Massive Coup for College

Ex-Massive Attack vocalist Sara Jay took time out of her busy schedule recently to speak with music students at University Centre Doncaster, High Melton.

Sara, who wrote and sang the song ‘Dissolved Girl’ from the Massive Attack’s album ‘Mezzanine’, once ranked by Q Magazine as the 15th best

album of all time, came to the University Centre to help inspire young musicians with stories of how she got to where she is today.

Sara told how she wanted to be a singer from an early age and left her home in Skegness to find fame and fortune, She played gigs all over the country, and eventually playing abroad in cities like San Francisco.

Along side her music she did a Fine Arts degree in Sheffield with an emphasis on film studies, which would come in handy later on. However, she kept plugging away at her music and it was when she moved to London that her career really took off. After a disappointing meeting with an agent she bumped into an old friend who turned out to be the photographer for the band Massive Attack. He gave the band a sample of what she could do and Sara was contacted a few days later and the rest they say is history.

When asked about her best moment with Massive Attack, Sara said, "There were lots of them. Headlining Glastonbury has always been a dream come true, the world tour, the whole experience was amazing really."

Other highlights included ‘Dissolved Girl’ being used in the film ‘The Matrix’ and the song ‘Wire’ in ‘Welcome to Sarajevo’. She also wrote songs for the film "Hold Back the Night".

Sara was asked what advice would she give to students wanting to get into the music industry. She answered, "get in amongst it all, in the thick of it, it might make it happen a bit quicker."

Now a mother Sara still makes music but she said, "I love being involved in youth projects and youth music and I think it is really important to inspire young people because music really did save my life, soul, sanity and I think it's a way to connect to young people."

Simon Atkinson, a course leader in Music at University Centre Doncaster, and who organised Sara's visit said, "It was excellent to see the students asking questions relating to Sara's experiences in the music industry along with a vocal workshop which introduced vocal techniques and harmonies. We hope to see Sara again with more vocal workshops planned soon."

Doncaster College and University Centre Doncaster run a host of Visual art and Music courses. Further details are available by calling 0800 358 7575 or by visiting www.don.ac.uk