A MUSICIAN releases her debut pop album this week and traces its development through the city of York.
Bonnie Milnes, more commonly known as Bonneville, releases New Lady on March 22 and will be taking her songs to the stage in some of her favourite live venues.
The 28-year-old grew up in Bishophill and said she built up her confidence and ability from running and performing at an open mic night at The Golden Ball pub in the area.
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Bonnie said: “You’re totally vulnerable.
“I performed every Monday in front of an audience, even if it was just three people.”
Bonnie, who now lives in Leeds, wrote a lot of New Lady in York and said her writing came together with the help of fellow artists, including The Howl & The Hum and others.
She said: “Dan Lucas from Bull is one of my best mates and he and I were writing together all the time, encouraging each other.
“I’m a lot of things, but ultimately, I’m a pop artist and it was great to get encouragement from those who weren’t – you know, they’re rockers!"
'Sometimes pop songs are not just written to be pop songs, they're parts of me'
Bonnie said themes in New Lady go through a shift, with ‘The World (Was Built By A Man)’ and some parts of ‘Lady Be Free’ being a note to self.
She said: “Along with ‘Cuckoo’ these songs were written about struggles I’d had in relationships.
“But with ‘Masseuse', things moves on and it’s much more sweet.
“I fell in love at that point, and I guess that the album’s opening track, 'Gravy', was the beginning of it.
“'Masseuse' was the turnaround and it's saying, ‘we can look after each other.’”
Bonnie credits local guitar player Kyle Cronje as co-writer of the song ‘Lady Be Free’ – they met at Pivni, the bar in Patrick Pool where they both worked.
She said: “One night we met up at my old business, Boom Studios, and I was telling him about a recent nightmare breakup.
“He came up with the guitar riff and I started venting.
“Sometimes pop songs are not just written to be pop songs, they’re parts of me.
“But the album is parts of me that I’m happy to share and I want to share.”
The tour will take in Young Thugs Studio in South Bank, where New Lady was recorded, and where Bonnie first performed in The Lungs.
She said: “It’s also the venue where I started writing and has seen me through all the different legs of my musical journey and I keep coming back to there.”
New Lady is released on March 22 via missyorkshiregold.com, where tickets for the tour are also available. Streaming is available through Spotify and Apple Music and you can follow Bonnie via @missyorkshiregold.
Bonneville will be performing at the following venues:
Hull Trinity Live – March 21
Staithes Village Hall – March 29
Oporto, Leeds – April 18
Young Thugs Studio, York – April 19
Signals, Saltburn – April 20
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