Interview with Siobhan Owen What inspired you to pursue Celtic Do you play or wish to play any other music? instrument? When I was 12 one of my voice I started playing the guitar when I was teachers gave me an Irish song to about 6 or 7, but wasn’t very good! So learn (My Lagan Love) and taught me how to sing it in the Celtic style. She I took up piano instead. I got to about had Scottish background and thought grade 4 in piano, but don’t really play it would suit me because of my now. As part of our school music Welsh/Irish background. I loved that lessons, we all learnt the basics of song and it suited my voice, so I playing guitar, bass, keyboard and decided to learn more like it. I was drums. I was also the captain of the born in Wales to a Welsh dad and school drum corps, playing the snare Irish mum, so have a strong Celtic drum. Over the years I have bought a heritage which I enjoy keeping alive. few instruments… but haven’t really mastered them yet. Some of the At what age did you begin studying instruments are accordion (which I the harp? played on my last album), mandolin, ukulele, guitar, violin, bodhran, Irish When I was 14 I was asked to sing at whistle, Japanese flute and the Adelaide concert of French harmonica. I eventually want to buy a singer/harpist Cecile Corbel (who I pedal harp and an electric harp. met on Myspace). She accompanied my songs with her harp and I was so Some of the best loved Celtic songs inspired by the beautiful sound that I have been performed hundreds of decided to learn to play myself. times; what do you do to make them studio. I enjoyed working with my your own? producer, Quentin, to get the songs how we wanted them. We had a lot of I don’t really think about it. If there is fun! a song I really like and want to perform, I find out about what the Are there any other styles you would song is about and then work out a like to pursue in the future? Or do harp accompaniment for it, and try to you want to try and bring your Celtic sing it with feeling. I don’t usually sound to different genres? like to listen to other people’s versions, because I sing it how I feel it I don’t think many people realize that and don’t want to be influenced by I also sing serious classical music. I anyone else. started classical voice when I was 9 and I am still studying classical voice Celtic vocals have a very distinctive at university (Bachelor of Music sound, how did you learn to master Performance and Pedagogy – it? Classical Voice). Although I love singing arias, art songs and liede, I As I said above, one of my first don’t have any plans to be in operas singing teachers taught me basic … but you never know! Celtic “lilting”, and over the years I have developed my own way of I quite enjoy performing musical singing Celtic style. People used to theatre songs. I performed in my first say I sounded a bit like certain Celtic show when I was 10. The show was singers that I had never heard of or Brigadoon and I played a child (of listened to. I think I have a sort of course) but sang in the adult chorus! I classical Celtic style. continued performing in musicals until I was 15 or 16 – when I got too You have an extensive performance busy with my solo career. resume as well as albums under your belt. Which do you like better, I also enjoy singing jazz, although performing live or coming up with don’t get the opportunity to do much sounds in the studio? of it at the moment. I would like to learn some jazz pieces on my harp. Probably performing live because I They would be great for working in 5- can be free with how I sing a song. I star hotels or on cruise ships! never used to enjoy being in the studio. I don’t think you can sing with You have taken Irish dance, so what as much passion as you can live. But do you think of shows like Celtic I really enjoyed my recent work in the Woman & Celtic Thunder, who use a lot of choreography and lighting? Do A bunch of my CDs’! …. Seriously, I you think the added elements like to think I can touch their hearts enhance or detract from the musical with my music. If they leave my experience? concerts with a warm, fuzzy feeling, I’m happy. If I can make at least one- I love watching Irish dancing. It was person cry with my interpretations, after seeing Riverdance, when I was then I know I’ve done my job 5, that I started Irish dance! I have to properly. People often tell me they are admit that I prefer the early Celtic mesmerized by my performances, that Woman repertoire – and singers – to it takes them to a better place. That their new stuff. I think they’ve moved makes me feel really good. too far away from the traditional Celtic music that I love. I also think What have been some of your most the choreography and lighting make exciting music projects? their shows more Broadway than Celtic. I haven’t seen much of Celtic I have been very lucky over the last Thunder, but I have liked what I’ve couple of years to have been invited seen. to be part of some fantastic projects and events. Last year I was asked to What is your favorite song to sing the Welsh National Anthem at perform? the Australia versus Wales Rugby Union test match – to a crowd of That is much too difficult to answer! 44,000 and watched on TV by It changes depending on my mood, millions worldwide! That was an the event / venue and the type of amazing experience and a great honor audience. If the occasion calls for to represent my birth country. My something soft and haunting, it would family are very proud of that be “Black is the Color” or “She performance! Moved Through the Fair”. For a gentle lullaby type song probably Earlier this year I made my UK and “Cariad” or “Sora Wo Aruku” US debuts. In January I performed 3 (Walking in the Air in Japanese). For concerts in Wales and England. It was a fun song probably “Cyfri’r Geifr” the first time my family over there (Counting the Goats). A dramatic had seen me perform live, so it was song would be “Bring Him Home” or very special. In March I headlined the one of the operatic arias I perform at Los Angeles St David’s Day (Welsh) uni. Festival in Barnsdall Park on Hollywood Boulevard. That was an What would you like your audience amazing experience. We were invited to take away from your concerts? to a Hollywood VIP reception for the unveiling of Richard Burton’s star on wanted this one to be a bit different so the Walk of Fame on the day we asked local producer Quentin Eyers to arrived in LA. Lorin, the festival work on the album. He had wanted to director, was introducing me to movie work on an album with me and did stars and celebrities. I don’t know if one sample track to see if I liked his was the jetlag or the occasion, but it work… I loved it! So we ended up was all very surreal! with 17 tracks, which Quentin had added extra instrumentation (playing In June this year I received an email many of the instruments himself) from French writer / composer / which enhanced my voice and harp producer, Alan Simon, asking if I was and gave it a magical sound. All the interested in being part of his next tracks had a story to tell, and I project. He was writing a arranged the songs in a logical order Celtic/symphonic ballet based on the starting with the lullaby “Cariad”, legendary love story of Tristan and then taking the listener on a journey Yseult. Alan had been searching the of love, loss, prayers and dreams, and internet and came across a video of finishing with the music box style me singing “Cariad” and decided I melody of “Storybook Journey”. I had was the voice he wanted for “Yseult”. my photo shoot done the fairy-tale The project involves an album to be castle style Thorngrove Manor, and released on February 14 next year, the graphic designer did a fantastic and a World Premiere show In job of the artwork, adding to the Nantes, France, on March 7. The Storybook theme. I am very pleased show will have ballet dancers with how the album turned out, and portraying Tristan & Yseult, while proud that it was awarded Classical myself and Roberto Tiranti will be the Crossover UK 2012 “Album of the voices. I will be going over to Nantes Year”! Downloads are available on this November for a showcase and iTunes, Amazon & CD Baby, and press conference, then back again in signed copies of the physical CD can March for the show. I am very excited be ordered from my website. about this project and feel very lucky that Alan found me. Besides music, what do you do for fun? Can you tell us something about your latest albm? I love to draw and paint.