...
Live acts | Music venues | Qfm album reviews | Advertorials | What's on | Features
| Around with Duke and John | Showtime home
Shea Eyes Global Success
By Natasha Laming
Frequent listeners of Spain’s number one jazz radio station Qfm have lately been enjoying a featured artiste with an incredibly sultry voice and equally wide range of vocal abilities and styles. Her name is Shea Chambers, and if you haven’t yet heard of her – don’t worry, you will.
Multi-talented both on stage and behind the scenes, Shea was born with a unique vocal talent and has wasted no time in revealing her voice to the world. A singer/songwriter and producer, the LA-based artist honed her smooth vocals from an early age, working as backing singer for some of the industry’s biggest names such as Bryan Adams, Barry White, and Brenda Russell to name but a few.
“I truly had one of the best gigs in town,” Shea reminisced fondly. “I am one of the only singers here in Los Angeles who has worked with a list of famous artists and never had to leave my home town. I could probably write a book from all the things I have seen and experienced from working with music and film legends in the industry.”
Shea credits her own professionalism with her experiences with other artists who helped show her “how to treat people who may be your biggest fans and to perform every time as if it’s your last show.”
Working with these top names was an incredible time for Shea, but it was her performance on the title track “Endless Love”, written and produced by Lionel Richie, which gave her real acclaim within the US recording industry.
The singer has also enjoyed working with jazz artists (such as Alan Hewitt) to such a degree that she has finally gone solo herself and released a beautifully smooth jazz-R&B album and debut single, ‘Kiss Me with your Eyes.’ The album has brought Shea together with many talented backing musicians (and for the first time her very own backing singers, although right now they continue to remain nameless!)
“Yes, it’s true, they still need a name!” Shea confessed, laughing. “This is a newly-formed group of musicians; some that I have worked with in the past, and some that are new to me. I’m hiring freelance musicians all the time, and this is the first occasion when I’m hoping to have a group that will stay with me on future concerts and music venues. My musical director, Noriko Olling, is beginning full band rehearsals for us very shortly, which is so exciting!”
The first track from the highly acclaimed album tells a story of forbidden love, in which two lovers can only express their feelings for each other through their body language. Although not penned by Shea herself, the singer admits that on first hearing the track she completely related to the lyrics.
“The song was composed by Nikki England, Marco Missinato, and writer, producer, and arranger Olivier Roulon ,” Shea explained. “I have done a lot of co-writing with Nikki England and happened to hear the demo of ‘Kiss Me’ one day when I was scheduled to work in the studio with Olivier.
“When I heard the lyrics and melody, I was completely knocked out and asked if I could put my vocals on it.”
The beautifully-crafted single has enjoyed immense amounts of air play globally since its release earlier this July, and been well received by music lovers the world over. Such is the success of her solo music, Shea now plans to take the album on the road, and will be visiting Tenerife and the rest of Europe later this year - a prospect she relishes.
“I am looking forward to coming to Tenerife and Europe to showcase my new work. It’s going to be so much fun!”
For more information on Shea’s music past and present, and for latest news about touring dates, either listen in to Qfm, or go straight to the artist’s website at http://www.sheachambers.com
