L-FRESH the Lion

Last updated

L-FRESH the Lion
L-Fresh The Lion at the Corner Hotel, 9 Nov 2018.jpg
L-FRESH the Lion performing at the Corner Hotel in 2018
Background information
Birth nameSukhdeep Singh Bhogal
Born (1988-10-12) 12 October 1988 (age 35).
Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
Origin South Western Sydney, Australia
Genres Hip hop
Occupation(s)Rapper, musician, producer, songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, sampler
Years active2009–present
Labels Elefant Traks
Website l-fresh.com

Sukhdeep Singh Bhogal (born 12 October 1988), better known by his stage name L-FRESH the Lion, is an Australian hip hop artist and producer. [1] Based in South Western Sydney, Bhogal has released four studio albums as L-FRESH the Lion, highlighted by 2016's ARIA Award-nominated Become. He has also received three nominations at the National Live Music Awards. Bhogal's stage name is derived from a backronym for FRESH—Forever Rising Exceeding Sudden Hardships—while the L and lion refer to the Sanskrit translation for his middle name, Singh, which is given to Sikh men. [2] He has been described as one of Australia's most important rappers. [3]

Contents

Early life

Bhogal was born in Liverpool, New South Wales, on 12 October 1988 to Sikh parents from India. He grew up in South Western Sydney, speaking Punjabi at home but English at school. [4]

Music career

L-FRESH the Lion first caught the attention of his peers and the Australian music scene in 2009 when he supported Nas during his first headline tour of Australia. [1] [5] In 2012, he released his first long-play record, The Lion Speaks.

In May 2014, L-FRESH the Lion released One, which was promoted as his debut studio album. He then signed a record deal with Elefant Traks in early 2015. [6] His follow-up album, Become, was released in May 2016 and peaked at number 55 on the ARIA Charts. [7] At the ARIA Music Awards of 2016, it was nominated for Best Urban Album. [8] [9]

In 2017 and 2018, L-FRESH the Lion was selected by YouTube to be an Australian representative for their global Creators for Change initiative. [10] His music video "Raci$t / Our World" premiered at the Tribeca TV Festival alongside two other Creators for Change projects. [11] He then went on to perform the song at YouTube's Brandcast event held in Sydney at the Hordern Pavilion, which was headlined by a performance from Sir Elton John. [12] [13] L-FRESH the Lion's 2018 Creators for Change project, a short documentary called Culture Strong, won Best Editor and Runner-up Best in the West at the Made in the West Film Festival, while also being nominated for Best Director, Best Cinematographer and Best Sound Design. [14] L-FRESH the Lion closed out his 2018 involvement with the Creators for Change initiative by performing "Our World" at the United Nations Headquarters in New York as part of an educational event in observance of the International Day for Tolerance. [15] L-FRESH the Lion was selected as part of the five-person Australian jury at the Eurovision Song Contest 2018. [16]

In 2019, the Sydney Kings basketball franchise enlisted L-FRESH the Lion to write and perform their team song. [17] "We the Kings" was released before the launch of the 2019–20 National Basketball League season and performed for the first time by L-FRESH the Lion in front of a record-breaking crowd at Qudos Bank Arena. [17] [18]

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia in July 2020, L-FRESH the Lion released his third album, South West. [19] It was ranked at number 13 in Double J's 50 best albums of 2020 and led to his nomination as Double J's 2020 Australian Artist of the Year. [20] The 14-track album is a letter to Bhogal's younger 13-year-old self, with messages of confidence, appreciation of his Sikh & Punjabi cultural background, self-empowerment and decolonisation. [21]

In 2022, Bhogal made his acting debut in an episode of the ABC TV program Summer Love . [22]

Business career

L-FRESH the Lion is the founder and artist director of Conscious, an annual year-long hip-hop artist development program run by Campbelltown Arts Centre. [23] The program supports the development and career pathways of socially minded hip hop artists with connections to Western Sydney. Since 2018, the program has worked with artists such as A.Girl, Becca Hatch, Jessica Jade, Nardean, Mirrah, Spvrrow, Slim Set and T Breezy. [23]

Influences

L-FRESH the Lion cites the work of Tupac Shakur as influential, both on his music and in contributing to the development of his awareness of his Sikh heritage. [4]

Discography

Studio albums

TitleDetailsPeak chart positions
AUS
[24]
The Lion Speaks
  • Released: March 2012 [1]
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: Digital download
—
One
  • Released: May 2014 [25] [26]
  • Label: Vienna People Records (VPR001)
  • Format: CD, digital download
—
Become
  • Released: 12 May 2016 [27]
  • Label: Elefant Traks (ACE144)
  • Format: CD, digital download
55
South West
  • Released: 17 July 2020 [28]
  • Label: Elefant Traks (ACE238)
  • Format: Vinyl, streaming, digital download
—

Extended plays

TitleDetails
Wide Awake
  • Released: 2009
  • Label: Independent
  • Format: digital download
Waiting
  • Released: 2011
  • Label: Independent
  • Format: CD, digital download

Singles

YearNominee / workAwardResult
2016 [29] BecomeBest Urban AlbumNominated

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.

YearNominee / workAwardResult
2014 [30] OneBest Independent Hip Hop AlbumNominated
2017 [31] BecomeBest Independent Hip Hop AlbumNominated

Environmental Music Prize

The Environmental Music Prize is a quest to find a theme song to inspire action on climate and conservation. It commenced in 2022. [32]

YearNominee / workAwardResultRef.
2022"Mother" (featuring Moza and Mirrah)Environmental Music PrizeNominated [33]

J Awards

The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. They commenced in 2005.

YearNominee / workAwardResult
2020 [34] [35] L-FRESH the LionDouble J Australian Artist of the YearNominated

Music Victoria Awards

The Music Victoria Awards are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. They commenced in 2006.

YearNominee / workAwardResultRef.
2014 OneBest Hip Hop AlbumNominated [36] [37]

National Live Music Awards

The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse live industry, celebrating the success of the Australian live scene. The awards commenced in 2016.

YearNominee / workAwardResult
2016 [38] L-FRESH the LionLive Hip Hop Act of the YearNominated
2017 [39] [40] L-FRESH the LionLive Hip Hop Act of the YearNominated
2020 [41] L-FRESH the LionMusicians Making a DifferenceNominated

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gareth Liddiard</span> Australian musician

Gareth Liddiard is an Australian musician, best known as a founding member of both The Drones and Tropical Fuck Storm. Musically active since 1997, he has also released a solo album titled Strange Tourist in 2010. In 2021, Liddiard recorded and performed live with Jim White of the Dirty Three and Chris Abrahams of The Necks as Springtime.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Sultan</span> Indigenous Australian singer

Daniel Leo Sultan is an Australian alternative rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, actor and author. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2010 he won Best Male Artist and Best Blues & Roots Album for his second album, Get Out While You Can. At the 2014 ceremony he won Best Rock Album for Blackbird, which had reached number four on the ARIA Albums Chart. In 2017, Sultan's record Killer was nominated for three ARIA awards: Best Male Artist, Best Rock Album, and Best Independent Release. Sultan's debut children's music album Nali & Friends was named Best Children's Album at the ARIA Music Awards of 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flume (musician)</span> Australian electronic musician (born 1991)

Harley Edward Streten, known professionally as Flume, is an Australian musician, DJ, and record producer. He is regarded as a pioneer of future bass who helped popularise the genre. His self-titled debut studio album, Flume, was released in 2012 to positive reviews, topping the ARIA Albums Chart and reaching double-platinum accreditation in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Preatures</span> Australian indie rock band

The Preatures were an Australian indie rock band from Sydney, New South Wales, who formed in 2010. The band consisted of lead vocalist and keyboardist Isabella "Izzi" Manfredi, guitarist and vocalist Jack Moffitt, bassist Thomas Champion, and drummer Luke Davison. Vocalist and guitarist Gideon Bensen was a member of the band until 2016. In 2013, the Preatures won the Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition with their song "Is This How You Feel?" They disbanded in 2021, following the launch of Manfredi's solo career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tkay Maidza</span> Musical artist

Takudzwa Victoria Rosa "Tkay" Maidza is a Zimbabwean-born Australian singer-songwriter and rapper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montaigne (musician)</span> Australian singer

Jessica Alyssa Cerro, who performs as Montaigne, is an Australian art pop musician and Twitch streamer. Montaigne's debut album, Glorious Heights, was released in August 2016 and peaked at No. 4 on the ARIA Albums Chart. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2016 Montaigne won Breakthrough Artist – Release for the album and was nominated for three other categories. In April 2016, Montaigne was a featured vocalist on Hilltop Hoods' track, "1955", which reached No. 2 on the ARIA Singles Chart. Montaigne was supposed to represent Australia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 with the song "Don't Break Me", until the contest was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, Montaigne represented Australia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 with the song "Technicolour".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meg Mac</span> Australian musical artist (born 1990)

Megan Sullivan McInerney, known by her stage name Meg Mac, is an Australian singer-songwriter and musician. She signed to littleBIGMAN Records in 2014, locally, and 300 Entertainment in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gang of Youths</span> Australian rock band

Gang of Youths are an Australian alternative rock band, which formed in 2012. Since 2020, the group consists of David Le'aupepe on lead vocals, rhythm guitar and piano, Max Dunn on bass guitar, Jung Kim on guitar and keyboards, Donnie Borzestowski on drums and Tom Hobden on violin, rhythm guitar and keyboards. They relocated to England in 2017. Founding member Joji Malani, on lead guitar and backing vocals, left them in 2019 to return to Australia. The band's debut studio album, The Positions (2015), received multiple ARIA Award nominations and peaked at number five on the Australian albums chart. It provided the single "Magnolia", which has been described as their breakthrough hit and was certified platinum in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holy Holy (Australian band)</span> Australian indie rock band

Holy Holy are an Australian indie rock band formed by songwriters Timothy Carroll and Oscar Dawson (guitar) in 2011. The pair were later joined by touring musicians Ryan Strathie (drums), Graham Ritchie and Matt Redlich. They have released four top-20 studio albums and have been nominated for two ARIA Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tash Sultana</span> Australian musician

Tash Sultana is an Australian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and music producer, described as a "one-person band". Sultana rose to international prominence with their 2016 single "Jungle", which was voted into third place in Triple J's Hottest 100 countdown of 2016. The following year, Sultana had three songs voted into Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2017; "Mystik" placing at number 28, "Murder to the Mind" at number 43, and their Like a Version cover of MGMT's "Electric Feel" at number 78.

Margaret Edwina Lumsden, professionally known as Fanny Lumsden, is an Australian country music singer and songwriter. She has released 4 albums and 3 EPs.

A.B. Original is an Australian hip hop duo made up of Indigenous Australian rappers Briggs and record producer Trials. A.B. Original stands for Always Black, Original. Both members are Indigenous Australians; Briggs is a Yorta Yorta man and Trials is Ngarrindjeri. Their music is overtly political and has been described as "angry, polemical, brutally frank and meant to inspire a response, good or bad".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Camp Cope</span> Australian punk rock group

Camp Cope were an Australian alternative rock band formed in 2015 in Melbourne, Victoria. The group's lineup consisted of lead singer, songwriter and guitarist Georgia "Georgia Maq" McDonald, bassist Kelly-Dawn "Kelso" Hellmrich, and drummer Sarah "Thomo" Thompson. The band were signed with independent Melbourne label Poison City Records, where Thompson also works, and independent Boston label Run for Cover Records distributed their releases in North America and Europe. In February 2023, Camp Cope announced their imminent disbandment with a series of final performances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Lahey</span> Musical artist

Alexandra Lahey is an Australian alternative rock singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Her debut album I Love You Like a Brother was released on 6 October 2017 and peaked at number 15 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Her second album, The Best of Luck Club followed in 2019, peaking at number 30. Following an EP issued during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, she released her third record, The Answer Is Always Yes, in May 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amy Shark</span> Australian indie pop musician (born 1986)

Amy Louise Billings, known professionally as Amy Shark, is an Australian indie pop singer-songwriter-guitarist and producer from the Gold Coast, Queensland. During 2008 to 2012, her early solo material was released and performed under the name Amy Cushway. Her 2016 single "Adore" peaked at number 3 on the ARIA Singles Chart and was also listed at number 2 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 2016. Her album Love Monster debuted at number 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Shark has won 8 ARIA Music Awards from 29 nominations, including winning Best Pop Release three times: in 2017 for her extended play, Night Thinker, 2018 for Love Monster and 2020 for "Everybody Rise".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lachy Doley</span> Musical artist

Lachlan R "Lachy" Doley is an Australian musician, singer and songwriter best known for playing the Hammond organ and whammy clavinet. Doley has recorded and/or toured with Jimmy Barnes, Glenn Hughes, Billy Thorpe, Joe Bonamassa and Powderfinger. Doley has issued one album as a solo artist, Typically Individual Conforming Anti-Social (2011) and four albums fronting Lachy Doley Group. Lovelight peaked at number 40 on the ARIA Albums Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Methyl Ethel</span> Australian art rock band

Methyl Ethel is an Australian art rock band from Perth, signed to Future Classic in 2021 and formerly to Dot Dash and 4AD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sampa the Great</span> Zambian rapper and musician

Sampa Tembo, known professionally as Sampa the Great, is a Zambian singer, rapper and songwriter. Between 2014 and 2020, she was based in Australia. Her debut solo album, The Return, peaked at No. 12 on the ARIA Albums Chart. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2019 she won Best Hip Hop Release for her second single, "Final Form". In the following year she won the same category for The Return, as well as Best Female Artist and Best Independent Release. In March 2020 Sampa became the first artist to win the Australian Music Prize twice: for Birds and the Bee9 and The Return. The artist was based back in Zambia from late 2020, where she issued her second studio album, As Above, So Below.

Jonathan Peter Zwartz is a New Zealand-born Australian jazz musician. In the 2018 ARIA Music Awards, he won the Best Jazz Album category for his third album, Animarum, released in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amyl and the Sniffers</span> Australian pub rock and classic punk band

Amyl and the Sniffers are an Australian pub rock and punk rock band based in Melbourne, consisting of vocalist Amy Taylor, drummer Bryce Wilson, guitarist Declan Martens, and bassist Gus Romer. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2019, their self-titled debut record won the Best Rock Album category.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "L-Fresh the Lion - The Lion Speaks". All Aussie Hip Hop. 22 March 2012. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  2. ↑ Palathingal, George (14 November 2015). "L-FRESH the LION review: Sikh rapper shows his roar power". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  3. ↑ "REVIEW: L-Fresh The Lion Has "Become" One Of Australia's Most Important Rappers • Howl & Echoes". Howl & Echoes. 16 May 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  4. 1 2 Hegarty, Siobhan (7 June 2020). "Trying to be 'cool' stripped L-FRESH The LION of his language. Now the Sikh MC celebrates his roots". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  5. ↑ "Live Gig Guide - Nas at The Palace Theatre, Melbourne". Live Gig Guide.
  6. ↑ "L Fresh the Lion joins Elefant Traks". 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  7. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (21 May 2016). "ARIA Albums: Keith Urban Spends Second Week at No 1". Noise11. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  8. ↑ "Save the Date: ARIA Launches 30 Year Celebrations". ARIA. ARIA Awards. 17 August 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  9. ↑ Mediaweek (5 October 2016). "2016 ARIA Awards nominations released". Mediaweek. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  10. ↑ "Meet the 2018 Creators for Change Global Ambassadors". YouTube's Blog. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  11. ↑ "YouTube's 'Creators for Change' premiere at Tribeca's TV Festival". Engadget. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  12. ↑ "New York Debut & Meeting Elton John: L-FRESH The LION Co-hosts The Music Podcast". TheMusic. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  13. ↑ Joshi, Kruti (27 September 2017). "Google Australia sells the potential of YouTube to advertisers at Brandcast". Mediaweek. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  14. ↑ Festival, Made in the West Film (25 November 2018). "2018 WINNERS announced!". Made in the West. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  15. ↑ "YouTube stars get creative at UN, to promote tolerance". UN News. 16 November 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  16. ↑ Groot, Evert (8 March 2020). "Exclusive: They are the expert jurors for Eurovision 2018". eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union . Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  17. 1 2 "L-FRESH The LION Pens Official Anthem For NBL Team Sydney Kings". TheMusic. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  18. ↑ "Biggest Crowd in NBL History Watch Sydney and Illawarra". NBL. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  19. ↑ "L-FRESH The LION: 'Everybody is owning where they're from, because you can't silence us'". NME. 27 July 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  20. ↑ "Double J Australian Artist of the Year". ABC. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  21. ↑ "L-FRESH The LION Drops New LP: 'This Is An Empowerment Record'". TheMusic. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  22. ↑ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21377936/?ref_=tt_ep_nx
  23. 1 2 "CONSCIOUS". Conscious C-A-C. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  24. ↑ Wallace, Ian (23 May 2016). "Week Commencing ~ 23 May 2016 ~ Issue #1369" (PDF). The ARIA Report (1369). Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA): 2, 6–7, 14, 16, 19, 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 May 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  25. ↑ "One by L-Fresh the Lion". Apple Music. May 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  26. ↑ "L Fresh the Lion Debut Album One and Tour". April 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  27. ↑ "Become by L-Fresh the Lion". Apple Music. May 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  28. ↑ "South West by L-Fresh the Lion". Apple Music. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  29. ↑ "ARIA Award Nominees for 2016". Wikipedia . Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  30. ↑ "CARLTON DRY AIR AWARDS 2014 NOMINEES ANNOUNCED". speaker tv. September 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  31. ↑ "A.B Original dominates 2017 AIR Awards nominations". theindustryobserver. 31 May 2017. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  32. ↑ "Environmental Music Prize Searches for Green Theme Song". The Music Network. May 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  33. ↑ "Prize". Environmental Music Prize . Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  34. ↑ "Here are your nominees for the 2020 J Awards!". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2 November 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  35. ↑ Triscari, Caleb (19 November 2020). "Lime Cordiale take home Australian Album of the Year at the 2020 J Awards". NME Australia . Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  36. ↑ "Previous Nominess". Music Victoria. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  37. ↑ "Previous Winners". Music Victoria. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  38. ↑ "Nominees 2016". NLMA. 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  39. ↑ "NLMA reveal 2017 Nominees". NLMA. 9 October 2017. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  40. ↑ "Winners 2017". NLMA. December 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  41. ↑ "LMIA 2020". The Music Network. 9 October 2020. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.