New York-based singer-songwriter Diane Birch will stage a live concert in Seoul this month, returning to South Korea for the first time in four years.

Birch was raised by conservative missionary parents in Zimbabwe and Australia, where she was exposed to only classical and church music. After moving to the United States at 13, Birch began listening to English rock bands such as Joy Divison, The Cure and The Beatles and preparing for a career as a musician. 

The singer-songwriter was noticed by Prince in 2006 while she played piano at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Steadily widening her presence, Birch released her debut album “Bible Belt” in 2009, rising to fame with her soulful voice and mature musicality, with some critics comparing her piano sensibilities to Elton John’s.

She was also praised for her retro compositions and soulful vocals by American music magazine Paper, which compared her to veteran British neo soul artists Lily Allen and Adele.

Last October, Birch dropped her sophomore album “Speak a Little Louder,” which was also recently released in Korea this month by Warner Music Korea. Drawn by Birch’s unique background and talent, other internationally renowned musicians and producers, including Adele’s producer Eg White, Duran Duran bassist John Taylor, and Questlove, the drummer from The Roots, helped produce the album.

The upcoming concert will mark Birch’s second visit to Korea. She performed in the Jisan Valley Rock Festival in Gyeonggi Province in 2011.

Birch will perform not only her hit singles such as “Nothing But a Miracle” and “Valentino,” but also tracks from her most recent album during her first solo concert in Korea. The gig is scheduled to kick off with an opening performance by budding New York-based neo soul artist Bing Ji Ling.

Diane Birch is scheduled to perform at the YES24 Move Hall in Hongdae on March 30. Tickets for the concert cost 77,000 won and are available through Interpark and YES25. For more information, call 9ENT at (02) 332-3277.

By Sohn Ji-young (jiyoung.sohn@heraldcorp.com)