Young Tasmanian singer/songwriter Bridget Pross has been making her presence felt on the Australian music scene over the last few months.

With the release of her debut full length album I Wanted To due for release early in 2008, Bridget has been performing steadily in Melbourne, Sydney and her home state in the leadup. Recently completing her first mainland residency spots, at Melbourne’s Retreat Hotel and Sydney’s Sandringham Hotel, Bridget performed in front of a progressively growing crowd at both venues.

As well as performing her own shows, Bridget has also supported a number of high profile acts; most notably America’s Indigo Girls, the UK’s Snow Patrol and home grown talents including Lior, John Butler Trio, Josh Pyke, Chris Wilson, and Renee Geyer. Bridget was also selected to perform at Tasmania’s Marion Bay 2007 Falls Festival.

Every live performance has seen this talented young singer grow in confidence and skill, with her strong, smoky voice, engaging songs and warm, easy charm winning her plenty of fans.

Little Sister, the first single from I Wanted To was released in October 07, scoring Single of the Week in Melbourne’s
Inpress Magazine, with Clem Barstow calling her a “captivating new presence”.

Sydney’s Drum Magazine said “Pross’ warmth and generosity, both spiritually and musically, is evident throughout ...A subtle rock sensibility lifts her work from the run of singer/songwriters, nudging it into Dirty Lucy or Sheryl Crow territory...”

Queensland’s Rave Magazine said of Little Sister “there are still a few women writing music and one of them deserving your attention is Bridget Pross... It’s a fine indication of things to come”.

Her home state’s Sauce Magazine was equally enthusiastic “...this southern Tassie chick has once again made us proud, and shows us how to do it, with the release of her new single Little Sister... a classic portrayal of her earthy acoustic tones, combined with her raw, soulful lyrics... There’s no need for us to ask that you “support your locals” – talent like this demands it.”

Little Sister also gained strong airplay on Radio National, ABC Radio and community radio stations along the eastern seaboard. To date, Bridget has performed live for Sydney, Canberra and Hobart ABC radio, as well as featuring on Melbourne’s 3RRR and PBS FM community stations, while also gaining good airplay on Sydney’s FBi and 2RRR community radio stations.

All this stands Bridget in good stead for the release of the second single, the title track from I Wanted To, which will be released to radio in February with the album’s release. The B-sides of the single are the songs Dragon Lady and Blue and Green.

Listeners will find that I Wanted To showcases Bridget’s warm, husky voice across genres that range from a folk based sound, to some rougher, raucous more rock based tunes. There are elements of guitar pop and roots music peppered through the album, showing just how many styles of music catch Bridget’s ear and how easily she can make them her own; delivering a warm and engaging debut album.

I Wanted To will be out on Bridget’s own label, black horse records, with distribution from MGM.

Growing up in remote Westerway in the Derwent Valley, Tasmania, Bridget Pross has honed her craft by playing in pubs surrounded by loud customers, with only an un-amplified guitar and her voice to carry her through.

Bridget has been surrounded by a love of music since birth. Her mother and stepfather, a published poet, exposing her to a diverse range of musical styles, from John Farnham, Jimmy Barnes and Diesel, to Linda Ronstadt and Elvis Presley. Music was a constant presence in her home, with her beloved uncle Bazza teaching her to play guitar.

In her teens, Bridget discovered her own musical heroes, including Melissa Etheridge, Sheryl Crow, Joni Mitchell, Annie Lennox, and closer to home Women In Docs, Abby Dobson and Deb Conway. Bridget’s strong, smoky and soulful voice lends itself well to genres as diverse as her musical tastes.

First introduced to the Hobart music scene in high school, Bridget became involved in the “River Rock” movement. This program gave high school students a chance to record their own music. Representation in the Tasmanian Rock Challenge with the band ‘Grover’ followed, along with an award in the ‘Most Promising Female Award’ category of the competition.

In November 2005, Bridget embarked on a trip through Europe and the U.S.A, where she recorded the 6 tracks for her first EP release Long Distance Traveller at Hysteristudios in Miami, Florida. In early 2007 Bridget returned to Miami again, where she recorded the second half of I Wanted To.

From October 2007, Bridget has based herself in Melbourne, enjoying the challenges and inspirations of immersing herself in a bigger and much more competitive live music scene. Regular trips home are helping to keep Bridget settled, warding off any feelings of homesickness while she gears up for a busy year ahead.