Off The Wagon - Philippa Hanna
Our next LCM featured artist Philippa Hanna is an acclaimed British singer-songwriter currently splitting her time between Sheffield, Nashville and a hectic international touring schedule. Since her first public performance with an acoustic guitar in 2007, Philippa has released five albums, a live DVD and had two autobiographical books published. Having notched up over one thousand live performances in twenty-five countries over the past decade, she has demonstrated what can be achieved by independent artist with a little help from her fans. Our LCM #SongOfTheDay is her very catchy lead single 'Off The Wagon' taken from her latest album 'Come Back Fighting', recently released in November.
As well as becoming a leading light in the Christian & Gospel scene in Europe, the Barnsley-born singer has been invited to open tours for household names including Lionel Richie, Little Mix, Leona Lewis, Wet Wet Wet and Anastacia, highlighting the broadness of her appeal. Having gained on-going support from the BBC (Songs of Praise, BBC Introducing, BBC Radio 2), MEGS funding from the DiT/BPI and over £85K through crowdfunding, Philippa Hanna is growing into a widely recognised and respected brand internationally.
Born into a musical family, Philippa knew from an early age that that making music was all she wanted to do and has successfully followed in the footsteps of cousins Richard & Danny McNamara (Embrace) and brother Stuart Zender (Jamiroquai) in carving out her own path in the world of entertainment. Her music frequently draws upon her experiences of a turbulent youth, and the Christian faith she found in 2004. Through songs including 'I Am Amazing', 'Arrow' and 'Raggedy Doll' she champions self-esteem in young people whilst simultaneously raising awareness for the work of children's charity Compassion UK for which she's recruited over 1,000 sponsors at live events.
Her latest album 'Come Back Fighting' takes Philippa back to her country routes with songs such as 'Off The Wagon' drawing comparisons with the likes of Dolly Parton.
Following the release of her chart topping album 'Come Back Fighting', Philippa Hanna will be heading out on the road this April for her most exciting run of headline shows to date. Her country-tinged 6th release hit Number 1 on the iTunes UK Country Chart on the day of release and topped the Official Christian & Gospel chart in December 2017.
Fans can expect to hear 'Off The Wagon', the lead single that has drawn comparisons with the likes of Dolly Parton as well as the acoustic reggae-infused Dorothy and the hard-hitting bluesy title track 'Come Back Fighting'. In additional to established favourites and classic country covers, Philippa will be championing upcoming singles 'Getting On With Life' and 'The Hero'.
Joined by a small ensemble of accompanists on stage, in her signature style, Philippa will share the stories and insights behind the songs in tandem with her daily inspirational YouTube blog. Having captivated UK audiences on tours supporting Lionel Richie, Leona Lewis, Anastacia, Wet Wet Wet, Collabro & Rebecca Ferguson, her reputation as an outstanding acoustic entertainer is hard to rival. With just 4 dates planned for the tour, fans are advised to get tickets early to avoid disappointment. Tickets go on sale on Friday 12th of January.
Philippa will be appearing live on Good Morning Sunday on BBC Radio 2 on Sunday 4th February after recording an Under The Apple Tree live session with Bob Harris.