Ali Handal
Moved early on by wise and resilient women, singer/songwriter Ali Handal wore out Carole King’s Tapestry album. As a cat-obsessed six-year-old (some things never change), Ali honored her initial musical heroine by naming her very first kitten “Carole.” Over the years, the sweet melodies and lyrics penned by musical sages King, Dylan, Lennon, and McCartney captivated her. She had an epiphany when, as a teenager, she heard Led Zeppelin for the first time. Completely mesmerized by Jimmy Page’s seductive guitar riffs, Ali quit her piano lessons to pick up the guitar.
Now based in Los Angeles, Ali unleashes sultry, groove-filled songs upon live audiences, setting the stage ablaze with fiery guitar passages and soulful lyrics delivered by her powerhouse voice. She holds her own among the ranks of fierce female performing songwriters like ani difranco and formidable guitarists such as Jimmy Page. Music Connection magazine describes her as “earthy, natural, real and loaded with talent…a singer/songwriter with something to say… a gifted artist who brings insight and intelligence to her art.” When asked about her music and stage presence, fans simply say “badass.”
Ali’s songs have been featured in numerous films and hit shows like Sex and the City, Dawson’s Creek, and iCarly. She’s toured Australia, Japan, and beyond, provided backing vocals for Neil Young, and shared the stage with songwriting legend Paul Williams as his featured vocalist. Also a published author, Ali penned Guitar for Girls (Hal Leonard), an exceptional guitar method book & CD brimming with advice for aspiring female musicians, as well as encouraging quotes and remarkable songs from female songwriters in all genres.
Ali’s fourth full-length album, produced by four-time Grammy Award winner Seth Horan and released by Red Parlor Records, is a rockin’ collection of songs embodying the strength and sense of humor necessary to thrive as a woman in the 21st century. Cheeky songs like “I Love My Pussy.cat” and “Thank God For Birth Control” tap into her natural sass, while others, including “You Get What You Settle For” and “Better Man,” are chock full of an older sister’s tough love and the wisdom Ali has gained as she’s evolved as an artist and a woman.