' Sophie Garner

Artist bio

There’s nothing ordinary about Sophie Garner. The multi talented songstress has achieved something remarkable. She has seen success in film, music and West End Theatre - shared center stage with Little Britain’s Matt Lucas and supported Will Young, The Sugababes and McFly. An extrovert by nature she has always embraced difference - someone who’s not afraid to come in through the out door. When others were listening to Duran Duran and WHAM Sophie, the only punk in the school tuned into Janis Joplin, Punk Ska, X-Ray Spex and Jethro Tull. It was as a four year old, cast as Snow White in a school play, that she first discovered the magic of her voice and how its angelic qualities had the power to affect an audience; by the time the curtain came down her potential as a budding actress had also become apparent. Ten years later, as a teenager, she found herself in an enviable position faced with two career paths. That of actress or musician. Which route would she take?

It was the dynamic magnetism of the music industry that eventually won over, tempting her to London where she discovered the underground Rhythm and Blues Jump Jive scene. As the lead vocalist of The Swing Kings, she had successes in Europe, where the band were constantly on the road. There were two releases, the first was an album called ‘Gone Bananas’ closely followed by an E.P ‘On Revival Day’. The successful releases led to TV, radio and plenty of work. It was here, on the stages of Europe where she developed the mastery of the performer, singing not only Jump Jive, but Jazz Classics and Blues standards. But when the ‘in through the out door girl’ eventually moved on, it came with the formation of a brilliant new jazz band. Sophie was changing up, and it was not long before the release of a debut album.

When ‘Champagne and False Eyelashes’ was released, it brought with it the admiration of what is now a dedicated fan base. An album of bluesy jazz classics and personal compositions, it was well received by national newspapers and featured on local and national radio. Sophie’s reputation as a charismatic performer spread. Her ability to take risks with songs whilst in live situations, busk, scat and bend lyrics, melody, the facility to virtually write new parts on stage became the signature of a new and electrifying show. The hard work, honing such skills during jaunts across Europe had paid off. She had developed her own trade mark - moving away from the straight pop approach where songs are merely learnt and repeated night after night, fans now came to shows expecting the unexpected. They thrived on the kind of improvisation which Sophie and her band have now become renowned for.

Like any performer, there have been highs and lows. In an industry known for fast talkers who make big promises, it soon became apparent that the people around her were all about talk with little delivery. They were unable to build upon the success of ‘Champagne and False Eyelashes’. But the ever resourceful Sophie took time out, sat down and started to write a long awaited solo album.

The new songs are a testament to the fact that Sophie has entered another phase in her career. Moved on and reached the stage where she is truly confident about her own voice and her song writing ability. The new and diverse collection of songs is a true reflection of everything she has ever stood for or believed in. A landmark in talented musical career, a finger up to the X-factor hype and get famous quick freaks. The new album reflects the emotional honesty, and difference that is Sophie Garner. “This album is an auto tune free zone, what you hear is real”. No devices to bend the notes - her background in jazz and blues won’t allow for it. Songs are practiced to perfection, and if they’re not right, then they don’t get sung - the album is all human. There is perfection in imperfection; a warmth, a soul, a certain energy which binds the tracks together. True to her own eclectic tastes the album touches base with a mixture of styles and influences - Soul, Jazz, Rock and traces of Drum and Bass. A taster of past and present inspirations, the new songs hint at the kind of music she grew up with and still loves. “It’s difficult not to write about what truly inspires you”. Drawing on her own experiences, the songs are about things everyone can relate to, with strong meanings and often unusual subject matter. Whether it be a song about losing yourself in another world (‘Lose Yourself’), or a witty tune about sitting around in an over sized t-shirt reminiscing about the curry you had the night before (‘Too Big For Me’), the one thing you can be sure of is if it’s being sung about, it quite possibly happened; a rare candour by today’s standards.

So what of the future? It won’t be long before Sophie Garner is a household name, but until that happens she recognises the luxury of the position she finds herself in. She is one of the lucky ones, doing what she loves best, performing on stage to an adoring audience, writing and recording what is her fourth studio album. Not easily impressed by the life of a pop diva she is resigned to the fact that in the not too distant future she will become one herself. If that’s the price to pay for not being ordinary then you can sure be sure of one thing - the in through the out door girl will be arriving in due course..

Sophie’s new album is expected in the Summer of 2009 Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.