Katie Noonan | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | Katie Anne Noonan |
Born | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia | 2 May 1977
Genres | Alternative rock, jazz, opera |
Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
Instrument(s) | Vocals, keyboards |
Years active | 1996–present |
Labels | Festival Mushroom |
Website | katienoonan |
Katie Anne Noonan [1] (born 2 May 1977) is an Australian singer and songwriter. In addition to a successful solo career encompassing opera, jazz, pop, rock and dance, she was the singer in the band George and remains the singer in the band Elixir; performs with her mother Maggie Noonan; and plays with her band The Captains. [2] Noonan was the musical director of and performed at the 2018 Commonwealth Games' opening and closing ceremonies. [3]
Noonan grew up with a strong background in classical music, with her mother Maggie being a well-known opera singer. She studied opera and jazz at the Queensland Conservatorium. [4]
After graduation, Noonan began fronting the pop-rock group George, along with her brother Tyrone Noonan. Noonan founded George with her brother, with whom she shares lead vocals, in 1996 to enter a university music competition. After a series of successful independently released EPs, they signed to Festival Mushroom Records and released the debut album Polyserena in 2002, which debuted in the number 1 position on the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) albums chart. [5] George won the Breakthrough Artist ARIA award in 2002 and performed the song "Breathe in Now" at the award ceremony.
Noonan founded the jazz trio Elixir in 1997, which released their debut self-titled album in 2003. Elixir's second album, First Seed Ripening , was released on 5 August 2011. [6] It won the 2011 ARIA Award for Best Jazz Album.
Noonan released an album of jazz and operatic duets with her mother in 2004. Entitled Two of a Kind , the album was released by the ABC Classics label. [7]
In 2004, Noonan guest appeared at the Lord Of The Rings Symphony performances. The reviewer Murray Black said that "The undoubted highlight of the evening was guest vocalist Katie Noonan. Here is a rare talent with a voice of extraordinary beauty and versatility. In most of her solos, she sounded like a classical soprano as she soared over the orchestra with a spine-tingling, vibrato-less angelic purity. Then, in Gollum's Song and the Oscar-winning Into the West, she revealed her pop diva credentials with her strong, clear voice projecting effortlessly out in the audience." [8]
Paul Grabowsky and Noonan teamed up for the jazz cycle Before Time Could Change Us . Consisting of words written by Dorothy Porter, the album tracks "the mysterious shifts and changes of a relationship". [9] The album won the 2005 ARIA Award for Best Jazz Album.
Later in 2005, Noonan was invited by Deborah Conway to take part in the Broad Festival project—together with three other Australian female artists they performed their own and each other's songs. [10] Sara Storer, Ruby Hunter and Clare Bowditch were the other female artists. [11]
Noonan recorded a solo album entitled Skin at Sydney's Linear Recording in 2006. Produced by Andrew Klippel, Skin was released on 11 August 2007 and debuted at number 6 on the ARIA Top 50 album charts and number 1 on the Australian ARIA Top 20 album chart. The debut single, "Time To Begin", debuted at number 30 on the ARIA Top 50.
Following the success of the remix of "Time To Begin", Noonan collaborated with John Course and Mr Timothy. The collaboration involved the re-recording of Noonan's vocal tracks and a dance version of her solo album was released under the title Second Skin .
On 22 February 2008, Noonan was a support act for Cyndi Lauper at King's Park Botanic Gardens, Perth, Western Australia, and was invited on stage by Lauper to sing along to "Girls Just Want to Have Fun". Also in 2008, Noonan was featured as the vocalist in Telstra's "I Am Australian" series of advertisements. [12]
Noonan released a jazz album of Lennon and McCartney cover versions in 2008 entitled Blackbird: The Music of Lennon and McCartney . [13]
The Katie Noonan and the Captains' album Emperor's Box was created over a three-year period and is Noonan's second release for Sony Music. Noonan wrote all of the songs and collaborated with the following artists during the recording of the album: Tim Finn (Split Enz), Sia, Don Walker (Cold Chisel), Josh Pyke and Australian writer/poet Tom Shapcott. The album was co-produced by Noonan and Nick DiDia (Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, Stone Temple Pilots, Powderfinger). [2] It was preceded by the single "Page One" released in February.
In 2011, Noonan collaborated with Karin Schaupp and toured Songs from the British Isles . An EP was released available only from Noonan's website. In 2012, the two recorded Songs of the Southern Skies . The album was nominated for two ARIA Awards at the 2012 ceremony.
In 2013, Noonan released Songbook , an album that saw Noonan re-recording songs from her time in george and Elixir. She also worked with the Sydney Dance Company on the production, Les Illuminations. [14]
In 2014, she released Fierce Hearts which was nominated for an ARIA Award at the 2014 ceremony. It was music alongside a contemporary circus show by Circa.
In 2015, Noonan released Transmutant through Universal Music Australia. The album peaked at number 33 on the ARIA Charts.
In 2016, Noonan collaborated with Brodsky Quartet and released With Love and Fury in April. They toured Australia throughout April and May.
In December 2016, Noonan announced the release Songs of the Latin Skies with Karin Schaupp. The album due for release in February 2017 and will see the duo embark on a musical journey through the South American songbook, exploring the sounds and beats of the bossa nova, salsa, tango and samba. The duo played live shows across the country throughout 2017. [15]
In 2018, Noonan reunited with Elixir and released Gratitude and Grief in August 2018. The album was nominated for Best Jazz album at the 2018 ARIA Awards.
In April 2019, Noonan released The Little Green Road to Fairyland with Camerata and the Queensland Chamber Orchestra. In August, Noonan collaborated with the Australian String Quartet for The Glad Tomorrow. The new album sees Noonan perform uniquely Australian poetry of Queenslander and First Nations icon Oodgeroo Noonuccal to music. [16] [17]
In January 2020, Noonan confirmed the release of a mini-album titled Late Night Tunes with Noons. The album featured Noonan covering a range of Australian songs, with the inclusion of one original track. [18]
In May 2020, Noonan released her twentieth album, The Sweetest Taboo , a jazz album covering 1980s pop songs. [19]
In May 2021, Noonan launched the Australian Vocal Ensemble (AVÉ), an a cappella quartet. The other members are tenor Andrew Goodwin, mezzo-soprano Fiona Campbell and bass-baritone Andrew O'Connor.
In January 2023, Noonan commenced a national tour of 40 concerts, performing the entirety of Joni Mitchell's seminal album Blue, marking the 50th anniversary since its release. Usually accompanied by a single acoustic guitarist, [20] the first concert took place at the 2023 Sydney Festival with the final concert in Bendigo, Victoria on 16 September 2023.
A National Office for Live Music was launched by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in July 2013 and, as of August 2013, Noonan is the state ambassador for Queensland. [21]
In 2013, Noonan combined with the Sydney Dance Company and musicians from the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and conductor Richard Gill to perform Britten's song cycle Les Illuminations at Sydney's City Recital Hall Angel Place. [22] This production was taken in 2014 to Brisbane's QPAC with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra under Johannes Fritzsch. [23]
In 2014, Noonan was part of the I Touch Myself Project , with a mission to encourage young women to touch themselves regularly to find early signs of cancer. They released a version of "I Touch Myself" which peaked at number 72 on the ARIA singles chart. [24]
Noonan was the official ambassador to the Adelaide Fringe in 2014. [25]
In 2018, Noonan performed at the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
In August 2020, Noonan was unmasked as the "Sloth" in the second season of The Masked Singer Australia . She was the fourth contestant revealed, placing 9th overall. [26]
In February 2021, Noonan was announced as the artistic director of the National Folk Festival. [27]
On 25 September 2022, Noonan sang the National Anthem at the opening of the 2022 AFL Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Noonan is married to Isaac Hurren, her longtime partner and collaborator in Elixir. They are parents to two sons.
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
AUS [28] | |||
Two of a Kind Katie and Maggie Noonan [29] |
| 61 |
|
Before Time Could Change Us Paul Grabowsky and Kate Noonan [30] |
| 65 |
|
Skin |
| 6 |
|
Second Skin John Course & mrTimothy present Katie Noonan |
| — |
|
Blackbird: The Music of Lennon and McCartney |
| 43 | |
Emperor's Box Katie Noonan and The Captains |
| 21 | |
First Seed Ripening [36] (Elixir featuring Katie Noonan) |
| 64 |
|
Songs from the British Isles |
| — |
|
Songs of the Southern Skies [37] (Katie Noonan and Karin Schaupp) |
| — |
|
Songbook [39] |
| — | |
Fierce Hearts (The Music of Love-Song-Circus) |
| — |
|
Songs That Made Me Katie Noonan and Various Artists |
| — |
|
Transmutant Katie Noonan's Vanguard |
| 33 | |
With Love and Fury Brodsky Quartet and Katie Noon |
| — | |
Songs of the Latin Skies (Katie Noonan and Karin Schaupp) |
| — |
|
Gratitude and Grief (Elixir featuring Katie Noonan) |
| — | |
The Little Green Road to Fairyland (Katie Noonan, Camerata with the Queensland Chamber Orchestra) |
| — | |
The Glad Tomorrow (Katie Noonan with the Australian String Quartet) |
| — |
|
Late Night Tunes with Noons |
| — |
|
The Sweetest Taboo |
| 70 |
|
A Small Shy Truth (Elixir featuring Katie Noonan, Zac Hurren & Ben Hauptmann) |
| — | |
Songs of the Southern Skies Vol 2 |
| — |
|
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
---|---|---|---|
AUS [28] | |||
"Time to Begin" | 2007 | 30 | Skin |
The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2011 | First Seed Ripening | Best Independent Jazz Album | Nominated | [44] [45] |
2020 | The Glad Tomorrow | Best Independent Classical Album | Nominated | [46] |
2021 | The Sweetest Taboo | Best Independent Jazz Album or EP | Won | [47] [48] |
The ARIA Music Awards are annual awards, which recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. Noonan has won four awards from twelve nominations. [49] In addition to that, she won one award from eight nominations during her time with band george. [50]
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2005 | Before Time Could Change Us (with Paul Grabowsky) | Best Jazz Album | Won | [51] |
2007 | "Time to Begin" | Best Female Artist | Nominated | |
2008 | Skin | Best Adult Contemporary Album | Nominated | |
2009 | Blackbird: The Music of Lennon and McCartney | Best Jazz Album | Won | [51] |
2011 | First Seed Ripening (with Elixir) | Won | ||
2012 | Songs of the Southern Skies (with Karin Schaupp) | Best Adult Contemporary Album | Nominated | |
Best Independent Release | Nominated | |||
2014 | Fierce Hearts (The Music Of Love – Song – Circus) | Best Original Soundtrack/Cast/Show Album | Nominated | [52] |
2016 | With Love and Fury (with Brodsky Quartet) | Best Classical Album | Nominated | |
2017 | Songs of the Latin Skies (with Karin Schaupp) | Best World Music Album | Won | |
2018 | Gratitude and Grief (with Elixir) | Best Jazz Album | Nominated | [51] |
2020 | The Sweetest Taboo | Nominated | [49] [53] | |
2024 | A Small Shy Truth (Elixir featuring Katie Noonan, Zac Hurren & Ben Hauptmann) | Best Jazz Album | Nominated | [54] |
The Australian Women in Music Awards is an annual event that celebrates outstanding women in the Australian Music Industry who have made significant and lasting contributions in their chosen field. They commenced in 2018.
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | Katie Noonan | Creative Leadership Award | Nominated | [55] |
2019 | Won | [56] | ||
2021 | Artistic Excellence Award | Nominated | [57] | |
2024 | Artistic Excellence Award | Pending | [58] |
The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) commenced in 2016 to recognise contributions to the live music industry in Australia.
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | Katie Noonan | Best Live Voice in Qld | Won | [59] [60] |
Australian Vocal Ensemble (AVÉ) (featuring Katie Noonan, Fiona Campbell, Andrew Goodwin and Andrew O'Connor) | Best Classical Act | Nominated |
George were an Australian rock band from Brisbane, Queensland. The band's first album, Polyserena, reached No. 1 on the Australian charts on 17 March 2002.
Dohnyale Sharon "Deni" Hines is an Australian singer who has been releasing music since the early 1990s, with chart success in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Europe. She is the daughter of American-born Australian singer Marcia Hines.
Skin is a studio album by Australian musician Katie Noonan. It was released in August 2007 and peaked at number 6 on the Australian ARIA Charts. Skin was the first album released by Noonan as a solo artist and recorded between the time of 3 and 8 months pregnant. Noonan says: "I love the themes I explored on this album – I was a madly in love newlywed, experiencing the miracle of pregnancy – it was quite a trip to document! Inspired by Donny Hathaway, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and Vince Jones, this album was all about exploring groove for me. I learn’t a huge amount making this album and I am really grateful for the arduous journey I took with this process, as since then, it has confirmed my instinct to listen to and trust my inner voice."
Paul Atherstone Grabowsky, born 27 September 1958, is an Australian pianist and composer, founder of the Australian Art Orchestra.
Megan Alexanda Washington is an Australian musician, songwriter and voice actor who has worked mononymously as Washington. Originally performing jazz music, her style shifted to indie pop and alternative rock. She has released four studio albums, I Believe You Liar, There There, Batflowers, and Hot Fuss (2022). Both I Believe You Liar and There There reached the top 5 on the ARIA Albums Chart and Batflowers peaked in the top 25. Outside of music, she has become a screenwriter and film producer. She also voices primary school teacher Calypso in the animated series Bluey.
The Jezabels are an Australian indie rock band formed in Sydney in 2007. It consists of lead vocalist Hayley Mary, guitarist Sam Lockwood, pianist and keyboardist Heather Shannon, and drummer and percussionist Nik Kaloper.
English singer-songwriter Passenger has released thirteen studio albums and 17 singles. He is best known for his 2012 single "Let Her Go", which reached number one in Australia, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and The Netherlands; number 2 on the UK Singles Chart; and number 5 in the US on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Wild at Heart" is the third single from Australian alternative rock rock band, Birds of Tokyo's self-titled third album, Birds of Tokyo. The song peaked at No. 50 on the Australian Singles Chart in February 2011 and was certified gold. It was listed at No. 47 in Triple J Hottest 100, 2010. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2011, the song was nominated for Single of the Year, but lost to "Somebody That I Used to Know" by Gotye and Kimbra.
The Broken Strings Tour is the first live album by the Australian alternative rock band Birds of Tokyo. It was released as a double CD/DVD on 5 February 2010 and debuted and peaked at number 11 on the Australian ARIA Charts.
Elixir is an Australian jazz trio formed in Brisbane in 1997 by Katie Noonan and Nick Stewart from ARIA award-winning, double-platinum selling band george and River Petein. Isaac Hurren joined the group prior to the release of their debut album. Since then Petein and Stewart have left while Stephen Magnusson joined the group on jazz guitar in 2005.
Transmutant is a studio album by Australian singer songwriter Katie Noonan and the Vanguard. It is her sixth solo album and seventeenth album she's been involved with in total. The album peaked at number 33 in Australia.
"Time to Begin" is a song by Australian singer songwriter Katie Noonan. It is included on her 2007 album, Skin. The song peaked at number 30 in Australia, becoming Noonan's highest charting single to date.
Elixir is the debut studio album by Australian jazz band Elixir, released in May 2003 and peaked at number 24 on the ARIA Charts. The band was formed in Brisbane in 1997 by Katie Noonan and Nick Stewart from ARIA award winning, double-platinum selling band george and River Petein.
First Seed Ripening is the second studio album by Australian jazz band Elixir. The album is credited as featuring Katie Noonan. The album was released in August 2011 and peaked at number 64 on the ARIA Charts and number 1 on the Jazz and Blues chart, where it remained for 9 weeks.
Two of a Kind is the debut studio album by Australian jazz singer Katie Noonan, alongside her mother Maggie Noonan as well as The Red Fish Blue jazz trio and The Queensland Orchestra conducted by Guy Noble. The album was released in April 2004 and peaked at number 61 on the ARIA Charts and number 2 on the ARIA Classical chart on 10 May 2004.
Before Time Could Change Us is the collaborative studio album by Australian jazz writer/singer and composer Paul Grabowsky and singer-songwriter Katie Noonan. The album was released in August 2005. and peaked at number 65 on the ARIA Charts for the week commencing 22 August 2005.
Songs of the Southern Skies is a collobrative studio album by Australian singer songwriter Katie Noonan and Australian classical guitarist Karin Schaupp. The album was released in August 2012 and peaked at number 97 on the ARIA physical albums chart and number 3 on the classical chart.
Emperor's Box is a studio album credited to Australian musician, Katie Noonan and the Captains. It was released in April 2010 and peaked at number 21 on the Australian ARIA Charts.
Blackbird: The Music of Lennon and McCartney is a studio album by Australian singer songwriter Katie Noonan. The album was released in October 2008 and peaked at number 43 on the ARIA album chart. Blackbird is a set of cover versions of John Lennon and Paul McCartney tracks. The album includes performances from Ron Carter, Lewis Nash, Joe Lovano, John Scofield and Sam Keevers. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2009 the album won Best Jazz Album.
The Sweetest Taboo is a twentieth album by Australian singer and songwriter Katie Noonan. The album is described as a jazz collection of reimagined 80s classics and was released in May 2020. The album peaked at number 70 on the ARIA Charts.
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