Kaz Hawkins
Kaz Hawkins (born 1973) is a Northern Irish blues, folk and soul singer, songwriter signed to Dixiefrog Records in Paris, France. Early life. Hawkins was born and grew up in Belfast but now lives in France. She enjoyed singing at church, and was influenced by her grandmother singing at home. In her youth, she auditioned for the television show "Opportunity Knocks" where the musical director told her grandmother to let her listen to Etta James. Her love affair of soul music began here. Career. Hawkins sang in cover bands for 20 years before she began creating original material . She has released four studio albums, two EPs (no longer available), one live album (digital only) and a compilation album exclusively on vinyl. In 2017, she began presenting a blues show on BBC Radio Ulster, "Kaz Hawkins Got The Blues". produced by Ralph McLean. Kaz was invited to Florence Academy of Art in Alabama, to join in a various artists album ""Something In The Water"" to help highlight children not having access to arts in Alabama. The album included one of the original Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, David Hood and musicians Clayton Ivey and Will McFarlane supporting a line up  of international artists covering songs recorded in Alabama. In April 2022, Kaz was given the honourable title of Godmother of the oldest blues festival in France. Cahors Blues Festival asked Kaz's permission in front of gathered press at the launch of the 40th anniversary of the festival. Kaz accepted the high honour of "<nowiki>'Marraine du festival"</nowiki>" and will represent them going forward. Kaz will join grammy award winning Christone Kingfish Ingram, Popa Chubby and Kirk Fletcher as festival headliners in July 2022, in the town of Cahors, France. Awards. Hawkins won the 2018 for Northern Ireland Blues  Act of the Year at the UK Blues Awards and she was a Nominee in 4 Categories – Female Vocalist/Songwriter/Personality and Northern Ireland Blues Act of the Year. She was the most played artist of 2017 IBBA and was the first UK act to win at the EBU - European Blues Challenge in Denmark in 2017. She was a Semi-Finalist in The Blues Foundation's International Blues Challenge, Memphis, 2017 Hawkins won the Album Of The Year award in the 2016 IBBA CHARTS (International Blues Broadcasters Association) Winner – 3rd UK Blues Challenge 2016 (representing UK in Memphis & Denmark) She  was Runner Up in the British Blues Awards for Female Vocalist 2016, winner at the Pure M Awards for Best Video 2016 for "This Is Me". In 2015, she received the Barry Middleton Memorial Award for Emerging Artist at the British Blues Awards. The same year, she won all Ireland Best Female at the Pure M Awards in a triple win of awards She has also been a nominee in the NI Music Prize in 2014, 2015 and 2016.