Violaine

VIOLAINE The unlikely tale of a singing former sorority girl from the Bible Belt and a Monk-like reclusive guitarist from the big city.Shawna Hogan, co-founder, vocalist and lyricist, hails originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma and has been singing since the age of seven. She began by performing in Musical Theatre and later explored such genres as Jazz, Italian Opera and Choir (in which she obtained a vocal music scholarship at Texas Christian University). She sites Ann Wilson (Heart), Chris Cornell (Soundgarden, Audioslave) and Jann Arden as influences. She also loves antiquing at the Great American Flea Market in Tulsa and collecting rare out of print Hasselhoff vinyl.Ewen Williams, co-founder, songwriter and guitarist, is from Los Angeles, California. Influenced by Electronica (Laika, Lamb, Hooverphonic), Rock (Radiohead, Frank Zappa, Silverchair), Singer Songwriters (Jeff Buckley, Ryan Adams, Elliott Smith), Shoegaze (Cocteau Twins, Ride, Lowlife) and R&B (Erykah Badu, New Edition, Prince) has helped him create his own unique sound which presents itself within VIOLAINE. Ewen happens to be vice-president of the Pasadena local chapter of the Falco Fan Club and hopes to one day scale Mt. Wilson, which is his Everest.After a chance meeting in 2001 they discovered they shared a mutual desire to create an original sound and began writing together. They chose the name Violaine as a homage to The Cocteau Twins, whose song Violaine represented the cool, ethereal and bittersweet sound and feel they wanted their music to have.Combining Shawna's deft skill of writing lyrics acquired through a lifetime of bad relationships and Ewen's keen artistic musicality obtained through years of having no social life, they've created their own unique sound. Hope you enjoy!