Gwenno Pipette
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gwenno | |
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Gwenno Saunders performing live at the Echoplex in Los Angeles, CA on October 25, 2007.
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Background information | |
Origin | Cardiff, Wales |
Genre(s) | Electropop, Pop |
Years active | 2002–present |
Website | Official MySpace |
Gwenno Pipette (born Gwenno Mererid Saunders[1] on 23 May 1981) is a Welsh dancer and solo artist. However she is best known for being a singer and keyboard player with The Pipettes.
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[edit] Biography
Saunders was born in Cardiff[2], and is the daughter of noted Cornish poet and linguist Tim Saunders[3]. From the age of five she attended the Seán Éireann-McMahon Academy of Irish Dance[4] and was a cast member of Michael Flatley's productions of Lord Of The Dance[5] and Feet of Flames by the age of 17, playing a lead role in a Las Vegas production of the former. In 2001 she had a role in the Welsh language soap opera Pobol Y Cwm on S4C, for whom she would later host her own programme Ydy Gwenno'n Gallu...?. She is fluent in Welsh and also speaks Cornish and Gaelic[6].
[edit] Music career
[edit] Pre-The Pipettes (2002-2004)
In the years prior to her joining The Pipettes, she had been a solo electropop singer, mostly in the Welsh and Cornish languages, releasing two solo EP's, Môr Hud[7] (2002) and Vodya[8] (2004). In 2003, she was approached by Polydor to appear on BBC's Fame Academy, however withdrew from the competition before it started.[9] After this, Saunders represented Cornwall in the Alternative Eurovision Song Contest and won the People's Choice Award for her performance of Vodya.
[edit] The Pipettes (2005-present)
Gwenno joined The Pipettes in April 2005 after founding member Julia left. She is most notable for her lead vocals on the single Pull Shapes and the chorus of Your Kisses Are Wasted on Me. She has more recently posted solo material to her Myspace page, and made a free download of a mini album titled U & I available in October 2007.
In April 2008 Gwenno's younger sister Ani joined the Pipettes after the departure of singers Rosay and RiotBecki.
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ ASCAP: American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
- ^ Sweeping The Nation: A Friendly Chat With Gwenno
- ^ BBC Wales: Gwenno
- ^ Lord of the Dance biographies
- ^ Manchester Evening News: Dotty about The Pipettes
- ^ BBC.co.uk: Gwenno - in tune, in Cornish!
- ^ Môr Hud on iTunes
- ^ Vodya on iTunes
- ^ BBC Cymru
[edit] External links
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