Claire Phillips
Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa | SELF
Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
Singer-songwriter Claire Phillips kicked off a series of Up Close and Personal concerts at the weekend as a build-up to her next album.
The talented vocalist is using the series of acoustic concerts as a sort of reintroduction for Capetonians to her music as she works on her next album.
Phillips won the Sama for Best R&B/Soul Album in 2007 for her debut, Say My Name, which, she says, has challenged her as an artist to improve the quality of her work.
She took a break from per-forming in 2008, but continued working on the community and school projects close to her heart.
“I needed time to breathe and live life, experience it... to become inspired by it, to fall in love and just be myself,” said Phillips.
The 28-year-old has quite the vocal range and encompasses jazz, funk, soul and folk in her work. She plays guitar, piano, saxophone and drums, but her first instrument of choice is the guitar.
While she started off as a cover artist she has carefully built up her own repertoire, together with a steady and loyal following.
“The music I write is sexy, soulful, honest and pure. It’s music that moves your soul... so I leave it up to the listener to decide what he or she wants it to be,” said Phillips.
She has travelled and performed in various parts of South Africa and Africa and wowed the crowds at Fan parks during the Soccer World Cup last year, and while the Cape Town performer will go where the music takes her, she says she will always feel the strongest connection as an artist to her home town.
Phillips celebrates her next birthday on March 16 and says she is “super excited” to be performing at the G-Spot in Epping to celebrate.
The next Up Close and Personal concert will be at the Pepper Club Luxury Hotel in Camps Bay on Sunday, April 3. She’ll be supported by Gift Gwe.
The Up Close and Personal concerts take place on the first Sunday of every month and the next event venue will be announced at the end of each show.
- iol.co.za/Cape Argus
Discography
SAMA AWARD WINNING ALBUM/SAY MY NAME
Photos
Bio
Claire Phillips, vocalist, songwriter and musician, Claire is recognized and respected as one of South Africa's most talented artist. Hailing from Belhar, a suburb on the cape flats. Claire began singing as a toddler, referred to by many as a musical genius, has the ability to play the guitar, piano, saxophone, drums but wields her semi acoustic and acoustic guitar as her instrument of choice.
Her first forays onto the professional stage were as a cover artist, but she opted to build her own repertoire, and completed her debut album "Say my Name" produced by Patrick “Caramel" Hickey in 2006.
Claire's instantly recognizable voice, unique style and her ability to transport listeners to a different space in time rapidly elevated her album to the top of the S.A. Charts. In 2007 Claire's album was nominated for a SA MUSIC AWARD" SAMA" in the category of Best R&B / Soul album, which she eventually won making her the first South African artist to win a SAMA for a debut album.
Receiving standing ovations across the country for performances alongside artists such as Freshlyground, EJ von Lyric, Prime Circle, Loyisa Bala and Oskido to mention a few. With Claire's ability to mesmerize audiences she continued to grow working with internationally renowned Diane Reeves, Rochelle Farrell, Jonas Rendbo and Eddie Grant, as well as selling out thousands of seats at many of her own shows at some the countries premiere venues and exclusive events.
Then in late 2008 while living in Johannesburg, Claire's mother fell ill with cancer, leaving her torn between her music or family, she chose the latter. Claire is currently in Cape Town, where it all started, working on her new album and looking to get back in touch with fans through a series of intimate acoustic events called Up Close and Personal.
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