Laura Shay - ProfilesArchive

About Me

"The vulnerability she brings to her songs does prove compelling. Whether she's sharing her uncertainties about her choices as a person and an artist, grappling with indoctrinated religion or finding comfort in fleeting moments of escape, Shay delivers them with a simmering intensity, her struggle to break through convention and conformity to embrace the totality of who she is and have that be accepted a common and relatable thread. The warmth of her vocals, steeped in raw sensuality and sensitivity, only serves to underscore such uncompromising honesty." -Naila Francis, The Doylestown Intelligencer
At the age of sixteen, a songwriter was born in Laura Shay. If you ask Laura to describe her style, she will tell you that the emotion dictates the song â€“ youâ€™ll find elements of pop, rock, jazz, blues, folk and soul in her songwriting, but the common thread among Lauraâ€™s music: raw emotion.
Now, at the age of 25, Laura has two full-length albums under her belt â€“ Stories of My Life, released in 2000, was recorded in a home studio where Laura worked in exchange for recording time. It was a first attempt for this untrained singer/songwriter, and the album was well received by fans â€“ it was a raw glimpse into the life of a teenage old soul.
In 2005, after college and in the midst of graduate school, Laura recorded and released her follow-up album, To a Place. Recorded at Morning Star Studios under the tutelage of Grammy award winning engineer, Glenn Barratt, this self-produced album featured a significantly more polished, structured sound, accented by Lauraâ€™s new band members â€“ Dominic Cole [guitars], Michael Litt [drums], and Bob Blinebury [bass]. Although her songwriting had profoundly evolved, Lauraâ€™s lyrics remained genuinely observant, brutally honest, and utterly relatable. This new sound attracted a new audience that embraced Laura as a true artist.
Laura spent 2006 promoting her new record, focusing on listening rooms along the East Coast. Sometimes alone and sometimes with her band, now featuring Andy McGowan [bass], Laura is a force to be reckoned with onstage. Hailed for her intense stage presence and dynamic live performances, Laura puts her body and soul into every note â€“ she lets the music play her.
Laura and the band are currently recording her third full-length album at Turtle Studios with the help of co-producer of Jeff Hiatt [The Lowlands]. In the meantime, Laura continues to play local venues, building her fan base one listener at a time.
Laura's CD, To a Place, is back in stock and available at live performances for only $5. It's also available through download.
Special Price: DOWNLOAD THE WHOLE ALBUM FOR ONLY $7.00 THROUGH CD BABY - CLICK THE LINK BELOW

My Interests

Music:

My Blog

4/12 show CANCELLED.

Had to cancel this one. The ol’ throat/vocal cords aren’t well enough for 2+ hours of singing just yet. I’ll still be at World Cafe on Monday night to perform 4 songs.&nb...
Posted by Laura Shay on Wed, 09 Apr 2008 04:03:00 PST

Photos photos everywhere.

I’ve been home sick for awhile now, and I found some old photos, so out of sheer boredom, I put them up. I feel bad because I never do interesting myspace things... not...
Posted by Laura Shay on Tue, 01 Apr 2008 08:02:00 PST

Homey.

Just wanted to thank everyone who voted for me for 93.7 FM WSTW's Homey Awards. Mark Rogers announced the winners last night on Hometown Heroes, and I won Best Keyboardist/Pianist. Thanks ...
Posted by Laura Shay on Tue, 12 Feb 2008 07:03:00 PST

Simple Girl.

I just wanted to thank those of you who came out to support Simple Girl. Special thanks to writer/director/friend/hotstuff Andrea Daniels and producer/roadie/awesome guy Wayne Grinwis for h...
Posted by Laura Shay on Sun, 27 Jan 2008 07:40:00 PST

Oh my god. We’re on demand.

Hey. Just a little note to let you know that our performance from Grape Street is now available to view if you have Comcast On Demand . Click on On Demand ----> Get Local ----> Bat...
Posted by Laura Shay on Fri, 21 Dec 2007 01:34:00 PST

Article in The Intelligencer & New KP Devlin CD

The Doylestown Intelligencer ran an article on me on Thursday. Thought I'd share if anyone wanted to read it. Thanks to Naila Francis for listening to me and letting me eat Cheerios while ...
Posted by Laura Shay on Sat, 03 Nov 2007 11:01:00 PST

Meeting Tori...

Last night, I met Tori Amos. I still can't believe it. I have been listening to this woman, one of the most significant artists of the century, since I was 11, and it's been a dr...
Posted by Laura Shay on Wed, 17 Oct 2007 08:34:00 PST

New demo

I uploaded a new demo that John Baker [audiblevim.com] recorded at one of our rehearsals. It's called, "In Andy's Room." It's still rough, but I hope you like it. ...
Posted by Laura Shay on Thu, 27 Sep 2007 09:34:00 PST

Out & About Magazine. A Thank You.

I just wanted to thank those of you who took the time to vote for me for Out & About Magazine's Music Awards. I did win both Best Female Songwriter and Best Vocalist, and I was so happy to s...
Posted by Laura Shay on Mon, 04 Jun 2007 12:00:00 PST

Videos from The Bitter End

The videos of my live performance (July 2) at The Bitter End in NYC are now available on my website - www.laurashay.com - if anyone wants to check them out. There are two "unreleased" songs that...
Posted by Laura Shay on Wed, 09 Aug 2006 02:08:00 PST