Lorraine Bowen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lorraine Bowen
Bowen in concert at The Vauxhall Tavern, London
Background information
Birth name	Lorraine Bowen
Born	(1961-10-31) 31 October 1961 (age 63) Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
Genres	Comedy
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter, comedian, musician
Instruments	Voice, keyboard, piano, clarinet, recorder
Years active	1980s–present
Labels	Singer

Lorraine Bowen (born October 31, 1961) is an English singer, songwriter, comedian, and musician. She is known for her funny and unique songs, often played on a Casio keyboard. Lorraine has released many albums and singles throughout her career. She has performed all over the world and even appeared on the TV show Britain's Got Talent.

Lorraine Bowen's Music Journey

Starting Out in Music

Lorraine studied music at the University of Surrey. After college, she performed music on the streets of London. In the 1980s, she was part of two bands: See You in Vegas and The Dinner Ladies. She also often performed with the famous musician Billy Bragg. Lorraine appeared on BBC Radio 4 shows like Radio Shuttleworth. She also wrote for the radio show Loose Ends.

Becoming a Solo Artist

In 1990, Billy Bragg encouraged Lorraine to start her own solo career. She began performing shows called The Lorraine Bowen Experience. Her act was special because it included three songs, a Casio keyboard, and even an ironing board!

These unique shows took her to festivals around the world. She performed at big events like Glastonbury in the UK, and festivals in Winnipeg, Toronto, and San Francisco. She also played many shows in Italy and Spain.

Her Quirky Song Style

Lorraine's songs are known for being "quirky" and funny. They often have a fun, old-fashioned feel. She sings about everyday things like food, movie stars (she has a popular song about Julie Christie), mobile phones, fish fingers, and even laundromats. Her songs often have catchy parts that audiences can sing along to, and she loves it when people join in!

Vital Organs Tour (2005–2009)

Vital Organs was the name of Lorraine's first solo comedy tour. In this show, she celebrated her collection of portable Casio electronic organs and other unique instruments. The show started in London and then toured widely from 2005 to 2009.

Lorraine Bowen meets Barbara Moore (2011–2014)

In 2011, Lorraine found out that composer Barbara Moore was still alive. Barbara Moore was a very busy musician in the 1960s and 1970s. She worked with famous artists like Elton John and Jimi Hendrix. Lorraine created the show 'Lorraine Bowen meets Barbara Moore' to share Barbara's amazing music with new audiences. This show was part of the Brighton Fringe festival in 2014.

Polyester Fiesta! Show

Image from Lorraine Bowen's Polyester Fiesta

Lorraine Bowen's Polyester Fiesta! is a fun show that celebrates the fabric polyester. It features models, a scientist, and a wardrobe helper. Lorraine acts as the host, a model, and sings while walking down a runway. She has collected vintage polyester clothes since she was a girl. Her collection has even been shown on TV! This show toured in 2015, playing at festivals like Brighton Fringe.

Britain's Got Talent (2015)

Lorraine became very well-known when she appeared on Britain's Got Talent in May 2015. She sang her own song called "The Crumble Song," which is about her love for apple crumble. Judge David Walliams was so impressed that he pressed his "golden buzzer," sending her straight to the live semi-finals!

Even though other judges pressed their buzzers during her act, David loved it. Lorraine sang a song about space in the semi-final but didn't get enough votes to reach the final.

Much Ado About Bingo (2019)

In 2019, Lorraine performed in a musical comedy show called Much Ado About Bingo. She performed with Derek Daniels Boogaloo Stu and Ronnie Hazelnut Jason Peg on piano. The show was a mix of a Shakespeare-themed musical bingo game, classic 1970s songs, and funny, made-up stories about show business.

Music for Games

Working on Game Music

In 2020, Lorraine started writing music for Philipp Stollenmayer's mobile game company, KAMIBOX. Their first game was released in 2023.

In 2021, she also wrote the main song for a game called Kitty Q/Katze Q. This game helps kids aged 12-14 learn about the exciting world of Quantum Physics. She wrote the song in both English and German!

Teaching Music

Image of Lorraine Bowen conducting a Choir Workshop at The Dome, Brighton.

Early in her career, Lorraine also taught music part-time in schools. Now, she lives in Brighton and leads singing workshops. She teaches at places like the Brighton Dome and Bexhill's De La Warr Pavilion.

Lorraine in Media

Radio Shows

Lorraine has her own radio show called Lorraine Bowen's Stereo Spectacular. It features unique sound recordings, interviews, and a mix of different songs. The show has won awards and is now available as a podcast.

Film Work

Lorraine has contributed to several films. She created the soundtrack for No Deposit, No Return. Her song "Julie Christie" was featured in the Canadian film Better Than Chocolate. She also sang on the song "There Must Be An Angel" in the 2013 film The Great Beauty. In 2022, her song 'Take Time' was used in the film 'Father Earth'.

Writing Books

Lorraine is also an author! She wrote a children's book called The Crumble Lady. It's a collection of short stories that was published in 2017.

Working with Other Artists

Lorraine was discovered by Billy Bragg while performing with her band The Dinner Ladies. She joined Billy Bragg's tour, performing her first show with him in Liverpool. She even toured East Germany just before it reunited, performing in army camps and stadiums. She also appeared in two episodes of Radio Shuttleworth with John Shuttleworth.

Lorraine Bowen's Music Albums

Albums Released

• Greatest Hits Volume One (1995)
• Greatest Hits Volume Two (1998)
• Bossy Nova (2000)
• Songs from the Living Room (2002, Italian)
• Vital Organs (2006)
• Suburban Exotica (2010)
• The Crumble Lady (2016)
• Down to Earth (EP) (2021)
• Beauty at the Computer (2022)

Singles Released

• "Faffing Around on Facebook" (2012)
• "Drinking Song" (in German) (2012)
• "Valentine's Day (in a 21st Century Way)" (2013)
• "Japanese Crumble Song (Sushi Song)" (2013)
• "Bears" (2015)
• "Give My Love to Hull" (2015)
• "Christmas Crumble" (2015)
• "Crumble de Noel" (2015)
• "Reggaeton Crumble Song" (2016)
• "Kitty Q Game Theme" (2021)
• "Katze Q game Theme" (2021)
• "Hibernate With Me" – studio version (2021)
• "War is Over, Bang the Drums" (2022)
• "Apfelkuchen Song" with Philipp Stollenmayer (2022)
• "Ecstasy is Having Your Ears Syringed" (2022)
• "Backup Song"' (2022)

As a Featured Artist

Billy Bragg

• The Internationale (1990)
• Don't Try This at Home (1991)