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Lou Laurence and Fran Smith

PWYC

Band Details

Fran Smithfransmith.com

From the Promoter

LOU LAURENCE

Lou Laurence has a bold, soul voice and an acoustic blues, folk, pop sound. Maybe described as a soul-singing siren, her music will make your hairs stand on end and your secret feelings rise to the surface.

Her songs combine simple blues dialogue with humour, love, and deep, sweet, soul. She is accompanied by home-modified baritone ukuleles (acoustic and electric) and has played everywhere from large festivals, to Montreal metro stations, dirty pubs and classy corporate gigs.

Most recently, Lou released a new EP, Deer Lou, in June of 2017 at L'Oblique in Montreal. In 2016, she sang with DJ Champion on his latest release, Best Seller. She continues to perform around Quebec with Champion and his G-Strings and around Canada as a solo artist.

Lou Laurence (real name Lauren Clinton), was born and raised primarily in Toronto, ON. She has lived and performed in Victoria, BC; Brussels, BE; Bridgewater, NS and is based out of Montréal, QC. Lou is bilingual, though she performs primarily in English. She has an educational background in contemporary voice, music theatre, creative writing and literature.

FRAN SMITH

Fran Smith arrived in Toronto this summer in search of an adventure. Originally from Yorkshire in the north of England, she is an artist whose passion and individuality floods out of every line she sings. And what a singer! Described by The Guardian's Simon Hattenstone as "romantic, sensual and angry - often all at the same time", her songs are delivered with soul and bite, in an unashamedly regional accent. Happily bucking the current trend for bland boys with beige lyrics and acoustic guitars, Fran exposes her life's dramas to her audience with disarming honesty, intimacy and intelligence, teasing the darkness and beauty out of every heartbreak and love affair. Her lyrics are sensuous and direct; sometimes witty and acerbic, sometimes melancholic, sometimes cosmic and other-worldly in the vein of Joanna Newsom, Florence Welch or Stevie Nicks.

A mesmerising solo performer, Fran has performed in the US, and at venues and festivals all over the UK. She was named a 'Live Music Highlight of the Year' by the BBC, and she has toured with the likes of Martha Wainwright, Athlete and Po' Girl. Fran was invited to perform at the televised 'Live in Hyde Park' festival in central London, where she generated more online buzz than any other performer on the bill. She has played live sessions for BBC Radio 2 and Radio 4, and Radio 6 Music declared on-air: "Look out for Fran Smith - she's going to be a big star!"

Fran self-released her eponymous debut EP in 2013, and all four tracks received significant national and regional radio play in the UK, despite being released without a manager, record label or publicist - an extremely rare feat in today's music industry! She repeated this DIY approach on her follow-up single, 'Contours', in 2016 - a slow and sensual track which she recorded whilst staying in Martha Wainwright's house in Brooklyn, with musicians Brad Albetta and Rob Moose (Rufus Wainwright, Bon Iver, ANOHNI, St. Vincent). It too received national BBC airplay, and Canadian blog The Revue called Contours "her most daring single to date... cinematic and stunning, yet brooding and emotionally crushing all at the same time".

Newly settled in the west end of Toronto, Fran is having fun exploring the city, working on new material and playing her first Canadian shows!