Freya Roy
Stepping back into the spotlight after a 5-year hiatus, Freya Roy brings the ‘AHLKE’ UK Spring Tour to London’s Servant Jazz Quarters on May 23rd. A full-band headline show plus support from Cariss Auburn + Vinyl Hunter DJs. Funded by MOBO Trust and Help Musicians UK.
Fresh out of the vibrant Leeds jazz scene, Norwich-based artist and producer, Freya Roy is dropping her debut album, AHLKE. An awardee of the 2018 MOBOs Help Musicians Fund and listed for Glastonbury’s Emerging Talent 2019, Freya Roy is certainly one to watch. Her shimmering blend of neo-soul and R&B is causing a stir with her smoking, soulful vocals and mesmerising live performance. Her unique approach to a jazz composition has gained her traction and respect from the likes of BBC 6 Music and British Vogue, ahead of the release and UK Tour of her debut album ‘AHLKE’.
Drawing inspiration from hiphop producer J Dilla and taking huge influences from icons such as Jill Scott, Robert Glasper and Esperanze Spalding; ‘AHLKE’ has been an exciting project with a splash of some of Submotion Orchestra’s key members on the record; including Simon Beddoe (flugel), pianist and compoer, Taz Modi, and mix engineer, Dom Howard.
Live on tour, Freya will be joined by UK jazz pianist and composer, David Austin Grey, drummer Greg Burns from Leeds-based Neo Soul/Afrobeat-inspired band, Necktr, and Leeds bassist Sam Williams.
With the album released on FCR Music on April 29th (Freya’s own label) she is making waves as a female artist and is passionate about the fair representation of women in creative industries.
Catch Freya tour with her band this spring whilst her whereabouts remains under the radar.
With support from:
Vinyl Hunter DJs: Eclectic purveyors of vinyl across East Anglia & London, the Vinyl Hunter DJs will be spinning tunes before and after the live music!
Cariss Auburn is a singer-songwriter and self-taught producer from Wolverhampton. Citing her musical influences as ranging from jazz to 80’s soul and funk, she has brought her melodic and soulful sound to regular performances throughout the Midlands and beyond, notably opening for soul legend Alexander O’Neal at The Jamhouse, Birmingham. Her debut EP ‘Unphased’, from which the eponymous track was named “standout” track of the week on BBC Introducing WM, is out now along with the accompanying music video for her single ‘Summer’. Long-listed in Glastonbury’s 2017 Emerging Talent Competition, she looks forward to performing new music this year after gaining local media attention with the release of her Youtube music video series “Wolverhampton Wanders”.
