Virginia

Laura joined the other two Virginians in the late 90’s and has never looked back! They had five years together, writing, rehearsing, gigging, appearing on radio and TV. It was sometimes a schlep doing all this amidst a work routine, albeit pre family time, but their love of blending their distinctive vocal tones together, kept them going. 

When babies beckoned and family life took hold, Virginia split up for a decade or two. In a wee while, Laura threw herself into performing again. She got herself a band, put on popular music nights and got writing and recording and collaborating once more. Even a few songs in French and Italian. 

Time passes. Children grow. Sometimes families break. And Virginia started to show signs of life.  A venue where Laura had been putting on her Laura’s Lounge nights, folded and in due course she wrapped up her band too. Virginia came a knocking. It felt like a breath of fresh air to revisit the old songs, reconnect and sing again. The songs took on more resonance now, in light of the life and love battles they had gone through. Today, Laura feels relieved to have the support of the sisterhood, both personally and musically, and to continue on this Queenage journey together.

As a wide-eyed child, Louise famously informed her mother that she intended to grow up to be an actress, an air hostess, or a singer—an ambitious trifecta she managed to accomplish over the years with plenty of colourful stories and razor-sharp wit to spare. 

From training at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts to soaring the skies as a twenty-three-year-old British Airways stewardess eager to devour the globe, Louise has never done anything by halves. Her theatrical pursuits eventually led her across the Atlantic to Manhattan, where she studied under the legendary Broadway icon Helen Gallagher, belting out tunes in the atmospheric piano bars of Greenwich Village. Returning to London, a pair of gloriously bizarre acting auditions swiftly convinced her that conventional theatre wasn't quite her cup of tea. Even a brush with Harvey Weinstein at a private members' club, where she was invited to sample ice cream and "not miss an opportunity," was met with a swift, ice-cold decline and zero regrets. 

Deciding to do things strictly on her own terms, Louise threw herself into music, forming comedic cabaret acts before co-founding the original incarnation of Virginia. The band appeared on television screens across the nation, performing live to millions on The Kelly Show, navigating the glorious absurdity of early noughties fashion, and even facing down a record label executive who complained his ears were sore—prompting Louise to brilliantly dub him a w*nker right before walking out of the boardroom. 

Through subsequent chapters that included flying private jets for billionaires across the globe, transforming an East London apartment into an iconic shoot location, and retreating to the tranquil Kent countryside to tend to chamber choirs, music remained her truest north. Now, the arrival of First Bite represents the ultimate culmination of Louise’s rich, kaleidoscopic life, proving that true talent never retires.

For over two decades, millions of music fans have known Alison’s voice as the unmistakable final female vocalist of the multi-platinum-selling British band The Beautiful South. Joining that legendary band was an extraordinary journey that took her across the globe, performing at iconic festivals and daunting arenas but with poise and vocal mastery. 

Even while cherishing that glittering musical opportunity, Alison has never been one to rest on her laurels. Continuing to enchant audiences with solo songs and through celebrated collective projects like The South, her jazz-infused bossa nova venture Southern Beauty, and her dedicated work in children's music and songwriting camps, she is constantly pushing her artistic boundaries. But beneath all these diverse creative endeavours, a deeply personal spark was waiting to be refanned into a full-blown flame. 

During the quiet introspection of recent years, Alison rekindled a profound love for the unfinished business of Virginia. Now, all roads lead to the release of First Bite, the phenomenal album from Virginia that reunites Alison with her musical soulmates in a breathtaking display of sisterhood and songcraft. 

While her solo ventures and collaborations with The South continue to thrive, First Bite holds a fiercely special place in her heart, representing the joyful collision of past brilliance and present reinvention. Infused with wit, emotional depth, and an undeniable sophistication, First Bite showcases a band entirely revitalized by life's unexpected turns, proving that when true artists reunite, the magic is brilliantly reborn.