L.A. Based Pop Choir Honey Child Will Release Self-Titled Debut Album!

Los Angeles-based Chamber Pop choir Honey Child will release their self-titled debut on February 9th through Aeronaut Records. The 9-song album was recorded at the legendary EastWest Studios in the famed Studio 3 where The Beach Boys helmed their storied Pet Sounds. The album is available now for pre-order digitally from iTunes, digital and vinyl from Amazon, and is set to hit all major streaming services.

Opera singer bandleader Claire McKeown recruited six other female vocalists to build the band, and conducted and arranged most of the album as well as co-producing it. She also enlisted some amazing instrumental contributors including Sasami Ashworth (Cherry Glazerr) on French horn, Anna Bulbrook (The Airborne Toxic Event) and Dre Babinski (Steady Holiday) on violins, Daniel Brummel (Nada Surf, Weezer) on double bass, and acoustic guitar from Rolfe Kent, composer of many Alexander Payne films including Sideways and Downsizing. The final product is an album that combines majestic, lavish harmonies with a flair for the surreal.

Honey Child is a chamber pop choir - alternately referred to as a Heroine Folk project - from Los Angeles, led by opera singer Claire McKeown and featuring Claire Boutelle, Aimee Jacobs, Danielle Mandell, Dayna Richards, Jacquelyn Sky, and Cynthia Zitter. Originally formed as a cathartic place to let go of the pains of a slaughtered heart, Honey Child became a transformative creative endeavor filled with beauty and harmony.

Conducted and arranged by McKeown - with the exception of "She Calls His Name" which was arranged by Ethan Walter, who also co-produced the album with her - Honey Child's self-titled debut was recorded at EastWest Studios in the famed Studio 3 where The Beach Boys' storied Pet Sounds, a major influence here, was laid down. According to McKeown, "The goal of the album was to celebrate musicians sharing time and space. We set up for three days and tried to capture as much magic as possible honoring the authenticity of our sound and ability to record live performances. For me, the orchestrations and vocal arrangements of The Beach Boys and The Beatles were huge inspirations for the album along with the vocal delivery of Harry Nilsson, Dusty Springfield, and the dramatic honesty of opera singer Maria Callas." Recording at EastWest adds McKeown, "allowed for a wonderland of toys to play with. We used ribbon microphones, echo chamber, Hammond organ, Steinway grand piano, tracked the orchestra live, added a heavenly string section, even ran the lead vocals through a Leslie."

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