At the age of eleven, Stockley and her older sister Avryl formed a group, the Stockley Sisters. Later in her life, she moved to London to further pursue her musical career. There, she contributed vocals to several albums, and TV commercials. She sang some songs in African and had some African Instrumental songs in her albums.
During the late eighties and early nineties, Stockley worked as a session singer for the UK song writing and production trio; Stock, Aitken and Waterman. Stockley featured on tracks by the likes of Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan and Sonia. Alongside fellow session singer Mae McKenna, Stockley is credited with being partly responsible for the distinctive Stock, Aitken and Waterman sound of the eighties.
Stockley provided backing vocals for the United Kingdom's Eurovision Song Contest entry on several occasions, most notably with Emma in 1990 and for Katrina and the Waves when they won in Dublin in 1997.
In 1991, Stockley became a part of the dance group Praise whose single "Only You" reached number two on the UK charts. Later, she was the vocalist for Adiemus with Karl Jenkins. In 1992 she performed as a backing vocalist at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, which was broadcast live to 1 billion people worldwide from the Old Wembley Stadium.
Stockley has been featured on several film soundtracks, including her cover of the Rose Royce song "Wishing on a Star", which appears on The 10th Kingdom soundtrack.
Currently, Miriam Stockley joins Richard Gannaway and Jay Oliver as a primary member of the world/new age group, AOMUSIC. She first appeared on their 2009 CD release, "Twirl", which included the song, "On Jai Ya "; composed as theme music for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. She, Gannaway and Oliver composed and produced AOMUSIC's 2011 album "...and Love Rages On". Her vocal technique on AOMUSIC albums is often reminiscent of the style and spirit in her first Adiemus album with Karl Jenkins, "Songs of Sanctuary".
Her song, "Perfect Day", was a theme song for a series of children's films called 'The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends' in 1997, based on the famed stories by Beatrix Potter. The song was written by Colin Towns. She has also appeared as a singer on several BBC school's programmes most notably Look and Read.
In February 2011 Arcturian Gate released the AO Music's third album ...and Love Rages on!, where Stockley's voice is joined by children's choral ensembles from Beijing, Tbilisi, Johannesburg, Asheville and Orlando (charted at No. 2 internationally and awarded Zone Music Reporter's "Best World Album of 2011"). With the release of "...and Love Rages on!", Miriam and AO Music aligned with HavServe under GlobalGiving to build sustainable villages for the children of Haiti who were displaced by an earthquake in 2010.[17] On 28 March 2011, she was invited to give a private performance for the Education Without Borders International conference in Dubai.
In March 2013 the AO Music group released Hokulea, which charted #3 internationally and sustained top 20 ranking (Zone Music Reporter) for five consecutive months. With the release of "Hokulea" AO Music officially established themselves as 100% non-profit through AO Foundation International, supporting several world organizations that attend to disadvantaged children. Stockley was also credited on the Hokulea co-producer.
Solo albums
Miriam Stockley (1979)
Miriam (1999)
Second Nature (2006)
Eternal (2007)
Band/ensemble albums
Adiemus I: Songs of Sanctuary (1995)
Adiemus II: Cantata Mundi (1996)
Adiemus III: Dances of Time (1998)
AO Music – Twirl (2009)
AO Music – ...and Love Rages On! (2011)
AO Music – Hokulea (2013)
AO Music – Asha (2017)
AO Music – Kutumba (2021)
Backing vocals and guest appearances
Hanoi Rocks – Back to Mystery City (1983; backing vocals on "Until I Get You")
Nik Kershaw – Radio Musicola (1986)
Roger Daltrey – Can't Wait to See the Movie (1987)
Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé – Barcelona (1988; backing vocals on "The Golden Boy")
Elaine Paige – The Queen Album (1988)
Alphaville – Romeos (1989)
Sonia – Can't Forget You (1989)
Brian May – Back to the Light (1992)
Eloy – The Tides Return Forever (1994; backing vocals on "Company of Angels")
Queen – Made in Heaven (1995)
Mike Oldfield – The Art in Heaven Concert (2000; backing vocals; lead vocal on "Moonlight Shadow")
Atlantis vs Avatar – "Fiji" (2000; lead vocals)
The Fellowship of the Ring soundtrack (2001; choir member)[5]
Queen: The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert DVD (2002)
Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure (video game, 2011)
Bonnie Tyler – Between the Earth and the Stars (2019)
Bonnie Tyler – The Best Is Yet to Come (2021)
Tula
Miriam Stockley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So hard to make sense of it all
I know this world is so crazy
But I'm here to soften the fall
Time is our healer
And time is all we have
Peace be your dealer
Tula
Tula baba
Hide beneath your dreams
Tu-tula, don't believe that
Life is what it seems
Soft sounds, like a breeze on the ocean (Breeze on the ocean)
Day is gone, and the night is at hand
Moon dust, it will cover you over
Like the rain it keeps falling on down
Faith is our leader
And as the word is read
He'll guide us to freedom
Remember what he said
Thula
Thula baba
Hide beneath your dreams
Thu-thula, don't believe that
Life is what it seems
Faith is our leader
And as the word is read
He'll guide us to freedom
Remember what he said
Tula
Tula baba
Hide beneath your dreams
Tu-tula, don't believe that
Life is what it seems
Oh, tula
Thula baba
Hide beneath your dreams
Thu-thula, don't believe that
Life is what it seems
(Thula) Hush little baby
(Thula)
(Thula) Don't you cry
(Thula)
The song Tula by Miriam Stockley is a heartfelt ballad that reflects on the difficult year that has passed. It acknowledges the craziness of the world but suggests that it is possible to soften the blow by finding peace within oneself. The lyrics offer a message of hope and provide comfort to anyone who has been struggling with the challenges of life. Time is seen as a powerful healer, and peace is described as the dealer that brings love- suggesting that finding inner peace can lead to a more loving life.
The song encourages us to hold on to our faith, which should be our leader during difficult times. The mention of "the word" suggests that the song's inspiration is from religious text, which emphasizes the importance of having faith in a higher power. The use of the Zulu word "thula" translates to "hush" or "quiet," adding a new layer of meaning to the song's message of finding inner peace in times of chaos. The lyrics advise the listener to hide beneath their dreams and not let the world's illusions consume them, reminding them not to believe that life is exactly what it seems.
Line by Line Meaning
It's been such a year to remember
This year has been so eventful and significant that it will be remembered for a long time.
So hard to make sense of it all
It's difficult to understand and comprehend all the events that have happened this year.
I know this world is so crazy
The world we live in is full of madness and chaos.
But I'm here to soften the fall
Despite the craziness of the world, I'm here to help lessen the impact of the bad things that happen.
Time is our healer
The passage of time can help heal and ease the pain of difficult situations.
And time is all we have
Ultimately, time is something we all have in common and it's up to us how we use it.
Peace be your dealer
Peace is something that can be obtained and spread like a commodity.
And peace will bring you love
When we have peace in our hearts, we are able to love and care for others better.
Tula
The word 'Tula' has no specific meaning, but is probably used here to evoke a sense of calm and tranquility.
Tula baba
The phrase 'Tula baba' is another means of bringing about this sense of calmness and tranquility.
Hide beneath your dreams
When things get tough, it's okay to retreat into your own mind and find solace in your own dreams and imagination.
Tu-tula, don't believe that
The phrase 'Tu-tula' is another means of bringing about a sense of calmness, and is followed by the idea that life is not always what it seems.
Soft sounds, like a breeze on the ocean (Breeze on the ocean)
The gentle and calming sound of a breeze passing over the ocean is a metaphor for the soothing effect of music and rhythm on the soul.
Day is gone, and the night is at hand
A metaphor for the idea that life can be uncertain and we never know what's coming next.
Moon dust, it will cover you over
The imagery of moon dust falling on you indicates another means of finding calm and tranquility, especially at night.
Like the rain it keeps falling on down
Rain is another calming force found in nature, and the idea that it 'keeps falling down' may imply that we can always rely on it in times of need.
Faith is our leader
Belief and conviction in one's own principles can help guide and lead us through difficult times.
And as the word is read
Perhaps a reference to religious texts, suggesting that reading and understanding these can help guide us through life.
He'll guide us to freedom
Whoever is being referred to as 'he' will help us break free from the things that are holding us back.
Remember what he said
It's important to hold on to wise words and advice when facing tough situations.
Thula
Another version of 'Tula', used here to bring about a sense of calm.
Thula baba
Another way to emphasize the sense of calm and security.
(Thula) Hush little baby
A lullaby-like phrase, used to bring comfort and calmness.
(Thula)
(Thula) Don't you cry
(Thula)
Continuation of the lullaby-like tone, urging the listener to not cry or worry.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind