Kirsty Hawkshaw (born 29 March 1969) is an English electronic music vocalist and songwriter. In addition to her work as a solo artist, she is known as the lead vocalist of early 1990s dance group Opus III, and her collaborative work with other musicians and producers.
Career Kirsty Hawkshaw is the daughter of the late British production music/film music composer and disco record producer Alan Hawkshaw, who was known for composing themes for TV programmes such as Grange Hill and Channel 4 game show Countdown. Her mother is German-born Christiane Bieberbach.The Champ (The Hawk Talks), Alan Hawkshaw autobiography, published 2011.
At the age of 19, the singer's career in show business was started with the help of famous German producer Frank Farian, who in 1988 released her dance single "Yummy, Yummy, Yummy" on the CBS record label. At that time, she was introduced to the public under the stage name Kirsty Shaw. The single "Yummy, Yummy, Yummy" attracted the attention of promoters of commercial radio stations, and the video of the same name was quite actively rotated on music television channels in a number of European countries. The catchy melody in the Eurodance style became popular among visitors to discos. In addition to 3 versions of the single, the song was also published on several dance music compilations in different countries.
At a rave in 1990, she was noticed by producers Ian Munro, Kevin Dodds and Nigel Walton, who at the time were known as A.S.K. and were signed to MCA Records UK. The trio had released a single called "Dream", when she was invited to appear on stage as their dancer. It was through this meeting that they would form a dance act called Opus III. Their first single, a cover version of the song "It's a Fine Day" from their debut album Mind Fruit, was an international success and Top 10 hit on UK Singles Chart, and reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in 1992. A reversed sample of Hawkshaw's singing from this track was used in the Orbital track "Halcyon", the music video for which featured Hawkshaw. Opus III also had another US number 1 hit on the same chart in 1994 with "When You Made the Mountain", from their second and final album, Guru Mother.
In a 2009 interview, she recalled her decision to end her association with Opus III, saying she felt that she did not want to be part of a "commercialized" act, wanted to go in a different direction, and felt that she did not have sufficient input in writing and production, which led to conflict with the rest of the band; she has also ruled out any plans for a reunion if it ever happens. She has also been critical of the dance music industry more broadly, especially performers lip synching other people's songs, and using original artists' vocals without permission or credit.
After the group broke up in 1994, Hawkshaw pursued a solo career and has since been in demand by other acts in the dance, house, Eurodance, trance, and electronica community, including Tiësto, Delerium, BT, Fragma, Seba, Blu Mar Ten and Paradox, among others.
Her solo single "Fine Day" peaked at number 62 in the UK Singles Chart in November 2002.
Hawkshaw contributed a track titled "Telephone Song" to the children's compilation album For the Kids Too!, released in 2004.
On 10 October 2005, she released Meta-Message, a collection of older and newer songs, after a growing interest in her out-of-print album, O.U.T.
The record label Magnatune released her ambient album, The Ice Castle, in 2008.
Personal life
Hawkshaw is married to record producer Adam F.
Collaborations 1990s YearTrackAlbumCollaborated withNotes1992It's A Fine Day / I Talk To The WindMind FruitOpus III1994Guru MotherWhen You Made The MountainOpus IIIThe Belle Of Atlantis / Awaken Kundalini / Flying SpiralsOrgshipSolar Quest1995Kirsty CriedSolar Quest Vs. ChociOlé, OléValenciaRachid Taha1997Isolation EPPulusha1998State Of GraceSwayzak1999DreamingMovement In Still LifeBTUK No. 38OnlineWarm & Viv GrantStereoStereo PeopleWhere The Sidewalk EndsTo Come...Silent Poets
2000s YearTrackAlbumCollaborated withNotes2000Hidden AgendaSandor CaronInner Sanctum / Nature's KingdomPoemDeleriumRunning Down The Way UpBT & HybridVisionsSince ThenIan Pooley2001Battleship GreyIn My MemoryTiëstoIt's In The MusicWarmStealthWay Out WestUK No. 67Urban TrainTiëstoUK No. 222002Killing Me / WhisperNommoSlovoSertão BluesSlovoKaleidoscopic SoundsEP Underwater LadyHarmonic 332003Calling YouIkonIkonBlackoutMorning Sci-FiHybridScience Of LifeDave Hewson & Derek Austin2004Don't Sleep TonightRubiconClashing EgosJust BeTiëstoUK No. 43Sincere For YouLangeThe Centre Cannot Hold EPDigitonalWalking On CloudsTiësto2005All I WantHybridHalcyon And On And On (Live)OrbitalReach For MeJamie Cullum & Steve IslesSplitMr. SamLove Is A RoseThe Five AngelsPentatonik - Simeon BowringFaith In MeZero GoldPole Folder2006View To MeAudio DamageFuture Funk SquadDon't Look Behind YouJudie TzukeJust For TodayI Choose NoiseHybridInsight / Lodestar / SplitLyteoMr. SamFleeting InstantNuages Du MondeDeleriumOutsidersTenishiaPure PopWarren Bennett, Mark O'Grady, Mike Sampey, Robert De FresnesRadio WavesFragmaSilent StarsPole FolderThe ChauffeurThe DawnseekerSleepthiefThe Last One And The FirstPentatonik - Simeon Bowring2007BeatitudeDuderstadtHeaven SentAndrew BennettSkimming StonesLabyrinthine HeartSleepthiefLoverushLoverush UK!Reasons To ForgiveTenishiaTime Is Running OutIkonStar·Kindler / The Phoenix EffectVoyage To IsisDelta-SYou Will Feel Love AgainOpenCloud2008Fine Day 2008Kirsty Hawkshaw vs. Kinky RolandGood To Be Alive (Healing Angel)InvisibleTenishiaInvisible WallsNektarios & Jan Johnston, as Nektarios meets F-usedJuneau / GlaciationAlaskaLove CallsHeadstrongLove Is No PossessionJJoyLove Like Blood / SunbathingOutrage & ApertureTime Stand StillOpenCloud2009DevotionSebaFace To FaceKirsty Hawkshaw vs. ElucidateFearless Soul (Hybrid Mix)Harry Gregson-Williams & HybridOut Of ReachHue Jah Fink
2010s YearTrackAlbumCollaborated withNotes2010A Million StarsBTOne DayPop ModelMr. SamThe Joy (Face To Face)SebaAmzinai / SundogThe Mesozoic EraAlaskaAfter The Rain / Meteors / Dreaming Of NowTwo Trees EPUlrich Schnauss2011Back In TimeLiquid KaosClocks (Dandelions)The Felt DollsFalling (Chillout)TenishiaLet Us ThinkSecret Society & OutrageThe LightSeba & ParadoxWhisperBlu Mar Ten2012ConnectedJohn BDawnNektarios20134KLiiClear RainRasmus FaberLet It GoTobias ZalduaNostra Terra (Can We Turn It Around)One VisionNothing Can ReplaceSeba2016MotionEshericks2018The Sandshaper / The Wood Beyond The WallMortal LongingSleepthief2019SmokeTrance Arts & Jan JohnstonIt's A Fine Day2K19
2020s YearTrackAlbumCollaborated withNotes2020Ghost TownDr Rod OctopusLove Is All We NeedÖona Dahl2021SerenityMorphÖona Dahl2022HourglassAccuface X Kirsty Hawkshaw X Trance ArtsLove Is A FrequencyZed Minus, feat. Adam Fenton
References
External links
Interview from 2005 by Progressive Sounds Interview from 2013 by TranceFixxed