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Heidi is a delightfully fresh Soulful singer/songwriter with a unique infectious voice unlike any other and has been likened to Minnie Ripperton, Corinne Bailey-Rae and a female version of the Isley Brothers. She envelops you with her warm organic vocals that resonate right to your very soul. Through her lyrics, she paints a journey that reflects a life that is honest, positive and poignant; reflecting matters that are close to her heart. Heidi has an infectious energy and natural rapport with the audience which is uplifting.
Heidi has been working on her new album with Dreadlox Holmes, her co-writing partner and Producer. Having played a week of warmly received
gigs in Paris whist filming the video for her single 'Love' now receiving
airplay on local radio in the UK she spent the summer in New York recording
a true old school soul/jazz/pop album recorded the only way it should…live.
'The Love Album' ncludes a cowrite with acclaimed British musician Andrew
Roachford and guest appearance by Keziah Jones.
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The album was engineered by Paul Snook of Night Owl Studios and mixed at Metrosonic Recordings, Brooklyn. The marketing and promo campaign has kicked off with a release date set for 14 February 2008, Valentine's Day. Heidi has collaborated on various music projects crossing genres with artists from the UK and abroad, the latest has been co-writing a song with Roachford for Heidi's new album.
In 2006 Heidi was a co-writer and performer on 'Five Million Strong', theme song for UK Government Voter's Registration Campaign commissioned by Ken Livingston. The song received airplay on all major radio stations in the UK and the video aired on MTV, MTV Base and Channel U.
MTV's first feature film in the UK, 'Transit' featured Heidi's song 'He Almost Fell In Love Tonight' as well as her performing throughout the film score. |
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Heidi's compass has always found musical direction from studying classical piano, performing in bands, choirs, as a soloist and in dance productions; even whilst working for a couple of major labels dedicating her time to making fellow artists dreams become realities.
Heidi's artistic dreams never took a backseat. She spent all her spare time song writing, performing and recording her material and arming herself with the knowledge and experience to become the artist she has now evolved into. |
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| Heidi is filled with new influences, inspired by the wonderful people she's met along the way, generating fresh ideas through new experiences. |
| Her musical Influences are: "LIFE! Anything that touches me, I'm not
limited to the genre it just has to be emotive, which is what I hope my
music achieves. Michael Franti is one of my greatest influences as he has
something real and sincere to say, Bob Marley, Van Hunt, Ben Harper, Steve
Wellington, Eric Benet, Mary J.Blige, The Roots, India Arie, Jill Scott,
Annie Lennox, RZA, Earth Wind & Fire, Soul 4 Real, J5, Lauryn Hill's
amazing voice, Mos Def and Beyonce's vocal prowess." |
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| The first single off the new album, 'LOVE' along with B-side single 'ONLY
LOVE GOES ON AND ON' along with urban and house remixes for both tracks
have just begun their journey into radio with flying colours! |
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| Interview with Heidi... |
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- Could you briefly tell us about your background, like, where you're born?
And have you always wanted be a singer?
I was born in Australia, in Sydney to parents of Greek origin and I could
say that while my academic studies were very important to me and I went
on to finish a Commerce Degree at university, music is the only thing I
dreamt about and had a crazy passion for…any type of music….pop, soul,
Greek music, dancing classes, choirs, solo performances, playing the piano,
anything to do with music, I felt compelled to going toward it and studied
it alongside my other studies until I left University. I remember I used
to play the 'drums' which were our kitchen stools with wooden spoons when
I was about two years old to ABBA ha ha. And I'd play my parents' records
over and over and over and sing and dance all day long making up routines
with my sister and cousins. We had some GOOD times! Ha ha. So, yes, I have
always wanted to do music. I don't only sing though, I write in many genres
as well.
- What did you grow up listening to?
I grew up listening to ABBA, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, a little
Jackson 5, Duran Duran, pop music of the time, Greek folk and pop music,
and some beautiful jazz, standards..
- Can you remember the first record you ever bought?
Michael Jackson's OFF THE WALL record baby!! The one that opened up into
three sleeves with a full length picture of Michael inside with his dancing
shoes and glowing socks on! Ha ha. I played that record to death.
- What is your musical background like?
My musical background is very varied. I studied Classical piano and theory
from the age 10, so composers such as Mozart, Bach and Chopin are huge
inspirations to me, but performed pop in choirs and at school performances.
Then in my secondary school years I was exposed to jazz and RnB music and
my life changed. I loved it! Then later when I left school I began to slowly
learn and try my hand at songwriting and found that I was able to finally
really express myself as an individual telling my story through my own
words and melodies and music became more than just someone elses inspirations.
- Who has been your biggest inspiration in music?
Wow, that's a very difficult question to answer, because different people
have inspired me at different times in my life. I will have to list a few
of my major inspirations here because to name one would not do this question
justice. I'm generally inspired by a 'message' in the music or a life experience
that inspires me to dig deeper and write something that has touched my
emotions or life in some way (eg Hurricane Katrina in America inspired
me to tears to write 'What About Those' and my living in the UK and being
so far from my family for several years now taught me how much they are
worth to me in my life and that respect and love inspired 'Family Love').
My musical inspirations though have come from Michael Franti, Bob Marley, Jill Scott, Van Hunt, Nas and Eminem (his earlier work only), Billie Holiday, Mozart and many others, but Michael Franti…..definitely one of my greatest inspirations!
- Please tell us about your "The Love Album" CD, the concept behind the idea and your impressions.
'The Love Album' is exactly as it says on the label J. It's an album who's
concept is all about LOVE, the positive, beautiful, special elements of
love but also encompasses Love from the perspective of Family, Spirituality
and global respect and love, rather than the typical boy meets girl (or
boy meets boy or girl meets girl) relationship kind of love. And all songs
are based on my own personal experiences of love and so are elements of
love and life that have affected me in some way emotionally.
- How has the reaction been so far?
The reaction to the album has been great so far! Although as an independent
artist it is a slower more difficult road as I don't have the major record
label financial backing or marketing machine to elevate me to a broader
more global audience more quickly. But Everyone who has listened to the
singles or bought the album has come back with the reaction I dreamed….loving
it! Picking out their favourites and playing them over and over, that includes
fans and club and radio DJs from the UK and abroad. So, I'm very happy
with the reaction! The songs are touching them, the production is touching
them, produced by my writing partner and co-label owner of Havavision Records,
Dreadlox Holmes and the live recordings are connecting with them (the album
was recorded in New York last summer) and that's all fabulous!
- What is your favorite cut on the album?
OOOOOHH!! Hard question! It depends on my mood…..but it's a toss up between
Flow Like A River, Thank You Star and Love…
- How do you describe your sound and style ?
My sound is soul/jazz. The album though is a mix of styles, all urban but taking you n a journey from old school soul to neo soul to jazz….
- How does the song writting process go ?
I generally write lyrics first, an inspiration will come to me or I'm moved
by something I have a real need to write about it. Then I'll look at the
words, structure them and a melody just seems to come from somewhere beyond
me that plays with the rhythm of the words and a mood I'm hearing in my
head. I'll then take my ideas (recorded on my Dictaphone) to Dreadlox Holmes
and being the beautiful guitarist he is, I'll sing him my ideas and he
always just 'knows' what chords to play that suit my melodies so perfectly…
and the process begins from there in regards to production.
- Have you ever had a memory in your career that you can't forget?
There are so many, for me the stand out memory is being in New York all
of last Summer working on my album. Recording at Night Owl Studios, sitting
in the engineer booth being blown away by the crazy musicianship of all
the musicians who played on the album, one better the next and all the
laughter and tears we endured during the process to finally get to this,
the finished product..
- What is your musical philosophy?
Always always be true to yourself. Listen to the voice inside and allow that to guide you through every situation, every lyric and melody that comes to you and just be real.
- What is Soul music for you?
Soul Music for me is a journey into the past that we're evolving and rehashing
to create music for the 'soul' today, it's class, it's gospel, it's emotion,
love, pain, it's beautiful story telling weaved through chord progressions
that make your hair stand on end.
- Would you like to say something to your fans?
To my fans I'd like to say 'Thank you Thank you Thank you'. Please keep
an eye out for when I come to play live near you, would love to touch you
with my music in person. And please keep spreading the HEIDI message and
spread the word, let your friends and family hear what you love!! Peace
Heidi x
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| Discography |
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| Heidi - Love Album (UK-CD, Havavision, 2008) |
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1 |
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You Take Me There |
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2 |
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Love |
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3 |
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Flow Like A River |
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4 |
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If We |
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5 |
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No Pain |
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6 |
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People Unite |
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7 |
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What About Those |
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8 |
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Family Love |
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9 |
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Only Love Goes On And On |
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10 |
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My Eyes |
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11 |
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Lost In You |
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12 |
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You Know I'm Ready |
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13 |
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Thank You Star |
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14 |
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The Luurrve Jam |
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Contact to:
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