TAKEN FROM IMELDA’S FORTHCOMING SIXTH STUDIO ALBUM, ‘11 PAST THE HOUR’, OUT ON DECCA RECORDS: 23rd APRIL
Imelda will also be appearing on Graham Norton for a live performance Friday 5th March BBC1 at 10.45pm!
“From the day we’re born we are learning. We soak up all positives and negatives that we’re fed. Our behaviours are learnt. As an adult to discover all emotions stem from Love and fear was a revelation to me. I want to live this one life in Love and that takes courage and determination. It takes action.
I wrote this song from the perspective of Love itself as a living thing and how much it has suffered for simply being. It frightens some with the power of it’s simplicity, purity, truth and breathtaking beauty. It puts a mirror to us and only through it can we see our true ourselves.
I believe in Love,
I believe in fighting for Love
I believe that we are made to Love” Imelda May
Made To Love is an energetic, celebratory song about love in all its shapes, sizes and guises. Recorded with Ronnie Wood on guitars and featuring on vocals, the author & activist Gina Martin and lawyer & author Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu who both fight regularly for justice, equality and love.
Imelda met the two at an International Women’s Day event with Annie Lennox and after hearing them speak, Imelda knew she wanted these two inspiring women to be part of her musical journey. Dr Shola stood on the stage, spoke her own truth and rallied people to action, leaving Imelda in awe of her words, as did Gina Martin’s book ‘Be the Change’. The result is a song that, far from being preachy, is galvanising and powerful.
“I wanted this to be that song where, if you’re at a festival or a live gig, you can just throw your arms round that person beside you, can all dance around, sing together and feel connected. And I wanted that moment on the album.” Says Imelda
Her sixth studio album ‘11 Past The Hour’ is a record that brims with sensuality, emotional intelligence, spirituality and intuition, marking a new chapter for Imelda and showcasing her at her most authentic. With pals and collaborators like Wood, Noel Gallagher and Miles Kane, and with inspired contributions from feminist thinkers and activists such as Gina Martin and Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, the album is an invigorating blast of rock’n’roll, with a purpose.
Mostly written with co-producer Tim Bran (London Grammar, Primal Scream) and string arranger Davide Rossi (Coldplay, U2, Goldfrapp), this brave album shows an artist diving deep into her true self, her Irish roots, her love of storytelling and singing from her soul.
Born and raised in The Liberties area of Dublin, Imelda has become one of Ireland’s most famed female artists in history. Discovered by Jools Holland, who asked Imelda to go on tour with him, Imelda has gone on to perform duets with artists including U2, Lou Reed, Sinead O Connor, Robert Plant, Van Morrison, Jack Savoretti and Elvis Costello and has featured on recent albums and live tours with Jeff Beck, Jeff Goldblum and Ronnie Wood.
Her last album landed at No.5 in the UK Official Album Chart and she can count such artists as Bob Dylan and Bono amongst her fans. Last year, her 2008 album ‘Love Tattoo’ was named the bestselling album of modern chart history by a homegrown female Irish artist by the Official Charts Company. Last summer, Imelda released her debut poetry EP ‘Slip of the Tongue’ to widespread critical acclaim and received global recognition for her poem ‘You Don’t Get To Be Racist and Irish’ used by the Irish government’s ReThink Ireland campaign for billboards across the country. Just this week, she was introduced by the Irish President Michael D Higgins as Ambassador of 2021’s Seachtain na Gaelige, Irish Language International Festival.
As ever, Imelda manages to cut through the noise, bringing her rich, sensual voice and exuberant personality to everyone and everything around her. ‘11 Past The Hour’ is an album of grit and glamour, of wee hours vocal huskiness and anthemic pop belters. Of poetry and power. Of love and sex and fun – this is Imelda May. This is her time.
’11 Past The Hour’ is out on Decca Records on 23rd April. Stream Made To Love & pre-order 11 Past The Hour here
