Irene Mardi - Expectations (2016)

Debut album with eleven jazz-influenced pop songs from a young songwriter and singer from the Netherlands.
Irene Mardi grew up in the nineties, listening to The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel and Janis Ian. Some Bach, a few french ‘chansons’ and that was the start of her musical journey. The search continued: Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Lauryn Hill and Joni Mitchell were listened to endlessly. Irene already played guitar since she was seven years old and at thirteen she started singing along and writing her own songs. Her guitar teacher Henk Hopman invited her to sing in various bands and her singing teacher Barbara Lok convinced her that she could make music her profession.

At seventeen she was accepted at the Utrecht Conservatory and after some fun and educational years she had a diploma in music. Now what? The world was so much bigger, the trip had only just begun, there was so much to learn and her curiosity was unstoppable. A suitcase was packed, it was time to make dreams come true. In between traveling, Irene recorded two demo EP’s in 2008 and 2011, founded a singing school in Utrecht and played her music at various venues in the Netherlands. She plays her jazz influenced pop songs both with a band and accompanying herself on piano and guitar.

Traveling and making music proved to be a winning combination. Many wanderings and great adventures were the inspiration for her songs. From teaching english and music in Cambodia and perform for Dutch expats in Malaysia and Brunei to a gig in a bar in Mexico City.

To her surprise, as a result of that last gig she was invited to play her own music at the International Music Festival in Milpa Alta (Mexico City). So in the summer of 2013 she flew to this wonderful country again, where three concerts were planned with her Mexican college friend Roberto Sanchez-Picasso. Eventually, nine performances were played, Irene recorded a demo in Spanish and she was invited for an interview at Canal 22, Mexican national television.

11 kopieThe Dutch embassy then invited her to play at the Euro Jazz Festival in Mexico City a few months later, in March 2014. Playing your own music for an audience of six thousand people, that was a dream come true! The last demo EP ‘Peace of Mind’ completely sold out and one thing was clear: it was time for an album.

In the following months Irene worked hard on new material, recorded a music video for “Peace of mind” and toured in Mexico again in August 2014, performing 8 concerts, this time not only in Mexico City but also in Xalapa and Puebla.

The whole year 2015, Irene worked on her debut album, both in the Netherlands and Mexico. In December it was finished, 2016 will be the year to present the new material to the world!

TRACKLIST

1. If You See My Love
2. Expectations
3. A Piece of You
4. Point of No Return
5. Possibility
6. Behind the Veil
7. Another Way
8. Take Life as It Goes
9. If You Try
10. Keep You
11. Love's Just Love