Jump to content

Shannon Saunders

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the New Zealand netball player, see Shannon Saunders (netball).

Shannon Saunders
Born
Shannon Rebecca Saunders

(1994-07-04) 4 July 1994 (age 31)
OriginWiltshire, England
GenresIndie pop
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • keyboard
Years active2011–present
Labels

Shannon Rebecca Saunders (born 4 July 1994), known professionally as iiola is an English singer and songwriter from Wiltshire, South West England.

Early life

[edit]

Saunders started writing and producing songs at the age of 13. She attended the Royal Wootton Bassett Academy and the Stagecoach Drama School.[1][2]

She left school at sixteen to study song writing at BIMM in Bristol for a year before moving to London to pursue her career.[1][2][3]

Career

[edit]

In 2009 Saunders was inspired by Justin Bieber to start a YouTube channel, where she posted covers of songs, as well as her own originals.[3][4][5] As of April 2026, she has over 56,900 subscribers and more than 2 million total upload views.[6]

Shannon Saunders

[edit]

Based on her YouTube channel, Disney Channel UK asked Saunders to audition for My Camp Rock, which she won in 2010.[1][2][4] Later than year Saunders sang "I See the Light" for the UK release of Tangled.[1] In 2011 she sang "The Glow" for a London event promoting the induction of Rapunzel to the Disney Princess franchise.[7]

Her first single, "Heart of Blue", was released under the name Shannon Saunders on her own label, Lovejoy Records.[8] It peaked at #48 on the iTunes charts.[8][9] The music video production costs was nine pounds,[8] featured Saunders running barefoot through Oxford Street, London filmed by Damian Weilers.

In 2014 Saunders released two singles: "Sheets" and "Silly Little Things".[8][9] In 2015, she released an EP through Caroline International titled Instar. frumhere sampled her song "LO-FI," co-written and produced by Dee Adam, on his track "She only likes me when i'm drunk".[citation needed]

Saunders again teamed up with director Damian Weilers to create a music video for her song "Pure" (produced and co-written by Mark Wilkinson and Dee Adam). The video was shot at Reynisfjara, the black-sand beach found on the south coast of Iceland, and had minimal electronic elements and electric guitar.[10]

"Rips in your Jeans" was released in 2017 and with a video shot by Saunders with the help of Raja Virdi in East London's vintage store Atika.[11]

The last track released under Saunders' birth name, "Still", was created as an awareness track for mental health issues and was supported by Heads Together, a charity under The Royal Foundation umbrella.[citation needed]

iiola

[edit]

In 2018 Saunders released her debut four track EP titled Chrysalis under her new artist's name iiola. Spotify UK added all three singles from Chrysalis to New Music Fridays.[12] Live stripped back versions of the first two singles are available on YouTube.[13][14]

Personal life

[edit]

Saunders' married long term partner Mark Wilkinson (stage name Wilkinson) in August 2024.[citation needed] Saunders has Romani heritage.[12]

Discography

[edit]

Extended plays

[edit]
Title Album details Peak chart positions
UK iTunes UK iTunes Pop
Instar 144 37

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Harrison, Flicky (20 February 2011). "Teenager sings in Disney movie". Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Glennon, Andrea (20 September 2010). "Wiltshire singing sensation wins top Disney talent show". Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  3. ^ a b "New Noise: Shannon Saunders". Wonderland. 21 November 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  4. ^ a b Josiah, Aisha (23 January 2015). "Shannon Saunders at The Borderline | Live review". The Upcoming. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  5. ^ "VIDEO: YouTube and Disney star Shannon Saunders releases first single". The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald. 22 November 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  6. ^ "iiola Official". YouTube. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
  7. ^ "Sarah Geronimo chosen to record Disney Princess song "The Glow"". PEP.ph. 24 November 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  8. ^ a b c d Stallings, Alexa (13 October 2014). "Shannon Saunders - Silly Little Things | New Music". Conversations About HER. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  9. ^ a b Krol, Charlotte (15 August 2014). "Listen: Shannon Saunders - "Sheets"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  10. ^ Gore, Sydney (23 November 2016). "Shannon Saunders' Single Is "Pure" Ear Candy". Nylon. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  11. ^ "Shannon Saunders releases new single 'Rips In Your Jeans'". MusicMafiauk. 6 March 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  12. ^ a b jenerallyspeaks (15 September 2018). "iiola: on saving a woman's life on the train & her new single "sickly sweet" - Girl Gang Music". Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  13. ^ "don't shut me up (stripped) by iiola". Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 27 April 2020 – via YouTube.
  14. ^ "sickly sweet (stripped) by iiola". Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 27 April 2020 – via YouTube.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shannon_Saunders&oldid=1350381123"