Elle Stevenson is Coming Around
Rarely does a musician have a song selected for a movie soundtrack before she releases her first album, but this is exactly what has happened for Northern Irish musician Elle Stevenson. Born and bred just a few streets from the legendary Van Morrison (although, admittedly several decades later!), Elle has already made her mark on the local scene and looks set to do so further afield.
Its been an eventful year or two for the young pianist and singer; having received national media attention for receiving the one millionth review on the music investment website slicethepie.com, she went on to win their showcase just a month later. The win secured the funding to record Elle’s long-awaited debut album, “Coming Around”, which goes on general release 21st September 2009.
Elle’s evocative voice – strong, haunting, angst-ridden and defiant – is perfectly suited to her songs – thirteen in all on the album – all of which are beautifully crafted tales of the pain and joys of love, friendship, betrayal and loyalty in the modern world.
Even in person, Elle has a rare kind of honesty, one that doesn’t allow her to shy away from wearing her heart on her sleeve, or from broaching subjects in her songs that others might find uncomfortable, such as the battle through her twenties with an eating disorder. Perhaps this is why her songs have, at times, been described as “lyrically raw”. Yet, they are so carefully framed by her trademark cascading piano lines, that the uplifting harmony of the music and lyrics cannot fail to draw the listener into Elle’s unique, complex and beautiful world.
While comparisons to other artists reveal little about Elle’s unique direction, she does list an impressive range of influences of artists whom she admires, including the likes of: Suzanne Vega, Justin Currie, Crowded House, the Dixie Chicks, Lucinda Williams, Patty Griffin, Alanis Morissette, Sarah McLachlan, Gillian Welch, Tracy Chapman, Angie Stevens, Sheryl Crow, Ryan Adams, Bill Mallonee, Bryan Adams, Coldplay, Rascal Flatts, Radiohead, Kings of Leon, Editors, The Fray, OneRepublic, The Beautiful South; not to mention a few you might not expect, such as Shirley Bassey and Take That!
To date, Elle has honed her stage craft by supporting many artists, such as guitar legends Rodrigo y Gabriela and soul diva, Beverley Knight. However, with her already growing fan-base and reputation, the launch of her debut album seems set to take her another step towards the inevitable stardom that beckons.
About the Album:
Digital Download available from Monday 21st September and is available from iTunes, Amazon, and Napster.
Disc Release date Thursday 15th October, 2009
Links:
Official Website
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