Meet the voices of Havens
Mary-Kate Miller
One of the star students of vocal coach Ronni Bailey, Mary-Kate was invited to sing on Havens after a powerful solo at Ronni's summer concert in 2022. She worked closely with Ronni on the choral vocals for the album, and was also given a solo part in 'Our Last Sunset'. Since the release, she has grown into much more of a leading role, taking on multiple live performances at gigs and concerts, and recording wonderful new lead vocals for the future single versions of 'Autumn' and 'Our Last Sunset'.
Additional piano parts in these songs were recorded by Mary-Kate too! Having loved music as long as she can remember, Mary-Kate formally began singing aged 10, primarily musical theatre and classical styles. Later she switched more to pop, and can now alternate between genres with ease. She also learnt piano, and was both the vocalist and pianist in her college band.
During lockdown she was privileged to sing the lead vocal on Ronni Bailey's new song 'Thinking of You this Christmas Time'. She graduated college with a 'Distinction* in Music Performance BTEC L3 National Extended Certificate', and was later invited back to be given 'The Read Award for Music' for her exceptional progress, professionalism and leadership in supporting fellow students.
Eleanor Roe
Eleanor is an exciting young singer, actor and dancer who has recently begun studying at the prestigious Arts Ed college in London. This followed completion of a BTEC3 Extended Diploma in Performing Arts at Stagedoor Cheltenham.
Her involvement in Havens came about after lucky meeting between Nick and her mother Linda. Originally she was only due to sing part of the duet in 'Interlude' with Linda, but stepped in to sing the lead vocal in 'Snow Ballad' when the original singer dropped out only 2 days before the recording sessions. She has been keenly involved in the Havens journey ever since, singing live at the album launch, and at several other events since the release.
Eleanor has been singing in public since the age of 7. Highlights so far include performing with the British Youth Music Theatre, where she played the White Wiccan in 'Nightshade' at London's Bridewell Theatre (2021), and 'Why the Whales Came' in Taunton and London (2022). She has also appeared in productions by Longborough Opera's Youth - the Goddess Diana in 'Orpheus in the Underworld' (2019) and parts in 'The Magic Flute' (2017) and 'A Cunning Little Vixen' (2021).
Roles in musicals include Sarah Brown in 'Guys and Dolls' at the Playhouse Theatre, Cheltenham (2022), and Issy in 'Legend Trippers' at Cheltenham's Everyman Theatre (2023). Also in 2023 she featured in a US broadcast of talented young musical theatre singers, produced by 'Next Stop Broadway' in New York. In June 2024 she played the lead role of Polly Parish in a new musical called 'The Other School', also at the Everyman theatre.
Ronni Bailey
Ronni is an exceptional and highly accomplished musician, known for her versatility as a singer, vocal coach, choir leader, composer, and more. One of her passions for many years was running an amateur singing group called Ronstars. It was during this time she first met Nick when he joined the group for a term in 2013. Their musical connection made a lasting impression, and in 2021, as work on Havens began, Nick reached out to Ronni hoping to involve her and the Ronstars in the album's choral pieces. They were delighted to be asked, and an essential partnership with Ronni began. Not only did she arrange the existing vocal lines for breaths and vowel sounds, she also suggested additional backing vocals and harmonies, which elevated songs such as 'Snow Ballad' to new heights. In addition to recording her own wonderful vocals in the studio, she successfully coached Eleanor and Mary-Kate through the recording process.
With extensive experience in both live performance and the recording studio, Ronni brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to every project she takes on. After a successful production of her own musical, 'Two Weeks To Go', in Blackpool, Ronni went on to achieve a BA Hons’ in Popular Music. She received a 'Celebrate Success' award from the Prince's Trust for her music business, and had the honour of having tea with Queen Elizabeth II. Ronni also became a Vocal Process Accredited Teacher of singing and has been teaching at one of the country's leading performing arts colleges, Wilkes Academy, for 15 years.
In 2024 Ronni has begun writing music again and premiered a brilliant song called "Destiny". It is to be part of a new musical in the works - we're excited to see how it develops.
Linda Roe
Mother of Eleanor Roe, Linda is a highly distinguished soprano and singing teacher. She began as an award winning student at the Royal Northern College of Music where she won the Freckleton Prize for Singing. Her career as a soloist took her throughout the UK, Europe and North America, as well as internationally for opera and concerts. Her highlights include a European Tour with Marc Minkowski and Les Musiciens du Louve appearing at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and in the Aix-en-Provence baroque music festival. She has performed alongside such artists as Sir Willard White, Susan Bullock and Peter Bronder, and has appeared on official recordings such as ‘Bellante’ in Handel’s ‘Almira’, and ‘Countess Adele’ in Rossini’s ‘Le Comte Ory’.
As well as performing, Linda takes great pride in running BelCanto Voice Studio which offers singing lessons from a purpose built music school at her home in Cirencester, Gloucestershire. Former students have gained places at the Royal Academy of Music, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Laine Theatre Arts, and Arts Educational.
