ABOUT me …
I was born and raised in the UK. At school I studied piano and music theory, learning about the structure of music. Growing up I learnt some simple guitar chords, playing quietly to
myself. It wasn't until the early ‘noughties’, having moved to Australia in the late nineties, that I finally unleashed my hobby onto an unsuspecting public. Since then I have produced
my own “quirky” shows and performed at various gigs in Australia and occasionally in the UK. Luck has come my way with me being mentored by internationally renowned musician/album producer
Nigel Pegrum and receiving voice coaching by the equally fabulous Wilma Reading. I happily perform solo but get the greatest kicks when a gig allows me to fund a band.
As a PERFORMER …
I write a few songs, I sing a lot of covers, I play rhythm guitar and occasionally keyboard; above all though I'm an entertainer. I perform solo, with backing artists or with a full band.
As a SINGER …
My genre is mixed, from love through pop to adult humour, drawing on some of my favourite music heroes such as Paul Kelly, Melanie, Billy Connolly, Kirsty MacColl, The Beautiful South,
and Richard O'Brien, via the enduring poetry of Leonard Cohen and the cutting satire of Tom Lehrer. When I sing I “live” each song as I deliver it - and clear diction has always been
important to me so my audience can understand the song's story as we go, experiencing the emotions along with me.
As a SONGWRITER …
I have indeed written a few songs, drawing inspiration from wherever has been appropriate at the time! So, my own songs are drawn from a potpourri of styles, genres and idiosyncrasies.
What I OFFER …
Entertainment for corporate gigs, exhibitions, private functions, house concerts - all as a solo artist or as a duo or trio or with a full band either to a custom play-list or one modelled
on one of my existing shows.
PERFORMANCE styles …
My flamboyant performances can be presented with a cabaret, show or theatre theme: comprising both toe tapping popular and unusual songs with a mix of satirical, saucy, sad,
middle-of-the-road, and quirky content: I am most certainly entertainment rather than background music.
But what's this about The QUIRKY ONE? …
Definition of “Quirk“ from The Concise Oxford Dictionary, Seventh Edition, 1987 (yes, I know, but it's the most recent I've got - a Dictionary is not something you buy annually!): “Quibble,
quip; trick of action or behaviour; twist or flourish in drawing or writing - hence quirky.”
Definition of “Quirky” from the online Urban Dictionary in December 2013: “Unconventional, surprising, odd.” “A word often used by narcissistic scenesters when they describe their
oh-so-unique selves in their Livejournal user info pages in attempts to sound like interesting people. It is a word best used by one person to describe another. Those who apply
‘quirky’ to themselves thereby call into question their very own ‘quirkiness’ by seeming gleefully self-aware (just like everyone else)”!
Oh! In my defence …
… my “quirky” moniker was bestowed upon me some years ago by one of the chaps who runs the weekly open mic night at the Central Hotel in Port Douglas; one Thursday I went to
chat to a tourist who'd just performed some original songs - I wanted to tell him he reminded me of Tom Lehrer (high praise indeed!); Craig was already chatting to the guy and when
I joined them he introduced me - “This is Karen - she's our quirky one!” The name stuck, and hopefully that means I'm ‘unconventional, surprising and odd’, not the other part of the
definition! What it means in practice is that you'll get a variety of song genres all mixed up together - a Leonard Cohen song could be followed by a Lonnie Donnigan one, a Bonnie Rait by
a Kirsty MacColl, a Billy Connolly by a David Bowie, a Madonna by a Weird Al Yancovic parody of a Madonna song! Subjects can range from gentle declarations of a deep and lasting love to the
murder of a gay cowboy; happy, sad, silly, romantic … there's just about something for everyone in my repertoire! And I'm definitely odd.
On a recent visit to Port Douglas Craig and I were discussing how his original designation of me as “our quirky one” had stuck; I commented that this didn't, however, adequately describe
‘my genre’ for most people - they wanted something more specific. Craig pondered and then announced that an appropriate description for my genre is … drum roll … wait for it …
‘cabaret-folk-pop’. So there you have it.
Why you should USE ME …
I'm different, my delivery is full of passion, fun and entertaining: I'm most professional on and off stage and come with a no fuss and most reliable guarantee: also, subject to location,
I have my own quality PA and stage lighting with experienced operator.
