Imelda May
October 24th, 2009Having fallen in love with rockabilly and the blues as a nine-year-old in Dublin – the only kid in her class who wasn’t into a-Ha and Wet Wet Wet – she’s turned them into a cool, swinging fusion that’s both classic and oddly modern. That’s not just PR fluff: though her musical heart lies in early rock’n’roll (she’s partial to the clothes, too – her wardrobe is stuffed with leopard-print cardigans and tight bad-girl jeans), she puts a 21st century spin on things. Her debut album, “Love Tattoo,” is lusciously retro, but as fresh as 2009. And her live gigs, where she sings and plays bodhran, are fierce.