Banner Photo: Padraig Grant
Hi! My name is Imelda Kehoe. I am an Irish/English Singer-Song writer, born in Leeds, UK and now living in Wexford, Ireland. Thank you very much for checking out my music page.
My second studio Album, has been lovingly created, professionally recorded and mixed and will be released on 30th July 2021. Part of the Album was recorded in the world-famous Windmill Lane Recording Studios, Dublin and The Orchard Recording Studios, Wexford, with Michael Egan (Lead and Rhythm Guitar), Lee Byrne (Bass), James O’Sullivan (Fiddle & Guitar), Sean O’Leary (Drums), Declan Cosgrove, (Piano).
To complete the album during lock-down, I expanded my music network to include musicians from all over the world, who had their own recording studios and could produce high quality audio tracks.
Along with the musicians and music producers Darragh Nolan (Astakaplapa), Brendan Carty (The Orchard Recording Studios), David Redfearne (ODi), my fellow Executive Producer, Michael Egan, I think we create a unique Album which I am extremely proud of. I cannot wait to share it.
Our International collaborators include the following:
Electric Violin: Sarah Mallock from London, who wrote an amazing solo violin piece for an Instrumental track on the album and has played with Adele, Andrea Bocelli, Annie Lennox, Brian Ferry, Brian May, David McCalmont, Enya, George Michael, Harry Connick Jr, Jay-z & Beyoncé, Madonna, Noel Gallagher & Oasis, Rod Stewart…and the list goes on…….
French Horn: Meredith Moore from New Orleans, has recorded with Disney, Pixar, Sir Paul McCartney, Mumford and Sons, Robbie Williams, and now works in Broadway, NYC.
Saxophone: Hugo Lee, who has played with some of the Saxophone greats David Sanborn (The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, David Bowie) and Richie Cannata (Billy Joel, The Beach Boys).
Classical and Electric Guitar: Horacio Valdivieso from Quito in Equador, composer, session guitarist and music producer who has brought a Latin American feel and features on 5 of the Album tracks. I fell in love with his beautiful style after the first song, and especially love his 60s style groove on Verona.
Pedal Steel: Dakota Holden from Southern Illinois is also a sound engineer and definitely understands the technical and the emotional side of music. He brought a gorgeous sound to the Album.
Drums and Double Bass from Hugo Iglesias, a multi-instrumentalist from Spain, who has recorded the drum and bass section for 3 songs on the Album. I wanted a ‘vintage’ sound and he gave me just that. He recorded the drums Live so we got a beautiful warm, big-room sound, which is full of character and swing.
String Section from Rick Curran, with 30 years’ experience as a professional musician, Rick has recorded with Bert Jansch, Albert Lee, Steve Tilston and Fairport Convention and has performed live in Webley Arena.
I am delighted to announce that I have now been signed to UK Record Label Thoroughbred Music.
Photo: Kenny Ruttledge
Photo: Sean Rowe
Photo: Padraig Grant
Photo:Ray Collins
Bio
Born – Leeds, United Kingdom. Lives Wexford, Ireland (Nationality – Irish).
Imelda Kehoe is an Irish Contemporary Folk Singer Songwriter. She has created her own style, which is influenced by Folk, Blues and with elements of Soul. It's difficult to pin a specific genre to it.
Her songs are Melody rich, full of stories, life experiences written with the listener at heart and with a definite World music feel.
'Beautiful, heartbreaking pop inspired songs that trip along and pull you in to their melodies and chord structures that are reminiscent of Paul Weller's Butterfly Collector or English Rose'
Billy Roche, Songwriter, Playwright, Actor
From a big Irish/English family, Imelda was born in Leeds but spent most of her childhood moving around and living in beautiful locations in England and Wales while her parents renovated old properties to the soundtrack of her Father’s record collection, which included Nat King Cole, Buddy Holly, Simon and Garfunkel, Mamas and Papas and the Beach Boys. She describes these early influences as shaping her love of good melody. She trained as Nurse in Leeds and worked in inner City A&E and Intensive Care departments and cites these experiences as being influencial in her Song Writing.
Imelda honed her vocal skills through being a member of National Choirs and developed her performing skills through membership of the Wexford Light Opera Society with whom she performed in National Opera House before before pursuing a music career as a Solo Artist in 2018. Her First Album, critically acclaimed, 'How to be Human' was released in 2018 and the follow up release will be eagerly anticipated and is due for release in 2021.
Alongside her Irish band, Imelda worked with musicians from all over the world to complete the Album during 2020/2021. Her esteemed collaborators have played with Adele, Annie Lennox, Brian Ferry, Brian May, Enya, George Michael, Harry Connick Jr, Jay-z & Beyoncé, Madonna, Noel Gallagher & Oasis, Rod Stewart, Sir Paul McCartney, Mumford and Sons, Robbie Williams and the list goes on...
In January 2021 Imelda announced the signing to UK Record Label Thoroughbred Music.
Reviews
“Beautiful, heartbreaking pop inspired songs that trip along and pull you in to their melodies and chord structures that are reminiscent of Paul Weller's Butterfly Collector or English Rose ” - Billy Roche, Songwriter, Playwright, Actor
— Danielle Holian [Pure M]
“You don’t need bells and whistles with a voice so honest and songs so beautifully classic in their arrangement. This album really did stop me in my tracks, and I am thankful for it.” - Bobby Green [musician.ie]
— musician.ie
“Imelda Kehoe is that rare thing: a singer of remarkable subtlety and emotional resonance who also writes songs that act as touchstones everyone can grasp. Her voice is of the folk tradition but it also brings a freshness and vitality that is both exciting, compelling and all her own. Imelda's songs are distinctive, delicate powerhouses: leaping genres effortlessly, they often embrace unusual time signatures and challenging melodic structures, while managing to appear deceptively simple. She is something very special” - Shane Dunphy, Writer, Musician, Journalist
