Gwenno Saunders
| Gwenno Saunders | |
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 Gwenno Saunders performing live at the Echoplex in Los Angeles, CA on 25 October 2007. |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Gwenno Mererid Saunders |
| Born | 23 May 1981 Cardiff, Wales |
| Genres | Electropop, pop |
| Occupations | Singer, Dancer |
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Associated acts | The Pipettes |
| Website | Official MySpace |
Gwenno Saunders (born Gwenno Mererid Saunders,[1] 23 May 1981) is a British dancer and solo artist. She is best known as a singer and keyboardist with The Pipettes, and is also known by the name Gwenno Pipette.
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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] and Lyn Mererid who is a member of the well-known Welsh socialist choir, Côr Cochion Caerdydd and works as a translator. 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 Cornish[6][7][8]
[edit] Music career
[edit] Pre-The Pipettes (2002–2004)
In the years before she joined The Pipettes, she had been a solo electropop singer, mostly in the Welsh and Cornish languages, releasing two solo EP's, Môr Hud[9] (2002) and Vodya[10] (2004)[11] Saunders represented Cornwall in the Alternative Eurovision Song Contest, 2003, and won the People's Choice Award for her performance of "Vodya". In December 2004 Gwenno filmed the song 'Ysolt y'nn Gweinten' by Celtic Legend for Classic FM TV. It is claimed to be the first video produced in the Cornish language, the text having been written by her father Tim Saunders with music by Cornish composer and ex Gary Numan keyboard player Chris John Payne.
[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] 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
- ^ Gwenno at the Celtic Cafe
- ^ BBC.co.uk: Gwenno - in tune, in Cornish!
- ^ Gwenno » Artists » WOMAD
- ^ Môr Hud on iTunes
- ^ Vodya on iTunes
- ^ BBC Cymru
[edit] External links
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