Hedvig Hanson
As a renowned Estonian jazz singer, Hedvig Hanson gets her rhythm from soul and funk, and lyrical side from classical music. As diverse as such a combination may sound, Hedvig is "totally intoxicating and mesmerizing, and there's something very "mojito" about her jazz - cool like Nordic ice, refreshing like mint, with sweet and sensual Brazilian influences in her vocals... " as Alex Kruzin of Billboard magazine has put it.
Hedvig's first international album, an Emarcy release entitled "What Colour Is Love?", is due to hit the stores in September 2003. Her third solo effort contains 13 tracks, most of them penned by the afro-music influenced jazz singer herself. Later this year, Hedvig will tour Germany, Austria and Switzerland as part of the legendary "Rising Stars" phenomenon. Thereafter, promotional activities will take her to Scandinavia and the rest of Europe.
Hedvig started to take piano lessons at the age of 7 and by her early teens, she had cut her hair, curled it and colored her face with dark powder to look like Whitney Houston - one of her all time heroes. 1993 witnessed Hedvig's first triumph, one of many to come, she won the biggest singing contest in her native Estonia. About four years later, Hedvig became a real "press darling" as a front person of an Estonian all-star jazz band "Basic Concept". Their best-selling "Love For Sale" album received raving reviews from critics and was a substantial hit on both radio and TV.
Hedvig's first solo album "Let Me Love You" was released in 2000, followed by "Tule mu juurde" ("Come To Me") in 2001. Both releases saw Hedvig develop as a talented song-writer and the latter got her 2 Estonian Music Awards - the best album and best female artist of the year, not to mention huge commercial success.
On her brand new "What Colour Is Love?" album, out later this year, Hedvig Hanson continues to showcase her sheer talent both as a singer and songwriter. "She is captivating and unaffected," as legendary Charles Lloyd has described her. The diversity and raw talent will captivate all who listen to the album.
