Imelda May turned 45 today.
This Irish singer was first known for her musical style and fashion—that trademark blonde streak and leopard-print dress! She had adored rockabilly since encountering Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochran on a tape she borrowed from her brother’s bedroom at age 13. Her second studio album, Love Tattoo, with the debut single “Johnny Got a Boom Boom” made her gain significant popularity in Ireland and the United Kingdom.
She made a solid breakthrough after she met with a booking agent for Jools Holland. The guy gave May a support slot for Holland at Kew Gardens, London, quickly followed by a 10-date tour. Immediately, record companies started calling. She then signed with Decca.
In July 2015 Independent.ie asked her if her next album will retain her “rockabilly” sound. Big mistake. Turns out Imelda is not a of the ‘rockabilly’ moniker and is keen to show that she can cross many genres.
“People see my hair and they think rockabilly, and I mean there’s a lot of rockabilly in what I do, but there’s also an equal amount of blues and jazz, and there are all kinds of genres. It happens all the time that people ask about it and people presume, but I’m not a rockabilly artist and I never have been.”
Oh well, happy birthday and thanks for your contribution to rockabilly, Imelda May!
💧 Consider checking out CRY-BABY: DOIN’ TIME FOR BEING YOUNG.
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Featured image via Independent.ie.
