JAZZ, folk, soul musician Síomha has launched a Kickstarter fundraiser for her debut album.
The County Clare musician grew up in a house where trad, soul and jazz mixed easily. While in high school in the south of France she learned to play manouche gypsy jazz which has become part of a palate of sounds that inform her own compositions.
Since returning from US and Canada, Síomha has released singles and live-take videos that have garnered over 1.7 million views. Her song and video ‘July Red Sky’ was recorded on the Burren in West Clare and is ambitious in scale and still picking up multiple hits.
She has played Electric Picnic, Doolin Folk Festival and Dingle Folk Festival.
A support tour with the olllam band led to Síomha collaborating with musician/ producer Tyler Duncan (Vulfpeck, Theo Katzman, Notify, the olllam) on her track ‘Craobhacha’.
“I have admired him from afar for a long time and the stuff he is involved in writing and producing and working with,” says Síomha.
Tyler is set to produce and record the debut album at his studio in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
The new album will be a collection of songs that Síomha feels that needs to be recorded as a full piece.
“The first time I have ever approached songwriting in that way.”
Most of these songs feature in her live set. Síomha along with her band, Martin Atkinson (keys), Cein Daly (bass) and Ben Wanders (drums) will perform this material at Dolan’s on December 20.
The song ‘Mind go Slow’ is an indicator musically and thematically where this new album of work is heading.
Síomha is also performing some of these new songs as gaeilge, thanks to translations made by a friend, Billy McGlynn.
The Kickstarter Campaign is now launched to part fund the recording of the album with Tyler Duncan in the US (the option to bring the producer to an Irish studio is prohibitively expensive for the artist).
In using Kickstarter, Síomha is cutting out the middleman so in other words, is cutting out the record labels and selling this project directly to fans.
“The industry has changed so much, record labels don’t interest me at all – They are essentially just a bank, really!”
“With the crowd funding it is kind of easier because you are asking your fans to pre-buy the album.”
On Kickstarter, fans can order the album as a digital download or on vinyl.
There are other interesting options on the site. A Mentorship session over Skype for songwriting comes with a pledge of €200 and a three-piece house concert can be arranged through the site.
To pre-order the debut album, go to www.kickstarter.com, search for Síomha.
Or click here … http://kck.st/2R14fuE
Síomha and her band play Dolan’s on Thursday December 20.
