Sarah Louise

Sarah Louise is making a name for herself in the Welsh music scene. She is signed to Welsh record label SAIN. She has brought together a fresh blend of folk-rock music accompanied by her country-edged voice with subtle jazzy undertones.

Sarah’s debut album is receiving extensive radio play on both BBC Radio Wales and Radio Cymru, and has performed on Welsh language channel, S4C. She is also generating press interest in the local area, and is set to perform alongside American country singer, Tia Graff, in November this year. Her album reached number four in the Welsh album charts upon its release in June.

She is influenced by artists such as Dido, and the songwriting of Alanis Morissette and Sarah Mclachlan and is part of a new generation of young artists who are staying away from the manufactured scene and are trying hard to produce quaity, original ideas.

Sarah draws inspiration from her own life experiences and from personal feelings concerning social hang-ups to explore human nature. Sarah hopes that people will be able to enjoy and relate to her songs.

Sarah is a published poet and a keen journalist. "all of this contributes to my songwriting. I enjoy the freedom being a songwriter gives you to explore the world and to explore your own beliefs."

Sarah was born on February 18th 1984 and brought up in Caernarfon, North Wales, by the coastline and the Snowdonia mountains. Sarah's grandfather was Polish, her grandmother was Irish and her parents are both Welsh. Therefore, Sarah has a range of cultural roots from which to draw inspiration.

She is a Creative Studies Student at Bangor University, majoring in Journalism and Film. Her other interests lie in creative writing, photography and travel.

Sarah had recently started a new Independent production company, 'Ethos Films,' with her partner, Zac Holbert and are currently working on a new Welsh language short film. Their first Welsh short film won the Bangor international and Student Film Festival in May this year.

Sarah hopes to bring something new to Welsh music, and has just released her debut album, Tir Na Nog. This album sees Sarah working with established musicians from all over the country, including award-winning innovative jazz pianist/composer, Huw Warren. The album was produced by Emyr Rhys, a highly respected composer and record producer in Wales. Also on the album is Ged Lynch, drummer on Peter Gabriel's world tour.

"I wanted this album to have lots of different influences, so we brought in different musicians from various musical backgrounds, we had a string quartet, which sounded beautiful, an amazing grand piano, various percussion instruments, as well as electronic influences. I didn't want to pigeonhole my music at all, but create something that both younger and older audiences would enjoy; for those who love jazz or pop or country. My main aim with this album was to introduce Welsh music to people who had never thought about buying a Welsh CD before, not only non-Welsh speakers, but those who speak the language fluently, but have lived in the knowledge that Welsh country music is old-fashioned, and not very cool. Hopefully I can change that."

Tir Na Nog is available in all good Welsh shops, and is available to buy online from SAIN records at www.sainwales.com.