Vanessa Van Spall

Vanessa Van Spall is a San Francisco based singer-songwriter, whose 2007 indie debut “Cotton-Poly Blend” whips up a heartfelt, incisive and bittersweet melding of rock, blues, gospel and pop. Her songs cover an eclectic range of moods and styles, from acoustic tracks to songs that incorporate flavors of The Beatles, Motown and 80's pop. Her vocals have been compared to those of Sarah McLachlan, Annie Lennox and Norah Jones. Vanessa's band also provides a unique twist on the singer-songwriter genre, with rhythmic piano grooves driving the music and an electric viola usurping the role of the lead guitar and providing additional symphonic flourishes. The daughter of a Music Minister, Vanessa grew up surrounded by music. She started performing for live audiences at the age of 5, started piano lessons at 6 years old, won her first statewide songwriting competition in 2nd grade, starred in a high school musical, sang in multiple choirs, recorded a demo at 16 – and even had it “picked up” by an industry person. She knew she wanted to be a singer and songwriter long before she was old enough to drive. Somewhere between getting her drivers license and finishing college, her detour began. Afraid of failure or success or who-knows-what, she started on an alternate path of seemingly sensible choices, like getting married, finishing a degree in History, working office and corporate jobs, substitute teaching, etc. All the while, slowly coming to the realization that she wouldn’t find the fulfillment she was looking for in anything other than music. So the musical silence ended. Numerous steps in the right direction led to the completion of “Cotton-Poly Blend.” The album was produced by veteran rock drummer Atma Anur, who also played drums on the project. Recorded and mixed on all analog equipment at the legendary Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco, “Cotton-Poly Blend” provides a lush and rich listening experience. Vanessa promises that people will hear a piece of her soul through the music. “Maybe I never should have run from my dreams, but my songs reflect a broader life experience than I had starting out at 16. I hope people can relate to that and appreciate it. This music is for anyone who’s ever made mistakes, been afraid or just taken the long way to get there.” Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.