ArtistInfo

Layla Zoe

voc, CA
Singer of Blues and Rock

Profile till 2005 - Canadian Blues singer. Layla Zoe was 4 years old when she began singing and loving it! Born in Victoria, B.C., Canada Layla was raised around "good" music and continued to explore her musical tastes as well as writing poetry and performing at open stages in Vancouver, B.C. at the age of fifteen. " I taught myself to sing by listening to old records." - Layla Zoe. Growing up listening to Robert Johnson, Billie Holiday and Muddy Waters, Layla grew up with a good knowledge of the blues. As Layla matured she began to find her own tastes lying more in the 60's-70's genre of psychedelic rock and blues. Listening to artists like the Band, Jefferson Airplane, Led Zeppelin and Santana as well as singer/songwriters such as Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin and Van Morrison, one can hear Layla's major influences. Layla also became a fan of jazz, clasical, even opera and worldbeat. Layla is known for having a diverse taste in music and it can be heard in her vocal inflections. In 2001 Layla attended the Hornby Island Blues Workshop (BC)where she met David Gogo, Ken Whiteley, Rick Fines, Doug Cox, Ellen McIlwaine and many more Canadian musicians. Layla later worked with David Gogo, and performed to a sold-out audience at the Port theatre in Nanaimo, B.C. for Gogo's "The Evolution of the Blues" concert, which later aired on CBC radio's Saturday Night Blues Show hosted by Holger Peterson. "Layla Zoe, a young blues siren! She reached deep into her guts to hit some of the notes. She had the audience in the palm of her hands." -by Walter Cordery - Daily News -(Review from the "The Evolution of the Blues") Layla also appeared on a pilot episode of the tv series "Canadian Idol"; Layla was "too bluesy" for the pop idol tv competition. Layla has recently released her debut limited edition EP cd "You Will" after working with producer Alec Watson (Production and Engineering credits include Great Big Sea, Spirit of the West, Michelle Wright, Rick Henry) She plans to work with Watson again in early 2006 to release her full length album. In the meantime Layla is opening for artists such as Juno nominated Amos Garrett, Juno Winner Ken Hamm, critically acclaimed guitarist Bill Johnson and world renowned dobro master Doug Cox. This summer(2005),Layla also performed at the same festivals as Michael Franti/Spearhead, David Lindley, Keb Mo, Bo Diddley and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. In 2005 Layla released her first 5 track EP called "You Will". 2006 saw the release of her first full length album "Shades Of Blue" and the rest, as they say, is history ....

Instruments

• Vocals
• Backing Vocals

Genres

• Blues
• Rock
• Brass