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Karen's success is 'No Secret'

Thursday, 11 March 2010

A NORTHSIDE singer songwriter has spent her life savings to record and launch her much anticipated debut album. Karen Coleman, from Clare Hall, has spent years working as a successful session singer, recording and performing with many of Ireland’s most successful artists. Her resume includes performances with Mary Coughlan, Dolores Keane, Rob Strong and touring band The Commitments. Now she hopes to launch herself as a solo musician and highlight her songwriting talent with a hit album. “Over the last two years I have been writing and recording this solo album called ‘No Secret’,” Karen told Northside People. “Many of Ireland’s top session musicians featured on the album and they will be joining me onstage for the launch later this month.” The album was recorded in the idyllic surroundings of two beautiful lake houses in Cavan, where top musicians from across Europe joined her. Karen used her many contacts in the industry to help create 11 original songs that contain their own unique character and sound. “I rented two houses by a lake in Cavan and we would go there every few months to record,” she stated. “One house was for sleeping, eating and resting and we recorded at the other. “People would travel down, work on their tracks and then stick around for a few days. “It was a great environment for writing songs. We recorded 17 in total and picked the best 11 for the album.” Karen has been singing backing vocals with The Commitments for many years, and has had the pleasure of performing alongside Dennis Edwards, Steve Cropper, James Brown, and Andrew and Rob Strong. “One day my soul just opened up to create my first solo album,” she said. “This album holds the elements of love, passion, anger and happiness. “It also is about being a mother, a daughter and a mother to my daughter.” Karen’s music fuses influences of Jazz, Soul and R’n’B but hopes to bring something new to listeners. She says she couldn’t have written the songs 10 years ago as she had to live through many experiences to come up with them. Karen has invested her life savings in recording the album and was unsure that it would ever be finished. After two years and thousands of euro spent in recording costs, musicians’ fees, international travel and rented lakeside homes her masterpiece is finally ready. “We actually went to Italy to record the drum tracks along with a few other instruments like the viola,” she stated. “My life savings have gone into this album and a lot of people have helped me along the way to make sure we got this far.” ‘No Secret’ will be launched later this month at the Sugar Club on Leeson Street and an extraordinary show is promised. “Many of Ireland’s top musicians will be joining us that night,” Karen added. “People are flying in from Italy and the UK for the night and we will be doing some serious preparation for the night’s show.” Karen’s songs have already been showcased to the American music industry, in Nashville last month, where she was hailed as a “fresh and exciting new sound”. For more information on the album launch or to find out where you can get your copy, visit karencolemanmusic.com