FOR THE first time since her dramatic reinvention - ditching the rockabilly queen image for a sultry, black clad, look - Imelda May will play Galway, having announed a concert for Leisureland in December.
The Dubliner originally made her name as a rock'n'roll and rockabilly revivalist, but she has since traded her quiff for bangs, and 1950s style music for a broader palette exploring blues, soul, gospel, folk, rock, acoustica, and explosive balladry, while also writing her most personal and intimately autobiographical songs to date.
Her new direction was expressed in her most recent album, Life Love Flesh Blood. "It's all in there: birth, sex, love, divorce and death," she says. "It's the story of my life. I wanted to go straight to the bone. I had a lot to write about. Life changes, falling out of and falling in love again. Most songwriters use writing as a form of counselling. It's therapy, like keeping a diary that a lot of people read.”
She has also taken the opportunity to explore her voice to its full potential. "I've always loved women in rock and roll, and when I started I just wanted to go for it," she said, "but I've done my screeching. It was time to really sing.”
Imelda May plays Leisureland, Salthill, on Tuesday December 19 at 7pm. This is a 'Róisín Dubh presents...' event. Tickets are available at www.roisindubh.net, the Ticket Desk at OMG Zhivago, Shop Street, and The Róisín Dubh.
