ABOUT

Chess is the founder of Empowered Sound and creator of: Vocal Foundations - a six week singing and confidence building course; a singing and songwriting course aimed at vulnerable teenagers for Building Self-Belief and a 14 day singing workshop. 

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Chess has over 6 years of teaching experience with a variety of age groups. Chess has helped to nurture and uplift children under the ages of 10, teenagers, adults and retirees. Chess is experienced at differentiating for those with physical and developmental disabilities.

 

Alongside private 1-2-1 tuition, Chess has worked as a community singing facilitator, creating safe and uplifting environments for groups of vulnerable adults to learn about singing, movement and employable life skills.

 

Chess has a First Class MMus Postgraduate [Creative Musician], with a focus on the voice, performance and songwriting. 

 

Chess is signed to Saint in the City Publishing, has been featured on Spotify editorial playlists and garnered over 3 million Spotify streams. Chess has been featured on the cover of The Crack magazine, received support from Launchpad and Help Musicians UK; performed live on BBC Yorkshire; and also performed on Made in Leeds (TV). She performed at Thomann’s Music Never Stops Festival 2020, Long Division 2019, has headlined 360 Club, Leeds twice and supported Lyves.

 

Chess brings this wealth of experience to every lesson, allowing her to truly tap into and provide for the needs of each individual student with practical, hands-on coaching. You can not only expect to dramatically improve as a singer, but to feel your confidence blossom and tap into industry know-how from someone currently operating within it. All this and more!

Press quotes about Chess' original music

(released under Fran Minney):
“You connect with the songs on an emotional level; they go straight to your heart, your soul… [on ‘Normal’] It’s perfect, there’s nothing else left to say.” - Local Sound Focus

“discovering Fran Minney’s beautiful songs has amazed and delighted me… Fran has such succulent husky vocals… This dreamy indie-electronica singer/ songwriter has me hooked” - Reyt Good Magazine

“this talented singer-songwriter creates dreamy and delicate music, with earnest lyrics set against bubbly, poppy electronic production work... incredibly lush voice and style” - Richer Unsigned