DUBMERGE meet's Powersteppers featuring MOLARA
Live Roots Reggae - 7 piece band featuring Molara of Zion Train alongside original and new members of Dubmerge including live dj in the line-up. Lots of live percussion strongly influenced by traditional Nyabhingi Rasta Drumming

MOLARA BIOG
Over the past 14 years as lead vocalist of seminal Dub Dance Pioneers Zion Train, Molara has forged a fearsome reputation as a live singer par excellence. Her commanding and enthralling performances have entranced festivals and concert venues across Europe and the World.

Her powerful voice and emotional delivery have earned respect from the cream of her peers. She has performed with the roots reggae giants Bim Sherman and Devon Russell and ventured into folk and acoustic music with Headmix, The Suns and Al Scott (Oyster Band member and much respected producer). Add to this fronting of the cream of the World and dub dance artists of the '90's Zion Train, Loop Guru and The Knights of the Occasional Table and one can form a picture of an experienced and adventurous live performer.

Molara was born in Manchester of English and Nigerian parents and her musical education began very early with her parent's love of rhythm & blues, jazz and Nigerian highlife having a significant influence. Having Fela and Femi Kuti as family members also had an impact. She visited The Shrine, the Lagos home of Fela and grew up musically with her cousin Femi Kuti, contributing backing vocals to selected tracks.

At 18 Molara spent a year living in France. Here began her love of languages, she speaks French and Spanish fluently, Welsh, Dutch, Polish and Finnish partially and can communicate with her audiences in many different languages. This was demonstrated in her performance with Zion Train at the 2000 Solipse Party in Hungary where she greeted the crowd in 15 different languages, receiving loud cheers for all of them!

Post France, on her return to Manchester she fronted the celebrated live act The Mambos, drawing comparisons with Neneh Cherry and Rip, Rig and Panic. The Mambos were contemporaries of A Certain Ratio, Biting Tongues and the other Northern Punk Funk acts that are currently in vogue.

Molara's new live band is the culmination of 3 years of development, in 2005 she linked up with UK roots stalwarts Dubmerge who form the foundation of the solo band. The main difference that Zion Train fans will recognize is that this is a 'proper' band - bass, drums, guitar, keyboards as well as turntables and 3 part harmony vocals. Molara is now painting in different shades and employing dynamics from a whisper to a heartfelt cry. Her solo material includes a selection of reworked Zion Train classics alongside great new songs like 'Magic', 'My Music' and 'Take it from Me' (from the forthcoming album with Mad Professor) as well as some radical cover versions, such as Dragonsfly's 'The River', and exploring her Nigerian roots singing traditional Yoruba tunes over nyabinghi drumming.

Molara is ready to take this warm, affecting show on the road to meet fans old and new.
Everyone involved will fly on the wings of this luxurious, magical music.

visit www.molara.co.uk for downloads and more info.