Ellie Goulding and Carole King.
These are two artists who come to mind when hearing a Shannon Hurley song. Her light, delicate vocals paired with sturdy melodic song crafting go hand in hand on her four solo albums.
She released her debut album "Ready to Wake Up" in 2007, featuring a pure voice paired with simple heartfelt lyrics. When Shannon put out a call for remixes, the Creative Commons community responded with over 500 versions of her songs. She drew from the best of the tracks and compiled an album called "Second Light: The Ready to Wake Up Remixes".
In 2009 Shannon and husband Ben Eisen (also her long-standing bass player) moved to Nashville, TN. It was there they started a new band called Lovers & Poets, an electronic chill-pop project that garnered airplay on KCRW and Adam Carolla's ACE Broadcasting Network.
Shannon and Ben returned to L.A. in 2010 but not before Shannon was off to Vietnam to perform at the Hyatt Hotel in Saigon for three months. She performed as a pop lounge singer and came away with experience and a love for Vietnamese culture. While in Vietnam the devastating earthquake in Haiti happened and Shannon called several artist friends into action and the resulting "Songs for Haiti" was born, with all proceeds from this digital compilation going to Oxfam America. Sadly, the day she returned to L.A. her mother passed away suddenly. She was the one who introduced Shannon to pop music, having sung in rock bands while Shannon was growing up in South Bend, IN.
Determined to make the most personal album yet, she is following up with "California" (which started with a single self-titled track in January 2009). "Beg Steal Borrow", which will also be on the new album, appeared on the Emmy nominated web-based series "Venice". Many fans helped fund the recording through Kickstarter and with their help, the album was released in July 2011.
In January 2014, Shannon released her album "The Light" and contains the song "Shape of Things To Come", in which the accompanying music video finds Shannon traversing all over LA with a toy piano, highlighting several famous landmarks.
Shannon's newest solo album "Switch It On" offers anthemic pop ("Only Love"), soul-folk ("Sweet Lovin' Ways"), to all-out country ("Behind The Clouds"), and light pop ("Heartbeat On The Radio"- which is accompanied by a fantastical ski-fi video that captures the spirit of Flash Gordon and Barbarella)).
Lovers & Poets, who just released their 2nd album, Lovers & Poets II, which is enjoying critical success for their cover of David Bowie's "Ashes To Ashes".
Shannon's music can be heard on "Young & The Restless", "Scorpion, "90210", "American Idol", "So You Think You Can Dance", "Charmed", "Home And Away", "Life Unexpected", and "Giuliana & Bill".
She has also collaborated with trance legends Alex MORPH, Protoculture, and The Thrillseekers, and has songs supported by Armin Van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, Paul Van Dyk, & Paul Oakenfold.
FUN FACTS!
She studied songwriting with Pat Leonard (hit writer for Madonna).
She played in a band with actress/musician Brie Larson (United States of Tara, Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World).
She co-founded Don't Call Us Tori! (www.dontcallustori.com), a showcase for female singer-songwriters in L.A.
