Lesley Roy

Growing up in Balbriggan, County Dublin, Ireland, Lesley Roy emerged as a songwriter, guitarist, and singer whose powerhouse voice seemed well beyond her years. Because her mother worked as a gigging singer, Roy encountered the realities of a musician’s existence from an early age. She first picked up guitar at seven, received her own instrument at eleven, and soon began writing original songs. At fifteen she started cutting demos with local producer and musician Rory O’Connor, ultimately signing to Glenn Herlihy’s independent Religion Music label. Her evident talent and promise drew the notice of Jeff Foster at Jive Records, prompting both labels to share the expense of her debut album. The single “There’ll Be Angels” surfaced early in 2008, with the album Silently Screaming arriving that spring.