© Jacqui Sharkey 2020
"Jacqui Sharkey's warm and tender voice brings me straight to one of my favourite places...Donegal. Whether she applies it to Folk, New Country or Jazz, the spirit of her home place comes through the gorgeous sound she makes.” PAUL BRADY, Recording Artist "A gloriously beautiful and sensitive version of a great song…” STEVE WICKHAM, The Waterboys “Love And Other Things is a CD that really shows off the beauty of Jacqui’s Voice. It’s fantastic to see great music continuing to come from Donegal.” MOYA BRENNAN, Recording Artist "She's as good as it gets. She's as good as the best.” GERRY ANDERSON, BBC Radio Ulster
BIOGRAPHY
Jacqui Sharkey was raised in East Renfrewshire in Scotland by Irish parents, and when the family returned to their native Donegal many years ago, it wasn't long before Jacqui's musical talents began to thrive in the creative heartland of the Donegal Gaeltacht. Jacqui began performing as a young teenager in the city of Glasgow's folk scene, and when she returned to her roots in Donegal, her soulful voice quickly became well known in the region and beyond. Her musical experience is vast, and includes lead roles in musical theatre performances, fronting popular former Donegal Rock and Pop cover band 'The Jury's Out', as lead singer and keyboard player, as well as a variety of performances in different musical genres with many Irish musicians. Jacqui at the same time has been honing her craft as a songwriter, and has recorded many of her own songs to date since she recorded her first studio album in 2011. .Her latest composition is a powerful and soulful, melodic ballad which she hopes will resonate with and give hope to people amid turmoil in difficult times for many around the world. "I think the world is really struggling right now and people are in need of hope. I believe that we have reason to have great hope, in spite of how it seems." The Donegal singer's heartfelt lyrics reflect her own emotions and somewhat unique viewpoints. Perhaps having studied and practised law, including the difficult area of family law, has contributed to her unusual outlook, and music has certainly been her place of solace throughout. Division and injustice are subjects that are at the forefront of her mind "in a crazy world", and it is obvious that there is a clear message in her latest emotive offering. "It is sad to see so much division and turmoil in the world today. We have a chance to unite and heal and it is time to take that chance. I believe that we will, and everything will be alright. We can do it. The light is going to shine on all of us, and that is my message." The uplifting song is sure to strike a chord with many and will be available for streaming and digital download from Friday July 23rd 2021. The track was produced by legendary London based musician and producer John Reynolds, renowned for his work with a host of artists, including Sinead O'Connor, Damien Rice, Indigo Girls and Passenger, and is the first release from Jacqui’s new body of work, which sees a change in direction for her in a genre blurring blend of Contemporary/Alt. Country/ Americana, and should see the songsmith strike a chord far and wide.