The “NuNote Lounge Fest” is setting up stage in the heart of Moscow in the Hermitage Gardens, where Skye, the former vocalist for Morcheeba, will play Saturday.
Skye, whose name comes from the initial letters of her real name Shirley Klarisse Yonavive Edwards, will play songs from her solo debut album “Mind How You Go.” The album was made with the help of songwriter and producer Pat Leonard, who has worked with the likes of Pink Floyd and Madonna and David Louis, who was Bob Dylan’s producer.
Remembering the birth of “Jamaica Days,” one of the album’s songs, Skye said it was about her Jamaican mother and grandmother.
“Every time I tried to sing it, I cried. We eventually got a rough version down, just with acoustic guitars,” she said after it was released. A second solo album is set for later this year.
Before she started her solo career in 2006, Skye spent eight years in Morcheeba, who were hugely successful and sold millions of records and toured all over the world. Initially, she never aspired to be a soloist.
“When members of the band started talking about taking a long sabbatical, I thought — what am I going to do,” she said.
See for yourself Saturday how she is doing.
French band Nouvelle Vague, famous for covering bands such as Joy Division and The Clash in a bossa nova style and who have worked with Skye in the past, will complete the festival lineup with a concert the Saturday after.
Organizers have just one fear about the event — that the weather will make a repeat performance.
“Last year, we had such an interesting program, but because of the cold weather unfortunately not many people showed up,” said Lena Yevgrafova, one of the organizers. “We can but hope.”
Skye will play at 8 p.m. on Aug. 15 at Hermitage Gardens. 3-7 Karetny Ryad. M. Chekhovskaya. Tickets cost 1,500 rubles. www.concert.ru. Tel. 644-22-22. www.myspace.com/myskyesite
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