October 17, 2024

This collaboration was no accident. After performing one song together at a charity event in Melbourne Australia in 2004, Vanessa Fernandez and Steve Wright began a musical journey which would give birth to the stunning debut release Unsung.

Australian singer/ songwriter Vanessa Fernandez was born in London in 1976 and settled in Australia in 1982. She attributes her success and understanding of music and voice to her dad’s jazz and pop record collection and the classical piano tuition she received as a teenager. The first album Vanessa remembers hearing was the Police’s Zenyata Mondata (she was age 5). Vanessa’s approach to singing has been influenced by vocalists: Sade, Randy Crawford, Sarah Vaughn, Chaka Khan, Astrid Gilberto and Australian singer Kate Ceberano.

Australian guitarist/ songwriter Steve Wright, was born in Cape Town in 1970 and migrated to Australia in 1982. The first album he remembers hearing was Paul McCartney’s Wings (he was 4 years old). Growing up Steve was exposed to his dad’s collection of guitar-based music and by age 12 he was playing Shadows and Beatles tunes at home with his dad and sister. He had his first formal guitar lesson in his late 20s with classical guitar teacher Jochen Schubert. Steve’s approach to playing has been influenced by guitarists such as: George Benson, Steve Lukather, Pat Metheny, Ralph Towner, Wes Montgomery, Baden Powell and Melbourne-based guitarist Doug DeVries.

Vanessa and Steve thrive on music that speaks to the soul and not surprisingly share many common influences. These include masters of groove-based jazz and pop: George Benson, Al Jarreau, The Dobbie Brothers and D’Angelo; blues-based greats Eric Clapton and John Mayer; the king of bossa nova, Antonio Carlos Jobim; and music super stars Sting and Stevie Wonder.

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