# Mahalia Barnes

Mahalia Violet Barnes (born 12 July 1982) is an Australian singer-songwriter, the daughter of Scottish-Australian rock singer Jimmy Barnes and Jane Mahoney. She began performing as part of children's pop group The Tin Lids with siblings, Eliza-Jane "E.J.", Elly-May, and Jackie. She later formed her own band, Mahalia Barnes and the Soul Mates, and as of 2024 has recorded four albums with them. She has collaborated with Joe Bonamassa, both in studio and in live performance, as well as other musical artists, including work as a backing vocalist.

## Early life and education

Mahalia Violet Barnes was born on 12 July 1982 in Sydney. She is the daughter of Jimmy Barnes, an Australian rock singer, and Jane (née Mahoney), the Thai-born stepdaughter of an Australian diplomat. The pair married in Sydney on 22 May 1981. Barnes was named after United States gospel singer, Mahalia Jackson. Her father has Scottish-Jewish ancestry.
When she was eight, Barnes joined younger siblings Eliza-Jane "E.J." and Jackie for the recording sessions of their father's Two Fires album. Their voices are among the children's choir that features on the track "When Your Love is Gone". From the age of nine, she formed part of the children's singing group The Tin Lids with siblings"E.J.", Jackie, and Elly-May Barnes. Their Christmas 1991 album, Hey Rudolph!, was a platinum-selling album.

## Career
### Solo and with her band

As of 2024 she has recorded four albums with her band Mahalia Barnes and the Soul Mates: Mahalia Barnes + the Soul Mates Volume 1 (2008); Mahalia Barnes + the Soul Mates Volume 2 (2012); Ooh Yeah! – The Betty Davis Songbook (2015); and Hard Expectations (2018).
Barnes auditioned for the first season of the Australian version of The Voice with the song "Proud Mary", the episode of which was broadcast on 22 April 2012 on the Nine Network. All coaches pressed their buttons (the first was Keith Urban), then realised that she was in fact Jimmy Barnes's daughter. Mahalia chose to join Joel Madden's team. Mahalia was eliminated in the battle ring when she was pitted against Prinnie Stevens, who is very close to Mahalia. as the "Pavlova". She finished eighth after being eliminated in the fifth episode.

### With Joe Bonamassa

Ooh Yeah! – The Betty Davis Songbook, released in February 2015, is a tribute to American funk/soul singer Betty Davis, and was Barnes' first collaboration with Joe Bonamassa. The album was produced by Kevin Shirley. The collaboration came about after Barnes had played some Davis tracks to producer Shirley, who suggested recording the album and inviting Bonamassa (whose music he had previously produced) to be part of the process. Barnes continued to collaborate with Bonamassa, including as a back-up singer on his studio album Blues of Desperation. She was invited to tour with him several times, including on his 2017 European tour.

### Other work and collaborations

Barnes has often worked with her father Jimmy, and recorded a duet with him, "Gonna Take Some Time", released as the second single from his album Double Happiness) in 2005.
She has also sung with her friend R&B singer Jade MacRae, who later worked as a backup singer for her father. With MacRae and Kara Grainger, she sang as a guest vocalist on the debut album of the Sydney band The Hands (whose members include session musicians Clayton and Lachlan Doley), Live And Breathe (2004).
Barnes became Reece Mastin's manager in early 2015, when he was signed to Social Family Records. She contributed to his Change Colours album.

## Discography
### Albums

| Title | Details |
| Volume 1 (by Mahalia Barnes The Soul Mates) | Released: 2008 Label: Liberation Music (LMCD0002) Format: CD, digital download |
| Come Together (with Prinnie) | Released: 2012 Label: Mercury Records Australia (3716262) Format: CD, digital download |
| Ooh Yeah! – The Betty Davis Songbook (Mahalia Barnes and The Soul Mates featuring Joe Bonamassa) | Released: 2015 Label: Provogue (PRD 7455 2) Format: 2xCD, 2xLP, digital download |
| Hard Expectations (by Mahalia Barnes The Soul Mates) | Released: 2018 Label: The Soul Mates (soulmate3) Format: CD, digital download, streaming |

### Extended plays

| Title | Details |
| Mahalia Barnes Live At The Basement | Released: 2006 Label: Mahalia Barnes/ Liberation Music (MB001) Format: CD, digital download |
| Mahalia Barnes + The Soul Mates (by Mahalia Barnes The Soul Mates) | Released: 2007 Label: Liberation Music (LIBEP9264.2) Format: CD, digital download |
| Mahalia Barnes + The Soul Mates Volume 2 (by Mahalia Barnes The Soul Mates) | Released: Label: The Soul Mates (soulmate3) Format: CD, digital download |

### Singles

| Title | Year | Chart peak positions | Album |
| Title | Year | AUS | Album |
| "Gonna Take Some Time" (with Jimmy Barnes) | 2005 | 31 | Double Happiness |
| "I'm Just Not Ready for Love" (as Mahalia Barnes The Soul Mates) | 2008 | — | Volume 1 |
| "Steppin in Her I. Miller Shoes" (as Mahalia Barnes The Soul Mates featuring Joe Bonamassa) | 2015 | — | Ooh Yeah! – The Betty Davis Songbook |