ARTIST CONTACT DETAILS:
David Warren
DW Promotions
T: +44 (0)7774 495670
E: davidwarren@dw-promotions.co.uk
"Rietta IS music.she lives and breathes it.Truly a voice that needs to be heard." - Kirk Pengilly, INXS
"The girl who opened The O2 Arenawent down a storm" - London Evening Standard
"Thank you Rietta Austin for blowing me away time and time again. Rietta transcends any description of her I could possibly come up with. You have to see her for yourself to believe it. She's a musical force of nature." - Elizabeth McGovern, Oscar Nominated Actress
"An impressive sounding debut record from a global pop diva in the making, CUT ME LOOSE finds Rietta delivering a classy opening shot.a vocalist with the star quality to elevate her way above the competition." - ukmusicsearch.com
"[Rietta's] vocals.stand on their own merit, and the way they move from the sub-operatic down to a beautiful whisper has to be heard to be believed." - musicomh.com
"Up there with the likes of Joss Stone and Anastacia." - liveformusic.co.uk
Originally from New Zealand, now based in London, Rietta Austin has performed around the globe. Falco (Rock Me Amadeus) is Germany's biggest selling artist. Born in Austria he was a talented man, gone too soon. Falco was killed in an accident a decade ago and in 2009 the last recordings he'd ever made (which were thought to be lost forever) were found. As some of the songs were incomplete, Rietta was asked by Gunther Mende (Celine Dion, Tina Turner) & Michael Wolff (Nina Hagan, Bonnie Tyler) to help finish these recordings resulting in two duets on the album, "The Spirit Never Dies" which is the title track & "Sweet Symphony". The album entered the charts at No. 8 in Germany and No. 1 in Austria. Warners have now released the album worldwide.
Her own eagerly awaited debut album, "Cut Me Loose", released on Halo Records UK (produced by Mark Stevens - Gabrielle, Sugababes), has already sparked a lot of interest from the British music scene. Rietta released a worldwide single for Hedkandi following the success of her rendition of "All Night Long" on an international compilation album, alongside legendary artists Luther Vandross, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight, Maxwell, Dionne Warwick and Earth Wind And Fire. Rietta has recently signed a track to Ministry Of Sound USA for their Dance Nation America album which she co-wrote and is featured artist on.
With a four octave range, Rietta's vocal versatility is outstanding. As one of Australasia's leading vocalists, she is versed in anything from Jazz, Soul and R'n'B, to Pop and Rock. As well as fronting various bands down under Rietta has been a regular featured artist at the Harrah's Casinos worldwide and has also been seen at Ronnie Scott's & Dover Street Wine Bar in London. Rietta has appeared on the same bill as Bryan Adams at a corporate concert in England, and recorded backing vocals for Dame Shirley Bassey's single as well as performing live with her at Glastonbury Festival. Dame Shirley's dance mix featuring Rietta's vocals went to No. 3 on the US dance charts last year. Rietta opened the O2 Arena by headlining their Community Event on June 20th 2007. She also opened in Russia for Johnny Gill and was support act for Joe Cocker in July in Moscow.
The voice of numerous Australasian television and radio commercials, and the new voice of Virgin Soft Radio and The Travel Channel UK/NZ, Rietta has recorded with some of the industry's top names, including a charity song for the Australian Tsunami Relief Aid Project with INXS & Diesel. Rietta has recently completed backing vocals for Oscar Nominee Elizabeth McGovern's debut album. Rietta has done session work for Kirk Pengilly (INXS) and live work as backing vocalist for Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads). Other live and session work includes Australian Pink Floyd; Mike Harrison (Spookytooth); Matt Monro Jnr; Bobby Davro, Linda Henry, Cheryl Fergison (Eastenders Cast); The Stylistics; Jon Stevens (Noise Works); Deni Hines (Rock Melons); Virgil Donati (Southern Sons) John Rowles; The Sound of the Supremes; The Jordanairs, D.J. Fontana and Pete Brown (writer for Cream).
Rietta has spent the last year four years performing and working for one of Unicef's most prestigious London charity balls. Due to her tireless efforts, Rietta has now been made a member of the Unicef committee for these charity events.
Hedkandi, one of UK's biggest dance labels, debuted Rietta's singer/songwriting talents when they released her song "Love Is On My Mind" with Dogsax on their Disco Heaven Album (01.04). The album charted at 25 and this has taken her to recording with various producers in countries such as Italy, Belgium, Germany and Denmark. By demand of DJs & clubbers world wide, Hedkandi are about to re-release the 2007 version of the track as this year's big single. She has had two singles on the dance chart through Greendog Records; "Kiss My Ass" which charted No. 2 on Passion FM and No. 10 on House FM UK and "Don't Give Up" - her latest hit for Fearless Funk & Soul which is No. 5 on Naked Soul and features on Sky Digital Radio.
A featured artist performing her own material at both the Edinburgh Festival and the Southill Arts Park Festival, Rietta was selected to represent New Zealand and lead the world into the New Millennium as the headliner in an internationally televised performance, in front of an audience of 30,000 people, before Dame Kiri Te Kanawa took over the new dawn celebrations. Rietta has also headlined at events such as New Zealand's Annual International Jazz & Soul In The Park, Australian Jazz & Funk Festivals held in Sydney and the Waiheke Jazz & Blues Festival. More recently she was seen singing at a French Music Festival in the South of France and as guest vocalist in Belgium with the international jazz funk fusion group Jazziz.
As a singer songwriter, Rietta has released two original songs on the compilation album for Indigenous Funk Company - a selection of the premier NZ vocalists under the NZ Polynesian Label Tangata Records distributed by BMG. Rietta has also guested on various NZ and Australian albums including sporting extravaganzas for Whitbread Round The World Yachting, America's Cup and The NZ National Rugby and Netball teams.
Upon the request of English director Andrew Anderson, Rietta was chosen from NZ to vocal coach on the television programme "Get Your Act Together". Rarely is an artist talented in so many of the art forms - these talents being utilized to their full capacity on this TV series as dancer, choreographer, vocalist and actor - all of which helped budding performers develop their art form.
Musical theatre credits include the "Bright Lights, Big City" London (Clara & Coma Baby), The Australasian tour of "Jesus Christ Superstar" (Mary Magdalene cover and Dance Captain) and the Australasian tour of "Cats" as lead understudy performing the role of Grizabella fortnightly, as well as performing the role of Opera Cat, Tap Cat and Swing (dancer) when required.
As a dancer Rietta is a registered teacher for the Los Angeles Dance Academy and received the highest mark in New Zealand for the year she sat her Advanced Diploma. She has been the director and teacher for her own schools in Australasia and a guest teacher for the Auckland Performing Arts School and Black Grace Dance Company. Rietta has taught American Jazz worldwide and Open Jazz for the British Ballet Organisation (BBO).
A talented actor in her own right, television credits include "Xena", "Shortland Street", "60 Minutes" and "Jack of All Trades".
Television & Radio performances include Big Breakfast UK, Alan Titchmarsh UK, BBC Radio 5, Channel 9 Australia, Bert Newton Show Australia, Good Morning NZ, What Now NZ and many more……
GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL 2007:
BUY ALBUM HERE:
BUY SINGLE HERE:
DOWNLOAD ALBUM AND SINGLE HERE:
Fill out your e-mail address to receive Rietta's newsletter!
Profile designed by Daniel McLeod
