Hailing from the deep woods and winding rivers of Northern California Gold Rush town Nevada City, Alela grew up singing songs with her parents (both musicians), and performing in the school choir. During a stay in San Francisco in 2003, she began teaching herself guitar and writing her first songs. ‘‘I think I was mostly inspired to make songs because I felt rather uprooted during that time.  My folks had just been divorced, our family home was sold, and I found myself living in a crazy city with nothing to fall back on.  For the first time in my life I had some things to say- to sing- and so I fumbled around on the guitar a bit and all these songs were built.

Frustrated with the move and wave of significant changes she decided to move back to Nevada and focus firmly on her songs, writing in response to her loss of a ‘‘family home’’ and sense of familiarity. Enter her debut album ‘’The Pirates Gospel’’

Initially Alela began creating her album as a personal goal and desire to document her feelings, rather than a calculated career move. She began recording her album with the assistance of her father in his home built studio.
‘‘My dad recorded the album at his studio, and played many instruments on it.  My dad and I did quite a bit of joking around and random arrangement choices to create what became "The Pirate's Gospel."  Neither of us knew we were making a record that anyone would actually hear!  We were just having fun time’’.

The first run of albums were all hand crafted, painted and burnt on CDR’s and handed out to friends.
It wasn’t too long before this innocent and completely charming diary spread like wildfire and caught the attention of journalists, radio presenters and labels across the country, not to mention fellow musicians Joanna Newsom, Colin Meloy (The Decemberists), Chris Walla (Death Cab For Cutie) and Will Oldham.

Alela performed at this years respected South By Southwest Festival in Austin Texas and has not stopped touring since, travelling relentlessly across England and America (check her myspace tour dates page!) 

The album is filled with an extremely self-aware traditionalism and a keen sense of timelessness.
Alela's lyricism has an ability to conjure some incredibly striking imagery. There's a campfire crackle to Alela Diane's songs, they're warm, familiar, striking and completely memorable.

Make way for this beautiful raconteur.