Olivia Chaney, Sons of Art: Purcell revisited
Event details
Olivia Chaney is one of the most distinctive singer-songwriters of her generation. A Grammy-nominated artist, with her music featured in this year’s Wuthering Heights, she has built a reputation for her unmistakable voice, bold arrangements and genre-defying songwriting. Performing everywhere from Glastonbury to the Royal Albert Hall, Olivia has carved out a rare space between folk, classical and contemporary music.
Olivia’s deep connection to the music of Henry Purcell runs throughout her life. Sons of Art is her latest project highlighting the deep affinities between Purcell and the modern singer-songwriter: a shared immediacy, a delight in word-setting and a fearless mix of high art and street culture. For Olivia, this is not classical crossover but a radical reclamation - a conversation across centuries that feels startlingly fresh.
This show is part of a tour launching Olivia’s new Purcell album, featuring a star-studded chamber ensemble. Come and hear a modern English songwriter at the height of her powers interpreting one of England’s great composers in a refreshingly natural and contemporary way.
This event is presented by the National Centre for Early Music.
Image credit: Phil Sharp
About the performer
Born in Florence to a writer and painter-turned-academic, Olivia Chaney grew up listening to everything from Prince to Joni Mitchell to Henry Purcell. This eclectic mix of influences sparked a passion for songwriting that she nurtured at Chetham's School of Music and The Royal Academy. After showcasing at SXSW and a stint as lead singer for electronica outfit Zero 7, Olivia signed with Nonesuch, leading to collaborations with Kronos Quartet and a Grammy nomination for Offa Rex, a collection of Fairport Convention-era classics made with The Decemberists. Olivia’s first solo album The Longest River, produced by Leo Abrahams, received rave reviews. Following this she recorded Shelter in New York City with producer-pianist Thomas Bartlett. These records established Olivia’s reputation as the author of an unmistakable brand of luscious and sophisticated music that explores inherited trauma, the clash of tradition and modernity and the paradoxes of love. Circus of Desire, her third studio album was released in March 2024. This collection of lovingly wrought songs was recorded in NYC with long-time collaborator, producer and musician Thomas Bartlett.
Partners
