Irish singer/songwriter
Lisa Hannigan first made a name for herself as the vocal partner of fellow countryman
Damien Rice (formerly of the hard-hitting indie rock outfit
Juniper). In addition to lending her sultry vocals to the albums
O and
9,
Hannigan also toured with
Rice, bolstering his music with her multi-instrumental talents on the guitar, keyboards, and drums. She sometimes performed her own songs, traditional tunes, or the occasional cover at the shows, as well.
On March 26, 2007,
Rice informed
Hannigan that his professional relationship with her was over, citing his opinion that the partnership "has run its creative course." Undaunted,
Hannigan began preparing songs for the studio, releasing demos on her MySpace page as they trickled out. In 2008 she hit the road as the opener for
Jason Mraz's U.S. and Canadian tour, and her debut solo effort
Sea Sew was released in Ireland later that year. An American release followed in early 2009. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide