Best known for her stellar performances in Women In Voice, Alison St Ledger is a critically-acclaimed performer on the Brisbane cabaret circuit.
She has appeared several times as a guest vocalist with legendary Australian band Powderfinger, and has recorded a swath of new songs for her latest collaboration with Sallie Campbell and Dave McGuire - The Switch.
As the 21st birthday hangover has subsides, Women In Voice return to the Judith Wright Centre. In preparation for the all-out female affair, Alison highlights her Top 5 favourite female voices:
Etta James
I love her careful balance of restraint and abandon. Her tone is so rich and she can hit those full throttle gospel notes just as well as Aretha.Elizabeth Fraser
An early influence on me as I was so taken with her nasal tone and the way she would bend notes in a kind of Indian classical style. I found her lack of diction really attractive as well. Lots of vowels very few consonants. Apparently she didn't like to commit to the meaning of the lyrics so she would obscure them – a fascinating choice.Lisa Gerard
Lisa took what Elizabeth Frazer did one step further and made up word like sounds. It's quite an eastern sound she produces which seems to come from the depth of her soul. Deep and rich – it stirs the spirit.Nancy Wilson
She has such incredible technique with a truly beautiful tone to go with it. There is a great sense of joy in her voice and she has a true gift for communicating emotion in a song. Her voice is perfection.Katie Noonan
The word ethereal doesn't come close enough to describe her unique sound. There is such a gentle production of sound but it really cuts through. Listening to her voice gives one a floating sensation. She has that rare gift of giving the listener goosebumps.Women In Voice perform the Judith Wright Centre 15-24 October.
