Shelley Harland

From the streets of New York as a PI, to the voice of Delerium, to self-taught singer-songwriter and producer: SHELLEY HARLAND has reinvented her life and sound for her third solo release, Red Leaf.

Shelley Harland's life sounds like a line from that song Pop Musik - London, New York, Sydney. Shelley moved to New York from her native England in 2000 when her Australian-born partner James Wright signed a record deal for his band Stretch Princess. Now she has relocated again to Sydney where her life has resulted in some fine new songs and a new album. "The result was a new musical adventure," says Shelley. "I guess I am collecting life experiences as well. Sydney is such a different environment and there is all this space and air - and it lets everything breathe and there is freedom. New York is crazy, but I learned so much there. I discovered myself and music and had time to let things develop and change. Also, I had time to think about what I wanted to do."

"My partner is a guitarist and he was on tour and one day I just picked up his guitar and just started playing it," says Shelley. "It was an immediate and natural thing. I started to play and now I can't imagine not doing it. It's like breathing - music - it's who I am. It was fate." So Shelley's musical career began in an apartment where her companions were a four track recorder and an acoustic guitar. "I was suddenly surrounded by the music in New York," she says. "What I love about New York is the injection of all forms of art that you get when you're there. I just go there and soak up the madness of what's going on. But I'm appreciative of coming here to Sydney and I have been able to process all that madness. When I went back last time I thought, how did I focus on anything with this craziness going on?"

The result was Red Leaf. It's an upbeat indie pop album with a message that: "it's really okay to be honest and have the feelings that you have," says Shelley. The album is clued-up by Shelley's past life as a private investigator, as the lyrics have a tale to tell and a melancholy twist to them. "The music I made changed when I moved to Australia," says Shelley. "I rely on the relaxed feel of Sydney. And, my music has taken on the sound of that laidback and beautiful space and flavour that Sydney has. I am excited about my new album and the airplay that Friday is getting. I will be playing gigs - mostly acoustic on radio and on TV for now - with a tour starting in August. I just want to get my music out and get people to hear it." And, you should hear this too.

Shelley Harland's new album Red Leaf is out now on Sony/BMG.