New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Scotland is famed the world over for its exports and one of its finest has to be singer-songwriter, Carol Laula. With a style which bobs around somewhere between the sweet, clear delicacy of
Karen Carpenter and the tougher edges of Joan Armatrading, it�s hardly surprising that she�s risen from a young unknown to become a household name.
�August Leaves� is the lead single from her 8th album �The Bones Of It�, which has to be the highlight of her inspiring 25-year career. Born from a desire to make the album she had always wanted and with the people she had always wanted to, the 11 songs revisit her roots and delve into her heart and soul. Album guests include Ken McCluskey (The Bluebells),
David Scott (The Pearlfishers),
Marco Rea &
Stuart Kidd (The Wellgreen) and Brian Docherty.
�Laula�s songs deal with strength and adversity � especially from the modern woman�s perspective � on a personalised but universal level.�
- Q Magazine
She first captivated the media and her audience in 1990, when her independent single, �Standing Proud�, was chosen to represent Glasgow in its year of culture. But Scotland isn't the only country lucky enough to play host to the Paisley born performer. Carol has a massive fan-base that stretches to every corner of the globe. During the 1990s, she toured Asia and Europe, collecting fans and souvenirs along the way, before appearing on stage in at New York's famous Carnegie Hall and showcasing her angelic tones on the stateside circuit.
The same decade saw Carol team up with
Stuart Adamson to produce a series of songs that will no doubt be seen as a legacy to the talent of the late Big Country singer songwriter. Carol has also collaborated with Jane Weidlin of the Go-Gos, Ryan Hedgecock of Lone
Justice and Australia's Cheryl Beattie.
In 1997, Carol took a study break - supposedly - but in between achieving her MA Honours Degree in Politics & English Literature at Glasgow University, she couldn't resist branching out into other aspects of the media and made her debut presenting shows for both BBC
Radio and Scottish Television.
The noughties shaped up to be another busy decade her. As well as touring new areas such as Iceland, she has performed across the UK and Ireland with
Eliza Gilkyson and appeared at Glastonbury - something of a highlight, when she not only shared the bill with Billy Bragg, but met her hero, Tony Benn.
Despite releasing seven previous albums - Still, Precious
Little Victories, Naked, First Disciple, To Let, Kitchen Stories and Answers in the Mirror - Carol still finds the time to tour extensively, treating her fans worldwide to a voice and repertoire that can move even the hardest heart. Although her albums capture her incredible tone and clarity, it's when you see her perform live that you truly appreciate the depth and range of her talent.
