Shiraz (yes!, it's her real name), aka Raz or Miss Raz (don't ask!), cheekily, but fittingly, refers to her amazingly eclectic music as wtf-alt-indie-folk-pop-rock-country-blues with a touch of soul, a taste of swing, a tang of latin and a trace of funk. Hints of Crowded House, Carol King, Carly Simon, Sheryl Crowe, Missy Higgins, Regina Spektor, Jewel, Katie Melua, Aimee Mann, Dido, Joss Stone, Duffy and Adele can all, at times, be heard and felt in her unforgettable songs and live performances. Shiraz will take you on a journey that will raise your spirits, capture your heart and stir your imagination.

 

Shiraz's musical development probably began in the womb, listening to Bach, Mozart and Beethoven delivered via headphones strapped to her mother's belly. Her classical training continued with the piano at age 8 and the alto saxophone at age 9. In 2003, at the tender age of 14, Shiraz was selected to perform a duet with the late, great Wilson Pickett at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in front of over 8000 people and with Ray Charles listening in the wings. In 2005, Shiraz was a music captain at Brisbane Girls' Grammar School where she played sax in the Jazz Band, Big Band and Symphonic Winds. She also played drums in the sensational and sassy, all-girl pop-rock band, The Rich Bitches. 
 

From 2006 to 2009, Shiraz completed a full-time university degree in Drama, Music and Education, topping her final year in both Music and Drama. During this period, she somehow found the time to form her own band and record and release a self-produced, 10-song demo album on iTunes. She also sang and played alto sax, piano and blues harp in The Affordables, a Blues and Soul collective of some of Brisbane’s finest musicians, with whom she still loves to perform.

 

In 2010, Shiraz and her band staged a series of highly acclaimed, showcase gigs in Brisbane (Indooroopilly Hotel, The Zoo and Brisbane Powerhouse), one of which was filmed for release on DVD in 2012. Shriaz is currently in the studio recording a collection of songs for release over the next  few years. Her debut single and music video are scheduled for release later this year.