KELSEY MICHAEL 

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I am first and foremost a singer and I see my voice as an instrument to paint with. When singing I am looking to create colour, and play with the different textures I can find with  my voice. Truly contemporary songs, ones which reflect, document and express a time and place are I believe essential for a healthy culture, so I'm interested in writing from stories happening now. 

Taking inspiration from Female singer songwriters, especially Carole King and Laura Nyro, I have committed myself to the art of songwriter's piano and craft my songs with rich harmony drawing on folk, jazz, old school R&B, and an eclectic mix of contemporary music.

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I have been writing and performing my songs since the early nineties. Before that, I was a performer in the international world of physical theatre in the 80's and 90's, known for dynamic vocals.

 

In 1997 I launched experimental pop octet Minnow onto the London alternative music scene to critical acclaim. The band featured Gail Brand, John Telfer, Kay Charlton, Marc Sanders, John Edwards, Richard Sanderson, Dean Brodrick and Liam Nobel. 

Find reviews here.

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I have worked as a backing vocalist with The The, and sung on five albums by Sean O'Hagan and his High Llamas. I also sing on contemporary classical composer Jocelyn Pook's soundtrack for Stanley Kubrick's 'Eyes Wide Shut'. In the jazz world I have sung live with Liam Noble and Tom Bancroft.

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FULL BIO HERE

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Whilst raising a family in West Cornwall I have been a musician in the community, leading singing groups in rural areas, pioneering wild singing walks full of original songs for clifftop and hedgerow through the seasons, and mentoring young singers.

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Nature and observation of landscape and wildlife are central to my songwriting, In the last few years I have worked with others in the transition towns movement to raise awareness about the need to conserve and protect ecosystems to bring about natural solutions to the climate and ecology crisis. 

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