Sheila Nicholls
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Sheila Elizabeth Nicholls (born 9 February 1970 in Colchester, Essex, England) is an English singer-songwriter, now residing in Highland Park, Los Angeles, California, United States.
Early years[]
While growing up, Nicholls attended Felsted School. She first found fame for performing cartwheels while streaking at an England vs. Australia cricket match at Lord's in May 1989, in which she joined fellow school players Derek Pringle and John Stephenson on the field of play;[1] this footage was later included in the video Streaker, narrated by George Best.
Nicholls travelled to the United States later in 1989 and began performing with her band, Sheila Nicholls and the Splendid Frock, in New York City in the mid-1990s.
Critical acclaim[]
Nicholls then moved to Los Angeles where she recorded a solo album, the critically acclaimed Brief Strop (1999),[2] and started her own label, Essex Girl Records.
Shortly thereafter, Nicholls signed a deal with Hollywood Records, which began distributing Brief Strop. The song "Fallen for You," from the album, became a hit on college radio stations and found its way onto the best-selling soundtrack for the movie High Fidelity. She toured extensively with the album, including several gigs alongside k.d. lang.
"After some moral deliberations about taking Disney blood money... I negotiated a deal in which I asked for final creative say across the board and the full ownership of my master copies, both of which I got."[3]
In mid-2002, Nicholls released her second album, Wake, in which she worked with producers Glen Ballard and Jez Colin. The album's first single, "Faith," co-written with Ballard, received ample radio play and reached the pop chart. Nicholls third album, Songs From the Bardo, was released in August 2009. "After releasing two albums with Hollywood Records, I decided to lay low for a minute. I built a studio, bought equipment, and taught myself ProTools. I really wanted to expand my abilities and have more creative independence. Consequently this record took a while because I did it myself, with some help from friends. Oh and I also had a baby."[4]
In 2013, Nichols was approached by singer, songwriter, executive producer and former Navy SEAL Curt Campbell, asking her if she would be interested in recording an album of original material. Hence the emergence of her fourth album, All of Nature, which was released in 2016.[5]
Personal life[]
Sheila has one daughter, born in 2007.
In 2011, she spent two months with Occupy Los Angeles, camping outside City Hall[3] and appearing in NPR's coverage.[6]
Discography[]
- Brief Strop
- Released: 16 November 1999, Label: Essex Girl
- "Question' (3:53)
- "Elevator" (4:19)
- "Hannah" (5:15)
- "Eiderdown" (4:20)
- "Fallen For You" (3:16)
- "Peanuts" (5:34)
- "Don't Die on the Vine" (3:50)
- "Medusa" (3:38)
- "Patience" (3:09)
- "Perfection" (4:22)
- "War Isn't Working" (2:17)
- "So One Day" (2:32)
- "Rapunzel" (3:32)
- "Pan" (3:41)
- Wake
- Released: 14 May 2002, Label: Essex Girl
- "How Strong" (4:23)
- "Bread and Water" (4:39)
- "Faith" (4:12)
- "Love Song" (4:23)
- "Maze" (3:50)
- "Ruby" (2:51)
- "Moth and the Streetlight" (4:43)
- "Seven Fat Englishmen" (3:59)
- "Won't Get Lost In You" (3:32)
- "Come To Me" (3:23)
- "Breath" (4:20)
- "Ownership" (hidden track)
- "Ode To Britney" (4:41)
- Released: 8 May 2008
- Songs from the Bardo
- Released: August 2009, Label: Essex Girl
- "Where None are Afraid" (3:48)
- "Pinking Up" (3:57)
- "Bardo" (4:32)
- "Old Friend" (3:18)
- "Natural Law" (3:44)
- "Pointless Tackles Vision" (5:03)
- "Mighty Love" (3:26)
- "Celery Bay" (4:19)
- "City Between" (3:20)
- "Bed" (3:44)
- "Lay Low" (4:36)
- "Simplify" (4:04)
References[]
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ "All flavors, all finds". The Advocate. 20 June 2000. p. 116. Retrieved 24 December 2010.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Protest songs: Record labels aren't listening [Blowback]". Opinion.latimes.com. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- ^ "New Music Sheila Nicholls + free downloads". Extramusicnew.wordpress.com. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
- ^ "Sheila Nicholls - All Of Nature". Discogs.com. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- ^ "Battle Cry: Occupy's Messaging Tactics Catch On". Npr.org. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
External links[]
![]() | This article's use of external links may not follow Wikipedia's policies or guidelines. (May 2020) |
- Official website
- Essex Girl Records
- "Idiomatic clothing and accessories for the whole family by frockanddroll". Etsy.com.
- "Sheila Nicholls (@splendidfrock) • Instagram photos and videos". 4 March 2016. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
- Streak at Lords Stadium
- From Essex To L.A., Sheila Nicholls Writes Piano Pop Like No Other
- ‘Athena in Velvet’ prides the empowerment of women
- Unmaterial Girl
- Brief bio on FeistyFemales.net
- MTV.com bio
- Ectophiles' profile
- 1970 births
- Living people
- Bisexual musicians
- Bisexual women
- English contemporary pianists
- English women guitarists
- English rock guitarists
- English female singer-songwriters
- Feminist musicians
- LGBT musicians from England
- LGBT singers from the United Kingdom
- LGBT songwriters
- People educated at Felsted School
- People from Colchester
- Streakers
- English expatriates in the United States
- 21st-century English women singers
- 21st-century English singers
- 21st-century pianists
- 21st-century British guitarists
- 20th-century LGBT people
- 21st-century LGBT people