thing, carving out a niche that best suits her autobiographical lyrics. Unlike her female singer contemporaries - Joan Osbourne and Alanis Morissette - DiFranco’s music doesn’t invoke trends. Instead, she employs exotically textured, acousticbased folk.

Appropriately, her independence affects the business end of her music, too. DiFranco records and produces her albums on her own independent record label, Righteous Babe. (In fact, her record label’s hotline is 1-800-ON-HER-OWN.) She’s also her tour manager.

Major labels have tried unsuccessfully to court Ani (pronounced Ah-nee). And the interest continues to grow as she accrues legions of fans. But DiFranco isn’t interested in money, and she won’t merge with a corporate label, a business that rarely rewards individuality.

“I’ll be the million that you never made,” she cries on a song from her 1995 album “Not a Pretty Girl.”

Collectively, all eight of her albums have sold about 200,000 copies. Certainly, a major label would be able to unload hundreds of thousands more, but sales aren’t driving this young star.

“I could be selling a lot more albums,” she told New York Newsday last year. “For me, fame and fortune aren’t all that interesting and useful.”

By doing everything herself, DiFranco possesses total creative control over her music.

She expresses the evils of signing in the song “Napoleon” on her new album “Dilate.” “They told you your music could reach millions / that the choice was up to you / and you always told me they always pay for lunch / and they believe in what I do / and I wonder / will you miss your old friends / once you’ve proven what you’re worth.”

Two other words associated with DiFranco are seemingly dissimilar: folk and punk.

Her anti-corporate stance, brash attitude, do-it-yourself ethic, dyed braids, pierced-nose and punkish dress code give DiFranco the aura of a punk rocker.

Yet her music rarely strays from contemporary folk stylings.

To DiFranco, punk and folk share a lot in common.

“The reason I latched on to this folk thing is, similarly to punk, it’s of the people. It’s subcorporate music,” she told Rolling Stone in November. “The whole problem with folk with me is it’s so folky. But when I show up at these folk festivals, and everybody’s so laid-back, everybody’s so unpretentious - as opposed to when I’m playing at rock festivals, and it’s like, ‘I would smile at you, but I’m trying to be really cool.’ ” Lastly, another word - feminism - bursts out in many of the DiFranco articles.

The stark arrangements on DiFranco’s albums allow the singer to reveal herself in her lyrics, in which she reflects on her daily encounters, be it relationships or her sexuality. Many of her songs can be interpreted as having a feminist outlook.

Generally, people associate feminism with the singer because she’s an outspoken woman, although DiFranco has said in many interviews that she doesn’t wave any banners.

“I want to challenge women to speak up, to believe in the power of their own voices,” she told Ms. magazine.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: CONCERT Ani DiFranco will perform at The Met at 8 p.m. Tuesday. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 the day of the show, available at G&B Select-a-Seat outlets or by calling 325-SEAT.