The Deep Stuff.
Art-pop, poems and true stories, from the voice of Massive Attack’s “Dissolved Girl”.
Hello, I’m Sarah Jay.
I sing, I write songs, poems, memoir and musings. You might know my voice from Massive Attack’s Mezzanine, The Matrix or nineties dance floor bangers with Charles Webster or Warp.
Life has thrown some heavy curveballs. A stroke left me learning to read again. Throat cancer left me learning to sing again.
Creativity, singing, writing and nada yoga always carry me home.
What I make
Music
Torch songs in the dark, analogue soul and electronic shimmer.
Writing
Lyrics and songs. Mentoring for people writing their way back.
Coaching
Singing, songwriting and performance. Every voice welcome, wobbly ones included.
Shows and Exhibitions
Zen, Drugs ‘n’ Rock ‘n’ Roll, – a memoir in spoken word – music and moving image
The Art of Resilience: From the Furnace to the Flow. an installation of sculpture, collage, sound design, words and photographs.
Singing for Wellbeing
Sing to Feel Well –
Wellbeing courses and classes using breath and vocal exercises – nada yoga calms the nervous system and makes space for more joy.
“Sorrow carves valleys in the soul to hold more joy.”
Sarah Jay “SJ” Hawley is a soulful English art-pop electronica artist.
Her sultry haunting vocals and uplifting melancholic songs tap into the deep stuff. Trip Hop band Massive Attack called upon her to write and sing “Dissolved Girl” on Mezzanine and “Wire”, movie soundtrack to “Welcome to Sarajevo”. An engaging performer, she was invited on tour with them to promote this album.
After her Warp records release, “Yeah You”, SJ recorded and toured with producer Charles Webster in “Symmetrix”, “Lo Rise” and “Presence”, fuelling the youth revolution through the nineties with Deep House and Electronica.
From humble beginnings singing jazz and blues in the seaside town Skegness, SJ carved out a successful career as a session singer with eighty or so International releases and soundtracks. Whilst raising a family her focus shifted to coaching in vocals, performance and songwriting whilst Head Of Vocals at The British and Irish Institute of Modern Music (BIMM).
Deeply aware of the healing power of music having survived Skegness, a Stroke and Cancer, S J is now excited to release her music.
This retrospective collection of previously unreleased songs is a fusion of analogue and electronica. Feminine, earthy and soulful SJ sings moving, emotive, dark torch songs. Her signature satin voice is enchantingly melancholic, rich with emotion. Her songs powerful and poignant, shine a light on the beauty in tragedy. Reminding us that sorrow carves valleys in the soul to contain more joy.
Listen to my music
Some of these songs sat in a drawer for years before anyone heard them! They’re out in the world now, with more on the way. Every one you buy helps pay for the next record.
Featuring: Zen, Drugs ‘n’ Rock ‘n’ Roll (album), The Dissolved Girl Resolved (EP) and Sometimes Strangeness (album).
Latest from my notebook
Reflections, poems, lyrics and stories. Pull up a pew and have a read.
