Hil St Soul

Hil St Soul (aka Hilary Mwelwa) moved from Lusaka, Zambia, to England when she
was five years old -- just in time for kindergarten. She studied biochemistry at the
University of London, but a strong love for music pushed her to leave school and
follow her heart. An a cappella demo of Stevie Wonder/Clarence Paul/Morris Broadnax's
"Until You Come Back to Me," cut in 1995, started everything for the enthusiastic
singer; she loved the song so much she waxed two versions for her debut CD, Soul
Organic, five years later. The CD was jointly written and produced with Victor
Redwood-Sawyerr (aka VRS, a founding member of Blak Twang), the other half
of Hil St Soul.
A singer of many styles, Mwelwa is comfortable performing classic soul, smooth
jazz, up-tempo funk, and gospel. Her versatility earned her the honor of Best Newcomer
by the U.K.'s Blues & Soul magazine. She has performed at festivals in Holland, Norway,
and England, sharing stages with urban kings and queens such as D'Angelo, Kelis,
Macy Gray, and Angie Stone, to name a few. An accomplished and prolific songwriter,
Igcognito, Maysa Leak, and others have used her material.
Mwelwa's style doesn't lack drama, but she's more subtle than demonstrative. Not
as reclining as Sade, and not as overwhelming as Mica Paris, she's found a comfortable
niche that appeases classic soul fanatics while canvassing for fresh R&B/pop janissaries
without disenfranchising hip-hop lovers.