Lisa Hannigan

In the case of beautiful Irish chanteuse Lisa Hannigan, what could have been a setback became an opportunity. Born in Kilcloon, County Meath, Ireland, and singing since the age of six, Hannigan was "discovered" in 2001 by fellow Irish singer-songwriter Damien Rice and joined his band, sharing vocal duties with him on his songs. Her delicate, wistful, ethereal delivery, which recalls Joni Mitchell, Nina Simone, and Nico, became an integral part of Rice's music and was prominently featured on his multi-platinum debut album O and its follow-up 9.

While on tour in 2007, Rice decided he no longer needed Hannigan's services and she was left to her own devices. However, Hannigan had been developing her own songwriting skills and soon after put her own band together to record her debut album Sea Sew. Released in her native Ireland in September 2008 and available on iTunes, Sea Sew will be released in the U.S. on ATO Records (Radiohead, Patty Griffin, My Morning Jacket, Crowded House, etc.) in January 2009.

Recorded in Dublin in March 2008 over a period of two weeks, Sea Sew is a collection of indie-folk vignettes that feature an assortment of quirky instruments including glockenspiel, xylophone, and harmonium, unusual arrangements, and playful lyrics in which the sea is a recurring motif. The CD packaging even includes a hand-knitted and hand-sewn cover.

Sea Sew has already received a favorable review from the Los Angeles Times as well as airplay on the influential LA radio station KCRW. The song "Ocean and a Rock" from the album was also used on an episode of Grey's Anatomy. And, coming off a recent North American tour supporting singer-songwriter sensation Jason Mraz, Hannigan was able to expose her music to a much wider audience, which will no doubt continue to expand well into 2009 and beyond.

–Paul Mauceri