Bella

Three of a kind…simply ‘beautiful’

Sometimes, inexplicably, you will meet someone who is a Kindred Spirit, who seems to know you so well. She shares your passions. She is a friend to your soul. Another like you. Very rare, but even more special when it is three.

That is Bella. Three gifted individuals profoundly connected, as soul friends, who take vocal harmony to new heights. The hair will stand up on the back of your neck.

Bella is Karen O’Shea, Lyn Bowtell and Kate Ballantyne.

All have very strong connections with Australia’s most prestigious talent search – the Toyota Star Maker Quest. Lyn, who is the main songwriter for the group, and Kate, are Star Maker winners, and Karen was a grand finalist.

Individually each vocalist shines, but their combined voice is nothing short of dazzling, bringing many an audience to its feet in sheer delight and appreciation since their formation in 2002.

The girls started to sing together at small pub gigs on the NSW Central Coast – just for fun, and totally unrehearsed – until one day a respected music industry pundit heard them and said ‘do you realize how good this is?’. So they decided to take the group more seriously, which led to them recording their first independent single ‘Tumbling Down’.

And in what can only be described as a meteoric rise, considering the short time they have been together, BELLA took out the Best Group award at the January 2004 Toyota Gold Guitar Awards in Tamworth. The girls are now being touted as one of the hottest new acts to arrive on the Australian music scene in years, and are set to appear at some of Australia’s major music festivals in 2006.

“About A Girl”, the beautiful and pensive Lyn Bowtell-penned song about growing up and discovery, was released in August on the Ocean Road Music label through BMG Australia, and is BELLA’s first single from their eagerly-awaited debut album “Gravity”, which was released in January 2005. The single also includes a very live bluesy version of the Newgrass Revival song “Just Is’.