Sonia Funk: News

Carol - Radio Single - Press Release - November 12, 2010

SONIA FUNK RELEASES HER TAKE ON A CANADIAN HOLIDAY CLASSIC “THE HURON CAROL – ANGEL’S SONG REMIX”

For Immediate Release: November 12, 2010

For the 2010 holiday season, Canadian Singer/songwriter Sonia Funk releases a Christmas EP titled Carol with a new radio-remix of her rendition of “The Huron Carol - Angel’s Song Remix” that includes a new chorus she wrote for the song. With Indigo in-store performances, a special EP release party, working on a new album of original material for 2011 and teaming up with some amazing charities tba, Sonia has a busy holiday season ahead.

Funk had envisioned arranging and recording a Christmas record as long as she had been making music. When she decided to return to music full time in 2009, an EP of Christmas Carols seemed like the natural path to find her way back into the industry. The response was overwhelming, particularly because she resided in the UK at the time of the EP’s release.

Sonia made a quick decision to officially release the record to radio - the old fashioned way. A hard copy delivery, (by her Dad!) to her local hometown station in Winkler Manitoba, landed in the hands of Trev Schellenberg, Music Director for half of Golden West Radio’s Southern Prairie stations. He fell in love with the tunes and by the end of December, Sonia’s little EP had tallied 800 spins across Southern AB, SAS and MB. In the UK, Mood Media took the record and put it into their Christmas Playlists for retail and hospitality clients across UK, Europe and into Australia.

Sonia has now repatriated to Canada, bringing with her the completely re-mastered EP now called Carol and the Radio Remix of “The Huron Carol.” Music and program directors across Canada are already singing her praises.

This holiday, when you find a lull in those Bing and Frank records, feast your ears on this Canadian songbird’s holiday EP. This Enchanting and Whimsical take on an old Tradition is sure to brighten your Christmas spirit and become a staple in your holiday music traditions.

“Wow!!! Truly Beautiful. Sonia absolutely nails the spirit of the season” - Andy Ross, PD, Wired 96.3 FM, Saskatoon

“I love the song! It can be a bit of a struggle to find solid Christmas tunes for airplay so “The Huron Carol Remix” will be a really nice add this season. Well done!” - David Drake, MD, BOB FM, Winnipeg

“MY NEW FAVORITE CHRISTMAS RECORD!!!!”- Trev Schellenberg, Music Director, GoldenWest Radio

In Store Performances: Indigo @ Bay & Bloor
Saturday, November 13, 11-noon
Sunday, November 14, 12-2pm
*More TBA

CD RELEASE PARTY ~ A Cozy Christmas Sunday Afternoon 'Matinee'
Sunday, November 28th, 3 - 5 pm
Prohibition Gastro House, 696 Queen Street East, Toronto 416.406.2669

Website: http://www.soniafunkmusic.com/
More about Sonia Funk:
Sonia hails from Winkler, a small town in southern Manitoba, Canada and began her musical career shortly after moving to Winnipeg to attend University. In 1999, Sonia released Close Your Eyes her first full-length recording and has been writing, recording and performing ever since. She spent many years touring across the Prairies with her band, playing solo, recording and releasing her music and won several performance and songwriting awards.
One of those awards included a Top Ten spot in the National Songwriting Competition for her song “Ashes Fall Down.” In 2005 Sonia returned to school to finish her post-secondary education and see a bit of the world. She spent several years living and working in Winnipeg, Toronto, New York, London (UK,) and the Middle East and traveling throughout Europe.

Media Inquires Contact:
Skylar Entertainment
Diane Foy, 416-413-9672
diane@skylarentertainment.ca

First Reviews of the New Radio Single, "The Huron Carol - Angel's Song Remix" are in!! - November 10, 2010

"WOW!!!! Truly Beautiful."

Andy Ross, Program Director, 96.3 Wired FM, Saskatoon

"I love the song! It can be a bit of a struggle to find solid Christmas tunes for airplay so the remix of "The Huron Carol" will be a really nice add this season. Well done!"

David Drake, Music Director, 99.9 BOB FM, Winnipeg

"Great Job!! Love it!"

Trev Schellenberg, Music Director, Program Director, GOLDEN WEST Radio

Press Release - December 16, 2009

MANITOBA SONGSTRESS BACK ON THE SCENE

Christmas Album Being Heard Across Canada & the UK

Winnipeg, Manitoba (December 16, 2009) -- After three years living overseas, a Manitoba songstress has resurfaced in the Canadian music scene with a new album that’s making waves across the country.

Sonia Funk, who now resides in London, England, recently returned to making music with the release of Karel. This collection of traditional Christmas carols features familiar melodies that resonate with Sonia’s angelic voice, resulting in one unforgettable holiday recording. Here is what some listeners have said about Karel:

“Sonia has produced a set of songs that respect the traditions of

the carol while giving them a modern, stylish setting.”

-- ChuckerCanuck.blogspot.com --

“…looks and sounds great – Beautifully done!!”

-- Connie Bailey, Program Director, The Eagle 93.5 FM --

“MY NEW FAVORITE CHRISTMAS RECORD!!!!”

-- Trev Schellenberg, Program Director for Mix 96.7 and CHVN --

During the first two weeks of December, Karel garnered nearly 400 spins on stations across the Canadian prairies, and nationally on CBC Radio One and CBC Radio 3. Plays are also popping up on stations in Ontario, Nova Scotia, and the Yukon.

ABOUT KAREL

Having taken a hiatus from singing/songwriting to pursue education and travel, Sonia decided to ease back into music with Karel. She recorded the album during the summer in Montreal, with good friend and co-producer Graham Playford. Initially intended to be a pet project, she received such positive response that she decided to release it to radio. With plans in full swing by fall, she was determined not to let anything stop her – not even becoming sick with the H1N1 virus. While it’s been a slow recovery for Sonia since October, at the same time it’s been a fast rise for Karel, which continues to pleasantly surprise her.

“I’m pretty amazed at the way Canadian radio has taken to the album,” says Sonia, speaking on the phone from her home across the pond. According to Sonia, the most popular songs have been The Huron Carol, followed by The First Noel, and O Come O Come Emmanuel – all of which have so far earned a multitude of airplay, and are helping to put Sonia back on the radio radar.

“In addition to adding these tracks to Christmas playlists, radio programmers are asking about getting their hands on some of my non-Christmas music. So the New Year looks bright for my musical comeback!” she joked.

In her current hometown of London, Mood Media UK has included the album in Christmas playlists that are sent out to retail and hospitality clients across the UK and Europe, giving this Manitoba songstress a truly global reach. Meanwhile, here in Canada, Karel is available for sale at the following retail locations:

Winnipeg – Christmas Traditions at the Forks, McNally Robinson Booksellers (Grant Park & Polo Park), Hulls Bookstore
Winkler – GingerWood Lane
Altona – The Cotton Cottage

Morden – Heartland Café
Steinbach – Hulls Bookstore

Links for listening to clips from Karel can be found at www.soniafunkmusic.com. Individual tracks can be purchased at www.itunes.com, with 10% of all money raised from retail and online sales donated to charity. Sonia has chosen ONEXONE to receive the proceeds from Karel, which will go towards water and hunger initiatives in North America and abroad www.onexone.org.

ABOUT SONIA FUNK

Canadian singer/songwriter Sonia (Marie) Funk hails from the Manitoba town of Winkler. She began her musical career shortly after moving to Winnipeg for University, releasing her first full-length album in 1999.

Sonia spent many years touring the prairies either solo or with her band, playing everything from small cafes, to sharing the bill with The Matthew Good Band. She won several performance and songwriting awards along the way, including a Top Ten spot in the National Songwriting Competition for Ashes Fall Down.

In 2006 Sonia returned to school to finish her post-secondary education as a holistic nutritionist, and also embarked on some travel. Having spent several years between Toronto, New York, and London, she recently returned to music with the release of Karel. She plans to follow up with a new EP of original material in 2010.

www.soniafunkmusic.com

----

MEDIA CONTACT:

RoseAnna Schick, RAS Creative

Publicist for Sonia Funk’s Karel

204-783-7600 / rascreative@yahoo.ca

Press Release December 1, 2009

Airplay Starts Today!!

"Karel" hit the airwaves across the Prairies in a major way today and popped up in various other places across the Country!

You can support me and my album by calling or emailing the stations to request my music!

To see a list of some of the stations across Canada please click on the "Radio!" tab above.

Press Release November 20, 2009

"Karel" goes Global!

Mood Media has just put "Karel" onto their Christmas Playlists for retailers across the UK!

From there "Karel" will move into Christmas playlists in Europe and eventually over to Australia and the USA.

After hearing Sonia's record, Deb Hart, Senior Music Programmer at Mood Media UK, had this to say:

"we always struggle to find quality new Christmas music each year, so we'd very much welcome your record!"

http://www.moodmedia.co.uk

Karel's First Reviews!!! - November 1, 2009