(click the pictures to enlarge)

Biography

I was born in 1968 in Durban, South Africa during the height of the hippie era. My parents were enjoying the party scene, and I was brought up among the music festivals listening to the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin.

My Irish father sang ballads to my sister and I from a very early age, and the sad stories and haunting melodies captivated me from then on. As far back as I can remember, I joined my father in singing and would often entertain his friends or relations.

My mother was extradited from South Africa for her strong views in opposing the apartheid system, and we left for England with hardly any money. The UK was a culture shock for us all. It was hard to fit in and I struggled continually with dyslexia. Consequently I found my escape through music, dance and art.

I went on to further my education in theatre studies, art and dance and this led to my acceptance at Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama. This is one of the most highly regarded drama schools in London. I had a fantastic three years on the B A course, and revelled in the extensive vocal training I received there. Whilst at Drama School I worked with a female Acappella group and their songs carried a political edge. We sang in clubs and on the streets of both London and many Italian cities.

The day I finished my degree, I turned my back on the UK, never to return, and travelled through Europe with my good friend, busking and gigging as an acoustic duo. After months on the road we found ourselves in Ireland. It was like coming home and I stayed for five years. Ireland was awash with musicians and I was completely seduced by the culture and traditions. I immersed myself in everything musical.

In 1995 I went to live in the caves of La Gomera for three months. There I fell in love with the island and a young man. A few months later I left Ireland behind, married this young man, and built a dream house in the rainforest.

There we lived a rural existence for ten years. During my time in La Gomera I performed in just about every bar and restaurant with a number of musicians. During the summer months I spent time in Southern Germany and performed at festivals, clubs and also on the streets.

Leaving the island and my old life behind, in 2004 I moved to Freiburg. For the first year I mainly focused on my band,  as we brought our studio project to live audiences. In 2005 I was invited to sing in the Variety production, Palais im Park in Bremen. To perform for two months with outstanding musicians and artists was a great step forward!

I was introduced to a whole new musical scene which brought me in contact with Schroeder, a one of kind Freiburg drummer. From this point on,  l took part in a variety of projects, mostly instigated and inspired by Schroeder. One collaboration was with The Cherry Chords, Sascha Bendiks and Schroeder in the Funkturm in Berlin. This flowered into a strong friendship and a musical delight, ending in a new band, Lovebomb! Under the title "projects" l have written a short description of the work I am doing.

( This picture is of me and Schroeder in Palazzo Colombino in Freiburg. Wow,  was that a magic time! )

Between,  Lovebomb, The Giselas, and my solo work and the duet with Schroeder, I have found myself in a wonderful music scene, and am totally excited about the future!