Beth Hirsch

by MacKenzie Wilson
Plucking into the sweet melodies of Canadian songstress Sarah McLachlan and ripping into the raw emotion of Joni Mitchell, singer/songwriter Beth Hirsch is another strong female artist ready to jump on the bandwagon of all things Lilith. Blending simplistic acoustic guitar and passionate vocalic beauty, Hirsch can frolic into the new folk-rock movement associated with artists such as Shawn Colvin. Born in 1967, Hirsch spent her childhood and early teenage years in Tampa, Florida, enjoying her affinity for acting and performing. In 1992, she moved to Boston to sharpen her experience and participated in a cross theater training program. Her ambitions eventually led her to Paris shortly thereafter, where Hirsch found herself working with British theater groups while falling in love with the city's bohemian underground. It was here where she discovered her voice and love for singing. Her lovely folk ballad-filled EP, Miner's Son, was released to sparse reviews in 1998, but Air's Nicolas Godin and Jean Benoit Dunkel were keen to her sound, asking Hirsch to appear on their 1998 debut album, Moon Safari. She co-wrote and sang "All I Need" and "You Make It Easy" from the French duo's album and later toured with the band across major cities in U.S. and Europe. When her musical whirlwind ended, Hirsch moved to London in 1999 to record her second EP, P-Town Rubies. The release garnered showers of critical acclaim, providing her with the opportunity to tour the U.K. with folk-jazz great Terry Callier. She and Wasis Diop also recorded "Everything" for the soundtrack to The Thomas Crown Affair. The edgy folk-pop-driven Early Days marked Hirsch's debut full-length in August 2000. Titles & Idols followed in fall 2001.