Jane Weaver is a singer, songwriter and guitarist from Liverpool, United Kingdom. She is known for work across art pop, dream pop, hauntology, indie folk, indietronica and neo-psychedelia, and is associated with Bird Records. She also works with the projects Misty Dixon and Fenella.

Career

Weaver begins performing in 1989 as the frontperson of the indie rock band Kill Laura. The group signs to Polydor Records, releases two EPs, then later moves to Manchester Records after being seen supporting Marion at the Band On The Wall in Manchester. After three singles, Kill Laura splits.

She then releases material under her own name and appears on compilations including Central Heating Volume 2 on Grand Central Records. She also collaborates with labelmates Doves and Andy Votel for Manchester Records.

Weaver’s first solo album, Like An Aspen Leaf, appears on Bird Records through PIAS in 2002. Contributors include Rick Tomlinson of Voice Of The Seven Woods, Sam Yates, Naomi Hart, Craig Potter and Richard Jupp of Elbow. The album receives positive press attention for its fragile, lullaby-like songwriting.

Side projects and collaborations

Around this period, Weaver forms the art-pop side project Misty Dixon with David Tyack, Anna Greenwood and Sam Yates. The group signs to Twisted Nerve Records and releases three EPs and the album Iced To Mode. The album is released in 2003 after Tyack disappears during a walking holiday in Corsica; he is later found dead nearly two years after his disappearance.

Weaver continues solo work with Seven Day Smile in 2006, a collection of hand-picked demo recordings from the previous 10 years. Its title track features Doves and first appears on the rare 7-inch EP Everyone Knows Everyone Else. She also performs with artists including Gruff Rhys, Badly Drawn Boy, Josephine Foster and Voice Of The Seven Woods.

In 2007 she releases Cherlokalate, a set of new songs dedicated to absent friends. She also curates the femme freak-folk compilation Bearded Ladies with Andy Votel, bringing together contemporary and vintage women singers such as Brigitte Fontaine, Susan Christie and Emma Tricca. The project grows out of an invitation from Jarvis Cocker to perform at his 2007 Meltdown Festival at the Southbank Centre.

Later releases

As Jane Weaver Septième Soeur, she releases The Fallen By Watchbird in 2010, followed by the remix album The Watchbird Alluminate, which includes contributions from Demdike Stare and The Focus Group. In 2014 she releases The Silver Globe, combining space rock and krautrock elements with her folk-based style.

Personal life

Weaver lives in Marple, Stockport, and is married to Andy Votel, who is a DJ and co-founder of Twisted Nerve Records.