Julia Biel
Julia Biel is a British jazz singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist.
Julia Biel | |
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Born | London, England |
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, songwriter |
Instruments | Vocals, piano, guitar |
Labels | Rokit, Khanti, Brilljant Sounds |
Website | www |
Early life
Biel was born in London on 22 February 1976.[1][2] She was brought up in Sutton, then studied French and German at the University of Oxford.[1] There, she was in a band with Idris Rahman. [1] She was a pianist first, then developed her singing.[1]
Later life and career
Biel won the Perrier Young Jazz Vocalist of the Year in 2000, which brought her more attention.[1] She then joined the F-IRE Collective.[2] In 2005 she made her recording debut as a leader, with the album Not Alone.[2] She also appeared on the Polar Bear album Dimlit.[1] Her compositions appear on the Unity Collective EP Love in the Dead of Night and on recordings by guitarist Jonny Phillips.[1] She also featured on and co-wrote Ben Watt's "Guinea Pig" and "Bright Star" alongside Watt and the German producer Stimming.[2]
Her second album, Love Letters and Other Missiles, was released in 2015[3] and led to her being nominated in the Best Jazz Act category for the MOBO Awards.[2]
She performs accompanying herself on piano or electric guitar with backing from bass and drums and tours extensively in the UK and abroad.[4]
Discography
As leader
- 2005: Not Alone (album)
- 2014: Nobody Loves You Like I Do (EP)
- 2015: Love Letters and Other Missiles (album)
- 2015: Licence to Be Cruel (remixes EP)
- 2018: Julia Biel (album)
- 2020: Black and White, Vol.1 (album)
As guest
With Polar Bear
- 2004: Dimlit
- 2007: Polar Bear
With Soothsayers
- 2012: Human Nature
- 2018: Tradition
With others
References
- Larkin, Colin (2006), Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Oxford University Press, retrieved 17 January 2019
- Kellman, Andy. "Julia Biel". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
- "Albums of the Week (March 27-April 2)". Evening Standard. 27 March 2015.
- Künzler, Hanspeter (24 April 2015). "Julia Biel: "Love Letters and Other Missiles": Eine Frau von Welt". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German).