If you can imagine the secret love child of Nina Simone and Antony Hegarty of the Johnson's you're getting close to what shaz OYE can do! Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland shaz OYE (pronounced ?oh YAY? - as in the town crier!) has established herself as a unique artist on the Irish stage. OYE's music tracks the modern world. With its roots in blues and jazz and a thumping heartbeat that's pure rock ?n' roll shaz OYE has created an eclectic sound that inspires and resonates with modern audiences.
Being a black kid in a white country, shaz grew up in a world that viewed her as ?different' and she became politically aware at an early age. This led to a deep commitment to work as an activist campaigning for change. Her street-smart political awareness fundamentally colours the lens through which she interprets her art and channels her creative energy. As a result she has plugged into a sophisticated and intelligent Irish audience that's seeking diversity and her debut album, ?Truth according to shaz OYE?, helped to cement her growing industry credibility.
Shaz used her truly remarkable voice to create a sublime debut which she self-financed, produced and released in 2006 to overwhelming praise. ?Truth according to shaz OYE?, reveals a compassionate soul who, in the time-honoured tradition of greats like Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, loves telling stories through her music. Shaz began 2007 on a high when both Hotpress Magazine Critics and Tony Clayton-Lea, Music Critic with The Irish Times nominated ?Truth According to Shaz OYE? as one of their top Irish Albums of 2006. Proving she's not just a critic's favourite, the readers of Hotpress voted her into the top ten of four categories in the annual HotPress Magazine Reader's Poll; Best Irish Female Artists, Best Irish Debut Albums, Most Promising Acts and Best Irish Album Covers. Her 2007 single release ?Sylvia Falling? went to number one in the Irish download charts in its first week of release.
2008 sees her making her American debut with a mini-tour of New York, the highlight of which will be a performance on March 17th in the renowned B.B. King's Blues Club on Times Square.
www.shazoye.com
www.myspace.com/shazoye