Shelley Segal

Shelley Segal (born 4 April 1987) is an Australian singer and songwriter. She is most known for music with secular themes, including her 2011 album, An Atheist Album. She has toured Australia, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, China, and the United States and has played at many atheist/secular events including the Reason Rally,[1] the American Humanist Association conference, California Free Thought Day, the Global Atheist Convention, ReAsonCon,[2] Gateway to Reason,[3] and Reasonfest.[4] Her first single, "Saved", is currently used as the opening theme by the webcast and cable access television show The Atheist Experience.[5]

Shelley Segal
Shelley Segal at the International Conference on Free Expression and Conscience 2017.
Born (1987-04-04) 4 April 1987
Melbourne, Australia
OccupationSinger-songwriter
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • Singing
  • acoustic guitar
Labels
  • True Music
  • 411 Music Group
Websitewww.shelleysegal.com
Influences:

Biography

Early life

Segal was born in Melbourne, Australia. She was raised in a traditional Jewish household. Her father, Danny Segal, is the president of the East Melbourne Synagogue (as of August 2017) and plays violin in a klezmer wedding band. At the age of 11, Shelley Segal began singing in her father's band and writing her own songs. She came to call herself an atheist around the age of 18. With a different perspective, Segal began to see religion more negatively than when a theist, taking issue with things such as gender segregation in Orthodox Jewish synagogues.[6] Segal also identifies as a humanist.[7]

Career

Segal released her first recording, Shelley Segal EP, in 2009. It is composed of songs Segal wrote at ages 15–21.[8]

In 2011, Segal released her album An Atheist Album. She says she created it "firstly as an expression of my honest response to [the debate between religious and secular world-views]."[9] It contains the following songs:[10]

  • "Apocalyptic Love Song" (on human insignificance and finding meaning in life, dedicated to Christopher Hitchens)
  • "Afterlife" (on the impacts of believing in an afterlife)
  • "House With No Walls" (on people creating unique, personal beliefs when they don't fully agree with religious doctrine and on avoiding questioning one's beliefs)
  • "Gratitude" (on appreciating and being grateful for life without religious belief)
  • "Saved" (on the concept of eternal torment and those who use it as an evangelical tool) This was Segal's first single; it is currently used as the opening theme for the webcast and cable access television show, The Atheist Experience.[5]
  • "I Don't Believe In Fairies" (on the lack of evidence for the supernatural)
  • "Eve" (on misogyny in the Bible)

Segal co-wrote and provided vocals for the Carl Cox dance song Chemistry.[11]

In 2013, Segal toured with guitarist Adam Levy and released the album Little March in collaboration with him. The songs of the album deal with love and relationships.[12][13][14]

Segal released her album An Easy Escape in 2014. The reggae-inspired song Morocco from this album became controversial in Morocco. A song based on her experiences travelling in Morocco, many in Morocco criticized references to drug use in Morocco. The Moroccan news site Afriquinfos claimed she "denounced the kingdom [of Morocco]."[15] About the song, Segal said to Fairfax Media: "It's just to contrast that situation as a tourist and having fun and getting to escape my troubles, contrasted with some troubles local people are facing and questioning what is my place here ... and what troubles do I actually have."[16]

In 2015, Segal released her EP Strange Feeling. The body-positive song Sidelined from this album was a finalist in the 2016 Unsigned Only competition.[17][18]

In 2016, Segal signed with Los Angeles publishing house 411 Music Group and moved to Los Angeles.[19]

Discography

Albums
  • Shelley Segal EP (2009)
  • An Atheist Album (2011), True Music
  • Little March (2013) with Adam Levy, True Music
  • An Easy Escape (2014), True Music
  • Strange Feeling EP (2015)[20]
  • Forms EP (2018)
  • Holy EP (2019)

Singles
  • Saved (2011)
  • Chemistry (2011) with Carl Cox
  • Begin Again (2017)
  • Ghostly Afterimage (2021)
  • Pull You Down (2021)
  • Sing (2021)
  • Unloved (2022)

References
  1. Cashmere, Paul. "Shelley Segal To Relocate To USA Farewell Australian Dates Announced". Noise11. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  2. "Shelley Segal". Carolinas Secular Association. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  3. "Speakers Bios". Gateway to Reason. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  4. Magee, Brian. "Atheist Music: An Interview with Shelley Segal on Her New Album Little March". The Humanist. The American Humanist Association. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  5. "The Atheist Experience Technical FAQ". Atheist-experience.com. Atheist Community of Austin. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  6. Zwartz, Barney. "They still believe in each other". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  7. Precel, Nicole. "Caulfield singer Shelley Segal sets off on Australian tour". Herald Sun. News Corp.
  8. "Shelley Segal EP". Shelley Segal. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  9. "An Atheist Album". Shelley Segal. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  10. "Music". Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  11. "Melbourne Singer Shelley Segal to Bring American Jazz Guitarist Adam Levy On Tour". AAA Backstage. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  12. Cashmere, Paul. "Shelley Segal Announces Australian Dates With Norah Jones Guitarist Adam Levy". Noise11. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  13. Brian, Magee. "Atheist Music: An Interview with Shelley Segal on Her New Album Little March". The Humanist. The American Humanist Association. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  14. Hohnen, Mike. "Shelley Segal Tour Dates With Adam Levy". Music Feeds. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  15. Moskovitch, Greg. "Australian Folk Singer Incites Rage In Morocco". Music Feeds. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  16. McGrane, Danielle. "Australian singer Shelley Segal stirs up drug furore in Morocco". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  17. "Hugh's Beaumont The Rabbles Shelley Segal". Hotel Utah. The Hotel Utah Saloon. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  18. "Shelley Segal's 'Sidelined' a finalist in the Unsigned Only International Competition". True music. True music P/L. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  19. Ogier, Melissa. "AUSTRALIAN SONGWRITER SHELLEY SEGAL IS LEAVING HOME TO PERFORM WITH JOHNNY DEPP + WU TANG CLAN". The garb wire. WordPress. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  20. "Shelley Segal". Shelley Segal.
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