SUGARBEACH: Bio

Sugarbeach

This lesbian Aussie/Canadian duo pack dance floors with their “electroni-lesbi-pop”. Sugarbeach are energetic, powerful, moving, and married… to each other.
Determined to positively impact the lives of GLBT people, they write “in your face” lyrics covering gay love to gay rights. Their CD “I Just Love Girls” stayed at #1 on the GLBT top 40 OutVoice chart for 3 months in 2008 and their Gay Pride anthem “Living Out Proud” snapped up by 11 cities around the world is on the 2009 release of “Out & Proud” from Le Chapelle Records in Montreal.
Two songs from their 1st album are currently featured in the lesbian film “The 6-Month Rule”.
Sugarbeach’s new album “Not Deserted” was released in July 2009 and in October 2009 they received the honour of being nominated for "Outstanding International Song of the Year" (Mama I Love Her) - Outmusic Awards 2009 NYC.

Mette Bach of Xtra West reports:
Meeting in Australia, Marlee & Tully "clicked immediately, developing a friendship that became an attraction and a mutual artistic admiration, culminating in Callender and Walchuck's decision to cross the globe together to Vancouver......
"It's much bigger than music," Walchuck explains. "It's bigger than sexuality."
One of Sugarbeach's goals is to make it easier for other queer musicians to be open and honest in their lyrics. The opportunity to have a hand in anyone coming out
is a great motivating factor.
The even bigger motivation is authenticity, says Walchuck. Their lyrics, while clearly lesbian, are universal and resonate with straight and queer audiences alike.
As Callender and Walchuck grew closer, expressing themselves creatively emerged as the natural outcome. They formed Sugarbeach [in 2007]..., released the single "I Just Love Girls" in record time and haven't looked back. They were immediately booked to perform at eight venues during last year's Pride [2007] and the gigs kept coming.
"When it's right, it's right" Callender says. The synthesis of coming out, moving to Vancouver and pursuing her singing career has granted Callender an enormous freedom, allowing her to focus on projects that matter to her and feed her creatively. ...

Marlee Walchuk

Marlee began public live performances at age 14 - no quiet start as she faced 16,000 fans at the Vancouver Coliseum as a teenager and was a regular on the Canadian TV shows.

Her training at The Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in LA propelled her further into a music and acting career. She balanced her club performances with her studio singing for commercials and album projects.

Marlee’s hit single "God Bless the Woman" won 1st prize in the Canadian Song Festival and was on the Canadian A Playlist for 6 months.

With pop/rock band Mistress she toured the US and Canada and was a massive favourite in the gay communities.

Her 1st album “One More Chance” was released in the late 90's and she toured Canada and Germany with crowds of 10,000 people eager to hear her smooth, sexy and powerful voice. She was nominated for 5 BCCMA awards and won Best Vocalist in 1999.

Tully Callender

Tully left Sydney, Australia and joined Marlee to form Sugarbeach in early 2007.
She has always had her hand in some musical project or another which often took her to performing at the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Town Hall.

Having grown a successful accounting firm in Australia, Tully's business background has been a great asset to Sugarbeach.
"Walchuk credits Callender's determination and goal-setting ability as the driving force behind the duo" (Mette Bach - Xtra West).