Imelda May has announced her first U.K. tour, including a night at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on May 15th, in over three years in support of her highly anticipated new album Life, Love, Flesh, Blood due for release in March 2017.
If you don’t know Imelda May, prepare to be amazed. If you are already a fan, get ready to hear her as you never have before. The truly unique artist has found a new groove exploring blues, soul, gospel, folk, rock, sensitive acoustica, cinematic drama and explosive balladry on a set of the boldest, most personal and intimately autobiographical songs she has ever written.
Long celebrated by peers as one of the most sensational singers of contemporary music, Imelda May has made the album of her life. Produced by the legendary T Bone Burnett, the album was recorded in L.A. and features some of the most well renowned musicians in America (the same as on T Bone’s Alison Krauss and Robert Plant’s celebrated Raising Sand album) with guest appearances by long-time supporters; guitar hero Jeff Beck & piano maestro Jools Holland.
T Bone comments “I’ve never met anyone quite like Imelda May. She is full of life. When I first happened onto her music, she was a punky Irish Rockabilly singer with a great band. I was intrigued by her deep feeling for and understanding of that American art form, much of which, of course, had originated in Ireland. When I ran across her several years later, she had gone through a change of lives and was writing about it with a wild intensity and singing about it in the most open hearted way. I was inspired by her honesty and her generosity, and I continue to be intrigued.”
Imelda’s life changed considerably in the run up to recording, and first single Call Me is one chapter that needed to be covered. In the past she would sometimes “hide things in my songs and twist them around.” but this time the singer tells it exactly how it is.
Imelda May doesn’t just sound different, she actually looks physically different. “I always loved the Fifties rockabilly style but there was a point where I felt I was almost dressing up as Imelda May. It was as if I was getting into character for a gig. And I didn’t want to do that anymore. This is me. I’m so proud of this album and can’t wait to bring it out on the road to you.”
Taking the biggest band line up she has ever toured, the shows promise to delight both old and new fans of Imelda’s music. Featuring members of her long time band with some additional fine musicians in the U.K., the new line up brings the wonderful new material and old favourites to full colour whilst also showcasing Imelda’s unique ability to evoke the purest of emotion using her voice as her sole instrument.
It is clear that one of Ireland’s biggest exports has found a new groove.
Tickets for Imelda May’s major U.K tour go on sale Friday 9th December at 10am and are available from the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall Box office.