Fusing contemporary sounds with classical instruments, the gorgeous electric string quartet ESCALA caused a sensation in the final of ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent 2008. Their Trevor Horn produced debut album ‘Escala’ boasted the freshest and most innovative sound of 2009, scoring one of the highest first week sales for any debut artist in the UK that year.
The quartet comprises four sophisticated, beautiful and intelligent girls in their twenties. These talented, dedicated and disciplined musicians studied at London’s most prestigious music colleges, becoming highly trained, professional classical performers. The four girls became close friends after being recruited as part of a large string section for a UK arena tour by boyband McFly, and decided to work together to create a new musical phenomenon. After entering Britain’s Got Talent 2008, performing in front of 14 million viewers on the show’s final, the band were signed by Simon Cowell to company, Syco Entertainment.
ESCALA are violinists Victoria Lyon, aged 27, and Izzy Johnston, 26. Chantal Leverton, a viola player aged 27 and cellist Tasya Hodges, 29 complete the line up. The ladies are serious about their music, playing both acoustic and electric instruments and bringing stylish high-octane showmanship to their performances. With their unique formula of fun and integrity, the girls believe their approach will encourage many (in particular the young) to overcome prejudices about classical instruments.
The international appeal for their contemporary sound has seen them travel the globe over the past 2 years including appearances such as Oprah & The Today Show in the US, Children in Need and opening Sweden’s Pink Ribbon Gala. The girls have also enjoyed recent performance highlights such as Samuel L Jackson’s ‘Night For Love’, opening the NASCAR Awards in Vegas and performing to over 100,000 people with Lee Hom in Beijing. They have also led BSkyB’s TV campaign for the UK Premiership football season (in succession to bands such as Simple Minds, Queen and Oasis) and are the current UK face of innovative hosiery brand Pretty Polly stockings.
