SINGER-SONGWRITER SHELLEY LEONG with her latest album, released nationwide, has been making waves in the original music scene.

She has already established herself as an active performer in the live music scene in Malaysia ever since her return from Australia, either as a soloist, duo (with Az Samad) or with her band.

Her songs and her soothing, unique voice are a tasteful fusion of contemporary styles of folk, pop/rock coupled with hints of jazz and ethnic, with strong melodic lines and thoughtful lyrics.

She also plays piano and guitar. She has performed in front of thousands at the Mont Kiara Jazz fest, Times Square Merdeka Celebrations and at the same time, performed to cosier settings such as the ever-popular Songwriters' Rounds at No Black Tie and Alexis.

Throughout her sets, no matter what the setting, she is able to create an engaging and intimate performance experience for the audience with her personal way of presenting her songs.

Shelley was recently awarded for her popular single "Resident Fool" that recently charted number two on musiccanteen.com "Top Monthly Downloads."

Acoustic, heart-warming, organic and honest - Shelley's debut album - 'Storyteller' is the latest original album to stand out from Malaysia's independent music scene.

BACKGROUND - THE STORY SO FAR...
Shelley has an unconventional past for someone involved in music full time now, which is perhaps something that makes her stay down to earth and appreciative of her current vocation.

She studied commerce in Australia, graduated with first class honours and then went on to be an associate lecturer in the University of Sydney and lastly, worked in the corporate world in PricewaterhouseCoopers, Sydney, as an accountant.

She took off on a four-month backpacking trip round Europe, has bungy jumped, scuba dived with sharks, cliff-jumped, rock-climbed, and now, she's out with an album.

She returned to Malaysia two years ago to pursue music full time as a student at ICOM and started performing her original compositions wherever she could.

Within a few months of her return, she was awarded the JVC Sales & Service Malaysia Award last year for her song-writing capabilities and expressive singing at the MTV/JVC 'Sing-out-loud' competition.

She went on to perform at Kuala Lumpur's major music venues including Actors Studio, No Black Tie, La Bodega, Alexis, Emporium, Planet Hollywood, BSC, the Kit Kat Club and many more.

Along the way, she has gathered a solid supporting band with the right chemistry, made up of many dynamic and young upcoming sessionist such as Alda Tan (Dragon Red), Az A. Samad, Zalila & Jerral and many other contributers who enjoy playing her music.

In 2003, she released a self-produced demo/EP called Anacrusis, which sold out during her performances.

Within 2 years, she has risen to become a recognisable name in the original independent music scene.

The combination of talent with hard work, resourcefulness, taking and finding opportunities, passion and professional manner has earnt her the respect of her peers.

Amongst her achievements was the best selling Music Circus series show at Actors Studio, Dataran Merdeka, "The Storyteller, Shelley Leong and Friends". It was touted as one of the most interesting acoustic productions at the time. It was also a rare feat for a newcomer to host a full show.

Shelley was recently awarded for her popular single "Resident Fool" that recently charted number 2 on musiccanteen.com's "Top Monthly Downloads." She has made numerous TV appearances including Channel V, NTV7, 8TV and TV3, performing her original songs.

In 2003, she was introduced to producer/audio engineer Nick Lee of Sonique Productions, who had just returned from Los Angeles. Nick, a fast upcoming sort-after producer and audio engineer was keen to record her album and the partnership to produce the album was formed. Preproduction work started in January 2004.

Updates and contact: www.shelleyleong.com



EXCERPTS & REVIEWS
"Her intimate debut album, Storyteller, is certainly a worthy addition to the local singer-songwriter catalogue. Self-released through Leong's own Soundtrax Productions imprint and produced by Nick Lee, the 13-track album contains radio-friendly folk and pop-rock tunes sprinkled with lazy Sunday jazz touches" -The Star newspaper, album review.

View link to a three-page feature in The Star recently.

"In her debut album, 'Storyteller', Shelley weaves a soothing tale of hope and dreams in our journey through life. Her pleasing, airy voice plus the catchy melodies and use of an eclectic mix of instruments combine to provide hours of easy listening pleasure with several tracks to get you moving. More discerning listeners may feel that the lyrics lack depth and mystique, but Shelley uses simple words and a certain amount of catchphrases effectively to deliver her message of seeing the better side of reality and appreciating the finer moments in life.

This album also brings together several guest performers, adding a nice touch especially to the later parts of the album with some unexpected sounds. Listen out for the Chinese flute in Crime and a mix of saxophone and double bass in 'Merry Christmas To You'. It's also interesting to note that Shelley's hit single, 'Resident Fool' was recently the second most downloaded single at Music Canteen (www.musiccanteen.com).

With the exception of 1 or 2 more solemn tracks, Storyteller will perk you up and brighten your mood during the drive to work on that dreaded Monday morning. So, don't be surprised if you actually find yourself smiling at the driver who cuts u off or the boss who steps in an hour late.

To buy or not to buy? This is definitely a commendable effort and we look forward to enjoying more of Shelley's future work. Consider adding this album to your collection and support a fine local talent in the making." -album review by www.loudmusik.com

"She's a fusion of Nora Jones / Alanis Morissette, with some cool acoustics thrown in. Her tunes are warm and engaging, her voice haunting and her lyrics real, depicting the norms of human life. A very immaculate first album, and we should be hearing more of Shelley in the future." - Review by MYC News

"There is something that remains authentic about the simplicity of acoustic singer/songwriters. No exception is made for Malaysian singer/songwriter Shelley Leong's album Storyteller, a mellow collection of acoustic songs that land somewhere between Natalie Merchant and Norah Jones...

Most of the songs are rooted in the comfortable feeling of Leong's gentle piano. Her voice at times reminds me of a harsher version of a 70s Joni Mitchell, and the jazziness of numbers like "Crime" are similar to Mitchell's Court and Spark era. Most of the album's songs are relaxed wine-sipping music, while other songs, like the album's best, "Innocent Girl," are driven and pop-ish.

Storyteller is slow--but a good slow (not drawn out). Leong's feelings are felt through her passionate songs, complete with stories about breakups, make-ups, and memories." - US Review by Jeremy Stanifer www.eomentertainment.com

"... she has successfully built a solid following. I've heard snippets of one song (from the album) and have come away impressed. Here is a another fine example of a musician who's benefited from working the local live scene conscientiously and intelligently." - Pete Teo

"Shelley really stunt everyone in the house with her vocability." "..patrons in the house really enjoyed her top vocals and her tremendous hypnotic style of music." - Andy Fam, organizer of the Sunday Freestyle Jam @ Emporium

"Good thing for Leong, her odes to romance never get drowned in sappiness and she's got plenty of song writing muscle to make all the tunes work. It's not all just love songs though; she also touches on other subjects close to her heart. There's a bit of Vonda Sheppard, Joan Osborn and Paule Cole in what Leong does that will keep fans of the genre interested." - Adlin Rosli KLUE magazine

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