Fran O'Hanlon acquired the name AJIMAL in the aftermath of being caught up in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake. Whilst working in a field hospital as part of his medical degree, he found himself surrounded by citizens from all walks of life, including an infamous guest preacher who formerly practised as a voodoo priest, under the guise of AJIMAL.
Although a classically trained pianist, O’Hanlon feels much more comfortable writing and exploring music by ear, rather than through the more rigid classical syllabus he grew up with, a discovery that has happily enabled him to combine a career in medicine with music.
Hailing from Newcastle, O’Hanlon qualified as a doctor whilst recording his first album as AJIMAL ‘CHILDHOOD’ and works in London. He has played alongside the likes of Kathryn Joseph, Lucy Rose, Loney Dear, James Vincent McMorrow, The 1975 and Nadine Shah, his live shows encompass elements of both soaring grandeur and pin-drop intimacy.
His second album, 'As It Grows Dark / Light', recorded together with Grammy Award-winning producer, Guy Massey, will be released on 20th April 2020, on Wow & Flutter Records.