Layla Zoe 'Gemini'

“I rip people’s hearts out - and then I put them back in …”

Layla Zoe took the stage at the 8th edition Mahindra Blues Festival Mumbai in February 2018 and stood her own, carving out a niche in the blues psyche of each who saw her perform, me included. She has said, “My show is raw, honest, emotional and intense. People are often say they are moved to tears at my shows, and I feel it’s important that I give everything I have to my audience. I rip people’s hearts out - and then I put them back in …”, and that’s what she did, her performance nothing short of brilliance.
Thirteen years as a performer and 11 album releases later, singer-songwriter Layla Zoe delivers a powerful statement in a 2CD set, the all original Gemini, her lyrics, a voice for every woman universally, who need one.
The first disc labeled Fragility is a largely an acoustic set in which she is accompanied by multi-instrumentalist Jaan Laacks. As Layla meanders through life’s realities in the songs on this set, she touches you deep down in places only she can with her bluesy salon sounding voice that threads lightly and enmeshes you in a web of sublime emotion. Thrown in is a paean to Mumbai where she reminisces the chorus of car horns, saffron rice and curry, the jeweled feet of its beautiful women and touching hips of strangers in the narrow market streets in what she calls a dreamland garden of eden. Jaan’s finger picking skills combined with his smoothness on the slide do her journey perfect justice.
In stark contrast the electric CD2 Courage is a hard hitting set that’s propels you through some contemporary sounding bluesy rock, once again strewn with strong life messages. Joining the multi talented Jaan on this set are, in turn, Claus Schulte and Dirk Sengotta on drums. Layla’s lyrics hold firm in this riotous second disc taking you largely through the dark spaces in a woman’s life with an assuringly positive vocab. Layla’s throaty feistiness is let loose in a vocal range that matches the best in the business. Plunk in the middle of the set the title track Gemini delivers Layla’s stark diatribe to the pretentious sounding righteous bigot: I know what the I stands for in Gemini, and honey, it ain’t you.
Early in her career the legendary Canadian jazz and blues-rock vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter, the visually impaired late Jeff Healy, had said of his friend Layla, “She has created probably the biggest buzz vocally I’ve ever heard … all of the comments, compliments and credos going around about her are not unfounded”. Layla has done justice to that statement piling up the honors ever since her first release You Will in 2005: 
European Blues Awards 2018 - Best Female Vocalist (nominated)
ROOT Music Report Canada Top 10 albums of 2018 – Gemini
Whiplash Brazil Top 10 albums of 2018 – Gemini
European Blues Awards 2016 - Best Vocalist
Downbeat Magazine Best Albums of 2016 - Breaking Free
Nashville International Songwriting Competition - Semifinalist 2013/14/15
Maple Blues Awards Canada Female Vocalist Of The Year 2014 – Winner
Downbeat Magazine Best Albums of 2014 - The Lily
Blues Top Discovery Of The Year Poland 2013
Vancouver Island Music Awards 2007 - Female Vocalist Of The Year
Compo 10 Blues Songwriting Competition Finland 2006 - Winner

Layla has also been a featured performer on RUF Records’ Blues Caravan tours. The treasures of her father’s vinyl collection that enthralled Layla as a teenager started her on her journey from Vancouver to the world stage, her zestful performances enthralling all along the way.

The double CD set includes the lyrics to all the songs.

Layla Zoe / Gemini - Outtakes including ‘Mumbai’ at Partytur Neuss November 16, 2018


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