Amy Macdonald

Amy Macdonald
Amy Macdonald performing in 2010.
Background information
Birth name	Amy Macdonald
Born	25 August 1987 (1987-08-25) (age 23)
Origin	Bishopbriggs, Scotland
Genres	Rock, Soft rock, Folk rock
Occupations	Singer, songwriter, musician
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Years active	2007–present
Labels	Vertigo
Website	www.amymacdonald.co.uk

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 3 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 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 NME^[5] 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'.

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.

—Pete Wilkinson, ^[7]

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)

Amy Macdonald, 2009

In 2007, Macdonald released her debut album, titled This Is the Life. The album sold 3 million copies, and reached #1 in the UK, The Netherlands, Switzerland and Denmark.^[9][10] 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 first single featured on Bebo/iTunes' "Free Single of the Week" program.^[11]

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.^[12]

A Curious Thing (2010 - present)

Macdonald began writing songs for her second album in spring 2009, in a brief break from her touring commitments. For the first time she began poring through her old notebooks, looking at song ideas, unlike her debut which consists mainly of songs that she wrote straight away.^[13] Many of the tracks were inspired by real-life personalities or events from her everyday life. Contrary to popular belief, she did not write "Spark" for murdered toddler James Bulger, after watching a TV programme on his murder.^[14] "What Happiness Means To Me" is dedicated to her footballer fiancé Steve Lovell,^[15] while "An Ordinary Life" is inspired by the "Z-list celebs" she saw flocking around Scots-born Hollywood actor Gerard Butler at a party he held in Glasgow late 2009 to mark the opening of his film Law Abiding Citizen.^[13] There is also a track about Michael Jackson and one dedicated to her late grandparents.^[15] The tracks were recorded at Weller's BlackBarn Studios in Surrey.^[16]

Macdonald started working on her second album in 2009.^[17] 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."^[18] The second album, titled A Curious Thing, was released on 8 March 2010.^[19]

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.^[20] "Don't Tell Me That It's Over" has been released to radio in countries like UK, Switzerland, Germany and France.^[21] The album's second single "Spark" was released on May 10, 2010^[22] on digital download format. Macdonald also confirmed that she would tour the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe in 2010.^[23]

The album's third single "This Pretty Face" was released on July 19, 2010. Also, Macdonald confirmed she would embark on a tour, entitled The Love Love Tour.

Musical style

Reviewers have described Macdonald as softly spoken but with a booming singing voice.^[24] Despite her Scottish origins, her singing voice is described as partly Irish and similar to Dolores O'Riordan of The Cranberries.^[25] Her vocal range is contralto.^[26]

Macdonald cites Travis as her biggest influence.^[27] Other influences include The Killers^[28] and Pete Doherty.^[29]

Personal life

In 2008, Macdonald became engaged to football striker Steve Lovell.^[10][30]

Awards and nominations

She won Best Newcomer at the 2008 Tartan Clef Awards^[31] and Best Newcomer at the 2008 Silver Clef Awards^[32]

Macdonald performed, along with U2, at the German 2009 Echo Awards, where she won an award in the category "Best International Newcomer".^[33][34] She also won Best International Album and Best International Song at the 2009 Swiss Music Awards.^[35]

In December 2008 Macdonald was voted "Scottish person of the year" by The Daily Record.^[36]

Discography

References

External links

• Amy Macdonald Official site
  • Macdonald's pages on: YouTube MySpace Bebo iLike Facebook
• Amy MacDonald video interview at Hydro Connect Festival August 2008
• T In The Park 2007 Interview at STV
• "This Is the Life" Review at Insider Guides
• Amy Macdonald Tour Review
• Interview with manager Pete Wilkinson about Macdonald's discovery and development, HitQuarters June 2009