Laura Mvula at Boisdale of Canary Wharf: 11 October
The acclaimed British jazz and soul vocalist will play Boisdale Canary Wharf on 11 October
October 2 2023
Laura Mvula, the acclaimed British jazz and soul vocalist will grace the Yamaha Music London stage at Boisdale Canary Wharf on 11 October with her own white-hot brand of music that has won her critical acclaim and multiple music awards.
Born in Birmingham of Caribbean descent, the classically trained Laura – she played piano and the violin at primary school – began her singing career in gospel groups, choirs and collectives such as Black Voices and judyshouse before signing with RCA in 2012 and immediately releasing an acclaimed EP, She.
In 2013, she released her first studio album, Sing to the Moon earning two MOBO awards and a Mercury Prize nomination. The album spawned the single “Green Garden”, an elegy to her home in Kings Heath and led to Paul Lester from The Guardian describing her music as “gospeldelia”, and suggesting that Laura had created a whole new genre.
In 2016, her second album The Dreaming Room won the Ivor Novello award and received another Mercury Prize nomination. The album produced three singles: “People”, featuring British rapper, Wretch 32, “Phenomenal Woman” and “Show me Love”.
In April 2018, she performed “I Put a Spell on You” as part of the BBC’s Queen’s Birthday Party from the Royal Albert Hall. The same year, Mvula collaborated with Carlos Santana on his Africa Speaks album. Mvula’s “Sing to the Moon” was performed at the 2019 BBC Last Night of The Proms.
Her third album Pink Noise was released in July 2021, prompting Nick Levine of BBC America to say that it represented a “heartening musical comeback” and “showcases an intriguing new direction: Mvula’s music is still soulful, but now has balmy ‘80s beats underpinning her lush melodies.”
Laura cites her major influences as Nina Simone, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, Des’ree, Omar, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald, The Jackson 5, and Diana Ross.
“These days the emphasis on the music at Boisdale Canary Wharf is energy and variety,” said Boisdale founder Ranald Macdonald, “Laura’s ability to span so many genres should make for a fabulous and diverse evening.”
Get tickets for her show on 11 October here!
