User:BTLizard/HelenBoulding

Helen Boulding is a London-based singer-songwriter originally from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.

Her debut album 'New Red Dress' is released on her own label 'Maid In Sheffield' in February 2008, with two singles out before the album. 'Breathe' is out in November and 'Copenhagen' is out in February.

In the past Helen has written with some of the biggest names in music. Simon Tong (The Good, The Bad & The Queen, The Verve) has written recently with Helen and some of these songs appear as bonus tracks on the forthcoming singles. She has also written with Squeeze's Chris Difford and managed to persuade Pink Floyd’s Rick Wright out of retirement to pen some songs with her. She has also collaborated with one of the most renowned songwriters in the world, Billy Steinberg (Eternal Flame, True Colours, Like A Virgin).

On her debut album, the legendary Youth stepped in as producer, and Bryan Adams took a break between shooting some of the world's most beautiful women as a photographer and a world tour to shoot Helen's album cover. Helen had met Adams previously through mutual friend, The Cure's Phil Thornally.

With an ever-growing fan base in the UK, she proves in demand as a songwriter and guest performer. Currently doing dates in London in the run up to Christmas, she recently toured Europe with Bryan Ferry. She guests on the title track from The Orb’s new album ‘The Dream’, which she also co-wrote.

Helen recently performed on BBC 1’s evening primetime magazine show ‘The One Show’ as a last-minute replacement for Rolan Bolan, who was due to perform on the show on the anniversary of his father’s untimely death. Rolan had been held up in the U.S.A unexpectedly, and at the suggestion of presenter Adrian Chiles, who had heard some of Helen’s songs, she was invited to step in, performing Mark Bolan’s ‘Life’s A Gas’ in front of Rolan’s mum Gloria Jones.

Bringing to mind Karen Carpenter crossed with Kate Bush, Helen chose music over sport, coming from a high achieving sports family. Her brother Mick was an ATP-ranking tennis player who roomed with Tim Henman before switching to football, signing for Aston Villa in 2002. Now with Mansfield, he was joined by younger brother Rory, 19, who’s banging in the goals for them in League Two this season. Her sister Sal was a world-ranked tennis player, and other sister Laura played rounders for England.

Growing up, she was introduced to music by her Uncle Tom who ran Fagen’s in Sheffield, a pub well known to local bands and artists for the impromptu live sets which take place during their lock ups. A regular haunt for the likes of Richard Hawley, a picture hanging in Fagen’s features on the back sleeve of his current album, Lady’s Bridge.