Fiona Renshaw
With deep harmonious resonance, and lyrics that tell of a life steeped in musical eclecticism, Fiona Renshaw sings with a voice that is both timeless and familiar. Drawing comparisons to soul and jazz artists both young and old, she reaches a depth of feeling that is rarely seen in a burgeoning talent, driven by the sheer need for musical satisfaction and a history culminating in the extraordinary work she is putting together now.
Fiona Renshaw was born in Australia but spent her formative years in London, with her ear on artists such as Nina Simone and Billie Holiday, and her heart on getting away from the difficulties of home. She studied classical guitar and began singing, whilst soaking up a myriad of musical influences from what she was listening to. Leaving home at 16, her passion and independence saw her thrown out of the school choir for too much expression and took her on a journey that would soon see her moving to Manchester.
It was in Manchester that Fiona’s musical life began to blossom. Driven by her own creativity and the need to surround herself with music, she was employed as one of the musical directors of the UK’s answer to Archaos and the Cirque de Soleil, The Dogs Of Heaven. She lived and breathed music, DJing at the infamous Dry Bar and working the door at Manchester’s legendary clubs, Sankey's Soap and the Paradise Factory. With more than a life’s worth of experience, and a hunger to express it, she began to write and record her own material. Even at this early stage in her career it was at Manchester’s open mic nights that the public got their first taste of her distinctive and unforgettable voice.
Word travelled fast, and brought her to the attention of internationally renowned producer and DJ, Mr. Scruff, making her recording debut co-writing and vocaling his hit single, the spellbinding‘Honeydew’. Inspired and seeking to fulfill her own potential, Fiona set about realizing her own style, distilling all the elements of the music she grew up with and admired and adding her own unique twist.
Fiona was swiftly snapped up by Alan McGee, the man who discovered Oasis and the owner of Creation Records after hearing some rough demos of her undeniably striking voice and writing skills. Unfortunately, as Creation was assimilated into Sony, Fiona and the label parted ways. Undeterred she took her leave and relocated to London, re-energized with a new sense of independence. She built her own studio, wrote a slew of new songs and her entrancing debut album, ‘Love In a Bubble’ was born.
Signing to Sirkus/Laws of Motion recording, the British music press leapt on the album, with comparisons ranging from Joan Armatrading through Gil Scott-Heron ... ‘Love In A Bubble’ was critically praised across the board, with Q Magazine describing Fiona as "deep, dark and authoritative, yet with a touch of vulnerability. A major discovery."
Receiving support from Radio 1’s Gilles Peterson and Jeremy Vine from Radio 2, Fiona set about building an astounding list of collaborators and co-writers. She wrote Lisa Stansfield’s ‘Easier’ and her music was picked up to feature in the Rob Lowe/Anna Friel movie Perfect Strangers (Working Title/CBS).
Fiona Renshaw marches to her own drum, not compromising herself or her art at the behest of others. In an age when all one needs for a number one record is a microphone and a computer, she blurs the boundaries of genre and tradition with her unmistakable voice as her instrument.
Biog courtesy of Contact Music: www.contactmusic.com/info/fiona_renshaw.
