Lucy Spraggan

Lucy Spraggan (born 21 July 1991) is an English musician, currently signed to Columbia Records, who describes her music as 'A-Flop', a mixture of acoustic, folk and hip-hop.^[1] In July 2011, she was announced as the runner up of the Urban, Pop & Acoustic category of Live and Unsigned at the age of 20.^[2] In June 2012, she performed alongside Razorlight at Osfest at the Oswestry Showground in Shropshire.^[3] She independently released her album Top Room At The Zoo in November 2011,^[4] with associated music videos released on YouTube. She auditioned for The X Factor in 2012, performing her own composition, 'Last Night'.^[5] On 3 November 2012, it was announced she would be quitting her run on The X Factor due to illness, so she subsequently finished in ninth place, and second in her category. She was the first contestant in the show's history to score a Top 40 single and album before the live shows even aired with her independently released album Top Room At The Zoo. Spraggan confirmed her major label debut Join The Club was set for release on 7 October 2013.^[6]

Music career

2011–12: Live and Unsigned, Open Mic UK and Top Room at the Zoo

In July 2011, Spraggan was announced as the runner up of the Urban, Pop & Acoustic Category of Live and Unsigned, placing third place overall in the competition.^[2] Spraggan's prizes awarded by Live and Unsigned for her progress in the competition consisted of a festival slot at Osfest,^[7] and a slot at Australia's 'Go Connect' Festival.^[2] When the festival was later cancelled, Live and Unsigned provided Spraggan with a series of replacement prizes, including: a string of guest act spots at Live and Unsigned and Open Mic UK shows across the country,^[8][9] a new website,^[10] and a music video shoot for her single Last Night, which received over 455,000 views.^[10][11]

On 20 October 2011 she independently released her album Top Room at the Zoo.^[4] In an interview Spraggan said a short-lived romance, when she visited America at the age of 18 with an older woman of 27, inspired the majority of her album's lyrics.^[12]

Spraggan performed as a guest act at a large volume of Live and Unsigned and Open Mic UK shows across the country during this time,^[8][9] on Open Mic UK, Spraggan said in an interview: "Open Mic UK is a great way to build your fan base to thousands of new fans whether you are a guest act or a competitor in the show."^[8] As a result of performing at these shows, Spraggan was scouted by several festival organisers to perform at their festivals,^[8] amongst which included London Summer Jam,^[13] Osfest,^[3] Strawberry Fields Festival^[14] and Cockermouth Rock Festival.^[15][16]

2012: The X Factor

On 13 July 2012, she released the single "Tea and Toast". Spraggan auditioned for the ninth series of The X Factor, which was shown on 25 August 2012, singing her own song "Last Night" from Top Room at the Zoo. She won herself a place at bootcamp after performing the song, which left the audience at the Manchester auditions chanting for more. Her second song, which was a rendition of "Halo" by Beyoncé Knowles, was shown on The Xtra Factor. Shortly after the audition was screened, the song climbed to Number 70 in the Official UK Singles Chart,^[17] and reached Number 2 on iTunes. However, it was soon removed from iTunes by request of The X Factor producers.^[18] On 29 August 2012 Greg James announced that "Last Night" was at number 5 on the Official Chart Update despite the song being removed from iTunes, her album Top Room at the Zoo was at number 7 on the Official Chart Update as well.^[19][20] On 2 September 2012 "Last Night" entered the UK Singles Chart at number 11 and Top Room at the Zoo entered the UK Albums Chart at number 22.^[21] She sang "Moves like Jagger" by Maroon 5 at bootcamp but the performance was described as "awkward" and "messy". She returned to the stage with a mix-up of songs that she really liked and meant a lot to her. Tulisa Contostavlos then said that she wanted to hear one of her tracks so Spraggan decided to sing "Tea and Toast", stating that the song was about a real couple. After she performed the song she burst into tears when she received a standing ovation from the audience and the judging panel.^[22][23] She made it through to the live shows as one of the three female singers selected by mentor Contostavlos. In week 4, Spraggan was ill so she automatically got through to week 5. On 3 November, Spraggan decided to leave the competition because she felt that it wouldn't be fair to get another free pass to the next round, as she was still too ill to compete ^[24][25][26]

Performances on The X Factor

2012–present: Join the Club

Lucy Spraggan announced her signing to Record Label Columbia Records in March 2013. Her debut studio album Join the Club was released on 7 October.

About the album Spraggan says 'I wanted to put my own take on events that happen to everyone by telling these stories. I have been writing this album for as long and I can remember and I hope people will be able to relate'.^[27] The lead single "Lighthouse" was released 14 July. About the single Spraggan explains 'Whenever I'd run out of money or get on the wrong bus, I'd see a lighthouse and things would start to getting better'.^[28] Spraggan confirmed the second single lifted from the album would be "Last Night (Beer Fear)" is set for release 30 September.^[29]

Spraggan announced a headline UK and Ireland tour in support of the album which starts at Margate Winter Gardens on 21 October and concludes at The Academy in Dublin on 16 November.^[30]

Personal life

Spraggan is an open lesbian.^[31] Her mother, Anstey, is a freelance journalist and has written about their family life as a stepfamily.^[32]

Before music, Spraggan trained to be a fire fighter which she attended the University of Derby in her hometown of Buxton doing something which she felt passionate about; Public Services. She also and has had a variety of jobs: a plumber's apprentice, a cave tour guide at the Poole's Cavern, and a magician. Lucy also attended Buxton Community School which she had many friends and often performed In front of the school with around just under 2,000 students. ^[33] She also worked in demolition and broke her leg when a cherry picker she was working on fell to the floor. Spraggan then moved to Sheffield once she had left school, which she now calls her hometown, still keeping in touch with family and friends in Buxton, Derbyshire.^[34]

Discography

Albums

Singles

Other charted songs

Music videos

References

External links

• Official website
• Lucy Spraggan on Facebook
• Lucy Spraggan on Twitter