Kirsty Hawkshaw
Encyclopedia
Kirsty Hawkshaw is a British
dance
/electronica
/house
/trance
musician
and songwriter
. She is known for her participation as lead vocalist for the group Opus III
, and her collaborative work with other musicians and producers
.
/film music composer
and disco
record producer
Alan Hawkshaw
.
At a rave event in 1991 she was noticed by producers Ian Munro, Kevin Dobbs and Nigel Walton, who at the time were known as A.S.K. It was through this meeting that they would form a dance act called Opus III
. Their first single, a cover version of the song "It's a Fine Day
" from their debut album Mind Fruit was an international success and Top 10 hit on UK Singles Chart
, and reached #1 on the US
Billboard
Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart
in 1992. A reversed sample of Hawkshaw's singing from this track was used in the Orbital
track "Halcyon
," the music video for which featured Hawkshaw. Opus III also had another US #1 hit on the same chart in 1994 with "When You Made The Mountain
", from their second and final album, Guru Mother.
After the group broke up in 1994, Hawkshaw pursued a solo career and since then has been in demand by other acts in the dance, house, Eurodance
, trance, and electronica community, ranging from Tiësto
to Delerium
. In addition to dance music, Hawkshaw also recorded an ambient, ethereal album in 1999, 'Enlightenment', which remains unreleased. Her solo effort, "Fine Day", peaked at #62 in the UK Singles Chart
in November 2002.
On 10 October 2005, she released Meta-Message, a collection of older and newer songs, after a growing interest in her out of print album, O.U.T.. In early 2006, she appeared on the Fragma
single "Radio Waves".
Hawkshaw also contributed a track titled "Telephone Song", to the children's album For the Kids Too!, released in 2004.
In 2008, Hawkshaw went on tour and released Machinima on the Loverush Digital label.
She runs a club in Second Life
called 'Club Connected' and has built a virtual pub.
The record label
, Magnatune
, released her ambient album, The Ice Castle.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
/electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
/house
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
/trance
Trance music
Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that developed in the 1990s.:251 It is generally characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 bpm,:252 repeating melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that builds up and breaks down throughout a track...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
. She is known for her participation as lead vocalist for the group Opus III
Opus III
Opus III were a techno and house music group from England who had success on the UK Singles Chart and on the U.S. Dance charts. The group consisted of vocalist Kirsty Hawkshaw and producers/musicians Kevin 'The Fly' Dodds, Ian Munro and Nigel 'Spider' Walton...
, and her collaborative work with other musicians and producers
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
.
Career
Kirsty Hawkshaw is the daughter of the British production musicProduction music
Production music is the name given to recorded music produced and owned by production music libraries and licensed to customers for use in film, television, radio and other media.-Introduction:...
/film music composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Alan Hawkshaw
Alan Hawkshaw
Alan Hawkshaw is a British composer and performer, particularly of themes for movies and television programmes...
.
At a rave event in 1991 she was noticed by producers Ian Munro, Kevin Dobbs and Nigel Walton, who at the time were known as A.S.K. It was through this meeting that they would form a dance act called Opus III
Opus III
Opus III were a techno and house music group from England who had success on the UK Singles Chart and on the U.S. Dance charts. The group consisted of vocalist Kirsty Hawkshaw and producers/musicians Kevin 'The Fly' Dodds, Ian Munro and Nigel 'Spider' Walton...
. Their first single, a cover version of the song "It's a Fine Day
It's a Fine Day
"It's a Fine Day" is a song written by English poet and musician Edward Barton. It was originally recorded in 1983 by Jane, and later by Opus III for whom it was a major international hit in 1992.-Original recording by Jane:...
" from their debut album Mind Fruit was an international success and Top 10 hit on UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, and reached #1 on the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
in 1992. A reversed sample of Hawkshaw's singing from this track was used in the Orbital
Orbital (band)
Orbital are a British electronic dance music duo from Sevenoaks, England consisting of brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll. Their career initially ran from 1989 until 2004, but in 2009 they announced that they would be reforming and headlining The Big Chill, in addition to a number of other live shows...
track "Halcyon
Halcyon (Orbital song)
"Halcyon" is a song written and performed by Orbital. The song features a backmasked vocal sample by Kirsty Hawkshaw from "It's a Fine Day" by Opus III . Ed Barton, the composer of "It's a Fine Day", receives a co-writing credit for the track...
," the music video for which featured Hawkshaw. Opus III also had another US #1 hit on the same chart in 1994 with "When You Made The Mountain
When You Made The Mountain
"When You Made The Mountain" is an "environmentally-themed" electronica/dance single recorded by Opus III with vocals by Kirsty Hawkshaw released in 1994 as the lead single from their second album, Guru Mother...
", from their second and final album, Guru Mother.
After the group broke up in 1994, Hawkshaw pursued a solo career and since then has been in demand by other acts in the dance, house, Eurodance
Eurodance
Eurodance is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s or early 1990s primarily in Europe. It combines many elements from House, Techno, Hi-NRG and especially Italo-Disco...
, trance, and electronica community, ranging from Tiësto
Tiësto
Tijs Michiel Verwest, , known as Tiësto , is a Dutch musician, DJ and record producer of electronic dance music. Although he has used many aliases in the past, he is best known for his work as DJ Tiësto...
to Delerium
Delerium
Delerium is a band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, formed in 1987, originally as a side project of the influential industrial music act, Front Line Assembly...
. In addition to dance music, Hawkshaw also recorded an ambient, ethereal album in 1999, 'Enlightenment', which remains unreleased. Her solo effort, "Fine Day", peaked at #62 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in November 2002.
On 10 October 2005, she released Meta-Message, a collection of older and newer songs, after a growing interest in her out of print album, O.U.T.. In early 2006, she appeared on the Fragma
Fragma
Fragma, also known as the Fragma Project, are a German dance project, originally comprising three producers. Their most successful collaboration to date is "Toca's Miracle", which has sold over 500,000 copies and debuted #1 in the UK....
single "Radio Waves".
Hawkshaw also contributed a track titled "Telephone Song", to the children's album For the Kids Too!, released in 2004.
In 2008, Hawkshaw went on tour and released Machinima on the Loverush Digital label.
She runs a club in Second Life
Second Life
Second Life is an online virtual world developed by Linden Lab. It was launched on June 23, 2003. A number of free client programs, or Viewers, enable Second Life users, called Residents, to interact with each other through avatars...
called 'Club Connected' and has built a virtual pub.
The record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, Magnatune
Magnatune
Magnatune is an American independent record label based in Berkeley, California, founded in spring 2003 by John Buckman, then-CEO of e-mail software company Lyris. It aims at treating both its musicians and its customers fairly—its tagline is "We are not evil"...
, released her ambient album, The Ice Castle.
Collaborations
- 1996 "Valencia" - (with Rachid TahaRachid TahaRachid Taha is an Algerian singer and activist based in France who has been described as "sonically adventurous." His music is influenced by many different styles such as rock, electronic, punk and raï.-Early life:Taha was born in 1958 in Sig , Algeria, although a second source suggests he was...
) - 1997 "Isolation" - (with Pulusha)
- 1998 "State of Grace" - (with Swayzak)
- 1999 "Stereo" - (with Stereo People)
- 2000 "Dreaming" - (with BTBT (musician)Brian Wayne Transeau is a classically trained and Grammy-nominated American music producer, composer, audio technician, multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter better known by his stage name, BT. He is an artist in the electronic genre...
) - UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#38 - 2000 "Running Down the Way Up" - (with BTBT (musician)Brian Wayne Transeau is a classically trained and Grammy-nominated American music producer, composer, audio technician, multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter better known by his stage name, BT. He is an artist in the electronic genre...
& Hybrid) - 2000 "Nature's Kingdom" - (with DeleriumDeleriumDelerium is a band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, formed in 1987, originally as a side project of the influential industrial music act, Front Line Assembly...
) - 2000 "Inner Sanctum" - (with DeleriumDeleriumDelerium is a band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, formed in 1987, originally as a side project of the influential industrial music act, Front Line Assembly...
) - 2000 "Where the Sidewalk Ends" - (with Silent Poets)
- 2000 "Visions" - (with Ian PooleyIan PooleyIan Pooley is a German-born record producer and DJ. While incorporating samples of various musical genres, Pooley's creations are usually classified as house or tech house with Brazilian influence.-Career:...
) - 2000 "Hidden Agenda" - (with Sandor Caron)
- 2001 "Stealth" - (with Way Out WestWay Out WestWay Out West may refer to:* Way Out West , a world music influenced jazz group from Melbourne* Way Out West , a progressive house duo from the United Kingdom* Way Out West , starring Laurel and Hardy...
) - UK #67 - 2001 "Battleship GreyBattleship Grey (song)"Battleship Grey" is a song by Tiësto with Kirsty Hawkshaw providing vocals. It appeared in his first album, In My Memory. It was also included in Hawkshaw's album, Meta Message. Miro or Miromusic created a chillout remix which received great acclaim, and led to the release of the single...
" - (with TiëstoTiëstoTijs Michiel Verwest, , known as Tiësto , is a Dutch musician, DJ and record producer of electronic dance music. Although he has used many aliases in the past, he is best known for his work as DJ Tiësto...
) - 2001 "Urban Train" - (with TiëstoTiëstoTijs Michiel Verwest, , known as Tiësto , is a Dutch musician, DJ and record producer of electronic dance music. Although he has used many aliases in the past, he is best known for his work as DJ Tiësto...
) - UK #22 - 2002 "Underwater Lady" - (with Harmonic 33)
- 2003 "Calling YouCalling You"Calling You" is an Academy Award nominated song from the Bagdad Café movie. Originally, it was recorded by Jevetta Steele. Bob Telson who wrote the song also recorded his version. Both appeared on the movie soundtrack in 1987.- Céline Dion version :...
" - (with Ikon) - 2003 "Blackout" - (with Hybrid)
- 2004 "Just BeJust Be (song)"Just Be" is the title track single which appeared in the album Just Be by DJ Tiësto, it features vocals by Kirsty Hawkshaw written by English singer/songwriter Judie Tzuke, James Wiltshire & DJ Vinnie...
" - (with TiëstoTiëstoTijs Michiel Verwest, , known as Tiësto , is a Dutch musician, DJ and record producer of electronic dance music. Although he has used many aliases in the past, he is best known for his work as DJ Tiësto...
) - UK #43 - 2004 "Walking on Clouds" - (with TiëstoTiëstoTijs Michiel Verwest, , known as Tiësto , is a Dutch musician, DJ and record producer of electronic dance music. Although he has used many aliases in the past, he is best known for his work as DJ Tiësto...
) - 2004 "Sincere for You" - (with LangeLange-People named Lange:* Algot Lange, Swedish explorer* André Lange , German bobsledder* Andrew E. Lange , U.S. astronomer* Antoni Lange, Polish poet* Artie Lange , U.S...
) - 2004 "Don't Sleep Tonight" - (with Clashing Egos)
- 2004 "Maris Stella" - (with DigitonalDigitonalDigitonal is a British electronica duo composed of clarinettist and composer Andy Dobson and violinist Samy Bishai, who formed the band in London in the late 1990s....
) - 2005 "Faith in Me" - (with Pole FolderPole FolderPole Folder is a Belgian electronic musician and live club performer, based in Brussels.A former protégée of British DJ John Digweed, Pole Folder entered the limelight in 2001 as a DJ and producer at the forefront of the European progressive house movement, and has since evolved into a...
) - 2005 "Halcyon and On And On (Live)" - (with OrbitalOrbital (band)Orbital are a British electronic dance music duo from Sevenoaks, England consisting of brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll. Their career initially ran from 1989 until 2004, but in 2009 they announced that they would be reforming and headlining The Big Chill, in addition to a number of other live shows...
) - 2005 "All I Want" - (with Hybrid)
- 2006 "The Chauffeur" - (with SleepthiefSleepthiefSleepthief is an American electronic music recording project formed by producer and composer Justin Elswick. Elswick began writing music for the album ten years prior to its release. The album was mixed, mastered, co-produced, and co-arranged by Israel Curtis...
) - 2006 "Radio Waves" - (with FragmaFragmaFragma, also known as the Fragma Project, are a German dance project, originally comprising three producers. Their most successful collaboration to date is "Toca's Miracle", which has sold over 500,000 copies and debuted #1 in the UK....
) - 2006 "Just For Today" - (with Hybrid)
- 2006 "Fleeting Instant" - (with DeleriumDeleriumDelerium is a band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, formed in 1987, originally as a side project of the influential industrial music act, Front Line Assembly...
) - 2006 "Outsiders" - (with Tenishia)
- 2006 "The Last One and the First" - (with Pentatonik)
- 2006 "Love is a Rose" - (with Pentatonik)
- 2006 "Don't Look Behind You" - (with Judie TzukeJudie TzukeJudie Tzuke is an English singer/songwriter. She is most well known for her 1979 hit "Stay With Me Till Dawn", which reached no.16 on the UK Singles Chart.-Early life:...
) - 2006 "Lyteo" - (with Mr. SamMr. SamSamuel Paquet , better known by his stage name, Mr. Sam, is a French techno/trance music DJ and producer.- Early career :...
) - 2006 "Split" - (with Mr. SamMr. SamSamuel Paquet , better known by his stage name, Mr. Sam, is a French techno/trance music DJ and producer.- Early career :...
) - 2006 "Insight" - (with Mr. SamMr. SamSamuel Paquet , better known by his stage name, Mr. Sam, is a French techno/trance music DJ and producer.- Early career :...
) - 2006 "Lodestar" - (with Mr. SamMr. SamSamuel Paquet , better known by his stage name, Mr. Sam, is a French techno/trance music DJ and producer.- Early career :...
) - 2006 "View to Me" - (with Future Funk Squad)
- 2007 "Silent Stars" - (with Pole FolderPole FolderPole Folder is a Belgian electronic musician and live club performer, based in Brussels.A former protégée of British DJ John Digweed, Pole Folder entered the limelight in 2001 as a DJ and producer at the forefront of the European progressive house movement, and has since evolved into a...
) - 2007 "Skimming Stones" - (with SleepthiefSleepthiefSleepthief is an American electronic music recording project formed by producer and composer Justin Elswick. Elswick began writing music for the album ten years prior to its release. The album was mixed, mastered, co-produced, and co-arranged by Israel Curtis...
) - 2007 "Heaven Sent" - (with Andrew BennettAndrew BennettAndrew Francis Bennett is a British Labour Party politician, who was a member of Parliament from 1974 to 2005.-Early life:...
) - 2007 "Reasons to Forgive" - (with Tenishia)
- 2007 "Loverush" - (with Loverush UK!)
- 2007 "Beatitude" - (with Duderstadt)
- 2007 "The Phoenix Effect" - (with Delta-SDelta-SDelta-S is a Christian industrial / progressive trance band formed in Camarillo, California in 1995. Band members currently include Lyte, who writes and produces a bulk of the work, and Lucien, who tests the material's emotional value and authenticity....
) - 2007 "Star·Kindler" - (with Delta-S)
- 2008 "Juneau / Glaciation" - (with AlaskaParadox (artist)Paradox is the pseudonym of Dev Pandya, a producer from the UK who has in recent years championed a new sub-genre of drum & bass known as drumfunk, which focuses on either finding obscure breakbeats or re-sampling much used drum & bass breakbeats from their original source and transforming them...
) - 2008 "Love Like Blood / Sunbathing" - (with Outrage and Aperture)
- 2008 "Love Calls" - (with HeadstrongDon Jackson (producer)Don Jackson is an English electronic music producer. He has worked with several of the top vocal trance singers including Kirsty Hawkshaw, Andrea Britton, and Tiff Lacey....
) - 2008 "Invisible" - (with Tenishia)
- 2008 "Love is No Possession" - (with JJoy)
- 2008 "Fine Day 2008" - (Kirsty Hawkshaw vs. Kinky Roland)
- 2008 "Good to Be Alive (Healing Angel)" - (Kirsty Hawkshaw vs. Arnold T.)
- 2008 "Invisible Walls" (collaboration with Nektarios and trance singer Jan JohnstonJan JohnstonJan Johnston is an English professional singer, best known for collaborating with some of the world's top trance music DJs.-Career:...
) - (Nektarios meets F-used) - 2009 "Face to Face" - (Kirsty Hawkshaw Vs Elucidate)
- 2010 "A Million Stars" - (with BTBT (musician)Brian Wayne Transeau is a classically trained and Grammy-nominated American music producer, composer, audio technician, multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter better known by his stage name, BT. He is an artist in the electronic genre...
) - 2010 "Sundog" - (with Alaska)
- 2010 "One Day" - (with Mr. SamMr. SamSamuel Paquet , better known by his stage name, Mr. Sam, is a French techno/trance music DJ and producer.- Early career :...
) - 2010 "Two Trees" - (with Ulrich Schnauss)
- 2011 "Whisper" - (with Blu Mar TenBlu Mar TenBlu Mar Ten is a music production outfit based in London, and is made up of Leo Wyndham and Chris Marigold and Michael Tognarelli.-History:Blu Mar Ten's first track to be released was "The Fountain" / "Lunar" in 1996 on the now defunct Way Out Records. The track appeared on numerous compilations...
)