Amy Macdonald (born 25 August 1987 in Bishopbriggs, Scotland) is a Scottish singer and songwriter. Her debut album, This Is the Life, was released on 30 July 2007 and has sold more than 2.5 million copies. Her first single, "Poison Prince", was released on 7 May 2007.
Macdonald started playing on stage acoustic gigs at 15.1 She has played at music festivals such as Glastonbury, Hyde Park Calling, T in the Park and the V Festival.
Early life
Macdonald attended Bishopbriggs High School.2 She is a self-taught musician,3 playing her father's guitar after being inspired by Travis at the T in the Park Festival in 2000, where she heard Travis' song "Turn" and wanted to play it herself.4 She started playing in pubs and coffee houses around Glasgow at 15,5 including the Brunswick Cellars on Sauchiehall Street.6
Music
Breakthrough
Amy Macdonald on stage 2007
Macdonald sent a demo CD in response to an advertisement placed in the NME5 by a new production company set up by songwriters Pete Wilkinson and Sarah Erasmus called Melodramatic Records.7
In an interview with HitQuarters, Wilkinson said he was "literally aghast" at her songwriting abilities when first he heard Macdonald play the songs 'This is the Life' and 'Mr Rock n Roll'.
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"I said, “Amy, who wrote those songs?” And she said, “I did.” I said, “No, you didn't,” giggling, hoping she really did. She said, “I bloody well did!” I told her she was extraordinarily talented, and the moment she sang those songs I remembered her voice and the hooks, which out of 500 [demos submitted] was a very good sign." |
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Wilkinson then spent around eight or nine months recording demos with Amy at his home studio with a view to securing a record deal for his new client. In 2007, Macdonald signed a contract with Vertigo.
Macdonald received her first major press coverage when she questioned whether the 2007 winner of The X Factor, Leon Jackson, was suffering from tonsillitis, referring to it as "lazyitis". Macdonald had tonsillitis at the same time but still performed at Glasgow and at the BBC's Hogmanay Live show the same night.8
This Is the Life (2007 - 2009)
In 2007, Macdonald released her debut album, titled This Is the Life. The album became the UK's #1 album for 1 week and sold 3 million copies.9 The album debuted at #2 in the UK in its first week but then fell to 4 and then to 6 in its third week. The first single from the album, "Poison Prince", was only a limited release. The second single, "Mr. Rock and Roll", became Macdonald's first top 40 song charting at #12 in the United Kingdom. However the third single, "L.A.", missed the top 40 at #48, but managed #5 in the Scottish singles chart.
The fourth and most successful single, "This Is the Life", charted at #28 in the UK, but was #1 in five other European countries. The single was awarded Platinum in Germany and Belgium and Gold in Spain and Switzerland. The fifth single, "Run", gave Macdonald her second lowest chart position in the UK at #75. However, "Run" charted at #36 in Germany. The sixth and final single was the re-release of "Poison Prince", but charted at #148 in the UK, Macdonald's lowest chart position.
The album's track "Youth of Today" was chosen as the the first single featured on Bebo/iTunes' "Free Single of the Week" program.10
She appeared as a musical performing guest on British and foreign shows including The Album Chart Show, Loose Women, Friday Night Project, Taratata (France), and This Morning. She won the best newcomer award at the Silver Clef awards.11
A Curious Thing (2010 onwards)
Amy Macdonald at Gröna Lund, 2009
Macdonald started working on her second album in 2009.12 According to her Twitter she was writing for the album and she had recorded some bedroom demos. She said "Some of the sounds are just amazing and we've managed to persuade one of my favourite artists to whack some stuff down on them, but you'll have to wait and see."13 The second album, titled A Curious Thing, was released on 8 March 2010.14
It was preceded by the release of the first single, "Don't Tell Me That It's Over", a week earlier on 1 March 2010. The single was released to UK radio on 11 January. Amy performed the new single on the Simon Mayo Show on BBC radio 2 on the same day.15 "Don't Tell Me That It's Over" has been released to radio in countries like UK, Switzerland, Germany and France.16
Musical style
Reviewers have described Macdonald as softly spoken but with a booming singing voice.17 Despite her Scottish origins, her singing voice is described as partly Irish and similar to Dolores O'Riordan of The Cranberries.18 Her vocal range is contralto.19
Macdonald cites Travis as her biggest influence.20 Other influences include The Killers21 and Pete Doherty.22
Personal life
In 2008, Macdonald became engaged to football striker Steve Lovell.923
Awards and nominations
She won Best Newcomer at the 2008 Tartan Clef Awards24 and Best Newcomer at the 2008 Silver Clef Awards25
Macdonald performed, along with U2, at the German 2009 Echo Awards, where she won an award in the category "Best International Female".2627 She also won Best International Album and Best International Song at the 2009 Swiss Music Awards.28
In December 2008 Macdonald was voted "Scottish person of the year" by The Daily Record.29
| Year |
Award |
Category |
Result |
| 2009 |
Swiss Music Awards |
Best International Album |
Won |
| Best International Song |
Won |
| Echo Awards |
Best Newcomer International |
Won |
| 2008 |
Daily Record |
Scottish Person of the Year |
Won |
| 2007 |
Silver Clef Award |
Best Newcomer |
Won |
Discography
Studio albums
|
Extended plays
- 2007: Amy Macdonald
- 2007: Live from Glasgow
- 2008: This Is the Life: Deluxe Edition
|
References
- ^ MSN Entertainment UK: Amy MacDonald
- ^ "Video week - Former Bishopbriggs High School pupil Amy Macdonald performs for Bishopbriggs Academy pupils at The Garage nightclub in Glasgow". The Herald. Newsquest (Herald & Times) Limited. http://www.theherald.co.uk/videoweek/Amy. Retrieved 2008-08-04.
- ^ "Amy Macdonald - Official Biography". Amy MacDonald — The Official Site. http://www.amymacdonald.co.uk/gb/biography/. Retrieved 2010-02-16.
- ^ Macdonald, Amy. Interview with Scott Simon. Studio Sessions - Amy MacDonald: A Self-Taught Scot. National Public Radio. KGNU Boulder, Colorado. 16 August 2008. Retrieved on 2008-09-06.
- ^ a b "Pick up an autographed Amy Macdonald album and guitar pick now!". MTV Asia. 2009-02-06. http://www.mtvasia.com/Funstuff/Contests/AmyMacdonaldAlbum/. Retrieved 2009-06-20.
- ^ Carroll, Peter (2008-12-18). "Double date for Amy McDonald". The Glaswegian. http://www.theglaswegian.co.uk/entertainment-lifestyle/entertainment/2008/12/18/double-date-for-amy-mcdonald-102692-20979074/. Retrieved 2009-06-20.
- ^ a b "Interview With Manager Pete Wilkinson", HitQuarters, 15 June 2009.
- ^ Tonsillitis? More like lazy-itis – star Macdonald attacks X Factor's Leon over cancelled concert, 2 January 2008
- ^ a b Lyons, Beverley (20 January 2010). "Susan Boyle did not deserve a Brits nomination, insists Amy Macdonald". The Daily Record. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/showbiz/music-news/2010/01/20/susan-boyle-did-not-deserve-a-brits-nomination-insists-amy-macdonald-86908-21981045/. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
- ^ "Bebo agrees deal with iTunes for music file sharing". brandrepublic.com/. 13 June 2007. http://www.brandrepublic.com/Digital/News/664073/Bebo-agrees-deal-iTunes-music-file-sharing/. Retrieved 26 November 2008.
- ^ "Top Silver Clef award for Oasis". BBC.co.uk. 4 July 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7489251.stm. Retrieved 26 November 2008.
- ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (March 25, 2009). "MacDonald ready to work on new album". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/a150626/macdonald-ready-to-work-on-new-album.html. Retrieved 2009-04-21.
- ^ "Amy Macdonald set to release new album next year". The Daily Record. 2009-09-21. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/showbiz/2009/09/21/amy-macdonald-set-to-release-new-album-next-year-86908-21689388/. Retrieved 2010-02-16.
- ^ Dingwall, John (5 February 2010). "Amy Macdonald: I'm not thinking about marriage yet because it would mean taking break from my career". The Daily Record. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-interviews/2010/02/05/amy-macdonald-i-m-not-thinking-about-marriage-yet-because-it-would-mean-taking-break-from-my-career-86908-22020062/. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
- ^ "Amy Macdonald: Glasgow gig will showcase new songs and there's new single in pipeline too". The Daily Record. 2009-12-09. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/showbiz/music-news/2009/12/09/amy-macdonald-glasgow-gig-will-showcase-new-songs-and-there-s-new-single-in-pipeline-too-86908-21883853/. Retrieved 2010-02-16.
- ^ "Amy McDonald readies up new single “Don’t Tell Me That It’s Over”". Loft965. 2010-01-15. http://loft965.com/2010/01/15/amy-mcdonald-readies-up-new-single-dont-tell-me-that-its-over/. Retrieved 2010-02-16.
- ^ Simpson, Dave (4 July 2007) "Amy Macdonald: The Lamp, Hull" Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved 30 September 2007. "Although her speaking voice seems almost shy, her vocals fire singing bullets against the rear wall.".
- ^ isScotland's review of Macdonald's gig at King Tut’s, Glasgow, 13 March 2007
- ^ Smith, Aidan (August 12, 2007). "Chasing Amy". Scotland on Sunday. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-12967085.html. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
- ^ "Amy's first million". The Herald. 23 August 2008. http://www.heraldscotland.com/amy-s-first-million-1.834875. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
- ^ "It's my passion". The Guardian. 10 May 2008. http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/may/10/popandrock. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
- ^ Johnson, Emma (7 September 2007). "Amy Macdonald is causing a stir in the music world". Liverpool Daily Post. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-life-features/liverpool-arts/2007/09/07/amy-macdonald-is-causing-a-stir-in-the-music-world-64375-19750660/. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
- ^ "Pop Star Amy MacDonald Falls For SPL Star". Sunday Mail. 17 February 2008. http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/tv-showbiz-news/entertainment-news/2008/02/17/pop-star-amy-macdonald-falls-for-spl-star-78057-20321658/. Retrieved 26 November 2008.
- ^ "Stars Will Shine For Charity's Big Night". Sunday Mail. 16 November 2008. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/2008/11/16/stars-will-shine-for-charity-s-big-night-78057-20898160/. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
- ^ "Amy MacDonald wins Newcomer | Silver Clef Awards". T5m.com. 2008-07-28. http://www.t5m.com/silver-clef-awards/amy-macdonald-wins-newcomer.html. Retrieved 2010-02-16.
- ^ "Amy Macdonald snubbed by British awards but up for a gong in Germany". Daily Record. 27 January 2009. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/2009/01/27/amy-macdonald-snubbed-by-british-awards-but-up-for-a-gong-in-germany-86908-21074059/. Retrieved 21 April 2009.
- ^ "Amy Macdonald Reacts To Echo Awards Nomination". popdirt.com. 2009-01-26. http://popdirt.com/amy-macdonald-reacts-to-echo-awards-nomination/71406. Retrieved 2010-02-16.
- ^ "Amy, Stefanie und Züri West räumen ab" (in German). persoenlich.com. 20 February 2009. http://www.persoenlich.com/news/show_news.cfm?newsid=80649. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
- ^ "HOT 100: The women to watch in 2009". DailyRecord.co.uk. 17 December 2008. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/showbiz-news/the-hot-100/page.cfm?headline=10-&method=full&objectid=20976837&siteid=86908. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
External links
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