OK, so I’m more of a “what’s next?” than a pat yourself on the back kinda girl. That means I have to make myself look at what I have achieved with the support of some beautiful people. Here’s a short chronological list:
— Toured to UK, Italy, New Zealand and US with Dark Joan album (see below)
— Launched Dark Joan video in London with director Stephen Bain, Nisha Madhan and school children from Ambrit Rome
— First shows with other musos in the US – Orlando Greenhill in LA and Federico Ughi & Andrew Weeks (New York) for URB ALT Fest 2010 @ 92Y, New York
— Produced ‘Ode to the Unknown Factory Worker’ album in Rome with drummer Daniele de Santis (Jan 18 2011 global release date)
— Had stunning shots with world-class Atlanta photographers Tania Calderòn (see above) and Leon Dale
— Recorded a new demo album of electro pop songs in the US
— Started this blog for photos, videos and impressionistic splashes of thought
— Transitioned with the sheep from facebook group to the snazzy new facebook musician/band page
Next month, the new album Ode to the Unknown Factory Worker is out on the Italian National Radio label, RAI Trade/Tracce, in the UK, USA, Germany, France and Japan distributed by Goodfellas. Tracce has achieved critical acclaim due to their previous releases including experimental legends Robert Wyatt, Anthony Braxton, Amiri Baraka and Matthew Shipp.
In Atlanta, Georgia, Leila performed on the outdoor stage at Centennial Olympic Park with Stoni Taylor and Miles of Stone and had two promo shoots.
Award-winning Atlanta based UK photographer, Leon Dale, shot Leila who was dressed in African inspired garb by Eighty Jane, the Nigerian/American fashion stylist/poet which will feature in her hip chique fashion blog www.thefashioncult.com.
Tania Calderon, beauty, fashion and commercial photographer, took a series of images at her studio, Calderón Foto.
Also coming up in 2010, Minus Habens, the electronic label who have been releasing legends such Brian Eno, Depeche Mode, Angelo Badalamenti, Aphex Twin and Cabaret Voltaire will release MDF, the electronica project of De Santis. Tracks from the album feature Leila including the pre-release single “prendi uno” which was featured on New York based online community and festival URB ALT’s digital download sampler with Flying Lotus, Gonjasufi and Jneiro Jarel. Leila is now working on a new solo album for 2011 using ‘Ableton Live’ to produce the set of electronic songs.
Performance of The City & The Voodoo Lady @ Urb Alt Fest 2010, 92Y, New York
URB ALT Fest 2010 @ 92Y Tribeca, New York, 25JUN10
Stateside Summer and New Releases
URB ALT Fest 2010 @ 92Y Tribeca, New York, 25JUN10After performances in LA, Chicago, New York and Washington DC, Leila Adu will play her final US date in Atlanta before returning to perform in Italy and the UK. Leila’s trio show in New York for URB ALT Festival with Federico Ughi and Andrew Weeks was described by Bold As Love’s, Rob Fields: “Usually, when a singer-songwriter strips a song down to just voice and piano, it provides for more space around the song, and lets it breathe. In Leila’s case, she’s dealing with such melodically dense concepts that the addition of the other instruments actually served to better ground me as a listener… The additional instruments help you experience her on a macro level. And that’s good, because what she’s exploring is sonically compelling and adventurous.”
With over 13,000 downloads of their previous sampler, the latest URB ALT Sampler-Tres Free download was released in June to celebrate the URB ALT 2010 Festival launch and includes ‘prendi uno’ the new single by MDF Feat. Leila Adu. Electronica producer MDF‘s solo album ‘Horus’ was released this year and labels are already interested in his next release which will include ‘prendi uno’ and other tracks in collaboration with Leila Adu. The URB ALT Sampler-Tres Free download features artists who performed for this year’s festival:Muthawit, Oh My Goodness, Dearling Physique, The Twin Shadow, MiLo and Lou Rossi, as well members of the URB ALT community from around the globe such as Gonjasufi/Flying Lotus, Dave I.D., Tuneyards, Faith, Jneiro Jarel and more.
Leila Adu’s fourth studio album of songs ‘Ode the the Unknown Factory Worker,’ solo piano, organ and voice with four tracks accompanied by drummer Daniele De Santis, is set to be released by RAI TRADE/Tracce and distributed worldwide in October 2010. ‘The Shoreditch Concert,’ an acoustic free improv concert released last month on Amirani Records of the group of Hannah Marshall_Nicola Guazzaloca_Gianni Mimmo_Leila Adu’ is receiving consistent reviews and radioplay in France and Italy. ‘Dark Joan’ the album produced by Steve Albini out on Frizz Records, is now being physically distributed in New Zealand stores and sites by Border Music www.youtube.com/bordermusicnz
