Ocracoke music fans will remember Skye from her many performances at the Ocrafolk Festival. Over the years, she performed solo sets of her own songs, sat in with her dad, Bob Zentz, and harmonized with her mom, Kathleen Fogarty. And who could forget Mallomar, the faux-British invasion band sensation that delighted festival audiences with such gems as “Text Me Ur Luv” and “Chicken Pot Pie”? They were brought to you by Skye’s alter ego, Susie Wilcox Woodbury.
Skye just released her second CD of original songs, Bird Heart, the follow-up to 2007’s Legitimate Bohemia. She lives in the Norfolk with her husband of two years, Gabriel Robinson, and plays local gigs solo or with her band, Skye Zentz and the Gents. She also does music programs for children.
She and her friend, Danielle Anderson, who goes by the stage name Danielle Ate the Sandwich, will be performing three shows together as part of Danielle’s east coast tour.
Skye’s excited to bring her friend to her “island home away from home.”
The Deepwater Theater show on Monday will offer great music for all ages.
“Danielle and I both write original songs, and we also like to do fun and funky covers,” Skye said. “You might hear some fun pop songs that you didn’t expect.”
You’ll definitely hear great songwriting, lovely harmonies, and lots of ukulele! Both women play tenor and baritone ukes, and guitar.
I’d love to hear “Persephone” off the Legitimate Bohemia CD. It’s the best mother-daughter song I know and I never get tired of it or the rest of the album. But, I’m also loving the newer Bird Heart CD. Theses songs are lighter, and when Skye sings “trouble’s gonna go” you can’t help but believe her and you’ll soar with her when she’s “free in the open air, with the promise of flight.”
Danielle hails from Colorado, and is touring to promote her fourth CD, Like a King. You can listen to it here, or watch a 1920's gangster-themed music video of the first track here. Her songwriting, like Skye's, is sincere and careful with words and images. And did I mention these ladies can sing? Beautiful voices and meaningful lyrics – does it get any better?
The two songbirds met in 2010 when Skye attended one of Danielle’s concerts in Norfolk.
“I was already a fan of hers – she has a huge Youtube following so I knew her music,” Skye said. “I arranged to interview her for a local paper, and we struck up a friendship.”
Their shared affinity for songwriting and ukulele strumming led to collaboration and they played a couple of shows together when Danielle visited Norfolk last year.
“Danielle’s an inspiration to me,” Skye said. “As far as someone my age doing music, she’s really successful. She’s good at touring and at promoting her music with her web presence.”
Skye also noted that Danielle has a lot of young fans, especially girls. The internet allows fans to find music they love that’s not quite mainstream.
“It’s hard for girls and young women to find good role models in the pop world,” Skye said. “I’m more influenced by singer-songwriters who don’t fit the radio music model.”
Skye’s really happy to be working with young people at a writing center in Norfolk. She’ll be teaching a songwriting class for teens.
One song on Skye’s new CD is meant especially for young fans. The quiet and heartfelt “Be the Moon” is about body image, growing up, and being yourself.
Speaking of growing up… I asked Skye what all the Mallomars were up to these days. They all have various music projects going on, and, as it turns out, one of them was instrumental in the Bird Heart CD. Jacki Paolella (a.k.a. Punksie) has a new business, TapTap Recordings, where she produced, mixed and mastered Bird Heart.
“It’s a change in perspective for me from the first album,” Skye said. She recorded Legitimate Bohemia at Ocracoke’s Soundside Studios with Gary Mitchell, and with lots of help from her parents.
“On the first CD, I was working with my parents’ friends, so it’s been a really different experience to work with one of my peers,” she said.
Planning the three shows with Danielle has been a new lesson in the music biz for Skye.
“This is the first taste I’ve had of what it’s like to do publicity from out of town,” she said about her two shows in N.C. (They leave Ocracoke to play October 2 at the Beyu Café in Durham.)
“I still have my day job at a coffee shop,” Skye said. “But my goal is to find some way to make a creative living.”
Skye Zentz and Danielle Ate the Sandwich will be at Deepwater Theater on School Road this Monday, October 1st. Admission $10, doors open at 7 p.m. for the 7:30 p.m. show.