Mahalia Violet Barnes (born 12 July 1982) is an Australian singer-songwriter, the daughter of Scottish-Australian rock singer Jimmy Barnes and Jane Mahoney. She began performing as part of children's pop group The Tin Lids with siblings, Eliza-Jane "E.J.", Elly-May, and Jackie. She later formed her own band, Mahalia Barnes and the Soul Mates, and as of 2024[update] has recorded four albums with them. She has collaborated with Joe Bonamassa, both in studio and in live performance, as well as other musical artists, including work as a backing vocalist.
Mahalia Barnes | |
|---|---|
 Mahalia Barnes at the APRA Awards, Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, May 2012. | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Mahalia Violet Barnes |
| Born | 12 July 1982 |
| Origin | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Labels | Liberation, Provogue |
| Formerly of | The Tin Lids |
Early life and education
editMahalia Violet Barnes was born on 12 July 1982 in Sydney.[1] She is the daughter of Jimmy Barnes, an Australian rock singer, and Jane (née Mahoney), the Thai-born stepdaughter of an Australian diplomat. The pair married in Sydney on 22 May 1981. Barnes was named after United States gospel singer, Mahalia Jackson.[2] Her father has Scottish-Jewish ancestry.[3][4][5]
When she was eight, Barnes joined younger siblings Eliza-Jane "E.J." and Jackie for the recording sessions of their father's Two Fires album. Their voices are among the children's choir that features on the track "When Your Love is Gone".[citation needed] From the age of nine, she formed part of the children's singing group The Tin Lids with siblings"E.J.", Jackie, and Elly-May Barnes. Their Christmas 1991 album, Hey Rudolph!, was a platinum-selling album.[6][7]
Career
editSolo and with her band
editAs of 2024[update] she has recorded four albums with her band Mahalia Barnes and the Soul Mates:[1] Mahalia Barnes + the Soul Mates Volume 1 (2008); Mahalia Barnes + the Soul Mates Volume 2 (2012); Ooh Yeah! – The Betty Davis Songbook (2015); and Hard Expectations (2018).[8]
Barnes auditioned for the first season of the Australian version of The Voice with the song "Proud Mary", the episode of which was broadcast on 22 April 2012 on the Nine Network. All coaches pressed their buttons (the first was Keith Urban), then realised that she was in fact Jimmy Barnes's daughter. Mahalia chose to join Joel Madden's team. Mahalia was eliminated in the battle ring when she was pitted against Prinnie Stevens, who is very close to Mahalia.[9][1] as the "Pavlova". She finished eighth after being eliminated in the fifth episode.[10]
With Joe Bonamassa
editOoh Yeah! – The Betty Davis Songbook, released in February 2015,[11][12] is a tribute to American funk/soul singer Betty Davis, and was Barnes' first collaboration with Joe Bonamassa. The album was produced by Kevin Shirley.[1][7] The collaboration came about after Barnes had played some Davis tracks to producer Shirley, who suggested recording the album and inviting Bonamassa (whose music he had previously produced) to be part of the process.[11] Barnes continued to collaborate with Bonamassa, including as a back-up singer on his studio album Blues of Desperation. She was invited to tour with him several times, including on his 2017 European tour.[1][13]
Other work and collaborations
editBarnes has often worked with her father Jimmy,[7] and recorded a duet with him, "Gonna Take Some Time", released as the second single from his album Double Happiness) in 2005.[citation needed]
She has also sung with her friend R&B singer Jade MacRae, who later worked as a backup singer for her father.[14] With MacRae and Kara Grainger, she sang as a guest vocalist on the debut album of the Sydney band The Hands (whose members include session musicians Clayton and Lachlan Doley), Live And Breathe (2004).[15]
Barnes became Reece Mastin's manager in early 2015, when he was signed to Social Family Records.[16] She contributed to his Change Colours album.[citation needed]
Discography
editAlbums
edit| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Volume 1 (by Mahalia Barnes The Soul Mates) |
|
| Come Together (with Prinnie) |
|
| Ooh Yeah! – The Betty Davis Songbook (Mahalia Barnes and The Soul Mates featuring Joe Bonamassa) |
|
| Hard Expectations (by Mahalia Barnes The Soul Mates) |
|
Extended plays
edit| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Mahalia Barnes Live At The Basement |
|
| Mahalia Barnes + The Soul Mates (by Mahalia Barnes The Soul Mates) |
|
| Mahalia Barnes + The Soul Mates Volume 2 (by Mahalia Barnes The Soul Mates) |
|
Singles
edit| Title | Year | Chart peak positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUS [17] | |||
| "Gonna Take Some Time" (with Jimmy Barnes) |
2005 | 31 | Double Happiness |
| "I'm Just Not Ready for Love" (as Mahalia Barnes The Soul Mates) |
2008 | — | Volume 1 |
| "Steppin in Her I. Miller Shoes" (as Mahalia Barnes The Soul Mates featuring Joe Bonamassa) |
2015 | — | Ooh Yeah! – The Betty Davis Songbook |
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "Australian Singer Mahalia Barnes Teams Up With Joe Bonamassa". Joe Bonamassa. 12 July 1982. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ Creswell, Toby Jimmy Barnes: Too Much Ain't Enough pp. 87–99, 1993 ISBN 0-09-182818-X
- ^ Feneley, Rick (22 August 2009). "Let's get spiritual: Jimmy finds his roots". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
- ^ Barnes, Jane (17 June 2021). ""There's nothing more important to me than family": Jane Barnes getting through the highs and lows with her loved ones". Now To Love. Interviewed by Trenoweth, Samantha. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
- ^ Koch, Phillip (23 May 2024). "Inside Jimmy Barnes and wife Jane's romantic love story". New Idea. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
- ^ Cashmere, Paul (1 November 2023). "Jimmy Barnes Expands The Tin Lids With His Grand Lids". Noise11.com. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
- ^ a b c "Mahalia Barnes Part 1". Noise11.com. 19 February 2015. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ "Mahalia Barnes". Discogs. 31 May 2008. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ "Team Joel implodes: Voice favourite Mahalia Barnes beaten by her best mate". NewsComAu. 30 April 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
- ^ Fowler, Bella (21 September 2021). "The Masked Singer Australia's pavlova is unmasked". news.com.au. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
- ^ a b "When Mahalia Barnes met Joe Bonamassa". louder. 21 January 2015. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ "Mahalia Barnes & The Soul Mates Featuring Joe Bonamassa: Ooh Yea! The Betty Davis Songbook". PopMatters. 24 February 2015. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ [Live] Joe Bonamassa & Mahalia Barnes: Riding With The Kings on YouTube, 28 June 2023
- ^ Munro, Kelsey (4 August 2007). "So hot right now". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 23 August 2008.
- ^ Winterford, Brett (17 April 2008). "The Hands". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ Cashmere, Paul (20 February 2015). "Reece Mastin Goes Indie". Noise11.com. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ Steffen Hung. "Jimmy Barnes / Mahalia Barnes – Gonna Take Some Time". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
External links
edit- Mahalia Barnes at IMDb
- Mahalia Barnes Part 1 - first of a series of 5 interviews