Lisa Hannigan

Lisa Hannigan, the acclaimed Irish singer whom The New York Times calls “exquisitely ethereal,” is poised for the release of her much anticipated solo debut Sea Sew. Set for release January 20 on ATO Records, the album has already garnered airtime on tastemaking radio station KCRW and earned early praise from The Los Angeles Times, which calls it “charmingly idiosyncratic.” Hannigan is currently supporting Jason Mraz on his 42-date North American tour. Please see reverse for a schedule of remaining performances.

Hannigan’s chance meeting with acclaimed singer-songwriter Damien Rice led to a long period of collaboration and development. From the outset, Hannigan quickly generated attention for her own vocal performances and spent the subsequent few years touring the world, meeting wonderful musicians and friends, writing songs and contributing backing vocals on many friends’ records. Such collaborations included the Frames and Mic Christopher and Hannigan even sang with the legendary Herbie Hancock. She gradually found her voice, needing the microphone less and less.

During her seven-year collaboration with Rice, Hannigan compiled a notebook of songs and fostered the desire and confidence to put them onto a record. Hannigan, along with a talented band of friends—including Tom Osander on drums, Shane Fitzsimons on double bass, Donagh Molloy on trumpet, melodica and glockenspiel, Gavin Glass on piano, Lucy Wilkins on violin and Vyvienne Long on cello—recorded Sea Sew over 14 days in Dublin.

Irish singer/songwriter Lisa Hannigan first made a name for herself as the vocal partner of fellow countryman Damien Rice (formerly of the hard-hitting indie rock outfit Juniper). In addition to lending her sultry vocals to the albums O and 9, Hannigan also toured with Rice, bolstering his music with her multi-instrumental talents on the guitar, keyboards, and drums. She sometimes performed her own songs, traditional tunes, or the occasional cover at the shows, as well.

On March 26, 2007, Rice informed Hannigan that his professional relationship with her was over, citing his opinion that the partnership "has run its creative course." Undaunted, Hannigan began preparing songs for the studio, releasing demos on her MySpace page as they trickled out. In 2008 she hit the road as the opener for Jason Mraz's U.S. and Canadian tour, and her debut solo effort Sea Sew was released in Ireland later that year. An American release followed in early 2009. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide