Serah

New age/folk-pop vocalist Serah first emerged in 1990 with the internationally acclaimed LP Flight of the Stork. The album showcased the singer's willowy vocal style, and traced the stork's annual intercontinental flight between Europe and Africa in its lyrics and music. The theme wasn't coincidental -- Serah herself had made a similar journey, traveling from her native America to rural Africa, where she participated in drought relief efforts. She also absorbed elements of the continent's musical traditions into her own style, and shared her music with local musicians she met along the way. Serah then relocated to France, where she began living in an ancient, abandoned monastery. It was there that Flight of the Stork was largely written, and soon Serah was on her way to new age diva status. In 1996, Serah returned with Out of the Wind, which experimented with mature folk-pop, but didn't fully dismiss her new age material. Senegal Moon followed a year later; the album featured collaborations with African musicians, and again mixed breezy folk with more subdued textures. Serah issued Voice of Amethyst, her first Christmas album, that same year. For 2000's Wing of Mercy, the singer again combined folk, pop, and world music influences, and scored an adult contemporary radio hit with her cover of 10cc's "Not in Love." Serah issued Late Harvest in 2002. It included reworkings of such pop favorites as Ben E. King's "Stand By Me" and the Christopher Cross lite rock favorite "Sailing." ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide