Underwood returns as Aretha for Soul in the City

The Soul in the City Festival returns to the Victorian Quarter this June Bank Holiday weekend and the headline gig promises to be very special indeed.

Following two sell out years at St Lukes, for one night only Soul in the City will return to The Everyman with Aretha Queen of Soul when Cork’s very own soul diva Karen Underwood and a full band will celebrate the life of Aretha Franklin.

Born in Chicago, USA, Karen studied psychology and biology at the University of Illinois and then completed her HDip in UCC. She worked designing programmes to help those with disabilities but always had a love for performing after growing up with soul music interwoven into her everyday life.

Soul and jazz music were a staple in Karen’s family home. Her parents influenced her taste a great deal as they played the likes of Billy Holiday, James Brown, Ray Charles and Marven Gaye at home in South Chicago.

She describes growing up listening to the best in soul and jazz as “living on quality street” in terms of the voices and melodies she heard every day, saying: “I considers myself extremely lucky to have found soul music.”

Coming from a very religious background, she became part of the Southern Baptist Church at a very early age, signing and performing there. She said: “I really enjoyed my time at the church, it’s where my passion for performing stemmed.”

Moving to Cork from South Chicago in 1997 with her family, she says the move made her reconnect with her teenage years as a solo artist.

“I would hang out by the Opera House, singing with other musicians and then I made the transition into having my own shows held in various places around the city and country.”

With her upcoming gig for Soul in the City, Karen describes the community atmosphere in the Victorian Quarter as being very similar to the family feels in her neighbourhood in South Chicago.

“Soul music was built on community and brought people together in good and bad times. The community in the Victorian Quarter and beyond really brought the ‘soul’ into this festival with their community spirit. I have great time for the people of the Victorian Quarter who have supported me all these years and really helped me get my feet off the ground.”

The festival is running into its fourth year this year and has grown vastly since its inception. Karen is the headline act while there are over 18 other acts performing in eight other venues within the Victorian Quarter.

“I love the atmosphere the festival creates in the area,” says Karen, “a lot of hard work goes in to it for months in advance and to have the crescendo on the weekend is a brilliant feeling seeing it all pay off. My brother and sister are flying over from the US to watch me perform for the first time at the event,” something Karen says is especially important to her for this year's festival.

As for her favourite part about Soul in the City festival? “It begins with a tease on the Friday night and you can sense the buzz, the atmosphere around the quarter is electric and it gears me up for my own gig on the Sunday night. This year myself and a choir are hosting a pop up event in aid of Cork ARC Cancer Support House to be able to give back in the midst of all the festivities, as well!”

This year the Soul in the City committee are putting a larger emphasis on food relating to soul and are having special dishes and drinks available throughout the weekend. They are also hosting a competition among the chefs in the Quarter to create their own soul dish.

In relation to future festivals, Karen said: “I would love a new segment of entertainment to join in on the festivities along with the music and food and I would love if old soul movies were shown in the Quarter such as 'Cleopatra', 'Soul Food Movie', 'The Five Heart Beats' and 'Superfly', to give a background as to where soul music got its roots and to educate people enjoying the festival. I’d also like to see a more carnival theme to the festival, closing the street off and having people eat and drinking outside, outdoor concerts and create a soul haven for three days in the Victorian Quarter.”

Cork Independent are delighted to be media partners for the festival, along with Cork's 96FM.

Catch Karen on 2 June at the Everyman for Aretha: Queen of Soul gig.