KAREN BISHKO SONGWRITER
ABOUT
Karen was working as a portrait artist when Gary Kemp and Jess Bailey from Spandau Ballet, heard some songs she had written.
“Jess Bailey and Gary Kemp heard two songs and liked them. They produced them and encouraged me to write more and I became more confident. I got a band together and started gigging. Paul Burger, (ex-President of Sony Music Europe) became my manager. He was the person who encouraged me to write for musical theatre.”
Karen worked in the studio with Yoad Nevo (Sia, Goldfrapp) and Stephen Lironi (Jon Bon Jovi, Hanson).
In 2007 she opened for British band Take That in front of 18,000 people at two of Britain’s largest arena’s; Manchester Evening News Arena and London’s O2.
Seeking a novel way to present her heartfelt songs, in 2009 Karen left for New York to develop her musical, Therapy Rocks. The musical was staged at NYMF 2010 (The New York Musical Theatre Festival) with a cast of five and its performance run not only sold out but was extended.
Karens musical Single was set for a production at The New Wolsey Theatre in the UK in September 2020. It was sadly cancelled due to Covid-19. For more information see projects.
Karen was hired to write an 80’s version of the much loved existing show Menopause The Musical which is set to launch in Canada and the U.S.A. in May 2023. For more information see projects.
Karen’s latest song My Name Is Karen is featured below with an opinion piece about it at www.uncancelled.co.uk
The Fan
A New Musical
What happens when a woman with an erratic love life and the pop star she was obsessed with as a teenager meet and fall in love as adults, despite a dark secret that could shatter their love?
Two songs from Karen’s new musical written by Karen Bishko and Max Luck and performed by Nicola Dawn.
OCTOBER 2022
‘Parallel Life’ has been chosen as 1 of 12 finalists for the Stiles and Drewe Best New Musical Song Prize 2022 out of 175 songs.
A concert of the 12 finalists will be held on November 21st at The Other Palace. Tickets are available.
My Name is Karen
“Single” comes to the New Wolsey Theatre, UK
Single was performed at the New York Musical Festival (NYMF) in 2016 and received wonderful reviews.
Songs from the show have also been performed in concert from in NYC at 54 Below and Soho House. Videos are on my youtube channel.
Leah Levine seriously needs to get over her ex boyfriend. She is thirty-six years old and single. How did she get here?
At twenty, Leah began a career in pop music and had a huge hit song… but the record company told her they didn’t want her singing her own material and that she should lose some weight. Ouch!
Devastated, she developed crippling stage fright and gave up her music to study family law. She became a highly successful divorce attorney, protecting and shepherding women through contentious divorces but the process took its toll on Leah, and she become more and more suspicious of men.
Still… Leah longs for love, and music and so she writes. She writes searingly honest and quirky songs about her feelings and relationships that stir the soul.
As a lawyer, Leah can kick ass in court, but as a performer, she is not able to bring herself to sing her own songs in front of an audience.
Seeking help, she finds Gabriel Weston, her teen pop idol, a faded 90’s pop star with baggage and quirks of his own.
Will she love again? Will she perform?
Reviews
Menopause The Musical
