I have loved to sing for as long as I can remember. I guess that’s not surprising, given how I grew up. My mum is a classically trained recorder specialist and music teacher and my dad is a self-taught guitar and piano player who can pick up almost anything by ear. Our village home in South Devon was always filled with music—whether it was the tootling of mum’s recorder pupils, my dad strumming the guitar, my sisters practicing piano and cello, or Stevie Wonder crooning from the CD player.
biography
As a child and a teenager, I was an enthusiastic performer in school productions and local amateur dramatics—from pantomime choruses to the lead role in Annie. I watched every movie musical ever made, sitting in my Granny’s farmhouse kitchen by the warmth of her Aga stove. After a solo, year long adventure traveling around the world, I got my diploma in Popular Music Performance at VocalTech in London and started writing my own songs in my early twenties. I performed at open mic evenings in London, accompanied by my dad, Robin Daly, as well as singing backing vocals for other performers.
Today, I’m the mother of two beautiful (and musical) children, and I’m finding new inspiration to write, perform, and record. I’ve been honoured to be invited to perform at many milestone life events and celebrations. My first album, Songs Our Parents Sang, was drawn from some of my most treasured musical memories from my childhood, along with some more modern songs I sing to my own children. It started out as a gift I wanted to give to two of my closest friends and their children, and turned into something I wanted to share more widely. My musical influences—many of whom are also favourites of my husband, James—include Joni Mitchell, Eddi Reader, Eva Cassidy, The Beautiful South, Crowded House, James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, Sarah McLachlan, Tina Dico, KD Lang, and Alison Krauss. My next album will bring together original songs that capture loves, losses, and lessons I’ve learned over the past two decades.