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Imelda May On World Cafe

Irish rockabilly singer Imelda May.
Courtesy of the artist
Irish rockabilly singer Imelda May.

Imelda May began her affair with rockabilly early on in life — by the time she was 9, she'd already begun to emulate Elmore James and Billie Holiday. In 2007, after years of singing in clubs, May stole the spotlight with Love Tattoo. The 12-track collection shot to the #1 spot in Ireland, stealing the hearts of audiences and contemporaries the world over. May has since won a Meteor award and shared a stage with a long and very impressive list of artists including Lou Reed, Elvis Costello, Jeff Beck, Meat Loaf and Lionel Ritchie, among others.

May released a follow-up to Love Tattoo, which reached the U.S. in 2011. Mayhem is a continuation and evolution of her bluesy, rocking jazz. It showcases her witty lyrics, genre mixing and energizing rockabilly. Also including more than a hint of country, Mayhem builds on the balladry and powerful vocals that first ushered her into the international spotlight. It's no wonder that Mayhem was released to a #1 spot on Irish charts — it's clear that Imelda May is here to stay.

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