For the New Zealand netball player, see Shannon Saunders (netball).
Shannon Saunders
Birth nameShannon Rebecca Saunders
Birth date4 July 1994 (age 32)
OriginWiltshire, England
GenreIndie pop
OccupationSinger · songwriter
InstrumentVocals · guitar · keyboard
Years active2011–present
LabelLovejoy · Caroline International

Shannon Rebecca Saunders (born 4 July 1994), known professionally as iiola is an English singer and songwriter from Wiltshire, South West England.

Early life

Saunders started writing and producing songs at the age of 13. She attended the Royal Wootton Bassett Academy and the Stagecoach Drama School.[1][2]

She left school at sixteen to study song writing at BIMM in Bristol for a year before moving to London to pursue her career.[1][2][3]

Career

In 2009 Saunders was inspired by Justin Bieber to start a YouTube channel, where she posted covers of songs, as well as her own originals.[3][4][5] As of April 2026, she has over 56,900 subscribers and more than 2 million total upload views.[6]

Shannon Saunders

Based on her YouTube channel, Disney Channel UK asked Saunders to audition for My Camp Rock, which she won in 2010.[1][2][4] Later than year Saunders sang "I See the Light" for the UK release of Tangled.[1] In 2011 she sang "The Glow" for a London event promoting the induction of Rapunzel to the Disney Princess franchise.[7]

Her first single, "Heart of Blue", was released under the name Shannon Saunders on her own label, Lovejoy Records.[8] It peaked at #48 on the iTunes charts.[8][9] The music video production costs was nine pounds,[8] featured Saunders running barefoot through Oxford Street, London filmed by Damian Weilers.

In 2014 Saunders released two singles: "Sheets" and "Silly Little Things".[8][9] In 2015, she released an EP through Caroline International titled Instar. frumhere sampled her song "LO-FI," co-written and produced by Dee Adam, on his track "She only likes me when i'm drunk".[citation needed]

Saunders again teamed up with director Damian Weilers to create a music video for her song "Pure" (produced and co-written by Mark Wilkinson and Dee Adam). The video was shot at Reynisfjara, the black-sand beach found on the south coast of Iceland, and had minimal electronic elements and electric guitar.[10]

"Rips in your Jeans" was released in 2017 and with a video shot by Saunders with the help of Raja Virdi in East London's vintage store Atika.[11]

The last track released under Saunders' birth name, "Still", was created as an awareness track for mental health issues and was supported by Heads Together, a charity under The Royal Foundation umbrella.[citation needed]

iiola

In 2018 Saunders released her debut four track EP titled Chrysalis under her new artist's name iiola. Spotify UK added all three singles from Chrysalis to New Music Fridays.[12] Live stripped back versions of the first two singles are available on YouTube.[13][14]

Personal life

Saunders' married long term partner Mark Wilkinson (stage name Wilkinson) in August 2024.[citation needed] Saunders has Romani heritage.[12]

Discography

Extended plays

TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
UK iTunesUK iTunes Pop
Instar14437

References

  1. ^ Harrison, Flicky (20 February 2011). "Teenager sings in Disney movie". Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  2. ^ Glennon, Andrea (20 September 2010). "Wiltshire singing sensation wins top Disney talent show". Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  3. ^ "New Noise: Shannon Saunders". Wonderland. 2014-11-21. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  4. ^ Josiah, Aisha (23 January 2015). "Shannon Saunders at The Borderline | Live review". The Upcoming. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  5. ^ "VIDEO: YouTube and Disney star Shannon Saunders releases first single". The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald. 22 November 2014. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  6. ^ "iiola Official". YouTube. Retrieved 2026-04-21.
  7. ^ "Sarah Geronimo chosen to record Disney Princess song "The Glow"". PEP.ph. 24 November 2014. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  8. ^ Stallings, Alexa (2014-10-13). "Shannon Saunders - Silly Little Things | New Music". Conversations About HER. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  9. ^ Krol, Charlotte (15 August 2014). "Listen: Shannon Saunders - "Sheets"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  10. ^ Gore, Sydney (23 November 2016). "Shannon Saunders' Single Is "Pure" Ear Candy". Nylon. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  11. ^ "Shannon Saunders releases new single 'Rips In Your Jeans'". MusicMafiauk. 2017-03-06. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  12. ^ jenerallyspeaks (2018-09-15). "iiola: on saving a woman's life on the train & her new single "sickly sweet" - Girl Gang Music". Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  13. ^ "don't shut me up (stripped) by iiola". Archived 2021-12-21 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 27 April 2020. – via YouTube.
  14. ^ "sickly sweet (stripped) by iiola". Archived 2021-12-21 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 27 April 2020. – via YouTube.