Karen Clarke

Firmly rooted in R and B/Country crossover Karen’s trademark smoke over rum vocals (think Michelle Shocked, Tracey Chapman, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone) and driving rhythmic guitar work anchor her power packed solo performance. It’s strong.Built. Grounded. Direct. She has 2 albums and 25 years on NZ heartland stages underher belt. Assisted by tutelage from a prolific seed bed of local songwriter mates and Kiwi icon Bic Runga, Karen’s song writing has continued to develop with original music a central part of her gutsy onstage deal. Composing from a sensitive eye on life, and sometimes in Te Reo Māori, she is not afraid to entertain with escapism or confront with raw, bittersweet paradox in her material. Her work free-ranges themes that include elusive love lost and found, the search for belonging, gritty socialcommentary and occasionally a good old political poke. “You got so much soul”Bic Runga.
Karen lives in Inglewood, hosts the private venue “THE SOUND SHED” and performsregularly from Taranaki to Wellington. Karen is also Co Chair of the newly formedTaranaki Singer Songwriter Development Trust.