Shea Seger

With a vocal style that sometimes evokes the fragile tenderness of Olivia Newton John, the smoldering confidence of Sheryl Crow, the blunt sarcasm of Ani DiFranco, and the slender intensity of Tori Amos, Shea Seger made her first appearance in October 2000 when The May Street Project came out in Britain. Favorable coverage there came well before the album reached American listeners in summer 2001 through RCA. Born in Fort Worth, TX, and raised in the small nearby community of Quitman, TX, she absorbed music early through her father’s wide-ranging record collection, citing artists from Curtis Mayfield to Pink Floyd as formative influences. Having played piano since the age of two and begun composing songs while still young, she first aimed at a career in musical theater. By 1998, however, she chose to pursue an independent path, relocating to London’s vibrant West End where she began working with producer Martin Terefe and songwriter Nick Whitecross to refine her material. The resulting album blended dense contemporary beats, confessional singer/songwriter elements, a blues-inflected delivery, and smooth pop melodies. This wide-ranging collection reflected both Terefe’s post-modern, rhythm-heavy production approach and Seger’s growing songwriting voice. Its opening track, “Clutch,” reached U.S. radio outlets in May, while the full project arrived in stores on June 5, 2001, featuring a collaboration on the song “Always” with Canadian singer/songwriter Ron Sexsmith.