Photo: Elles Bailey by Rob Blackham
Ever-rising, award-winning Elles Bailey releases the next single from her next album, ‘Shining in the Half Light’. That single is ‘Sunshine City’, released on Friday Oct 15th, following her recent single ‘Cheats and Liars’. Elles’ forthcoming album is due for release in early 2022. Elles will also be touring in the UK between 28th October and 11th December on her headline Sunshine City Tour. Four venues have already sold out, with three on final ticket warnings.
Elles is a smoky-voiced human dynamo, who straddles the worlds of Americana and the blues, garnering accolades in both. She recently worked with Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys in Nashville, writing the song “Little Piece Of Heaven” with him and Bobby Wood. It won UK Americana Awards Song Of The Year.
A rock and roller of the very best kind, “Sunshine City” barrels into your weekend with a party time feel in the hands of killer vocalist, songwriter Elles Bailey. Straight out of the gate, ‘Sunshine City’ hooks you with forceful rock guitar, pacy percussion, engaging bass and shimmery keyboards. Prepared to be wowed as Elles’ uniquely timbered lead vocals enter the fray, showing her range, style and power. This song is one of Elles’ rockiest releases, showing how a woman rightly crowned “The Blues Princess” by Blues in Britain can cross and transcend genres, moving effortlessly between blues, Americana, country, roots and rock. Elles shows drive and gusto aplenty and you’ll also find some soaring, exuberant guitar solos from Joe Wilkins in this up-tempo number.
Elles Bailey’s vocal stylings and songwriting skills are of consistent excellence, as heard on her hit albums ‘Wildfire’ and ‘Road I Call Home’ — the latter winning The UK Blues Awards’ Album of The Year — and that doesn’t change on ‘Shining in The Half Light’. Elles has co-written every track on it, working with a rich array of collaborators both here in the UK and over the Atlantic in Nashville. However, unlike her last records — both recorded Stateside — this is her first UK-recorded offering. She and her touring band headed to Devon to Middle Farm Studios in Dec 2020 to record the album in isolation, with new producer Dan Weller.
‘Sunshine City’, the second single, follows ‘Cheats and Liars’ (released in August, 2021), which has spent 7 weeks on the Planet Rock A-List Playlist (plus 2 weeks on the B-List), as well as being the most-played track on the station between 16th August-12th October (according to the UK Airplay Charts). ‘Cheats and Liars’ continues to be supported by Spotify on their Blues and Roots Rock playlist.
Speaking of her latest single, Elles says, “I guess you could say it’s the polar opposite to my last single ‘Cheats & Liars’ — ‘Sunshine City’ doesn’t take itself seriously in any way! It’s my ‘throw your hair back, laugh out loud, put your foot down, drive faster’ kind of a tune.”
Elles wrote the song with Matt Owens (of Noah and the Whale) “I had such a giggle writing this with Matt Owens,” she says, “inspired by a post-tour, pre-pandemic night out with my songwriting buddy, Tamara Stewart, in my hometown of Bristol. The night was epic: the crazed dancing, the shots (too many) and the hangover raging, but it was worth it for the tale! I look forward to doing it again sometime, but as a new mum that life seems a distant memory!
“I hope you enjoy this song as much as I enjoyed writing and recording it!,” says Elles.
Elles is issuing a special, limited-edition, 4-track CD: ‘The Sunshine City EP’. This includes ‘Sunshine City’, ‘Woman Like Me’, ‘Walk Away’ & ‘Love is Gonna Win’. The CD will be available at Elles’ shows over her tour. However, she’s been able to make a very small amount available via the store on her website. These are sure to get snapped up fast, so act fast to get this exclusive, limited-edition physical release by ordering from her store or grabbing a copy at her gigs.
Sunshine City Tour Dates
OCT 28 NEWBURY ARLINGTON ARTS (SOLD OUT)
OCT 29 KIRTON IN LINDSEY TOWN HALL (SOLD OUT)
NOV 3 NOTTINGHAM RESCUE ROOMS
NOV 4 MANCHESTER NIGHT & DAY
NOV 5 LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC (Last Tickets)
NOV 12 SHEFFIELD THE GREYSTONES
NOV 19 SHOREHAM ROPETACKLE ARTS (Last Tickets)
NOV 21 EXETER PHOENIX
NOV 23 CAMBRIDGE JUNCTION 2
NOV 26 BEWDLEY MUSIC IN THE HALL (SOLD OUT)
NOV 27 LICHFIELD GUILDHALL (Last Tickets)
NOV 28 FLEET THE HARLINGTON (More Tickets Now Available)
DEC 4 BATH CHAPEL ARTS (SOLD OUT)
DEC 9 GLASGOW KING TUT’S
DEC 11 GATESHEAD SAGE
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