MP3 Mikaela Dewar - Overdressed

It's country-jazz and quirkiness. Mikaela Dewar is a New Zealander living in West Texas, owning a voice that has been described as "crystal clear, like a running river".

13 MP3 Songs
COUNTRY: Country Folk, JAZZ: Jazz Vocals



Details:
Mikaela Dewar's music is country-jazz and quirkiness. It's what happens when a New Zealander moves to West Texas!

Mikaela's diminutive stature belies her huge stage presence, and her voice has been described as "crystal clear, like a running river". Mikaela's vocals are delivered with a great sense of time, style and soul that is only achieved by years of performance, study and struggle.

Mikaela Dewar was born and raised in Christchurch, New Zealand. She started playing the guitar at 7 years old and was playing gigs by 9. She has played everywhere from rest homes to bars & restaurants, from festivals to gas stations, from television to fairs. Mikaela was influenced early on by old school country: Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash and Emmylou Harris...and was completely moved when she discovered James Taylor at 15. With these influences, plus her Dad's record collection consisting of The Beatles, Ray Charles, Simon & Garfunkel and Tony Joe White, and add to that her later influences: Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Lyle Lovett...it's no wonder Mikaela's music has been described as eclectic.

Having won many New Zealand music awards, including the prestigious New Zealand Gore Gold Guitar Award, she moved to Tamworth, Australia in 1999. She was a Star Maker Grand Finalist in Tamworth, placing her in the top 10 up and coming country music performers in Australia and New Zealand. Mikaela then spent all her time in Australia touring New South Wales with different bands. She moved to Levelland, Texas to attend South Plains College in 2001, and has spent the last 4 years honing her craft in West Texas. She was the 2002 & 2003 South Plains College Female Songwriter of the Year. Mikaela's fan base is ever growing and she regularly performs at The Mean Woman Grill in Levelland, Hub City Brewery in Lubbock, and at the historic Cactus Theater in Lubbock, amongst others.

While in Texas, Mikaela has opened for Terri Hendrix & Lloyd Maines, Ian Moore and Fred Eaglesmith. She has played the Buddy Holly Music Festival, the Lubbock Arts Festival, the Tamworth Country Music Festival (Australia) and the Christchurch Festival of Romance (New Zealand).

Mikaela is well-travelled and educated. She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and French...when she was younger she wanted to be a French diplomat, but her childhood dreams of diplomatic immunity were surpassed by her musical dreams. Her only regret is that she can now expect a ticket when she parks her '83 Mercury Cougar on a yellow line.

Mikaela's all-original debut album "Overdressed" is a direct result of her time spent in Texas. The album has been called a creative masterpiece, and showcases the great collaborative relationship she has with some wildly talented young West Texas musicians.