‘Deep, dark and authoritative, yet with a touch of vulnerability. A major discovery’ Q magazine (4/5)
‘…Melds the smoldering intimacy of a torch singer with the sort of confessional candour normally associated with the likes of Joan Armatrading’ Mojo (4/5)
‘Ballsy like Armatrading…and as socially relevant as Gil Scott Heron’ Uncut (3/5)
‘Fiona has as many tattoos as the Red Hot Chilli Pepper's and the tender touch of a Sade or Dido. This debut suggests the rising is a serious rival to Amy Winehouse and Joss Stone’ Daily Mail (4/5)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 Dog’s Of Heaven. She lived and breathed music, DJing at the infamous Dry Bar and working the door at Manchester’s legendary clubs, Sankey 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 to today’s biggest UK exports, Amy Winehouse and Joss Stone. Indeed, Fiona’s version of Gil Scott-Heron’s masterpiece ‘Home Is Where The Hatred Is’ was described by the Independent On Sundayas ‘delicious stuff…guaranteed to send shivers down your spine’.
‘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.
Now signed to Virago Recordings, Fiona is now working on a new album taking her music to new dimensions. Signed to Trevor Horn’s publishing company Perfect Songs, she has been writing with world class artists with broad musical ranges, matching Fiona’s own predilections and background. Fiona is taking no prisoners as she writes, records and produces her second album, working on both sides of the Atlantic with some of today’s top scribes who have co-written songs with the likes of Annie Lennox, Sugababes, Mika, Christina Aguilera, Whitney Houston, Fiona Apple, Elkie Brooks, Gil Scott Heron and Seal to name but a few.
As well as more of her tracks being utilized in indie films in the US, and co-writing 2 tracks for the new Kubb album, Fiona has also recorded vocal sessions with Trevor Horn, is the featured vocalist on a dance track by Bright Lights, set for release later this year, and Mr. Scruff’s ‘Keep It Unreal’, featuring her stunning track, ‘Honeydew’ has also been re-released by Ninja Tunes.
Next up is the imminent release of a 4 track EP in June 2007 on Virago records taken from sessions completed last year with producers who have previously worked with the Sugababes and Dusty Springfield and Lewis Taylor. With these recordings, Fiona is about to realize a potential that has been coalescing since those open mic days in Manchester. Along with Dido, Jem, Corinne Bailey Rae, Imogen Heap and Joss Stone, Fiona Renshaw is about to join the ranks of solo British females with international appeal and worldwide appreciation. A woman who’s never conformed under pressure from the industry or yielded to fit in, she sings from the heart, from the soul. It is time now to welcome Fiona Renshaw to the world stage.
Fiona Renshaw’s “Blood Sweat and Tears EP” Released on Virago Records on June 4th 2007 Fiona Renshaw