Album biography
Two albums into her career, and Josie Field has successfully taken occupation of that part of the musical terrain defined by free-flowing - sometimes spiky - folk-pop coupled with intense and often personal lyrics.

The multiple South African Music Award-nominated singer and songwriter doesn’t veer dramatically out of her now signature creative style on her third solo album ‘1984’. But, on her March 2011 release, Field has followed a natural path to add in material that’s more ballsy than anything else she has done and, at times, quite unashamedly, commercial.

Producer and musician Kevin Leicher of Dark Star Studio has proved a potent creative foil for Field, helping her bring to life the songs that she writes.  After producing Field’s debut, 2006’s “Mercury” and her follow-up, “Leyland” (2008), Leicher has an intuitive feel for the songs that she brings into the studio and on ‘1984’ he’s credited as a co-composer, with Field, of the music on the album - with Field handling all lyrics.

“Goodbye”, a duet with Arno Carstens, is a keenly felt emotional ballad that’s likely to cement a creative relationship between the two artists that will have fans of both enraptured.
Still, make no mistake – ‘1984’ is very much a Josie Field album, and, as early reaction confirms, is hand down her best and most diverse record yet.

“Sunshine”, for instance, sees Field in a soulful mood, effortlessly proving she’s capable of moving into the kind of material delivered by the likes of UK artist, Corrine Bailey Rae.  “Soul Searching” is similarly a revelation, adding a different kind of heart to Field’s repertoire and cartwheeling her outwards towards a more expansive sound.

First single “Man is a Fire” – which Field chose “on gut feel because it kind of sums up the whole album and is the right bridge to ‘Leyland’” - hints at the more ballsy material that peppers ‘1984’. The lighter rock, atmospheric track is likely to draw attention to Field’s third album with little effort.

And for those fans who adore Field for her thoughtful, memorable lyric ability and folk-rooted material, songs like the elegant, ukulele-propelled “Everything Is As It Should Be” will be a thrill – as will the likes of “Long Way To Fall’ and “Only A Dog” that support Field’s concise lyrics just perfectly.

The recording of “1984” started in November 2010 until February 2011, as a result, 1984 is the strongest album of Field’s career and one that can, deservedly, broaden her audience.
“I feel braver with 1984,” Field says simply.