Laurie Levine, a 2007 SAMA (South African Music Award) nominee, is fast building a reputation as an artist with a fresh approach and unique sound. A prolific songwriter with a jazzy, soulful voice that breathes life into her songs and embodies the emotional core of her lyrics, Laurie’s music comes from the ‘heartspace’, the word poet Breyten Breytenbach uses to describe South Africa’s anguished beauty. Her songs touch our ‘unspoken’ corners; her sounds are a contemporary interpretation of true folk.
Laurie’s debut album, Unspoken, draws on personal tales of longing and hope to render an atmospheric and eclectic terrain. Unspoken, an entirely independent release, was nominated for a 2007 SAMA in the hotly contested category of Adult Contemporary English.
Laurie has just completed her second album, produced by Dan Roberts and due for release in September 2009. The pre-release buzz is that the album, with its blend of Nashville verve and ‘Nu Folk’ sophistication, is set to break new ground in the local singer-songwriter scene. While recording, Laurie has also been developing her live act, and the additions of accordion, mandolin and piano have already alerted audiences to her evocative new sound.
Laurie performs regularly in and around South Africa and has started touring internationally. She recently performed at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. She has also performed at the famous CBGB’s in New York and at the Forum in London, where she opened for Rodriguez. Her unique songwriting and mature vocal talent has earned her national radio play and performance slots at some of South Africa’s premier music events and festivals, including, amongst others: Oppikoppi, the Joy of Jazz Festival, Splashy Fen, Levis Vintage Sundays, Mr Price Pro, the White Mountain Folk Festival, the Old Mutual Emmarentia Concert Series, and an opening performance for Joe Jackson at Montecasino’s Teatro.
Laurie has also directed and featured in Ancestral Grooves, an orchestral show which played to full houses and standing ovations at the Old Mutual Theatre on the Square in May 2008.
