Alice Russell

Alice Russell

Alice Russell is a British soul singer from Suffolk, United Kingdom, born in 1975. She grows up in Framlingham in Suffolk and is the daughter of an organist. From an early age she follows a musical path shaped by family influences, taking cello lessons from the age of nine and singing in choirs before studying art and music in Brighton from 1994.

Musical background and influences

Russell’s style is shaped by both formal training and early exposure to gospel, soul and other vocal traditions. She listens from a young age to Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin, and later cites Minnie Riperton, Eva Cassidy, Chaka Khan and Jill Scott among her influences.

Career

She begins to gain recognition in the early 2000s through recordings with Bah Samba, Quantic, TM Juke, Kushti and Nostalgia 77. Her work with Bah Samba combines Latin sounds with house, jazz and funk elements, while her recordings with Kushti lean towards a more relaxed hip-hop and soul style.

Her debut release, Under the Munka Moon, appears in 2004 as a collection of singles, remixes and collaborations. The following year she releases My Favourite Letters, her first studio album, made with co-writer, producer and guitarist Alex Cowan, known as TM Juke. In 2006 she follows with Under the Munka Moon II, which gathers recent collaborations, remixes and cover versions, including her version of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army”. A live DVD, Alice Russell – Live in Paris, also appears in 2006.

Performances and collaborations

Russell tours with TM Juke from 2006, performing in the UK, Europe, Australia, the US and other countries. She also appears on the main stage at The Big Chill after an invitation from Grant Marshall, known as Daddy G of Massive Attack. Other performances include support slots for Lonnie Liston Smith, Femi Kuti and De La Soul, and an appearance alongside Amy Winehouse on the British showcase at the Midem Music Conference in Cannes in 2007.