Music Lovers

Having been the voice and writer behind numerous hits around the world, Shelley Harland emerges into the spotlight with her latest solo album.

Shelley Harland's debut single "Wonder" was the perfect introduction to the singer songwriter and producer who commutes between Sydney, New York and London. An artist with an amazing portfolio of co-writes and collaborations with some of the world's best known artists - from The Velvet Underground's John Cale, to million selling rocker Tracy Bonham. Shelley's voice and lyric have been heard by many more people around the world than it may at first appear. Until 'Wonder' she had remained faceless by choice. Now that is all about to change.

"Wonder" is a tasteful, emotive slice of pop which displays Shelley's gorgeous voice and ability to create a moody yet very intimate ambience. No sooner was her debut single in the public domain then, the likes of Grammy Nominee producer/ DJ Morgan Page (Madonna, No Doubt) and Paul Mac offered up dance floor remixes which are presently warming up clubs throughout Europe. Shelley's second single, 'Friday' is a piece of gorgeous pop, replete with classic horn section. It highlights yet another element of Shelley's broad writing range and wouldn't sound out of place on a Cardigans or Carpenters album.

Currently 'Friday' is being used in a national television campaign by the Seven Network to great effect. Both 'Wonder' and 'Friday' are taken from Shelley's major label debut album "Red Leaf" out on July 3rd. Her own journey began in London where she was born to a carpenter father and a nurse mother. "We were a typical Cockney working class family" she says. "There were no musical aspirations. But there'd be singalongs and dance routines at family get-togethers." In her late teens Shelley realised there was something special about her voice. She'd sing in noisy karaoke bars and the crowds would fall silent to listen.

Then she met James Wright, an Australian who had arrived in London to form a band. He urged her to take up singing full time. Shelley and James soon relocated to New York, where during the day Shelley would work as a private investigator (staking out some of New York's high flying socialites).

Shelley developed her talent for song writing and programming - experimenting with music in her bedroom each evening. In an 'only in New York' moment, The Velvet Underground's John Cale commissioned Shelley to work on one of his records. These requests to work with Shelley's beautiful voice spanned genres and styles. Guru found Shelley through MySpace and included her on his latest Jazzmatazz release. Junkie XL, Pole Folder, Delerium and Josh Abraham were other collaborators - and people whom she still works with.

Shelley also toured the US and Canada fronting Delerium. Recently Shelley moved to Sydney. She surrounds herself at home with a number of guitars and keyboards, a glockenspiel, and a rare Bluthner piano she found for $500 in a Salvation Army store, later discovering it was worth over $10,000. It's this piano that you hear on Shelley's debut album. In between her overseas collaborations, she made "Red Leaf" with producer David Skeet.

While absorbing the sounds and moods of her new environment, Shelley's Sydney network soon expanded to include Tim Powles of The Church, who fell immediately for her music and was soon volunteering to drum on what would prove to be the album recordings. "Red Leaf" was mixed in London by Chris Sheldon (Foo Fighters, Pixies, Radiohead) and mastered at the legendary Abbey Road studios. A big deal for a beautiful record that began on a $500 piano in Shelley's living room.

"The music I made changed when I moved to Australia," Shelley explains. "I wasn't listening to anything different. My tastes have always been about The Beatles, Motown, The Carpenters, Bjork, Portishead and Fleetwood Mac. But while New York made me feel electric, Sydney was so laid back and beautiful that my music took on that flavour."

The buzz surrounding these initial tracks soon gained her attention and an eventual recording deal with Australia's longest serving and most respected independent label, Albert Music. With the label experiencing an exciting renaissance, Shelley is the first female artist to sign to Albert Music in over a decade - a sign that the legendary label has spotted something unique and captivating in Shelley's music.

"Red Leaf" delivers on that promise.

RED LEAF is released online and in stores on July 3rd.

Follow Shelley on Facebook: www.facebook.com/shelleyharland and Twitter: www.twitter.com/shelleyharlandx

Find out more about Shelley at www.bandit.fm/shelleyharland