A video posted on Facebook to update her friends made Ayleen O’Hanlon an instant internet hit as new fans sent messages from as far as Brazil, Kenya and Taiwan asking when her song ‘Loverless’ will be released.
The singer, originally from small town NSW, was playing the song when George, the kitten she had adopted from an animal shelter, decided to jump on the guitar and was recorded in the video. The video has now gained more than 10 million views on Facebook and Youtube.
Despite the help from her cat, it was the quiet strength of the song and performance that kept people coming back and signing up to Ayleen’s mailing list and liking her Facebook page.
“I’ve been continually receiving messages where people say they ‘came for the cat, stayed for the voice’ and go on to ask about when the song and the album will be released.”
Unpaved is delighted to premiere the single ‘Loverless’ for exclusive streaming this week, before its general release on 30 November across all digital platforms. The song is an ode to anyone who is in a state of what Ayleen describes as “blissful singledom.”
“I wrote ‘Loverless’ when I was between relationships. I’d arrived at a place where I felt light, unburdened, and surprisingly resilient. It’s about loving yourself first, a point I’d reached after a particularly difficult time,” says Ayleen.
Ayleen’s vocals hook you in and pull you under, emerging from an honest place, evoking both strength and vulnerability. Teeming with Kate Bush-esque piano, soaring harmonies, and a slow build to swell the lonely heart, Ayleen worked with some of Melbourne’s finest on the track, including drummer Ash Davies (Matt Walker, Tobias Hengeveld), and guitarist Jeb Cardwell (Backwood Creatures, Abbie Cardwell).
This year, Ayleen was recognised locally for her keen songwriting, reaching the finals of the Darebin Songwriting Competition.
‘Loverless’ will be released digitally on 30 November 2014. Ayleen O’Hanlon’s debut album Blend and Spill is due early 2015.
To launch ‘Loverless’ Ayleen will play 2 intimate shows with her band on 12th and 13th December at The Aviary Studios, Johnston St, Abbotsford. Munro Melano will also be performing on the night, launching his new EP ‘Blue Veins’.
Tickets $15 via trybooking.com
