Sophie Moleta

Last updated

Sophie Moleta
Also known asSatya Elizabeth Francis Barnao
Born Wellington, New Zealand
GenresFolk pop
Occupation(s)Musician, teacher
Instrument(s)Vocals, piano
Years active1992–present
LabelsBMG
Website sophiemoleta.com

Sophie Moleta is a New Zealand-Australian singer, songwriter, [1] composer and teacher with an intimate singing style. She provides folk pop with piano-backed vocals and also covers other genres from dance and house music, electronic ambient to laid back jazz.

Contents

Moleta was born in Wellington, New Zealand, but had moved to Perth, Western Australia early 1970s. [2] [3] Her father, Vincent Bartolo Moleta (born 1939), was a writer, publisher and historian, who retired in 2000 and her mother, classical accompanist was Christine Oakley (1939–1989). [3] [4] From the age of four she received classical music lessons from her mother. [5] Moleta's non-classical music career started with a local Perth punk band, the Brautigans as backup vocalist and drummer. [6]

Two of Moleta's tracks, "Can You" and "111 Taranaki St", are included on the Various Artists' compilation album, Runner: A Compilation of New Zealand Music (1994). [7] Joshua Glazer of AllMusic described her "haunting piano and whispered vocals". [7] Her early album, Trust, was issued in 1998 by BMG. [8] [9] She relocated to France in 1999. [6] For her next album, Drive (2000), the artist worked with French producer Hector Zazou, who recorded it at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios. [10] Correspondent for De Morgen compared her to Tori Amos, "Moleta's music sounds more minimalistic and the expressive capacity of her voice is clearly smaller" and found that her singing "is rarely accompanied by more than one instrument and in 'Geneva' and 'Fresh Rain' vocally goes so over the top that it makes your teeth grind." [10] Whereas with "'10 x 2', 'Chapelle' or the thin title track, this lady effortlessly gets you captivated." [10]

Moleta was residing in Brighton, England and Jersey by 2000. [6] She collaborated with trance group, Human Movement to issue a single, "Love Has Come Again" (2000). [6] In 2003 she returned to Wellington, New Zealand and by 2007 was back in Perth, Australia. [6]

Discography

Albums except as noted

The birth of Love ep released on band camp October 2015

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crowded House</span> Australian – New Zealand pop rock band

Crowded House are an Australian – New Zealand rock band, formed in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, in 1985. Its founding members were New Zealander Neil Finn and Australians Paul Hester (drums) and Nick Seymour (bass). Later band members included Finn's brother Tim, who was in their former band Split Enz; sons Liam and Elroy; as well as Americans Mark Hart and Matt Sherrod. Neil Finn and Seymour are the sole constant members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bic Runga</span> New Zealand singer and songwriter

Briolette Kah Bic Runga, recording as Bic Runga, is a New Zealand singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist pop artist. Her first three studio albums debuted at number one on the New Zealand Top 40 Album charts. Runga has also found success internationally in Australia, Ireland and the United Kingdom with her 1997 song "Sway".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat Benatar</span> American singer and songwriter (born 1953)

Patricia Mae Giraldo is an American singer and songwriter. In the United States, she has two multi-platinum albums, five platinum albums, and 15 US Billboard top 40 singles, while in Canada she had eight straight platinum albums, and she has sold over 36 million albums worldwide. She is also a four-time Grammy Award winner. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in November 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sophie Ellis-Bextor</span> British singer (born 1979)

Sophie Michelle Ellis-Bextor is an English singer and songwriter. She first came to prominence in the late 1990s as the lead vocalist of the indie rock band Theaudience. After the group disbanded, Ellis-Bextor went solo and achieved success beginning in the early 2000s. Her music is mainstream pop and dance with influences of disco, nu-disco, and 1980s electronic music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bardot (Australian band)</span> Australian female pop group

Bardot was an Australian pop girl group which formed in 1999, consisting of Belinda Chapple, Sophie Monk, Sally Polihronas, Katie Underwood and Tiffani Wood. The group formed on the Australian reality television series Popstars, which attracted high ratings and significant media exposure. This resulted in the instant success of Bardot's debut single "Poison" and debut album Bardot (2000), both which entered the Australian and New Zealand charts at number 1.

<i>Read My Lips</i> (Sophie Ellis-Bextor album) 2001 studio album by Sophie Ellis-Bextor

Read My Lips is the debut studio album by English singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor, released on 3 September 2001 by Polydor Records. After the disbandment of the Britpop group Theaudience, for which Ellis-Bextor served as lead vocalist, she was signed to Polydor. Prior to the LP's completion, the singer collaborated with several musicians, including band Blur's bassist Alex James, Moby and New Radicals frontman Gregg Alexander. The record was described as a collection of 1980s electronica and 1970s disco music.

Halogen were an Australian rock band, formed in Perth, Western Australia in 1997. Founding mainstays were Frans Bisschops on guitar and keyboards and Jasmine Yee on lead vocals – both expatriate New Zealanders. Halogen released three albums, Save the Ones You Love, Building on the Edge of the Sky and Sirens, before disbanding in 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Whitlams</span> Australian rock band

The Whitlams are an Australian Indie rock band formed in late 1992. The original line-up was Tim Freedman on keyboards and lead vocals, Andy Lewis on double bass and Stevie Plunder on guitar and lead vocals. Other than mainstay Freedman, the line-up has changed numerous times. From 2001 to 2022, he was joined by Warwick Hornby on bass guitar, Jak Housden on guitar and Terepai Richmond on drums – forming the band's longest-lasting and best-known line-up. Four of their studio albums have reached the ARIA Albums Chart top 20: Eternal Nightcap, Love This City, Torch the Moon and Little Cloud. Their highest charting singles are "Blow Up the Pokies" and "Fall for You" – both reached number 21. The group's single, "No Aphrodisiac" was listed at number one on the Triple J Hottest 100, 1997 by listeners of national radio station, Triple J. In January 1996 Stevie Plunder was found dead at the base of Wentworth Falls. Andy Lewis died in February 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evermore (band)</span> New Zealand rock band

Evermore were a rock band formed in Feilding, New Zealand, in 1999, made up of three brothers Jon, Peter and Dann Hume. The band was based in Sydney from 2004 to 2007 and then Melbourne until they became inactive in 2014. Evermore released four studio albums: Dreams (2004), Real Life (2006), Truth of the World: Welcome to the Show (2009), and Follow the Sun (2012), as well as a self-titled compilation album (2010). Real Life and Truth of the World were their highest charting studio albums in New Zealand and Australia, while Dreams and Real Life received platinum certifications from Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).

<i>My Love Is Your Love</i> 1998 studio album by Whitney Houston

My Love Is Your Love is the fourth studio album by American singer Whitney Houston, released worldwide on November 17, 1998. The album is one of the best-selling female albums of all time, having been certified four times platinum in both the United States and Europe. As of May 2000, My Love Is Your Love sold over 10 million copies worldwide. It was Houston's first studio album in eight years, following I'm Your Baby Tonight (1990) although she had contributed to three movie soundtracks during that period. Musically, My Love Is Your Love is a hip hop and R&B album that is composed of elements of pop, gospel and dance music, produced by musicians such as Whitney Houston herself, Rodney Jerkins, Soulshock & Karlin, Missy Elliott, Wyclef Jean, David Foster, Lauryn Hill, and Babyface.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">On a Night Like This</span> 2000 single by Kylie Minogue

"On a Night Like This" is a song by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue. It was released on 11 September 2000 by Parlophone and Mushroom Records as the second single for her seventh studio album, Light Years (2000), and was distributed in various formats. The track was originally recorded by Swedish singer Pandora and written by Steve Torch, Brian Rawling, Graham Stack, and Mark Taylor, while production was handled by the latter two, it was handed to Minogue to record. Musically, "On a Night Like This" is a Europop, dance-pop and house song that also incorporates elements of disco. Its lyrical content delves into experiencing unique, possibly sexual experiences during the night.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karnivool</span> Australian rock band

Karnivool is an Australian progressive rock band formed in Perth, Australia in 1998. The group currently consists of Ian Kenny on vocals, Drew Goddard and Mark Hosking on guitar, Jon Stockman on bass, and Steve Judd on drums. Karnivool emerged from a band Kenny and Goddard formed during high school. They have released three studio albums to date, the most recent of which (Asymmetry) was released in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murder on the Dancefloor</span> 2001 single by Sophie Ellis-Bextor

"Murder on the Dancefloor" is a song written by Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Gregg Alexander, produced by Alexander and Matt Rowe for Ellis-Bextor's debut studio album, Read My Lips (2001). Released on 3 December 2001, the song peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart and became a top-10 hit worldwide, charting within the top three in Australia, New Zealand, and four European countries. In the United States, the single reached number nine on the Billboard Maxi-Singles Sales chart. "Murder on the Dancefloor" is reported to have been the most played song in Europe in 2002.

Catherine Anne "Cat" Hope, is an Australian composer, musician and academic. She started her music and academic careers in Perth and relocated to Melbourne in 2017. Her opera, Speechless, was first performed in 2019 at the Perth Festival. At the Art Music Awards of 2020 she won Work of the Year: Dramatic for Speechless. Steve Dow of The Age described the opera, "fuelled by outrage over the imprisonment of asylum seeker children, which features growling and screaming to an unconventional score without musical notation." Hope has also won the Art Music Award for Excellence in Experimental Music in 2011 for Decibel's 2009–2010 Annual Programs and in 2014 for her Drawn from Sound exhibition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)</span> 2000 single by Spiller

"Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)" is a song by the Italian electronic music DJ and record producer Spiller with lead vocals performed by English singer-songwriter Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Various versions of the single were later featured on the German reissue and some UK editions of Ellis-Bextor's debut solo studio album, Read My Lips (2001). The single was released on 14 August 2000 by Positiva Records and was involved in a highly publicised chart battle against "Out of Your Mind", the first single by Victoria Beckham outside the Spice Girls, in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Take Me Home (Cher song)</span> 1979 single by Cher

"Take Me Home" is a song recorded by American singer and actress Cher for her fifteenth studio album. The album, released in 1979, bore the same name as the single. "Take Me Home" is a disco song conceived after Cher was recommended to venture into said genre after the commercial failure of her previous albums. The lyrics center around the request of a woman to be taken home by her lover. It was released as the lead single from the Take Me Home album in January 1979 through Casablanca Records, pressed as a 12-inch single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Ordinary Love</span> 1992 single by Sade

"No Ordinary Love" is a song by English band Sade, released in September 1992 by Epic Records as the lead single and opening track from their fourth studio album, Love Deluxe (1992). The song is written by lead singer Sade Adu and Stuart Matthewman, and was a success in Europe and New Zealand. It reached number four in Italy, number 17 in New Zealand, number 19 in Finland and the Netherlands, number 20 in France and number 26 in the UK. In January 1993, the song peaked at number 15 in Canada and number 28 on the US Billboard Hot 100. When re-released in May 1993, "No Ordinary Love" reached a new peak of number 14 on the UK Singles Chart and number 21 in Australia. In the accompanying music video, directed by Sophie Muller, Adu plays a mermaid who wants to be a bride.

Ben-Zion "Ben" Glatzer is an Australian sound engineer and producer. He worked on Ammonia's debut album, Mint 400 (1995), The Chevelles' At Second Glance (1995), Cartman's debut Go! (2002), The Stems' Mushroom Soup: The Citadel Years (2003), and The Sleepy Jackson's debut Lovers (2003). From 1994 to 2002 Glatzer won a total of eight West Australian Music Industry Awards for his work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kimbra</span> New Zealand singer and songwriter (born 1990)

Kimbra Lee Johnson, known mononymously as Kimbra, is a New Zealand singer and songwriter. Known for mixing pop with R&B, jazz and rock musical elements, her accolades include four ARIA Music Awards, two Grammy Awards and seven New Zealand Music Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sophie (musician)</span> English music producer and DJ (1986–2021)

Sophie Xeon, known mononymously as SOPHIE, was an English music producer, songwriter, and DJ. Her work is known for its brash take on pop music and is distinguished by experimental sound design, "sugary" synthesized textures, and incorporation of underground dance styles. She would help pioneer the 2010s hyperpop microgenre.

References

  1. ↑ Palmer, Sarah (11 October 2001), "Moleta takes on Kulcha", The West Australian
  2. ↑ Lebovici, Elisabeth (7 April 2000), "Culture - Pop", Libération (in French), archived from the original on 22 September 2021
  3. 1 2 "Moleta, Vincent Bartolo, 1939- | Items". National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  4. ↑ Moleta, Vincent Bartolo (September 2012). Family Business: an Italian-New Zealand Story. University of Canterbury. ISBN   978-1-927145-33-3 . Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  5. ↑ "Sophie Moleta ⋆ Common Threads Woven Through Community". Common Threads. 2021. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2024– via National Library of Australia.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Artist Spotlight on Sophie Moleta". Collected Sounds. 2007. Archived from the original on 12 October 2007. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
  7. 1 2 Glazer, Joshua. "Runner: A Compilation of New Zealand Music - V..." AllMusic . Retrieved 25 December 2024.
  8. 1 2 "Trust[sound recording] : 1992-1998 /... | Items". National Library of New Zealand. 1998. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  9. ↑ Seman, Michael (20 August 1998). "Bubblehead Record Review – Trust Sophie Moleta CD". University of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 20 January 2002. Retrieved 18 December 2024– via National Library of Australia.
  10. 1 2 3 "Zelfgedroomde liedjes" [Self-Dreamed Songs]. De Morgen (in Flemish). 6 May 2000. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
  11. ↑ Steenhaut, Door Dirk (6 May 2000), "Café des Arts", De Morgen (in Dutch)
  12. ↑ Lebovici, Elisabeth (15 June 2000), "Moleta kate-bushienne", Libération (in French), archived from the original on 10 September 2021
  13. ↑ "Live in Lille[sound recording] : Oct... | Items". National Library of New Zealand. 2000. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  14. ↑ Kazemi, Roya (2001). "Love Has Come Again - lp_love-has-come-again_human-movement.pdf" (PDF). Ultra Records. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  15. ↑ "My style of sensual[sound recording]... | Items". National Library of New Zealand. 2003. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.