Emma’s Imagination
The winner of Sky 1’s Must Be The Music announces debut album details and December live dates
Debut album ‘Stand Still’ released 10th January 2011 preceded by the single ‘This Day’ released 3rd January
In September this year Emma’s Imagination was the winner of Sky 1’s Must Be The Music, a new TV series aimed at discovering genuine musical talent. Entering the competition on a whim after walking past the local auditions in Glasgow, singer-songwriter Emma Gillespie, performing for the show as Emma’s Imagination, consistently wowed the judges – Dizzee Rascal, Jamie Cullum and Sharleen Spiteri – and became the audience favourite. Viewers loved her sweet, folky voice and heartfelt, beautifully crafted songs, sending two of her live performances into the Top 10 as single downloads. Stunning performances of self-penned songs ‘Focus’ and ‘This Day’ during the show’s live final at Wembley Arena in September saw Emma voted the series winner.
The show offered a cash prize rather than a recording deal but, having caught the attention of both Gary Barlow and Polydor President Ferdy Unger-Hamilton – who describes her as a “brilliant, original artist” – Emma signed to Polydor/Future Records. She recorded ‘Stand Still’ in London with producer Martin Terefe (KT Tunstall, James Morrison). The album displays a lusher sound on some of the tracks, giving them the fullness Emma always heard in her head when playing them on her guitar. But it isn’t over-polished, keeping the raw, emotional edge that so appealed on TV. Emma’s Imagination has already sold almost 100,000 single downloads, and a re-recorded version of one of her hits, ‘This Day,’ will be the album’s first single released 3rd January 2011.
Born in Edinburgh 27 years ago, Emma has travelled extensively, working her way around the world and doing a bewildering amount of different jobs – from rounding up cattle on a motorbike in the Australian outback to teaching circus skills. Always travelling with her guitar, it was while performing at open mic nights in New York in September last year that Emma realised that music was all she wanted to do. On her return to the UK she moved to Glasgow and began playing small gigs, building up a local fanbase while busking to pay the rent. Then fate intervened, with Must Be The Music giving Emma incredible exposure and the opportunity to make her debut as a recording artist.
Catch Emma’s Imagination live this December:
Sat 11th Dec Glasgow Classic Grand
Sun 12th Dec Edinburgh Liquid Rooms
Thurs 16th Dec London Borderline
Tickets are £12.50 and available from 9am this Friday at
http://www.gigsandtours.com/?a=emmas+imagination&site=emmasimagination
www.facebook.com/EmmasImagination
www.twitter.com/ems_imagination
For further information please contact chris.latham@umusic.com T.020 7471 5729
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