Artist description In an increasingly bleak industry of commercial machinery and staged emotion, Francesca Lee offers a breath of fresh air to anyone willing to breathe a little deeper. This self-taught singer-songwriter/acoustic guitarist presents alternatively-tinged acoustic pop songs that are as catchy as they are emotionally insightful. Self described as eclectic folk rock with soulful delivery, her voice is not reminescent of the cliche melancholy of so many female singer-songwriters, but does express a truly genuine vocal medium with overtones that accentuate the mystical, soulful, etheral and at times punchy and gritty temperments of all that is simply human nature through the eyes of Francesca Lee.

Music Style Eclectic Folk Rock

Musical Influences contemporary folk, indie rock, jazz, urban, and etheral

Similar Artists Aimee Mann, Ani Difranco, Edie Brickell, Fiona Apple, Joni Mitchell

Artist History A Bay Area native now Dallas-Fort Worth resident with a debut EP of seven original songs (including a bonus track) soon to be released on her independant label Blue Iris Records, she recalls having written most of them in the attic of her former Gregorian apartment flat in the industrial district of Liverpool, England. You may remember her, the coffee shop girl from Northern California...the slightly crazy but loveable and definitely not afraid to speak her mind kind of girl. What you didn't know is that while she was pouring your Grande Latte she was also scribbling down lyrics on your coffee stained napkin, the same one that earned her a ticket to the other side of the world. In 1999, that ticket brought her to the prestigious Sir Paul McCartney Performing Arts School in in England, also known as LIPA. She majored in voice and songwriting, graduating in 2002 with a B.A. Honors Performing Arts degree given to her by Sir Paul McCartney himself. She describes her experience at LIPA as a very sheltered artistic environment in the heart of the urban life of Liverpool. A place where street deals, friendships, beauty and filth all tend to flow out of the same faucet. Through this opportunity she collabotrated with like minded musicians to form the Francesca Lee band, performing throughout Liverpool in venues such as The Masque, The Magnet, The Casa, The Pilgrim, Everyman Theatre, and Paul McCartney Auditorium working alongside Finnish producer and avante garde muso Julius Mauranen on the outskirts of Toxteth, famous for its riots and burning of cathedrals- a history you can read in the architecture. With Roots that lead back to Joni Mitchell, The Rolling Stones, Billie Holliday, Tim Buckley, and The Police, as a child she was an avid listener of contemporary folk and rock music. By the age of six she was allready making heads turn performing in the local scene with her father, also a musician. At the age of thirteen, she bought her first guitar from a friend's junk sale, which lead her to the craft of songwriting and into the world of pop song structure. In 2001 she was chosen by MTV to be featured in a pilot episode of The Real World, in which she was filmed for a week showcasing her talents on screen through live performances and interviews on her life as an upcoming artist. Shortly before that she was chosen to perform as a backing vocalist for the Top of the Pop awards show in Manchester, and has also performed as an opening act for former lead singer of Black, Colin Vencombe. Since relocating to Texas, Francesca has re-vamped her sound with the aid of Denton musicians Warren Jackson Hearne (a singer-songwriter in his own right) and Winston Reid (former drummer of art-punk band Fozler from Austin, TX). The new sound incorporates a more sultry, smokey, spaced-out jazz feel that conjures images of a dimly lit cafe noir. Currently looking forward to playing the first LadyFest in Austin, Texas, a non-profit community based arts festival organized by women in May 2003, Francesca's main focus lies in organizing her label Blue Iris Records and promoting her current work through as many creative mediums as possible. Making the transition back to the United States, she is currently utilizing her energy to work the business in productive ways as the sole labor of love for the expression of music itself. With an original flare that goes beyond your everyday top forty chart-toppers that come and go, you can be assured you'll be seeing her everywhere and not just for a limited time only. This is just the beginning for this keen twenty one year old. She will truly mesmerize you, and make no mistake- if you don't know her by now, you soon will.

Group Members Francesca Lee - vocals, guitar Warren Jackson Hearne - guitar Winston Reid - drums

Instruments A trio of guitars, rythyms, and vocals

Albums self titled album Francesca Lee

Press Reviews Wolf Rahlfs, director of Frank Zappa's Thing Fish, states that "A new star is born on the horizons of singer-songwriter paradise. Francesca Lee has seemingly appeared out of nowhere but has confidently filled the gap, which has left the music of like-minded yet diverse artists unconnected now."

Additional Info self titled debut ready for release in May 2003 will be available on Amazon.com,CDbaby,and CD Street

Location Arlington, TX - USA

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