Violet Skies

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Violet Skies
Violet Skies, 2020 (Lonely EP cover)
Violet Skies, 2020 (Lonely EP cover)
Background information
Birth nameHannah Berney
Born (1991-02-14) 14 February 1991 (age 30)
Chepstow, Monmouthshire, Wales, U.K.[1]
GenresPop, electronic, alternative, classical
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
Years active2013–present
Websitewww.iamvioletskies.com

Hannah Berney (born 14 February 1991), known as Violet Skies, is a singer-songwriter from Chepstow in Monmouthshire, Wales.[2]

Musical career[]

In 2013, Violet Skies released her first song, "How the Mighty". WalesOnline called it "a pulsing, classically arranged electro slow-burner of a song that merges Massive Attack with a haunting piano and the singer's equally stark and soulful vocals", and it included the song on its list of the 51 greatest Welsh pop records of 2013.[3] The same year, independent label Awkward signed her.[4]

In June 2014 she released her debut solo EP, Dragons,[5] and played at the Glastonbury Festival on the BBC Introducing Stage.[6] That same summer, she played a headline London show and later opened for A Great Big World at Bush Hall in Shepherd's Bush.[7] In January 2015 she released a new song, "Liar".[8]

Violet Skies' records have been played by Huw Stephens on BBC Radio 1, Jamie Cullum on BBC Radio 2 and across a number of other stations, as well as featured in Hunger Magazine and NME. She was selected as part of BBC Horizons Gorwelion 2015, a BBC Wales and Welsh Arts Council Initiative.[2]

Violet also released an album and EP with Bristol-based producer Stumbleine through Monotreme Records in early 2014.[9]

In June 2019, skies released her new EP I'll Buy a House, which contains four of her singles. A few months later, she released the acoustic version of her EP.

She has also co-written the song "God Is a Dancer" for the British singer Mabel and the Dutch DJ Tiësto. "God Is a Dancer" spent eight weeks in the United Kingdom Top 40, peaking at number 15.[10]

On 3 April 2020 Skies released an EP, Lonely, containing five songs: "Lonely", "Nothing at Night", "Half My Life", "Born On Valentine's Day" and "This Could Be Love".

Personal life[]

Born Hannah Berney in Chepstow in Monmouthshire, Wales,[1] she was a student at Wyedean School in Sedbury, where she wrote songs with friends during lunch breaks.[10] After graduating, Violet attended Exeter University, where she studied French and history.[10] While at Exeter, she was a contestant on The Voice UK in 2012.[11]

She and Charlie McClean founded sheWrites, a series of woman-only camps for songwriters, producers, and artists, that convene in different places around the world, in order to encourage women to make connections, make songs, and make an impact in the music industry.[12]

When asked about her musical pseudonym, Violet Skies, she said her great-grandmother's name was Violet, and Skies was her mother's idea.[13]

Discography[]

  • Dragons (EP) (2014)
  • Chasing Honeybees (EP) (Monotreme Records, 2014) (as Stumbleine featuring Violet Skies)
  • I'll Buy a House (EP) (2019)
  • I'll Buy a House (Acoustic) (EP) (2019)
  • Lonely (EP) (2020)

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Thomas, Jessica (2020). "Violet Skies: A Multi-faceted Artist Indicative of the Ever-evolving 21st Century". Ladygunn. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "Gorwelion Horizons – Violet Skies". BBC. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  3. ^ Owens, David (30 December 2013). "The 51 greatest Welsh pop records of 2013". WelshOnline.
  4. ^ Alimadi, Paul (12 March 2013). "One To Watch In 2014: Violet Skies". Huffington Post.
  5. ^ "Violet Skies – "Dragons" EP". Earth Boy Blog. 12 July 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  6. ^ "Glastonbury – Violet Skies". BBC. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  7. ^ "Le Nurb check out Great Big World". Le Nurb. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  8. ^ "New Music: Violet Skies "Liar"". MOBO. 16 January 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  9. ^ "Stumbleine Feat. Violet Skies 'Chasing Honeybees' 5-track CD and digital EP". Monotreme Records. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b c Thomas, Nicholas (23 November 2019). "Chepstow singer-songwriter Violet Skies talks about her amazing year and rise to success". South Wales Argus.
  11. ^ Donelson, Marcy "Violet Skies". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  12. ^ Borhan, Nargis (2020). "Q&A with Violet Skies". LDN.
  13. ^ Davies, Tara (August 14, 2020). "Interview: Meet Violet Skies". Vibez Music.

External links[]

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