Imelda May

Imelda May is an Irish singer who was born in Dublin in 1974. She is the youngest of five children.

Her mother liked Hollywood musicals, and her father was a dance teacher; this influenced her style.

When she was 14 years old, she sang in a Findus advertisement. Imelda May and her friends were known as “Fish Finger Girls”.

One day, when she was crying over a break-up, her father told her: “Now, you can sing the blues”.

In 2002, she lived in London; she worked as a waitress, and in a launderette. In this year she started her own band.

In 2003 she published her first album called “No turning Back”.

Her husband was the rockabilly guitarist Darrell Higman. They have a daughter who is called Violet.

Her musical style is a mixture of rockabilly, blues and jazz. She was inspired by Billy Holiday.

She has published several records and has performed with artists such as Lou Red, The Supremes and Wanda Jackson.

Imelda May performed at Pirineos Sur, and at Festival Castillo de Aínsa in 2007 and 2017; and in 2009, she won the award for “best artist of the year.”

Asun Serrate

English for Fun 4B