Issa (singer)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Issa

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Img_capt = Issa performing at Hugh's Room in Toronto, Ontario, 2007
Img_size =
Landscape =
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name =
Alias = Jane Siberry
Born = birth date and age|1955|10|12
Toronto, Ontario
Died =
Origin = Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Instrument = Singing, guitar, keyboards, computer
Voice_type =
Genre = All genres
Occupation = Singer-songwriter, composer, musician, record producer
Years_active = 1981–present
Label = Sheeba, Duke Street, Open Air, Windham Hill, Street, East Side Digital, Reprise, Rhino
Associated_acts = John Switzer, Brian Eno, K.D. Lang, Hector Zazou, Peter Gabriel, Rebecca Jenkins, Holly Cole, Mary Margaret O'Hara, Victoria Williams
URL = [http://www.issalight.com/ www.issalight.com]
Notable_instruments =

Issa (pronounced "eeee-sah") (formerly known as Jane Siberry, born October 12 1955 [cite book |last=Buckley |first=Peter |title=The Rough Guide to Rock |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=7ctjc6UWCm4C&pg=RA66-PR106&lpg=RA66-PR106&source=web&ots=YCiiyoVMH9 |accessdate=2008-02-16 |edition=3rd |year=2003 |publisher=Rough Guides |language=English |isbn=1843531054 |pages=p933 |quote=Born Toronto, Canada, October 12, 1955 ] ), is a Canadian singer-songwriter known for such new wave hits as "Mimi on the Beach", "I Muse Aloud" and "One More Colour", as well as her adult contemporary hit "Calling All Angels" from her 1993 album "When I Was a Boy".

On August 30 2005, Jane Siberry was awarded the 2005 Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Award in music by the Canada Council for the Arts.Canada Council for the Arts, news release, 30 August 2005, [http://www.canadacouncil.ca/news/releases/2005/on127698883984761058.htm] . en icon fr icon]

Career history

Born in Toronto, Ontario, Siberry was studying music and microbiology at the University of Guelph when she released her debut album, "Jane Siberry" in 1981 (see 1981 in music). The album was relatively successful for an independent release, but the follow-up, "No Borders Here" was critically acclaimed and included the underground hit "Mimi on the Beach".

"The Speckless Sky" (1985, see 1985 in music) was a commercial and critical success, and Siberry moved to a major label in time for "The Walking" (1988, see 1988 in music), which was a critical success but popular failure. "The Walking" was released on Reprise Records internationally, but remained on Duke Street Records in Canada. Reprise would become her Canadian record label as well with her next album, "Bound By the Beauty" in 1989.

In 1993 (see 1993 in music), Siberry worked with Michael Brook and Brian Eno on "When I Was a Boy". That album's most famous song, the k.d. lang duet "Calling All Angels", first appeared in Wim Wenders' "Until the End of the World", and was later re-recorded for the "Pay It Forward" soundtrack. The song was also subsequently used in the "Six Feet Under" episode "The Rainbow of Her Reasons", sung by several characters around the body of a deceased friend. The song also featured in CSI New York, season 3, episode 12. "Love is Everything" from the same album was covered by k.d. lang on her album "Hymns of the 49th Parallel".

Her song, 'Anytime' was featured in Series 3 Episode 11, entitled 'Last Dance', of "The L Word", when the ladies scattered Dana Fairbanks' ashes at the waterfall.

Following the release "Maria" (1995, see 1995 in music), Siberry founded her own independent label, Sheeba Records. She has released all of her subsequent material on that label. Her public profile has been lower since she became an independent artist; however, she retains a devoted cult following.

All of Siberry's independent albums have presented material organized around a particular theme, such as Christmas music, songs about communication, or traditional spiritual music.

Her latest album is "Shushan the Palace: Hymns of Earth" (2003, see 2003 in music), an album of pop interpretations of Christmas hymns.

Siberry's music is most commonly compared to artists such as Kate Bush, Joni Mitchell and Laurie Anderson. Her personal musical influences include Van Morrison and Miles Davis.

Siberry has often criticized the competitive power of commercial radio and the recording industry. [Adria, Marco, "Very Siberry," "Music of Our Times: Eight Canadian Singer-Songwriters" (Toronto: Lorimer, 1990), p. 126.] In 2005, Siberry pioneered a self-determined pricing policy through her websiteJane Siberry's Sheeba.ca website with a self-determined pricing policy, [http://www.sheeba.ca/] .] on which the purchaser is given the choices of: standard price (about $0.99 USD/track), pay now - self-priced, pay later - self-priced, or "a gift from Jane". Her music is now only available in mp3 format in order to eliminate plastic waste. In an interview with "The Globe and Mail", Siberry confirmed that since she had instituted the self-determined pricing policy, the average income she receives per song from Sheeba customers is in fact slightly "more" than standard price. [http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2005/11/jane-siberry-opens-window-better-download-world Jane Siberry Opens a Window On a Better Download World"] , "Electronic Frontier Foundation", November 28 2005. Retrieved 2007-08-14.] Gill, Alexandra (2006-09-30). [http://www.issalight.com/press/press-1006-globemail.html "Just a Knapsack and Her Manolos"] ,"The Globe and Mail". Retrieved 2006-04-03.]

Issa

Early in 2006, Siberry closed her Sheeba office, then sold and gave away nearly all of her possessions—including her home and instruments. She presently retains one travelling guitar, but none of the other instruments featured on her albums and in her concerts. In 2006, she told "The Globe and Mail" that she had kept a very few precious possessions, including her Miles Davis CDs, in storage.

On June 3 2006, somewhere in northwestern Europe, Siberry changed her name to Issa. She revealed her new name to the public on June 24 2006. She has also indicated, however, that her older music will remain available for sale under the name Jane Siberry; only her new material will be released as Issa. She indicated to "The Globe and Mail" that she chose the name Issa as a feminine variant of Isaiah.

On July 4 2006, she gave a lecture at University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, on the topic of "Cracking the Egg: A Look from the Inside," opening with a poetic meditation on science and life—and then opened the floor up to questions from the audience. She talked about her recent adventures in decommodifying her life, her change in name, and her new conception of herself as an artist. While she has been recording new music lately, at present she has no plans to release music conventionally on CD as she has in the past, preferring perhaps to release a song at a time through her website or to share new music in concert.

In 2006 and 2007 Issa has documented the process of recording some thirty new songs in her journal, posted on her MySpace page and on issalight.com. The songs are not yet available.

On October 3, 2007 Issa opened her world tour with a show at the Registry Theatre in Kitchener, Ontario.

Discography

*"Jane Siberry" (1981)
*"No Borders Here" (1984)
*"The Speckless Sky" (1985)
*"The Walking" (1987)
*"Bound by the Beauty" (1989)
*"When I Was a Boy" (1993)
*"A Collection 1984-1989" (1995, compilation)
*"Summer in the Yukon" (1995, compilation)
*"Maria" (1995)
*"Teenager" (1996)
*"A Day in the Life" (1997)
*"" (1997, live)
*"" (1999, live)
*"" (1999, live)
*"Hush" (2000)
*"City" (2001)
*"" (2002)
*"Count Your Blessings" (2003, live, performances by Jane Siberry, Holly Cole, Rebecca Jenkins, Mary Margaret O'Hara and Victoria Williams)
*"" (2003)

Compilation albums

Siberry has also contributed tracks to a number of movie soundtracks and compilation albums:

*"Until the End of the World", 1991 ("Calling All Angels")
*"Kick at the Darkness", 1991 ("A Long Time Love Song", duet with Martin Tielli)
*"Toys, 1992 ("Happy Workers (reprise)")
*"The Crow", 1994 ("It Can't Rain All the Time")
*"Faraway, So Close", 1994 ("Slow Tango")
*"", 1997 ("When I Think of Laura Nyro")
*"", 1997 ("Temple")
*"Pay It Forward", 1998 ("Calling All Angels")
*", 2004 ("With All Your Heart")
*"", 2005 ("Calling All Angels")

Trivia

* Her song "One More Colour" was covered by Sarah Polley on the soundtrack to "The Sweet Hereafter", and by the Rheostatics on their "Introducing Happiness" album.

* She recorded the traditional Newfoundland song "She's Like the Swallow" on French producer Hector Zazou's 1994 album "Chansons des mers froides" ("Songs from the Cold Seas").

*Issa is a vegetarian. [cite web |url=http://www.goveg.com/feat/sexiestveg2007/ |title= GoVeg.com // Carrie Underwood and Kevin Eubanks Voted World's Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrities |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20071014000314/http://www.goveg.com/feat/sexiestveg2007/ |archivedate=2007-10-14]

* While there is a common belief that she is a lesbian,Popmatters.com, Scott McLatchy, "Jane Siberry, The Speckless Sky (1985)", 15 July 2005, [http://www.popmatters.com/music/features/cutoutbin/1-siberyjane.shtml] .] and her music has appeared on a compilation CD targeted to a lesbian audience,Rhino Entertainment, Various Artists, "Women Like Us: Lesbian Favorites", Rhino.com online store, [http://www.rhino.com/store/ProductDetail.lasso?Number=72915] .] Issa/Jane Siberry has in fact never made a public statement of her sexuality, although in concert she has often spoken of various ex-boyfriends.

References

External links

* [http://www.issalight.com/ Issa] official website
* [http://www.janesiberry.com/ Jane Siberry] on Sheeba Records
*myspace|issalight|Issa
*myspace|janesiberrysheeba|Jane Siberry
* [http://youtube.com/watch?v=9IrGD8OvEhI "She's Like a Swallow"] performed live on YouTube
* [http://ascentmagazine.com/articles.aspx?articleID=75&page=read&subpage=past&issueID=14 "Sing a Little Sweeter"] an interview with ascent magazine.