Dee DanielsTranscends Musical Borders

Dee Daniels "has a unique talent that transcends musical borders when she brings her jazz styling, infused with gospel and blues flavoring, to the stage. With an international career spanning eleven African countries, Australia, Colombia, Hong Kong, Japan, Europe, and North America in concerts with Jazz legends, she has also appeared on the theatre stage, her POPS programs are popular with orchestras across Canada and the US." Reverbnation
Here she is with The Look of Love

Xandria - Ravenheart

These City Lights by Billy the Kid (Two Versions for You)

"Witness phenomenal Vancouver, B.C. singer/songwriter Billy The Kid. Culled from the same passionate ambrosia that spawned musical greats such as Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Bragg and Elvis Costello, this golden throat has been accosting the world of music for years with her refined craftsmanship, bold musical talent, extraordinary songs and overt beauty—aesthetically and aurally—epitomized on latest EP The Lost Cause (Lost Records)."
Billy performed at the Cafe Deux Soleils as part of a fundraising concert I produced for Vancouver's COOP radio. It was wonderful to see her live and I am so happy to bring you two versions of 'These City Lights.' Her latest news is she is presenting at the CMW conference.
Here is the official song video for These City Lights.


And here she is performing These City Lights live on The Hour in front of a studio audience in Vancouver.

Stars - Your Ex-Lover Is Dead

Searching for Stars online I found this description by mademan, 'Although affiliated with the all-encompassing musical collective that is Broken Social Scene, Stars are a great Canadian indie band in their own right. They’ve also released considerably more material than BSS, perhaps as a result of not having over a dozen members to keep track of at any given point in time.' It pretty much says it all.

PIPER MCKINNON - BLANKET

As her reverbnation site states,
"When someone dared a 19-year-old Piper to sing an old blues song at an open mic jam, they had no idea what they had started. Neither had she! A natural intuition about music and a ‘good ear’ she marched up on stage and belted out “Love Me Like A Man”! That was that. This felt good! She knew that THIS was what she wanted to do.
A few more years playing piano and singing has seen Piper mature into an accomplished songwriter and recognised talent in Canada. Her early influences of Albert King, Bonnie Raitt, among others have seen her through several performances both here and abroad. With a ‘myspace’ site proudly handling over twelve thousand ‘friends’, she is steadily making her mark on the music world"
Piper recently played the Musical Expressions Concert Series in Richmond and you can hear more of her songs on her reverbnation site
.

Lindsay May - I NEED LOVE

Lindsay May performs and records in Vancouver BC. A powerful voice, great songs and lotsshe has been getting lots of airplay on radio here in Canada.

Lights: Second Go

"Second Go" as featured on LIGHTS' intergalactic sonic debut The Listening, available at http://iamlights.com

The Listening is out now in Canada, the UK and US! For more LIGHTS visit:
http://facebook.com/LIGHTS
http://myspace.com/LIGHTS
http://twitter.com/LIGHTS

ON-AIRSTREAMING w/ LIGHTS - "FEBRUARY AIR"

Tina Turner from Proud Mary With Ike to Solo and Whats Love Got To Do WIth It

Tina Turner has had a life of complexity and transformation. Here we can see her with Ike performing "Proud Mary"




And here she is as the powerful survivor she is. A real inspiration to women everywhere.

Emma-Lee FLOW

Toronto singer songwriter Emma Lee is a talented lady.
From the opening strains of “Bruise Easy”, the introductory track on Emma-Lee’s debut album Never Just A Dream, you feel like you’ve stumbled on a star. Brimming with that ‘special something’ of stars like Feist, k.d. lang, Madeleine Peyroux and Norah Jones, the March 3, 2009 release of Never Just A Dream heralds the arrival of an artist with the power to reshape our definition of pop.

At times playful, at others wistful, Never Just A Dream is a collection of songs inspired by the sort of heartache that is universal to anyone who has lived a life worth living. Co-produced with Mitch Girio, the sound slips seamlessly from swingin' jazz to dreamy 50's pop, with hints of folk and blues tied together by vocals as rich and sweet as a red velvet cupcake.

Armed with a voice that transports you, Emma-Lee chose not to rest on this strength alone. She instead put a sincere focus on becoming a great songwriter and the results of her efforts are fully evidenced throughout Never Just A Dream.

Saucy and sweet, pensive and pure, Never Just A Dream offers a candid peek inside the romantic heart. Whether it’s on the epic “Flow”, which chronicles a girl who sublets the apartment of her globe-trotting ex-boyfriend and renders herself at the mercy of his memory, or the soaring “That Sinking Feeling”, with its sting of realization, or in the ragtime bounce of “Jealousy”, which cheekily suggests you get what you deserve for snooping, Emma-Lee deftly captures the many dimensions of love and loss.

Cher - Strong Enough [Official Music Video] [HQ]

char2d2 - "Take and Send" (Official Music Video)

Out of Vancouver, with the creative support of Tegan and Sara, Char2d2 are making a name on the indie scene

Imogen Heap - Goodnight And Go - Live On Fearless Music

January 29th sees Imagen Heap's Ellipse World tour hit South Africa and then she is off to Singapore and New Zealand. You can get the scoop on Imogen at her website.
Visit her official youtube channel for more great video.

Violet Femmes Merch, cups, hats and more

Merch with Violet Femmes graphics is now available from our VIOLET FEMMES STORE.

You can support Violet Femmes efforts at promoting women in music by visiting our store and purchasing something that takes your fancy. This is one more way to keep the wheels turning.

Theres everything from Ceramic Travelling Cups to Tote Bags and hoodies and T shirts.

Saidah Baba Talibah - Place Called Grace (Phone Demos Live)

Here is a living room couch session with Donna Grantis performing 'Place Called Grace' from the "The Phone Demos" release. This was recorded and videotaped using a phone.

Saidah Baba Talibah
"The Phone Demos"
Available Digitally Now!
at SBT MUSIC

Tegan and Sara sing Northshore - Official Music Video

Barbara Nesbitt releases a New CD, The Bees.

Here is an older song, entitled Fly,  written and performed by Georgia native Barbara Nesbitt.
She recently released her new CD, The Bees and you can find out more about Barbara and her music at her wonderful website, Barabara Nesbitt.

Kate Bush Wuthering Heights.

I was living in England when this incredible song was released. So happy to be able to share it here on Violet Femmes.
Anyone in England who would like to contribute reviews and articles to this blog, please contact me and I will set you up so you can post on Violet Femmes. Thanks.

Kim Beggs Pieces of Sun

Mae Moore - Bohemia

I got to see Mae do a show at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre in Vancouver BC around 1988. She was part of an evening featuring three great singer/songwriters, Mae, and my great friend Rachel Page as well as Marianne Grattani. It was such a wonderful show. I went with my Solimba bandmates, Peggy Acomba and Debbie Halinda, and we were inspired.
So, all these years later, thanks to youtube we can share the magic of Mae.

Feist - Mushaboom

I hope you like this Feist song. She rose to prominence in the band Broken Social Scene.
Feist is on the Arts and Craft label. Here is what they have to say about Feist:
"She’s much more than just the torch singer leaning against the ballad with a lone spotlight on her. In a past life, she was a shouty battle of the bands teen queen in a Calgary punk band. She’s made bashful indie boys swoon with her brash riffs playing guitar with Toronto rock band By Divine Right and her shout-out fronting of Canadian indie rock genre definers Broken Social Scene.
She’s stubborn and meticulous about things like the EQ level on the stereo and her long honed guitar tone. She’s been placed in the role of the most unlikely fashion icon, but mostly she’s a tomboy who doesn’t really do make-up.
She may be able to warble a bouncy foxtrot like Mushaboom that your grandparents wish they could’ve cranked on their Victrola, but she also breathed life into surreal sock puppets alongside her electro-trash BFF Peaches in Berlin and beyond. The cult-favoured original, raw demos (the Red Demos) for Let It Die and The Reminder included the sound of streetcars rattling along city streets.
Onstage she can pivot between being the solo singer captivating a room with her guitar or take on the role of leading a band of three brothers.

The New Look Violet Femmes

I hope you like the new look to the blog. I changed the background and tweaked the layout so there are navigation bars on both sides.  I have been exploring women in music from various genres and also from the past as well as the present.
I think this adds interest to the blog, as one never knows who will show up next.
I have also mad it it a policy to include up and coming artists as well as well known ones to mix things up.
Please leave your comments below to let me know what you think of the new look.

There are also some share buttons under each post and you can share to your facebook or your twitter to let your friends and followers enjoy the great music.

If you are an artist or know of someone you would like featuring here on Violet Femmes please do not hesitate to contact me.

Respect By Aretha Franklin

Leah West and Her Video "Spring"

I often plays songs from Leah West's CD on my radio show, The Storytelling Show, on CFRO 102.7fm. Here is her profile from her reverbnation page.
Leah caught the attention of the music world with her clever lyrics, ingenious melodies, and her amazing voice. One minute you'll be moved to tears with her ethereal ballads and the next be rockin' to her upbeat tunes. Her songs can be light and quirky, or deep, thought-provoking and soulful. Her voice is powerful, captivating and soaring with a hint of grit. Infectious hooks that will haunt you. People often tell her she left them with goosebumps. Keep an eye on this super-talented woman; she's destined for great things.
Leah grew up in New Jersey, but moved to Canada in 2005. She's currently writing for soundtracks, and a full-length album. She's penned over 150 songs to date and is currently working with the very talented producer, Marty Rifkin, who has worked with Bruce Springsteen, Jewel, Tom Petty, Shawn Mullins, etc. Leah is also a trained dancer, actor, and visual artist. She speaks both English and Spanish and is a member of SAG, AFTRA, and NACA.org.
http://www.leahwest.com
http://www.facebook.com/leahwestmusic
http://www.youtube.com/leahwestmusic

All is Full of Love by Bjork: So Beautiful

I let the music speak for itself, and thanks go out to Bjork for giving of herself so completely.

Zoe Scott at the LA Music Awards

Here is a joyful Zoe with her award. It was so great to have Zoe on our Violet Femmes Compilation CD. She even came up from LA to perform at the Violet Femmes Showcase in Vancouver as part of the NEW MUSIC WEST conference in 2009. What a bundle of energy she is.
A belated congratulations Zoe.

Crystal Cote song LOVE raises funds for Breast Cancer

North Vancouver singer/songwriter Crystal Cote was being featured as Virgin Radio Vancouver's Best of BC Artist last year.  An honour that marked the radio debut of her first original song, L.O.V.E, (produced by Jeff Dawson). In memory of her mother who died of breast cancer 4 years ago,  Cote will donate all song download proceeds to Rethink Breast Cancer. To learn more or to download the song , visit www.crystalcote.ca or follow her on:
Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/p...
Crystal is on Twitter
@crystalcotelove

Janis Joplin - Cry Baby (live in toronto 1970)

Oh my God, this song is sure to give you chills, goosebumps, whatever you call it.
I am in awe of her power. We lost a wonderful talent.

Sarah McLachlan - Angel [Official Music Video]

I am feeling so blessed by the angels right now, and I am so joyful everytime I get to share yet one more piece of amazing music by a powerful woman who is following her dreams and making her way in this world of ours.

Thanks to all the musical ones out there.

DINAH WASHINGTON ~ Manhattan ~

I thought I would share some great music from days gone by, and this is a vocalist, Dinah Washington. I am always so impressed with how these women made their way in the music business back in the day, true guts and stamina.

Lady Gaga - Bad Romance

Just love dancing to this song, that's all I have to say!

Wanting Qu having HUGE success with her Chinese song

Vancouver's Wanting Qu has over 300,000 plays for this song. You can see the video here.

Unfortunately the embed code does not seem to work, but it is such a beautiful song you should really check it out.

Originally from Harbin, China Wanting Qu is finding her dreams are coming true here in Vancouver.
First name: "Wanting" (婉婷) - Graceful, beautiful and peaceful.
Last name: "Qu" (曲) - Music, song and melody.
As she say,"My last name set me up. It's like I have no other choice but to do music. Hehe, trust me, I'm not complaining, AT ALL."

Taken from her facebook page:
Wanting started to sing before she could talk. Her mother knows it too well. “You would know when she’s awake because the second she opened her eyes she’d be singing the theme song from this Chinese TV series called ‘Undercover Cop' (Chinese: Bian Yi Jing Cha) loudly in bed to the ceiling, every morning.”

Wanting left her family and motherland (China) at age 16. She entered Canada as an international student hoping to make her mother proud by getting a University Degree in Business. Though she obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management, she found herself unhappy and lost in life. She realized that, through heartbreaks and curve balls that life had thrown at her, her dream is and has always been to become a worldwide successful, recognizable and influential singer.

Self-consciously, consider English is not her first language, Wanting wrote her first English song “To You” in 2005 followed by a Chinese song written to her mother called “Wo Shi Wo” (translation: “I am me”). Wanting found her happiness and comfort in song writing. She searched herself through song writing. She became more aware of who she is and what she wants in life. Ever since, she hasn’t stopped writing or singing.

She has performed at many venues range from corporate gigs (BC Fashion Week), local hot music spots (Railway Club), charity events (Food bank), lounges and cafes (Backstage Lounge), radio shows (CJSF) to theatre (Beaumont Theatre) and many more.

After recorded with local producer Winston (Nat Jay, Hannah Georgas), Wanting’s music has caught attention from the music scene. Her song “Everything In the World” was recently chosen to be on the Music BC Licensing Website and soon will be put onto a compilation CD. Also, recent news, a very established international music group is interested in working with Wanting in the near future. Wanting is stoked because many of her favorite artists are from this music group.

Wanting sings and writes in English and Chinese. Her audiences fully understand the meaning of “music has no boundaries”.

Keep an eye out for the beautiful rising star, Wanting!