Making a splash with the release of \'Wake\'

Singer/songwriter Sheila Nicholls explains that the word wake is a triple-entendre -- getting up in the morning, the trail a boat makes through the water and the celebration of someone's death. \n"The choices and actions we make in life leave a very specific trail, which have caused me to work at taking responsibility as often as I can remember," Nicholls says. "This album is loosely based around the notion of faith. It's about the troughs and peaks of having and not having it, what we choose to put it in, why it doesn't work and how vital it is to have it anyway." \nNicholls has just released her debut studio album, Wake. It is a collage of inspiring smooth melodies that she concentrated on this past spring. \nNicholls was raised in England, where she harbored her musical ideas until deciding to chase down her dreams in the United States. \n"Growing up," she says, "I didn't even tell anyone I was writing songs. In Colchester, Essex, the town and country where I'm from, you might as well tell someone you're going to become a lion tamer." \nShe pursued her musical ambitions in Los Angeles and New York, paying dues and collaborating with a wide range of other musicians and backgrounds. \n"I lived in my van for a year," she jokes. "Luckily for me it turned out to be a prerequisite for any self-respecting chick singer anyway." \nHer latest single, "Faith" proves that she is on the brink of nationwide success.\nWake showcases Nicholls talent at tapping into strong emotions with clever compositions. Her broad musical flair allows her creativity to blossom with freshness. \nShe started her own recording company, Essex Girl, in order to have complete creative control when she released her first album composed of live recordings, Brief Arms. After that, Hollywood Records came knocking at her door, bringing the opportunity for nationwide exposure. To promote the unique flavor that lies in unknown talent that is thriving in Los Angeles, Nicholls established her own performanc series called, "Chicks in Arms." She makes sure all of Essex Girl's artists are given complete freedom in the recording studio and on the stage. Nicholls wanted to give storytellers, poets, songwriters, dancers and painters a vessel for their work. \n"Men are welcome to perform -- so long as they proudly wear a skirt," she jokes. \nNicholls says during shows, an artist paints a masterpiece, live in front of the crowd. Nicholls' own performances are full of sexuality and desire. Nicholls' audiences flock to her wonderful displays of musical craftsmanship. She pools together her visions with a band that embraces her hippy style. Nicholls' compassion focuses intently on love and faith. She wants to inspire and lead her audiences in a caravan full of hope. She combines piano, cello, guitar and her own raw beautiful voice into a funky and soulful vibe. \nFor Wake, Nicholls collaborated with mega-producer Glen Ballard, who has worked with Dave Matthews, Michael Jackson and Alanis Morissette. She also collaborated with other producers on Wake to fashion an album structured by many different elements. \n"Having already established my voice with Brief Arms, I decided to call my own bluff and open my next project to several producers and see what came back," Nicholls says. "Though I'd already written the album, through these collaborations, I ended up writing some new songs." \nOn "Ownership," she pushed her home piano onto the porch of her Los Angeles deck and recorded the song live. In the song "Faith," Nicholls wanted to convey that faith is what leads people to inspiration. \n"It's about the ultimate surrender to faith, because there's sometimes a glorious point where you have no choice," Nicholls says. "We're back to that love thing again, when we have no choice but to always be let down, and then pick ourselves up and do it again. When people ask me about my faith, I say I have faith in myself." \n"The Moth and the Streetlight" is an introspective look at affection. The moth is a metaphor for a lover, and the streetlight is a symbol for the attraction of love. Nicholls\' reminisces about her father's favorite car selection, "Love Song," a Lesley Duncan tune her dad couldn't get enough of. \nNicholls' femininity mirrors that of successful female artists such as Tori Amos and Liz Phair. She wants her music to be a commune that promotes equality and community. \n"Love and peace are not just repackaged 1960s ideals, but are in fact probably the most radical concepts yet conceived by humanity." Nicholls says. Nicholls' faith could pave the road to a successful tour and an exceptional career in the music industry.