Imelda May facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Imelda May
May in 2018
Background information
Birth name	Imelda Mary Clabby
Born	(1974-07-10) 10 July 1974 (age 51) Dublin, Ireland
Genres	Rockabilly jazz swing folk soul traditional pop soft rock
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter television presenter
Instruments	Vocals guitar bodhrán
Years active	2002–present
Labels	Ambassador/Universal Ireland Decca
Associated acts	Darrel Higham Jools Holland

Imelda May, born Imelda Mary Clabby on July 10, 1974, is a talented singer, songwriter, and TV presenter from Ireland. She plays many instruments and is famous for her unique rockabilly music style. People sometimes compare her to famous jazz singers like Billie Holiday.

Imelda started her own band in 2002 and released her first album, No Turning Back. She then released Love Tattoo in 2009. Her third album, Mayhem (2010), was nominated for the Choice Music Prize. She later released Tribal (2014), Life Love Flesh Blood (2017), and 11 Past the Hour (2021).

Early Life and Music Start

Imelda May was born in Dublin, Ireland, on July 10, 1974. She grew up in an area called The Liberties. She is the youngest of five children. In 1991, she went to Senior College Ballyfermot to study art and design.

Becoming a Professional Musician

Imelda May performing at the Cambridge Folk Festival in 2010.

In 2003, Imelda May released her album No Turning Back. In 2007, she signed a record deal and recorded her second album, Love Tattoo. This album became number one in Ireland and was praised by many critics.

She caught the attention of famous musician Jools Holland. She later toured with him and appeared on his music TV show, Later... with Jools Holland. In 2009, she won the Female Artist of the Year award at the 2009 Meteor Awards.

Some people think the only way of doing well or of having a career in music is to go the X Factor route, but a lot of people lose the joy out of music by going that way, possibly because they're so incredibly focused on other people's ideas of success.

On January 31, 2010, she performed at the 52nd Grammy Awards with Jeff Beck. This was a special tribute to music legends Les Paul and Mary Ford. Her third album, Mayhem, was released in Ireland in September 2010. It also reached number one in the Irish Album Charts. This album was nominated for the Choice Music Prize.

Imelda May at the Madgarden Festival in 2015.

Imelda May also appeared on popular American talk shows like The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Conan. In 2016, she performed at a concert for RTÉ to celebrate 100 years since the 1916 Rising in Ireland. In the UK, she appeared on TV shows like Never Mind the Buzzcocks and Graham Norton Show. She also sang live on Strictly Come Dancing. Imelda May even helped create a scholarship at BIMM music college in Dublin for new artists.

Her fifth album, Life Love Flesh Blood, came out on April 7, 2017. She worked with American musician T Bone Burnett to produce this album. She also received advice from U2 singer Bono. Life Love Flesh Blood was very popular and reached number 4 in the UK charts. In May 2017, she performed songs from this album at a special concert in the famous London Palladium.

In Ireland, Imelda May had her own music TV show called The Imelda May Show. This show featured talented musicians from Ireland and around the world. On August 26, 2017, she sang the Irish national anthem before the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Conor McGregor fight in Las Vegas. In June 2020, she released a song called You Don't Get To Be Racist And Irish. This song was used by the Irish government for a campaign called Rethink Ireland. Imelda May also hosted a two-part TV series on Sky Arts called 'Voices Of Ireland'. This series explored Ireland's rich history of writers and poets.

In 2020, she released another album, Slip of the Tongue. This album showed a different style, moving from rock to spoken word. Her album 11 Past the Hour was released on April 16, 2021. Also in 2021, Imelda May sang a cover of the Metallica song "The God That Failed". This was for a charity album called The Metallica Blacklist.

Working with Other Artists

Imelda May and Jeff Beck at the Beacon Theatre in 2011.

Imelda May has recorded and performed with many different artists. She has worked with producers like Mike Crossey, Tony Visconti, Peter Asher, and T Bone Burnett.

In 2010, she performed with Jeff Beck to honor the late guitarist Les Paul in New York City. This performance was recorded for a DVD and HBO. She then toured the US with Jeff Beck for five weeks. In December 2011, she had two sold-out shows in Dublin. Bono from U2 made a surprise appearance as her guest. Imelda May was also a surprise guest at U2's concert in Dublin in 2015. Bono called her "the other queen of Ireland" as she joined them on stage to sing "Desire."

In 2017, she performed at a tribute concert for Bill Wyman's 80th birthday. This concert was part of the London Blues Festival. She performed alongside famous musicians like Robert Plant, Mark Knopfler, Bob Geldof, and Mick Hucknall.

In 2020, Imelda May was part of a group of Irish female singers called Irish Women in Harmony. They recorded a version of "Dreams" to help the charity SafeIreland. This charity supports people dealing with domestic abuse, which had increased during the COVID-19 lockdown.

In 2021, she sang with Noel Gallagher and Ronnie Wood from the Rolling Stones on the song "Just One Kiss." This song is from her album 11 Past the Hour. She also joined the lineup for Van Morrison's outdoor show at Audley End House and Gardens in August 2021.

In 2023, she performed at the "Tribute for Jeff Beck Concert" at the Royal Albert Hall. She shared the stage with many famous musicians, including Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, Johnny Depp, and Joss Stone. She performed the songs "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" and "Train Kept A-Rollin'".

Night for Ukraine Benefit

Imelda May performed at the Night for Ukraine event on March 9, 2022. This was a fundraising concert held in London. The money raised went to the Disasters Emergency Committee to help people who had to leave Ukraine because of the Russian invasion.

Acting Career

Imelda May made her first appearance as an actress in the 2022 film Fisherman's Friends: One and All.

Personal Life

Imelda May married her band member and guitarist, Darrel Higham, in 2002. They had a daughter in August 2012. In July 2015, Imelda May announced that she and Darrel had decided to separate after 13 years of marriage.

Albums

• No Turning Back (2003)
• Love Tattoo (2008)
• Mayhem (2010)
• Tribal (2014)
• Life Love Flesh Blood (2017)
• Slip of the Tongue (2020)
• 11 Past the Hour (2021)

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Imelda May para niños