SharaLee is a singer and songwriter hailing from Canada. She was born into a very musical family where every member played an instrument or sang, and SharaLee made her debut singing on stage at just five. She developed into recording demos then her own songs, with Postcards her first album of original material.
This led to writing with Mark Zubek, with their co-written song Together Again winning an Akademia award and considered for an Etta James biopic. She is strongly influenced by the great soul and Motown artists of the past but also loves pop, rock, gospel and country western music.
These eclectic influences become apparent through listening to the various songs she has made available online on her artist page. The first track Fall Down is a powerful introduction to her work, an epic ballad that brought to mind artists like Adele and Amy Winehouse. Like them, SharaLee has a soulful, strong voice full of character as well as considerable range.
She sings near the top of her register on this one, depicting a heartbroken lover over terse, rhythmic strings and brooding bass. The song is about those who have built their lives with a “wall of lies” and how it eventually catches up with them. The opening lines capture the sense of personal pain: “My heart was broke when you walked away like a hit and run.…”. SharaLee‘s vocal performance is highly emotive and it remains captivating until the final bars which are performed ‘a capella’.
Her love of Motown and soul comes to the fore in the excellent Deja Vu. It’s a ballad in 6/8 time and, as with Amy Winehouse’s Back To Black album, it effectively recreates the magical Motown sound. The feel of the music is very authentic with the unmistakable sound of musicians playing their instruments, an unfortunate rarity in this era. SharaLee’s vocals are more gentle and tender here, crooning a beautiful melody augmented by backing harmonies, along with strings and brass.
She shows another side to her musical persona with the funky pop of Now. Built around a slick groove that brought to mind George Michael’s classic Freedom, it’s propelled by a pulsing bassline and interspersed with moody organ. The catchy chorus hook latches in the memory upon the first listen and the detail in the music means this great track stands up to repeated listens.
Don’t Need A Hero is another superb piece of songwriting with a ballsy, brass-led soul sound and an epic chorus. The rich sound of the organ and picked guitar lines reminded me of The Animals’ perennial classic House Of The Rising Sun, especially with the blazing organ solo after the second chorus. This one is my personal favourite.
You Can’t Stop Me showcases the more modern pop side to her songwriting though retaining the emotional punch that is a consistent feature throughout her music. It alternates between a sparse verse and defiant, uplifting chorus which again soon sticks in the memory. Her ability to write memorable and convincing choruses is testament to her skills as a writer. You can imagine an artist like Taylor Swift having a huge hit with this song.
The aforementioned Together Again is the last song on her artist page and it’s another well crafted soul ballad that made me think of Carole King’s great songs of the late 60’s and 70’s. With an excellent arrangement, SharaLee excels vocally here especially on the skyscraping chorus. It’s a truly wonderful song and deserved the awards and plaudits it has received.
Overall, SharaLee has written and performed some first rate soul songs in the course of her career that deserve recognition and a wide audience. She writes accessible and easily relatable songs that stand out from the crowd due to their musically authentic sound, emotional depth and SharaLee’s distinctive singing. Motown and soul fans will particularly appreciate her work but her appeal is truly universal.
The Faulkner Review 