Freefall by Ian Henderson

With our feet firmly rooted to the ground, we reach for the stars: "I'm reformed, I'm forgiven, forgotten" bellows the passionate voice of desire, ambition, regret. Strongly autobiographical, Henderson's lyrics caress eternally valid themes: love, loss, connection, abandonment. The songs remain intimate, heartfelt, and enduringly accessible.

"Free fall... slam into a brick wall

Leave it all, leave it all behind.

"Hello, crash landing

And I always thought my soul could fly

And I never really ever wanted to lack for nothing

Too high you and I."

Already with a reputation for onstage intensity, offstage frivolity, he's rewriting the rules of what a folk-based singer-songwriter should be. Backed by a choice band, his reputation in the industry has been growing in leaps and bounds.... as has his support-base.

He was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, but grew up in Durban. After university studies and a brief, but draining period of social activist work in apartheid South Africa, Ian fled to the space and openness of cycle travels through Africa and Europe. Returning again to the city of his childhood, Ian launched a solo career in 2000. He has performed in all of South Africa's major cities, at small dives and major festivals.

Henderson's debut album, "Freefall," received a South African Music Awards (SAMA) nomination in the category: "Best Adult Contemporary Album" (www.risa.org.za). Several singles, particularly the lead single Beautiful Life, received airplay exposure in South Africa, and internationally. The SA Rock Digest (www.sarockdigest.com) - South Africa's web-based industry-insider publication - voted both the single and the album to the top of their charts, and rated "Freefall" one of their top-five album picks for the year. The music video for "Beautiful Life" won a silver medal in the South African National TV & Film association's "Q-Awards". Several tracks from the album featured as the sound track to the hit-TV series "Going Nowhere Slowly," as well as several other video and TV productions. The music has also appeared on several compilation albums.

Henderson is now based in Cape Town, and is currently busy in the studio preparing to record his second album.

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