Hannah Murphy
At just 21 years old, Lancashire based Ren Harvieu has already supported Glasvegas, James Morrison and The Courteeners on tour, been invited to record with American rapper Nas, spotted by BBC Introducing and was booked for Glastonbury 2011.
It would seem that all was fine and dandy for Ren, yes? Well, back in May 2011 Ren’s world was turned upside down when what started out as harmless fun, resulted two broken vertebrae and the possibility of never walking again. 8 months down the line and Ren appears to have made a full recovery in time for her debut single release, her headline show in London and her spot as support act for Benjamin Francis Leftwich. To top it off, Ren was crowned the top spot in Music Week’s One to Watch 2012 List.
Through The Night has had nothing but positive feedback, especially since the single was played on Radio 2 recently. Ren has previously said she was heavily influenced by old Disney films and the romanticism that stems from them, as well as her mother’s record collection – which definitely comes through in her own music. Through the Night is a 60’s inspired orchestral piece, with a drum beat similar to those on Roy Orbison tracks; fused with Dusty Springfield-esque vocals. When asked in a recent interview if she ever gets tired of comparisons, Ren immediately spoke about taking it as a compliment.
Even though Ren’s voice could easily be mistaken for a 60’s soul phenomenon, there is still something unique which separates her from the likes of Dusty and Sandie. Ren appears to transport people to a different era for four minutes, possibly leaving her as the most authentic voice since Amy Winehouse.
Through the Night is available on iTunes now and her album is set to be released 9th April.
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