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Imelda Mary Higham (; born 10 July 1974), professionally known as Imelda May, is an Irish singer, songwriter, television presenter and multi-instrumentalist. She is known for her musical style of rockabilly revival and has also been compared to female
May soon after appeared on '' The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'', '' Conan'' and '' The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson''. In 2016, May performed at RTÉ's Centenary Concert to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Rising. In the UK May appeared on '' Never Mind the Buzzcocks'' with the late Terry Wogan and '' Graham Norton Show'' and sang live on '' Strictly Come Dancing''. May worked with BIMM music college in Dublin to provide a scholarship (which they named after her) for up-and-coming artists.
May's fifth album, '' Life Love Flesh Blood'', was released on 7 April 2017. She collaborated with American musician T Bone Burnett on the record, who produced the album. Throughout the creative process, May received guidance from U2 vocalist Bono. ''Life Love Flesh Blood'' won critical acclaim and reached no. 4 in the UK charts. On 18 May 2017 May performed ''Life Love Flesh Blood'' at a special concert in the prestigious London Palladium.
In Ireland, she also had her own music TV show, ''
May has recorded and performed with a variety of artists. She has worked with producers Mike Crossey, Tony Visconti, Peter Asher and T Bone Burnett.
In 2010 she (and others) performed with Jeff Beck to honour the late guitarist
Official website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:May, Imelda 1974 births Living people 21st-century Irish singers Singers from Dublin (city) Irish rockabilly musicians Irish soul singers Irish women folk singers Irish women jazz singers Irish women pop singers Irish women rock singers Swing musicians Soft rock musicians Traditional pop musicians Irish television presenters Irish expatriates in England Decca Records artists 21st-century Irish women singers Irish women television presenters People from The Liberties, Dublin Broadcasters from County Dublin 2000s in Irish music 2010s in Irish music 2020s in Irish music
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
musicians such as Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday made significant contributions to jazz music and pop ...
.
In 2002, she formed her own band and released her debut studio album, '' No Turning Back'' (2002). She released her second studio album, '' Love Tattoo'' (2009). Her third studio album, '' Mayhem'' (2010), earned her a nomination for the Choice Music Prize. Her fourth studio album, '' Tribal'' (2014), and her fifth, '' Life Love Flesh Blood'' (2017) and her sixth '' 11 Past the Hour'', was released on 16 April 2021.
Early life and career
May was born in Dublin on 10 July 1974 in The Liberties in the south inner city. She is the youngest of five siblings, with sisters Edel Foy and Maria O'Reilly, and brothers Brendan and Fintan Clabby. In 1991, she attended Senior College Ballyfermot, where she studied art, graphics and printmaking.Professional career
In 2003, May released '' No Turning Back''. In 2007 she signed a recording contract with Ambassador Records, and recorded her second album, '' Love Tattoo'', which reached No.1 in Ireland and received wide critical acclaim. She caught the attention of Jools Holland, whom she later supported on tour, which led him to request she appear on his music show '' Later... with Jools Holland''. She won Female Artist of the Year at the 2009 Meteor Awards. On 31 January 2010, she performed at the 52nd Grammy Awards withJeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold Beck (24 June 1944 – 10 January 2023) was an English musician. He rose to prominence as the guitarist of the rock band the Yardbirds, and afterwards founded and fronted the Jeff Beck Group and Beck, Bogert & Appice. In 1975, ...
in tribute to Les Paul
Lester William Polsfuss (June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009), known as Les Paul, was an American jazz guitarist, jazz, country guitarist, country, and blues guitarist, songwriter, luthier, and inventor. He was one of the pioneers of the solid body ...
and Mary Ford. She released her third studio album, '' Mayhem'', in Ireland on 3 September 2010, again reaching No. 1 in the Irish Album Charts, and in the United Kingdom on 4 October 2010, and earned her a nomination for the Choice Music Prize.
May soon after appeared on '' The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'', '' Conan'' and '' The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson''. In 2016, May performed at RTÉ's Centenary Concert to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Rising. In the UK May appeared on '' Never Mind the Buzzcocks'' with the late Terry Wogan and '' Graham Norton Show'' and sang live on '' Strictly Come Dancing''. May worked with BIMM music college in Dublin to provide a scholarship (which they named after her) for up-and-coming artists.
May's fifth album, '' Life Love Flesh Blood'', was released on 7 April 2017. She collaborated with American musician T Bone Burnett on the record, who produced the album. Throughout the creative process, May received guidance from U2 vocalist Bono. ''Life Love Flesh Blood'' won critical acclaim and reached no. 4 in the UK charts. On 18 May 2017 May performed ''Life Love Flesh Blood'' at a special concert in the prestigious London Palladium.
In Ireland, she also had her own music TV show, ''The Imelda May Show
''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...
'', showcasing the best of Irish and international talent. May performed the Irish national anthem on 26 August 2017 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, prior to the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Conor McGregor fight. In June 2020, she released the original composition ''You Don't Get To Be Racist And Irish'' which was used by the Irish government for the nationwide billboard campaign Rethink Ireland. May hosted a Sky Arts Original two-part series, 'Voices Of Ireland' which explores the rich history of literary talent, inspired by the natural beauty of Ireland's land.
In 2020 she also published a new album, ''Slip of the Tongue'', whose style shifts from rock to spoken word.
Her second solo album apart from her former husband, '' 11 Past the Hour'' was released on 16 April 2021 on the Decca label. Also in 2021, May contributed a cover of the Metallica song " The God That Failed" to the charity tribute album '' The Metallica Blacklist''.
Performances with other artists
May has recorded and performed with a variety of artists. She has worked with producers Mike Crossey, Tony Visconti, Peter Asher and T Bone Burnett.
In 2010 she (and others) performed with Jeff Beck to honour the late guitarist Les Paul
Lester William Polsfuss (June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009), known as Les Paul, was an American jazz guitarist, jazz, country guitarist, country, and blues guitarist, songwriter, luthier, and inventor. He was one of the pioneers of the solid body ...
at Iridium Jazz Club in New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, where the session was recorded for DVD and HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
and subsequently toured the US with Jeff Beck for five weeks. In December 2011 she sold out two nights at O2 Dublin, with Bono making a surprise appearance as her guest. May was the surprise guest in Dublin for U2's homecoming show on the band's 2015 Innocence + Experience tour: Bono called her "the other queen of Ireland" as she came on stage to perform "Desire", streamed live online to millions of viewers.
In 2017, she performed at Indigo O2, a tribute concert for Bill Wyman's 80th birthday, a live recorded concert during the London Blues Festival, alongside Robert Plant, Mark Knopfler, Bob Geldof, and Mick Hucknall.
In 2020, May was part of an Irish collective of female singers and musicians called Irish Women in Harmony that recorded a version of " Dreams" in aid of the charity SafeIreland, which deals with domestic abuse, which had reportedly risen significantly during the COVID-19 lockdown.
In 2021, she dueted with Noel Gallagher and Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones in the single "Just One Kiss" from the album '' 11 Past the Hour'', and, together with The Waterboys and the Joanna Eden Band, she joined the line-up for Van Morrison
Sir George Ivan "Van" Morrison (born 31 August 1945) is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician whose recording career started in the 1960s. Morrison's albums have performed well in the UK and Ireland, with more than 40 reaching the UK ...
's outdoor show at Audley End House and Gardens expected for 14 August 2021 in Saffron Walden
Saffron Walden is a market town and civil parish in the Uttlesford district of Essex, England, north of Bishop's Stortford, south of Cambridge and north of London. It retains a rural appearance and some buildings of the medieval period. Th ...
.
In 2023, she was one of the performing artists at the "Tribute for Jeff Beck Concert" at the Royal Albert Hall. She joined the stage with Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English Rock music, rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s l ...
, Rod Stewart
Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British singer and songwriter. Known for his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists of all time, having sold ...
, Ronnie Wood, Johnny Depp, Doyle Bramhall, Gary Clark jr, Billy Gibbons, John McLaughlin, Joss Stone, Susan Tedeschi, Dereck Trucks, Olivia Safe, Robert Randolph and the Jeff Beck Band. She performed " Remember (Walking in the Sand)" and " Train Kept A-Rollin'".
Night for Ukraine benefit
May performed at Night for Ukraine, a fundraising benefit held at the Roundhouse in northLondon
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
on the evening of March 9, 2022, with the funds raised being donated to the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal, to provide aid to people fleeing Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
following the Russian invasion. The event was organised by Fabien Riggall in collaboration with the Ukrainian pop duo Bloom Twins.
Acting
May made her acting debut in the 2022 film '' Fisherman's Friends: One and All''.Personal life
May married her guitarist and band member, Darrel Higham, in 2002. She gave birth to a daughter in August 2012. On 17 July 2015, May announced the couple's decision to separate after 13 years of marriage.Discography
* '' No Turning Back'' (2003) * '' Love Tattoo'' (2008) * '' Mayhem'' (2010) * '' Tribal'' (2014) * '' Life Love Flesh Blood'' (2017) * ''Slip of the Tongue'' (2020) * '' 11 Past the Hour'' (2021)Awards and nominations
References
External links
Official website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:May, Imelda 1974 births Living people 21st-century Irish singers Singers from Dublin (city) Irish rockabilly musicians Irish soul singers Irish women folk singers Irish women jazz singers Irish women pop singers Irish women rock singers Swing musicians Soft rock musicians Traditional pop musicians Irish television presenters Irish expatriates in England Decca Records artists 21st-century Irish women singers Irish women television presenters People from The Liberties, Dublin Broadcasters from County Dublin 2000s in Irish music 2010s in Irish music 2020s in Irish music