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It’s a small world. Just ask artist, songwriter and label head, MONIQUE. Born and raised in Birmingham, she’s found herself with a run of club hits in Australia and is not leaving her future success in music down to chance.
Monique grew up around music lovers such as her 90s soul/r’n’b DJ uncle, whilst being initiated to reggae music vibes and soul music greats daily in her Jamaican family home. It’s from these roots that her passion for music grew. A musical pioneer in the family, her older brother Errol Lawson supported in a management role, which helped to raise her profile through performance opportunities, whilst she honed her talent and extended creativity to the songwriting process.
Now, having experimented with a variety of sounds, the distinctive nature of Monique’s rich tone referred to as ‘the truth’ has been compared to the raspy textures of Mary J Blige, with the depth of India Arie and Tracy Chapman. There is a certain honesty that is conveyed when she sings.
‘It’s important to be authentic as an artist. You have to prepared to bare all, people want to believe you when you sing.’
Persistence and hard work is not something this midlands artist is afraid of. In 2011 Monique celebrated the independent release of her debut album ‘Unbroken’ produced by 5am’s Tony Bean. (Lemar, Beverley Knight, Nu Life, Usher, Kelly Rowland)
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The album received a warm reception from radio stations up and down the country with renowned soul DJ Colin Curtis showing support immediately for the fresh, soul stepping smash ‘Daughter Shine,’ which was playlisted on Smooth Radio and reached Number 1 in various soul charts Nationwide.
In September 2012 Universal Records’ dance label ‘Central Station’ signed a licensing deal for the release of ‘Colourful’ also from the album, which was remixed by Punk Ninja and Gregori Klosman, then distributed throughout Australia and Europe attaining a top 10 in the Australian Club charts.
‘Putting together a body of work and signing my first licensing deal was an incredible experience. I was still working out my identity as an artist, but people embraced individual songs for what they were and that was amazing.’
This has lead to Monique writing for various artists and DJs, an exciting journey that she looks forward to continuing.
Monique’s love for live music developed further after being exposed to the world of gospel music. Creatively it influenced her use of vocal harmonies and arrangements in the songwriting process. Changed by the message, she also developed a passion for empowering women and subsequenty storytelling with subjects of love and hope became central themes in her lyrics.
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Monique has supported various US soul acts such as Dwele and Avery Sunshine on their visits to the UK and has continued to perform extensively throughout the UK to a variety of crowds. From soul weekenders, to open-air events, to venues such as London’s Jazz Café, to intimate crowds in Starbucks Coffee shops and local churches.
During summer 2013, she successfully completed her debut headline UK tour with full live band. The tour kicked off to a packed venue at the Institute Birmingham and saw her visit 6 cities across the country as she performed brand new material to her audiences. A promo release ‘Full Circle’ is due in Autumn to commemorate the tour and to thank her fans for their support.
Working on her second project, Monique is raising the bar and showing her versatility with an edgy soul vibe. Fashioning a fresh new sound that retains the authenticity of classic soul, she’s addressing real life issues and sharing personal experiences through heartfelt melodies in a new way. Her way. Still hungry to learn and poised to collaborate, she’s open in saying;
‘I’ve tried and tested but now it’s about trusting myself. I trust my voice and I trust my inspiration to lead me more than I ever have before.’
Following her debut album which built her fan base across the UK underground, this project marks the continuation of her core values, with new exciting relationships being added to the journey. She’s laid the foundations, now she’s ready to start building.
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