Gabrielle Aplin

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Gabrielle Aplin
Gabrielle Aplin Bestival Festival 2015.jpg
Aplin at Bestival Festival, Isle of Wight in 2015
Background information
Birth nameGabrielle Ann Aplin
Born (1992-10-10) 10 October 1992 (age 31) [1]
Chippenham, Wiltshire, England
Origin Sutton Benger, Wiltshire
Genres Folk, indie folk, indie rock, synthpop, pop
OccupationsSinger-songwriter, guitarist, pianist
InstrumentsGuitar, piano
Years active2008–present
Labels Never Fade, Parlophone, BA1 Records, Warner Bros
Website www.gabrielleaplin.com OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Gabrielle Ann Aplin (born 10 October 1992) [1] is an English singer-songwriter. After amassing a following for her acoustic music covers on YouTube, Aplin signed a recording deal with Parlophone in February 2012. She rose to prominence the following November when she was selected to record the soundtrack for a John Lewis television commercial with a cover of Frankie Goes to Hollywood's "The Power of Love", which went on to top the UK Singles Chart.

Contents

Her debut album, English Rain , was released in May 2013 to positive reviews. It debuted at number two on the UK Album Chart and led to more singles: "Please Don't Say You Love Me", "Panic Cord", "Home" and "Salvation". English Rain has since been certified Gold in the UK, selling over 100,000 copies. Aplin's second album, Light Up the Dark , was released in September 2015, followed by the release of her third album, Dear Happy , in January 2020. She has also released multiple extended plays throughout her career.

Her fourth album, Phosphorescent , was released in January 2023.

Early life

Aplin grew up in Chippenham in Wiltshire. She is the eldest of three children. Aplin's parents bought her her first guitar when she was 11 years old. [2] She is a fan of the singer-songwriters Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, as well as the rock band The National. [2] Aplin went on to study music at Bath College, [3] participating in the college's in-house label, BA1 Records. [4]

Music career

Career beginnings (2011–2012)

Aplin's first release was the five-track Acoustic EP, which she self-released under her own label, Never Fade Records, on 13 September 2010. Her second release, another extended play titled Never Fade , was released on 9 May 2011. In this EP, she expanded her sound, showcasing a more folk rock sound and playing all the instruments herself. [5] In April 2011, Aplin was invited to perform for BBC Introducing at Maida Vale Studios, where she played three tracks from Never Fade and a cover of the Coldplay song "Fix You," [3] which was the most-viewed video on the BBC Introducing YouTube channel. [6] Aplin released her third EP, Home , on 12 February 2012, again under Never Fade Records. [7] She described Home as "the most honest thing I've ever written and recorded." [8]

English Rain and Light Up the Dark (2012–2016)

On 29 February 2012, Aplin announced that she had signed a deal with Parlophone Records. [9] Her first major label single titled "Please Don't Say You Love Me" was released on 10 February 2013. [10] [11] Later that year, Aplin was confirmed as the soundtrack to the John Lewis & Partners Christmas advert covering Frankie Goes to Hollywood's "The Power of Love". [12] The song went on to top the UK Singles Chart in December 2012. [13] On 13 May 2013, Aplin released her debut album, English Rain . [14] Following its release, English Rain charted at number two on both the UK and Scottish album charts, selling over 35,000 copies. It also reached the top ten in Australia, number 11 in Ireland, and number 39 in New Zealand. [15]

Aplin at the Gibraltar Music Festival in 2013 GIBRALTAR MUSIC FESTIVAL 2013 - GABRIELLE APLIN.jpg
Aplin at the Gibraltar Music Festival in 2013

In 2013, Aplin's record label, Never Fade Records, signed Welsh folk-jazz singer Hannah Grace, who had previously supported Aplin on tour, and indie folk artist Saint Raymond to deals. [16] Never Fade Records' first release since Aplin's own extended play Home in February 2012 was Saint Raymond's extended play Escapade on 22 April 2013. Saint Raymond has since departed Never Fade Records. [17]

In May 2015, Aplin announced her second studio album, Light Up the Dark. The album announcement also featured the release of the title track's music video. [18] The video for the second single from Light Up the Dark, "Sweet Nothing," was released on 6 August 2015. The album itself was released on 18 September 2015. [19] In September of the same year, it was reported that she had signed a modelling deal with Select modelling agency. [20]

In 2016, Aplin gained popularity in Brazil when her song "Home" was used in the popular telenovela Totalmente Demais . [21] Aplin visited Brazil in May to make a cameo appearance in the final episode of the show. Following her appearance and a live performance on Domingão do Faustão , "Home" reached number 1 on the Brazilian iTunes chart, marking Aplin's fourth number 1 single worldwide. [22] On 26 June, Aplin played at the Glastonbury Festival on the Acoustic stage and then on the BBC Introducing stage. [23]

Extended plays and Dear Happy (2016–present)

Aplin performing at The Troubadour in Los Angeles in 2018 Gabrielle Aplin 03 10 2018 -1 (27078864258).jpg
Aplin performing at The Troubadour in Los Angeles in 2018

On 9 November 2016, Aplin released "Miss You", the first single from the extended play of the same name. [24] The song has been described as a departure from her previously guitar-driven sound on Light Up the Dark, and the production as being much less 'bare bones' than her previous efforts. [25]

In February 2017, Aplin parted ways with Parlophone Records to focus on releasing material via her own independent record label, Never Fade Records. She said of the decision, "I really enjoy getting involved with everything—from my image to my artwork. It's been quite nice to be in control." [26] Aplin released a single titled "Waking Up Slow" on 9 August 2017. [27] She then released her next EP, Avalon , on 6 October. [28] "Waking Up Slow" was lauded as one of the best pop songs of 2017 by Popjustice. [29]

Aplin announced the first single from her third album, "My Mistake", on 20 November 2018; it was released on 28 November, with Aplin describing it as her "most honest and raw song to date". [30] [31] Aplin collaborated with Hannah Grace on a Christmas extended play titled December , which was released on 4 December 2018. On 27 March 2019, Aplin released the second single titled "Nothing Really Matters" from her third album, [32] followed by another single titled "Losing Me", which features English singer JP Cooper, on 14 August. [33] The album, titled Dear Happy , was released on 17 January 2020. [34]

Her fourth album, Phosphorescent , was released on 6 January 2023 on Never Fade Records. [35]

In 2021 Aplin's song 'Home' was featured in videogame Life is Strange: True Colors

Personal life

Aplin is vegan. [36] She is in a relationship with musician Alfie Hudson-Taylor. [37] The couple reside in Somerset. [35] [38]

Discography

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<i>English Rain</i> 2013 debut studio album by Gabrielle Aplin

English Rain is the debut studio album by English singer-songwriter Gabrielle Aplin. It was released on 13 May 2013 and serves as the follow-up to her 2012 extended play, Home. It serves as her first release with a major record label, and was released with Parlophone. The album debuted at number two in the UK Albums Chart, selling over 35,000 copies. It has since been certified gold in the UK for selling 100,000 copies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panic Cord</span> 2013 single by Gabrielle Aplin

"Panic Cord" is a song by English singer-songwriter Gabrielle Aplin. It was released as the third single from her debut studio album English Rain (2013). It was released as a digital Extended play in the United Kingdom on 5 May 2013. The song is originally taken from Aplin's second self-released EP, Never Fade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Home (Gabrielle Aplin song)</span> 2013 single by Gabrielle Aplin

"Home" is a single by British singer-songwriter Gabrielle Aplin. It was released as the fourth single from her debut studio album English Rain (2013). The song was released in the United Kingdom as a digital download on 14 July 2013 through Parlophone. The song peaked at number 48 on the UK Singles Chart.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gabrielle Aplin discography</span>

The discography of British singer-songwriter Gabrielle Aplin, consists of four studio albums, 17 extended plays, three live albums and 20 singles. Her first release was the 5-track Acoustic EP which was released on the iTunes Store on 13 September 2010. Her second EP Never Fade was released on 9 May 2011 and saw Aplin expand her sound, showcasing a more folk rock sound and playing all instruments herself. In April 2011, Aplin was invited to perform for BBC Introducing at Maida Vale Studios, where she played 3 tracks from Never Fade and a cover of the Coldplay song "Fix You". Aplin released her third EP, Home, on 9 January 2012. On 29 February 2012, Aplin announced that she had signed to Parlophone. Aplin was confirmed as the soundtrack to the John Lewis 2012 Christmas television advertisement, covering Frankie Goes to Hollywood's "The Power of Love", the song reached number one on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salvation (Gabrielle Aplin song)</span> 2014 single by Gabrielle Aplin

"Salvation" is a song recorded by British singer-songwriter Gabrielle Aplin and released as the fifth single from her debut studio album English Rain (2013). The song was released in the United Kingdom as a digital download on 12 January 2014 through Parlophone. The song peaked at number 122 on the UK Singles Chart, the song has also peaked at number 60 in Australia. The song was featured in the second trailer to the animated film The Little Prince (2015).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Never Fade Records</span> UK independent record label

Never Fade Records is an independent record label founded in 2010 by Gabrielle Aplin and James Barnes and based in London.

<i>Light Up the Dark</i> (album) 2015 studio album by Gabrielle Aplin

Light Up the Dark is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Gabrielle Aplin, which was released by Parlophone Records on 18 September 2015. The album peaked at number fourteen in the UK Albums Chart.

Hannah Vivian-Byrne, known professionally as Hannah Grace is a Welsh singer-songwriter from Bridgend in South Wales.

"Miss You" is a song by English singer-songwriter Gabrielle Aplin. It was released through Aplin's record label Never Fade Records on 9 November 2016, as the lead single from her fifth extended play of the same name. The song was written by Aplin and Liz Horsman, and produced by Mike Spencer and Horsman.

<i>Miss You</i> (EP) 2016 EP by Gabrielle Aplin

Miss You is the fifth extended play (EP) by English singer-songwriter Gabrielle Aplin. It was released on 16 December 2016 through Aplin's record label, Never Fade Records. The EP was supported by the lead single and title track, "Miss You", released on 9 November 2016.

<i>Never Fade</i> (EP) 2011 EP by Gabrielle Aplin

Never Fade is the second extended play (EP) by English singer-songwriter Gabrielle Aplin. The EP was self-released by Aplin on 9 May 2011. It was then re-released by the record label which Aplin founded, Never Fade Records, on 12 February 2013. The EP includes the original version of the song "Panic Cord", which was re-recorded and included on Aplin's debut studio album English Rain.

<i>Avalon</i> (EP) 2017 EP by Gabrielle Aplin

Avalon is the sixth extended play (EP) by English singer-songwriter Gabrielle Aplin. It was released on 6 October 2017 through Aplin's record label, Never Fade Records. The title of the EP is a reference to the island of Avalon in the legends surrounding King Arthur. The EP was supported by the lead single, "Waking Up Slow", released on 1 September 2017.

"Waking Up Slow" is a song by English singer-songwriter Gabrielle Aplin. It was released through Aplin's record label Never Fade Records on 9 August 2017, as the lead single from her sixth extended play (EP), Avalon. The song was written by Aplin and Peter Rycroft, and produced by Lostboy. The song was released as a piano version on 1 September 2017.

<i>December</i> (Gabrielle Aplin and Hannah Grace EP) 2018 EP by Gabrielle Aplin and Hannah Grace

December is a collaborative Christmas extended play (EP) by English singer Gabrielle Aplin and Welsh singer Hannah Grace. The EP was released through Never Fade Records on 4 December 2018. It is Aplin's seventh EP, following Avalon (2017), and Grace's fourth. The album includes an original song, "December", accompanied by three cover tracks. It was re-released on 15 November 2019, featuring 2 additional covers.

<i>Dear Happy</i> 2020 studio album by Gabrielle Aplin

Dear Happy is the third studio album by English singer-songwriter Gabrielle Aplin. It was released on 17 January 2020, through Aplin's own label Never Fade Records, and distribution group AWAL. Dear Happy marks Aplin's first studio-length release since her second studio album Light Up the Dark (2015). The album was announced through Aplin's Twitter and website on 10 September 2019. Aplin will tour in support of the record in early 2020.

<i>Phosphorescent</i> (album) 2023 studio album by Gabrielle Aplin

Phosphorescent is the fourth studio album by English singer-songwriter Gabrielle Aplin. It was released on 6 January 2023, through Aplin's own label Never Fade Records, and distribution group AWAL.

References

  1. 1 2 @GabrielleAplin (11 October 2022). "Thank you for all the birthday wishes my friends! Can you believe I'm 30 lol wtf..." (Tweet) via Twitter.
  2. 1 2 Thomas-Corr, Johanna (13 November 2012). "Gabrielle Aplin: the jingle belle who rocks the John Lewis Christmas ad". London Evening Standard . London. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
  3. 1 2 "Wiltshire singer's big radio opportunity". BBC News. 19 April 2011.
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  13. "Power of Love cover claims number one spot". BBC News. 9 December 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
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  21. "Gabrielle Aplin estreia no Brasil embalada pelo sucesso de 'Home', em 'Totalmente Demais'". Rede Globo (in Portuguese). 27 May 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
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  31. "Gabrielle Aplin Finds Self-Acceptance in Her Vulnerable New Single 'My Mistake': Exclusive". Billboard.com.
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  34. Cunniffe, Jessie; Lal, Kish; Shand, John; Smith, Barnaby (17 January 2020). "Halsey gets lost in a sea of superstar voices on third album". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 13 April 2020.
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