Karen Ires

With her gem-like tunes, Karen Ires has always drawn a devoted response from Manhattan’s downtown music scene, where people have compared her skillful performances to the likes of Liz Phair and Aimee Mann.
Now with the recent release of her self-titled debut CD and subsequent live EP, Karen has since found her songs featured on the MTV show Undressed, the prestigious NEMO compilation CD, the film Anarchy TV, and numerous radio stations. Her song “Great Beyond” won 3rd place in the folk category of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest; and in the Just Plain Folks songwriting contest, her song "Star" won second place out of nearly 35,000 entries, her album placing 4th within the singer-songwriter category.
Enjoying the spotlight on several internet music sites, Karen also consistently tops the indie and pop charts on mp3.com, where her song "One Closed Eye" was chosen to be on their CD: Best Alt. Rock on the Net. She's also been interviewed by The Women of MP3.com, and has earned a place on JavaMusic.com's promotional CD and a feature on Farmclub.com as a recommended alternative artist.
Mark Kirby of Musicdish writes, "Her sense of character and bizarre narrative could make her a great short-story writer…she takes a half-heard scrap of conversation and fills in all the blanks, thus, creating these intimate, arresting songs." GnomeAudio comments, "her vocals are cloaked in a kind of velvet atmosphere that puts her in a category all her own," while Tropia.com writes, "Karen Ires could convince anyone to try to love again…she sings with that aching pop goddess indifference that has qualified artists as different as Nico and Fiona Apple."
Karen regularly tours throughout the Northeast. Recent performances include the Just Plain Folks Road Trip, a benefit with Lloyd Cole, and opening for Thom Yorke from Radiohead at a surprise underground show in Manhattan. Karen also continues to contribute music and voice-overs to commercials and film.