Alice Watts
Act Profile:

Alice Watts

Genre:
Indie

“Alice has a voice that stands out in a crowd. I was blown away and had to listen back after the show to make sure it had sounded as good on the airwaves as it had in the studio. Her songs are beautifully delivered and I could NOT believe Alice hadn’t performed live on radio before appearing on my programme. I just know that this will be the first of many live sets she is asked to play, in fact I’...

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Introduction

“Alice has a voice that stands out in a crowd. I was blown away and had to listen back after the show to make sure it had sounded as good on the airwaves as it had in the studio. Her songs are beautifully delivered and I could NOT believe Alice hadn’t performed live on radio before appearing on my programme. I just know that this will be the first of many live sets she is asked to play, in fact I’ve already invited her back!” John Govier, BBC Radio Devon “Ooohh wee, what a beauty! Imagine Amy McDonald, but 100 times more sweeter. Apart from the voice, the strings on this track which are present throughout really puts this song on another level. One of the best new tracks I’ve had the pleasure of hearing on ubr…” Polly James, Absolute Radio “What really makes Watts stand out is her voice, simple yet outstanding at the same time. A beautiful debut” Music News “A ‘truly scrumptious’ album” Lynn Parsons, Radio 2. “A bright talent to watch in the future…” Sonar Magasine (Feb 2012).

Bio

Following the showcase her debut album, Alice Watts is back for the release of her new EP, Do Not Awaken Love. Her music is a warm blend of soul-styled indie, layered with ‘a voice that could stop wars’ as one listener claimed. Influenced at an early age by musicians passing through her neighbour’s home-recording studio in South London, Alice began song-writing and playing a variety of instruments from the tender age of seven, gathering influences and creative ideas from different musicians encountered and countries travelled; from Indonesia to Rome, Paul Weller to Paul McCartney. Critics are comparing her style to Joni Mitchell, with striking vocals reminiscent of Eva Cassidy and the gumption of PJ Harvey, Alice has developed a vibrant sound that will leave you inspired. Larmer Tree Festival, Proud Galleries, The Dublin Castle and The Borderline are just some of the venues that have played host to this exceptional talent.

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Do Not Awaken Love (Acoustic)

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Q. How did you first get into playing music?

I grew up living next door to a producer who worked with bands in the 80's in South London and became intrigued by the musicians passing through his house and would spend time in his home studio being inspired by a variety of music and people.

Q. How long have you been performing?

Five or six years

Q. How would you describe your sound in one sentence?

Happy soul styled indie

Q. What makes your music unique?

The musicians involved come from a variety of backgrounds including jazz, urban, indie, reggae and folk creating a fusion of sounds that is fresh and inspiring, We usually have a different line-up for each gig making each experience unique and refreshingly unpredictable.

Q. What inspires you to write songs?

Train journeys. Big hearted people. Faith. Words.

Q. What have been your best and worst gig experiences?

Best - Launching the new EP at the Dublin Castle in Camden in November - loads of friends and new faces all crammed into one room - was a brilliant night. Worst - Playing an acoustic gig in a pub in North London and they had double-booked acts so put one film act upstairs in the music room and us on downstairs placed strategically between the entrance and the bar...needless to say we were a bit of a distraction to new arrivals. To add to the antics, the wooden floors meant our djembe was jumping around with every beat...fun times.

Q. If you had to listen to one album for the rest of your life what would it be?

Paul Simon - Gracelands

Q. What do you get up to when you’re not making music?

Cooking for friends, painting or making things. Loving people.

Q. What are your goals at the moment?

To live life to the full and live up to my calling.

Q. What have you been working on lately? Any new tracks or gigs lined up?

Just finished an EP 'Do Not Awaken Love' so busy promoting that.

Q. What do you think of Unsigned Band Review?

Refreshingly good!

Q. What is the name of the last track that you wrote and what is it about?

Mary's House. It's a soul track about finding joy during pain.

Q. What was the music scene like where you grew up?

I grew up in a lot of places, we moved around a lot. After the neighbours recording studio in south London with an array of pop and rock bands coming through, I guess by the age of about 9 I had an appreciation of music styles and was still heavily influenced by my dad's records. I was around a mix of jazz, rock, classical and country folk later on - a jumble of music loves.

Reviews

Act name: Alice Watts

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Reviews of: Do Not Awaken Love (4)

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  • I thought the instrumentation was brilliant on this record. I love the way it gets to the chrous and drops back down It reminds me of Alphabet Street from Prince where all of this building of instruments come together and then drop down. I love it - I want a record like that! I can't do that!!

    Reviewed by
    Daniel Powter
    24 October 2012

  • Ooohh wee, what a beauty! Imagine Amy McDonald, but 100 times more sweeter. Apart from the voice, the strings on this track which are present throughout really puts this song on another level. One of the best new tracks I've had the pleasure of hearing on ubr...

    Reviewed by
    Polly James
    24 October 2012

  • A warm sounding live "in the studio" recording to my ears. For me there's a little too much going on arrangement wise. Maybe the strings could go or at least be thinned out? Alice has a contemporary folk soul crossbreed of a voice with no little charm. Just kick out some of those musos next time ! Most pleasant, but not going to shatter any planets.

    Reviewed by
    Simon Li
    17 September 2012

  • Lovely, acoustic song which prompts a bucolic image of the artist as a singer-songwriter sitting in a field of sunflowers.The arrangement gets a bit cluttered when the strings and marching percussion arrive on a mission to turn it into an Arcade Fire song. It would be nice to know about the lyric in more detail. I say this to all the pretty voices on UBR: when you have a moment, you should put your lyrics up on your website They are a more interesting guide to your music than another bunch of quotes from reviewers, believe me!

    Reviewed by
    David Sinclair
    03 September 2012

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