Artist
Jan Hellriegel
Still winning over the critics – Jan Hellriegel’s back
Twelve years in the making, Jan Hellriegel’s new album All Grown Up was released last month to loud critical acclaim. Critics have hailed the return of New Zealand’s pioneer female singer/songwriter as one of the musical highlights of 2009.
Russell Baillie, of the New Zealand Herald rates All Grown Up a five star return, calling it “one of the year’s best local releases.” Simon Sweetman, reviewing for The Dominion Post also awarded the album five stars saying “hearing this album was a joy on first listen.”
The Waikato Times music reviewer Steve Scott, is no less enthusiastic saying that “the confidence and chemistry that fuels this recording runs red hot.”
Respected music writer Graham Reid comments on elsewhere.co.nz that Jan “sounds more confident than she has ever been – she has every reason to be.”
Jan Hellriegel says the album is an intensely personal product of the last decades living.
“This moment has been a long time coming and the journey I‘ve taken since my last release has given me a lot to say. Being back in the studio and on stage feels like I’m home again,” Jan says.
She says the songs on All Grown Up will speak to anyone who has ever felt a bit lost in life.
“I think you grow into optimism. It’s an album about being older and wiser, the freedom you feel when you wake up one morning and find yourself all grown up. Life’s like music. Sometimes you shouldn’t think too hard about it, you should just feel it,” she says.
All Grown Up was launched to a sell out audience at Auckland’s Civic Wintergarden last month. Scott Newman writing about the gig on voxy.co.nz says “Jan Hellriegel is back doing what she does best. Performing as a songbird musician with a blissful voice.”
All Grown Up is available on CD and as a Collector’s Edition LP/CD set in all good record stores nationwide.
For more information, contact Margie Beattie 021 457 281
About Jan Hellriegel
Jan Hellriegel is a New Zealand born singer/songwriter who signed a solo record deal in 1991. She released two albums to Australasian critical acclaim It’s My Sin 1992 and Tremble 1995. Her last release, before her current album, was a 1996 single Melusine.
In 1993 she was awarded the Most Promising Female Vocalist and Songwriter of the Year at the New Zealand Music Awards.
Before going solo Jan was a member of 1980’s Dunedin bands Working with Walt and Cassandra’s Ears.
Following her success Jan continued to write, work and tour with fellow musicians both here and in Australia, before taking several years out of the industry to raise her young children.
In 2009 the video for her 1991 single “The Way I Feel” was placed second in a New Zealand Film Archive Wall of Fame online poll to find New Zealand’s greatest music videos.
About All Grown Up
All Grown Up was produced by Wayne Bell and recorded at Roundhead Studios, Auckland with special guests Eddie Rayner on piano and Rikki Morris and Jackie Clarke on vocals.
The band is comprised of Nick Gaffaney on drums, Mark Hughes on bass, Brett Adams on lead guitar, Ben Fulton on guitars and Wayne Bell on vocals, guitars and percussion.
All Grown Up is the culmination of 12 years of songwriting for Jan and is her third album.
Under The Stars from ‘All Grown Up’ Play