Pina Kollars | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Pina Pertl |
Born | Vienna, Austria |
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
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Instruments |
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Years active | 2001–present |
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Associated acts | Afro Celt Sound System |
Pina Kollars is an Austrian-born female folk rock singer. She is usually only known as Pina.
Pina Pertl was born in Vienna and raised by her grandparents. She began writing songs in her teens and studied classical guitar at the city's conservatorium. She began studies in medicine, [1] but decided on a career in music instead. She found making a living from music in Austria was difficult and relocated to Cork, Ireland, in 1997. [2]
Pina's songwriting was inspired by the isolated countryside, and she formed her own band to play on the local music circuit. She played at the Glastonbury Festival in 2003 [3] and began showcasing her talent in London. She was included on a British tour supporting Ani DiFranco and sang a duet with Afro Celt Sound System's Iarla Ó Lionáird on the Real World Records album, Volume 3: Further in Time, singing on "Go On Through". [4]
Pina's recording on Further in Time was heard by Peter Gabriel and he released her first album, Quick Look, on his Real World Records label. [5] Billboard called it an "extraordinary debut", praising her as a "gifted" instrumentalist and a writer of "compelling lyrics." [6] AllMusic compared her to Stevie Nicks, praising her distinctive voice and awarding it 3/5. [5] Les Inrockuptibles compared her to Nick Drake and Emmylou Harris, blending Celtic romanticism with central-European classicism. [7] RootsWorld compared her to Melanie Safka, praising her voice but questioning whether the lyrics meant anything. [8] Classic Rock found her a bit self-obsessed. [9]
In 2005 Pina released her second album Guess You Got It.
When she moved to Ireland, Pina was married to Helmut Kollars (b. 1968, Graz), a writer and illustrator of children's books. The couple had a daughter, Luise Magdalena, but divorced before the recording of Pina's first album. [2] Kollars went on to work as a freelance illustrator for publishing and advertising in Ireland, Belgium and the US, and eventually settled in Kassel. [10]
Pina had a second daughter in 2006 and married musician Andy Hogg in 2009. In 2007 she completed studies to become a nutritional therapist and moved back to Vienna.
Afro Celt Sound System is a British musical group who fuse electronic music with traditional Gaelic and West African music. Afro Celt Sound System was formed in 1995 by producer-guitarist Simon Emmerson, and feature a wide range of guest artists. In 2003 they temporarily changed their name to Afrocelts before reverting to their original name.
Vespertine is the fourth studio album by Icelandic recording artist Björk. It was released on 27 August 2001 in the United Kingdom by One Little Indian Records and in the United States by Elektra Entertainment. Production on the album began during the filming of Dancer in the Dark, which was characterized by conflict between her and director Lars von Trier. Vespertine's sound reflected Björk's newly found interest in the music of artists such as Opiate and Console, who were also enlisted as producers.
Christine Marie Flores, better known as Christina Milian, is an American actress, singer and songwriter. Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, but raised in Maryland, she signed a contract with Murder Inc. Records at the age of 19. In 2001, Milian released her self-titled debut album, which featured the singles "AM to PM" and "When You Look at Me"; the former charted within the Top 40 of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and both peaked in the top three on the UK Singles Chart. In 2004, Milian released her second studio album It's About Time, which provided her first major U.S. hit, "Dip It Low", which reached number five on the U.S. Billboard chart. "Whatever U Want" was released as the album's second single. Both singles charted within the Top 10 of the UK chart.
Real World Records is a British record label specializing in world music. It was founded in 1989 by English musician Peter Gabriel and original members of WOMAD.
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Celtic fusion is an umbrella term for any modern music which incorporates influences considered "Celtic", or Celtic music which incorporates modern music. It is a syncretic musical tradition which borrows freely from the perceived "Celtic" musical traditions of all the Celtic nations, as well as from all styles of popular music, it is thus sometimes associated with the Pan-Celtic movement. Celtic fusion may or may not include authentic traditional music from any one tradition under the Celtic umbrella, but its common characteristic is the inspiration by Celtic identity.
Johnny Kalsi is a British Indian dhol drum performer residing in London. He rose to prominence as a former member of Transglobal Underground and the founder of the Dhol Foundation. He also is a member of the Afro Celt Sound System and The Imagined Village.
Volume 2: Release is Afro Celt Sound System's second album, released on 25 January 1999 by Real World Records.
Volume 3: Further in Time is the third studio album from Afro Celt Sound System, released on 19 June 2001 through Real World.
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"Someone like You" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Adele. It was written and produced by Adele and Dan Wilson for her second studio album, 21 (2011). It is the second single and final track on the album. The song was inspired by a broken relationship with one's life partner, and lyrically speaks of Adele's coming to terms with it. XL Recordings released the song as the second single from the album on 24 January 2011 in the United Kingdom and on 9 August 2011 in the United States. Accompanied only by a piano in the song, Adele sings about the end of the relationship with her ex-partner.
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Helmut Kollars is an Austrian illustrator and writer of children's books.