After discovering Marie-Claire Giraud from her NPR Tiny Desk Contest submission, Brooklyn NY record label Leesta Vall Records has reached out to the Dominica-born, Bronx-raised Jazz singer, to perform in its “Direct-to-Vinyl Live Sessions,” where on May 22nd, 2023, she will record her original song “CHASIN’ RAINBOWS.”
Marie-Claire is a soprano, jazz and musical theater singer, songwriter, composer, playwright, and actress.
The singer, who will be accompanied on guitar by Ricadrò Grille for the live performance of her mellow yet optimistic Jazz tune, says she is thrilled to be part of this diverse and innovative series.
“It’s exciting; truly. I am thrilled to be a part of this project and I can’t wait for the 22nd to record this song live for all those who request it. Each one will be its own unique creation.”
The series, which features a number of artistes across various genres, works like this. Fans pre-order the song, which the artist then records at the Leesta Vall studio. The live recording is cut in real-time to a 7″ lathe-cut vinyl record.
Instead of digitally duplicating the recording, the artiste does a new take each time. This way, the persons who pre-ordered get a unique and personalized version inclusive of a message from the artiste.
“We started the Direct to vinyl live sessions program in 2017 with the intention of providing an authentic, one to one experiment between artist and listener. These records are like audio polaroids; they capture music in its truest form, live, in real-time, resulting in a completely unique piece of physical merchandise that the owner can cherish forever,” says Chris Eichlin Artist Relations, Talent Scout, & Social Media Manager at Leesta Vall.
He says he was struck by Marie-Claire’s timeless lyrics and the cadence of her song, adding, “The genuine smooth quality of Marie-Claire’s voice on “CHASIN’ RAINBOWS” struck me, like a song sung by Ella Fitzgerald. I felt that this would translate in our Direct-to-Vinyl Live Sessions in such a beautiful way.”
The singer, who now calls Harlem home, says she wrote the song about never giving up.
“I want to encourage people through the song to never, ever give up on their dreams. Even though we go through storms there is always, always a rainbow.”
Fans can pre-order Marie-Claire’s, “CHASIN’ RAINBOWS “ on the Leesta Vall website up to May 15th, 2023.
She will also be at the Progressive Musicians and Sound Expressivo concert at Carnegie Hall on June 20th.
Marie-claire started her Opera training in Rome Italy and has performed at NY landmarks like Carnegie Hall and the United Nations (UN) Headquarters and is a regular performer at Dante’s in the West Village.
She has also performed at music events in the Caribbean including Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival; Love is all We Need in Antigua and Dominica’s Creole in the Park.
