
ABOUT
"Scotland's queer music sensation"
- Alan Cumming
"special kind of songwriting talent"
- Lorraine McIntosh
"his music will make you believe in true love and heartbreak"
- BBC
"every shade of fabulous"
- Billie Ray Martin
"very talented composer"
- Raw Material
Colin Ross Waterson is a composer-lyricist working across Theatre, Film & Art. Originally from Clydebank, he trained in music at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (junior programme) and musical theatre at London Studio Centre—both on scholarships. He was a member of Royal Scottish National Orchestra (youth ensemble), performed in three seasons with Scottish Youth Theatre, and made his professional debut—aged thirteen—in Scottish Opera's Death in Venice.
Currently, he is working on new British musical A Second Chance; dance-theatre piece Two Susans; and gig-theatre piece One Night Only—all in collaboration with writer-choreographer Ben Hartley. Recently completed commissions include: sound design for contemporary artist, Bert Gilbert; a new song for short film Blood Out of a Stone directed by Ben Allen; a classical crossover ident for RTL Nederlands; composing and producing a video project for Billie Ray Martin called Five Takes; a sound sculpture for The Horror Show at Somerset House; and score / song for multi award-winning short film Early Mourning.
Prior to his career as a composer, Colin performed as a dancer—most notably as a member of Matthew Bourne's dance theatre company—creating various roles in the now iconic Swan Lake, dancing in both the Olivier-winning West End and TONY-winning Broadway runs. He also worked on Cinderella and Highland Fling. He was a founder member of Intoto Dance Company, performing work by Siobhan Davies, Richard Alston, Ian Spink, Rafael Bonachela, and Darshan Singh-Bhuller.
In addition to composing, he records as Waterson, singing on a wide array of music. In addition to three solo albums—Dada, Basquiat Beats & Paris Still Burns—he has to his name: club hit Tell Me; Grammy-nominated Skylight with film composer Kim Planert; and a slew of underground classics including Scars with KDA on the [PIAS] label, Strip Down with Smokin' Jo on the Junior Boys Own label and Ego with Ashley Beedle on the Ramrock label. His music routinely gets support from all the big hitters and he has collaborated with seminal names in house music: Black Science Orchestra, Kenny Dope, Honey Dijon, Terry Farley, and Severino. He is signed to The 40 Records.
Colin is an Associate with Pearson (the world's leading education company) where he wrote and reviewed many units in the new Performing Arts / Music curriculum at BTEC level.
His titles are published by Intrigue Music Publishing NYC.