Laura Critchley
Encyclopedia
Laura Critchley is a British
singer-songwriter
.
and Stevie Nicks
, Critchley started singing when she was 7 years old. She wrote her first song, "Change", at the age of 16. It received radio play on BBC Radio Merseyside
on the Billy Butler
and Jimmy McCracken show. She got to the last 50 in Fame Academy
in 2001, and appeared as Jessica Simpson
on Stars in Their Eyes
.
In 2006 she moved to London
and within 3 months was signed to independent record label Big Print Records, owned and run by Andrew Gemmell
and Jeremy Marsh (RCA Telstar).
She toured with the Sugababes
in March 2007, with Ray Quinn
in October 2007, with Deacon Blue
in November 2007, and with Boyzone
in May 2008.
Critchley's début album, Sometimes I, was released on the 19 November 2007. Radio 2
Terry Wogan
has praised Critchley saying that her single was an excellent single and that she was one to look out for.
Also in 2007, she recorded three songs with Robbie Williams
. In December she sang at Ronan Keating
's cancer research ball, and also duetted with him on a version of "Last thing on my mind".
Her first single, "Sometimes I" was released on 21 May 2007. Produced by Steve Power
, the man who worked on many of Robbie Williams
' hits with him, the single did not chart, but did well on the video channels.
The second single "What do we do" was on the Radio 2 playlist on the Terry Wogan
show, and was released on the 12th November 2007.
Her third single is a remix of "Sometimes I", by Ash Howes (who has worked with Girls Aloud
and the Sugababes
) and was released on 25 February 2008.
Critchley's fourth single "Today's Another Day" was released on 16 June 2008 and was a radio hit, reaching number 4 in the independent charts.
On 6 July 2009, Critchley releases her single "Feel Proud" which she wrote with UK troops in mind. Profits will go to the Help For Heroes
charity.
Critchley's songs have been on the Radio 2 playlists as well as many regional stations such as Radio Ulster.
Having supported The Sugababes, and Boyzone on their respective arena tours, duetted with Ronan Keating and sung for Robbie Williams, Critchley has already made a substantial impression on the UK market. She has performed over 200 times in the last 18 months, for audiences from just an intimate 35 to that of 35,000, from the RDS stadium in Dublin to the of Wight festival. She won the best live performance award at the Irish Entertainment Awards in October 2008.
Critchley performed her debut American showcase on 1 May 2008, to which many record execs went. Jeff Arch (the Sleepless in Seattle writer) also directed her video for the single "Today's Another Day".
A 10 part series for Discovery Channel
called Kenwood Glamour Puds has used Critchley's music as the title music and sound beds. This series is currently being licensed worldwide.
Glamour puds, featuring Laura's music, has since been shown on Channel 4 on daytime TV.
In 2010, Laura was picked by Tom Jones to be one of his two backing singers during his worldwide performances and promotion of his album "Praise and Blame". Laura appeared on "Good Morning America" as well as many other shows around the world with Tom.
Laura has spent 2010 recording her second album, which is due for release in 2011.
of autism
charity Wishing Well House. Screenwriter Jeff Arch has written a scene for Critchley in his upcoming film The Chelsea Story set to star John Cusack
and Naomi Watts
. He has since also asked her to write the title track for the film as well.
Laura has also accepted a request from the Duchess of York, to be one of her charity's (Children in Crisis) celebrity ambassadors for 2008.
non-album single:
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
.
Biography
With a voice described as that from a love child of Rod StewartRod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
and Stevie Nicks
Stevie Nicks
Stephanie Lynn "Stevie" Nicks is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her work with Fleetwood Mac and an extensive solo career, which collectively have produced over forty Top 50 hits and sold over 140 million albums...
, Critchley started singing when she was 7 years old. She wrote her first song, "Change", at the age of 16. It received radio play on BBC Radio Merseyside
BBC Radio Merseyside
BBC Radio Merseyside is the BBC Local Radio service for the English metropolitan county of Merseyside and north Cheshire. It was the third BBC local radio station to launch on 22 November 1967 initially serving the south west of historic Lancashire....
on the Billy Butler
Billy Butler (DJ)
Billy Butler is a radio presenter on BBC Radio Merseyside. In the 1960s he was a DJ at the Cavern Club and has presented TV shows such as FAX and the magazine programme What the Butler Sees...
and Jimmy McCracken show. She got to the last 50 in Fame Academy
Fame Academy
Fame Academy is a televised competition to search for and educate new musical talents. The winner received a chance to become a successful music artist. The prize consisted of a £1m recording contract with a major record company, plus the use of a luxury apartment in London and a sports car for one...
in 2001, and appeared as Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson
Jessica Ann Simpson is an American recording artist, actress, television personality, and fashion designer whose rise to fame began in 1999. Since that time, Simpson has achieved many recording milestones, starred in several television shows, movies, and commercials, launched a line of hair and...
on Stars in Their Eyes
Stars In Their Eyes
Stars in Their Eyes is a British television talent show that ran on Saturdays nights from 21 July 1990 until 23 December 2006 in which contestants impersonate showbiz stars...
.
In 2006 she moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and within 3 months was signed to independent record label Big Print Records, owned and run by Andrew Gemmell
Andrew Gemmell
Andrew Douglas Gemmell is an American long-distance swimmer. Gemmell currently swims for the University of Georgia.-Career:...
and Jeremy Marsh (RCA Telstar).
She toured with the Sugababes
Sugababes
The Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London...
in March 2007, with Ray Quinn
Ray Quinn
Raymond Arthur "Ray" Quinn is an English actor, singer, and dancer. He finished second in talent show The X Factor in 2006, and won the 2009 series of Dancing on Ice. He also appeared as victimised teenager Anthony Murray in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside...
in October 2007, with Deacon Blue
Deacon Blue
Deacon Blue are a Scottish pop band formed in Glasgow during 1985. Their name was taken from the title of the Steely Dan song "Deacon Blues". The band consists of vocalist Ricky Ross and Lorraine McIntosh, keyboard player James Prime and drummer Dougie Vipond....
in November 2007, and with Boyzone
Boyzone
Boyzone are an Irish boy band comprising Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Ronan Keating,Shane Lynch, and formerly Stephen Gately. Boyzone have 19 singles in the top 40 UK charts and 21 singles in the Ire charts. The group currently have 6 UK number one singles and 9 number one singles in Ireland with 12...
in May 2008.
Critchley's début album, Sometimes I, was released on the 19 November 2007. Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
Terry Wogan
Terry Wogan
Sir Michael Terence Wogan, KBE, DL , or also known as Terry Wogan, is a veteran Irish radio and television broadcaster who holds dual Irish and British citizenship. Wogan has worked for the BBC in the United Kingdom for most of his career...
has praised Critchley saying that her single was an excellent single and that she was one to look out for.
Also in 2007, she recorded three songs with Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
. In December she sang at Ronan Keating
Ronan Keating
Ronan Patrick John Keating is an Irish recording artist, singer-songwriter, musician, and philanthropist. Keating debuted on the professional music scene alongside Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Shane Lynch and Stephen Gately, in 1994 as the lead singer of Boyzone. His solo career started in 1999, and...
's cancer research ball, and also duetted with him on a version of "Last thing on my mind".
Her first single, "Sometimes I" was released on 21 May 2007. Produced by Steve Power
Steve Power
Steve Power is an English record producer best known for his work with Robbie Williams. He has produced and mixed a wide variety of artists over the years, including Blur, Busted, Andrea Bocelli, Feeder, Joe Cocker, Diana Ross, Babybird, Babylon Zoo, Stephen Duffy, Black, The Bangels, Billy Ocean,...
, the man who worked on many of Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
' hits with him, the single did not chart, but did well on the video channels.
The second single "What do we do" was on the Radio 2 playlist on the Terry Wogan
Terry Wogan
Sir Michael Terence Wogan, KBE, DL , or also known as Terry Wogan, is a veteran Irish radio and television broadcaster who holds dual Irish and British citizenship. Wogan has worked for the BBC in the United Kingdom for most of his career...
show, and was released on the 12th November 2007.
Her third single is a remix of "Sometimes I", by Ash Howes (who has worked with Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London. They were created through the ITV1 talent show Popstars The Rivals in 2002. The group consists of Cheryl Cole , Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. They are signed to Fascination Records, a Polydor...
and the Sugababes
Sugababes
The Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London...
) and was released on 25 February 2008.
Critchley's fourth single "Today's Another Day" was released on 16 June 2008 and was a radio hit, reaching number 4 in the independent charts.
On 6 July 2009, Critchley releases her single "Feel Proud" which she wrote with UK troops in mind. Profits will go to the Help For Heroes
Help for Heroes
Help for Heroes is a British charity launched on 1 October 2007 to help provide better facilities for British servicemen and women wounded since September 11, 2001. It was founded by Bryn Parry OBE and his wife Emma Parry OBE after they visited soldiers at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham...
charity.
Critchley's songs have been on the Radio 2 playlists as well as many regional stations such as Radio Ulster.
Having supported The Sugababes, and Boyzone on their respective arena tours, duetted with Ronan Keating and sung for Robbie Williams, Critchley has already made a substantial impression on the UK market. She has performed over 200 times in the last 18 months, for audiences from just an intimate 35 to that of 35,000, from the RDS stadium in Dublin to the of Wight festival. She won the best live performance award at the Irish Entertainment Awards in October 2008.
Critchley performed her debut American showcase on 1 May 2008, to which many record execs went. Jeff Arch (the Sleepless in Seattle writer) also directed her video for the single "Today's Another Day".
A 10 part series for Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
called Kenwood Glamour Puds has used Critchley's music as the title music and sound beds. This series is currently being licensed worldwide.
Glamour puds, featuring Laura's music, has since been shown on Channel 4 on daytime TV.
In 2010, Laura was picked by Tom Jones to be one of his two backing singers during his worldwide performances and promotion of his album "Praise and Blame". Laura appeared on "Good Morning America" as well as many other shows around the world with Tom.
Laura has spent 2010 recording her second album, which is due for release in 2011.
Other work
Critchley was chosen as the face of new airline Fly Pink. She is a patronPatrón
Patrón is a luxury brand of tequila produced in Mexico and sold in hand-blown, individually numbered bottles.Made entirely from Blue Agave "piñas" , Patrón comes in five varieties: Silver, Añejo, Reposado, Gran Patrón Platinum and Gran Patrón Burdeos. Patrón also sells a tequila-coffee blend known...
of autism
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
charity Wishing Well House. Screenwriter Jeff Arch has written a scene for Critchley in his upcoming film The Chelsea Story set to star John Cusack
John Cusack
John Paul Cusack is an American film actor and screenwriter. He has appeared in more than 50 films, including The Journey of Natty Gann, Say Anything..., Grosse Point Blank, The Thin Red Line, Stand by Me, Con Air, Being John Malkovich, High Fidelity, Serendipity, Runaway Jury, The Ice Harvest,...
and Naomi Watts
Naomi Watts
Naomi Ellen Watts is a British actress. Watts began her career in Australian television, where she appeared in series such as Hey Dad..! , Brides of Christ , and Home and Away . Her film debut was the 1986 drama For Love Alone...
. He has since also asked her to write the title track for the film as well.
Laura has also accepted a request from the Duchess of York, to be one of her charity's (Children in Crisis) celebrity ambassadors for 2008.
Singles
from Sometimes I:- "Don't SayDon't Say"Don't Say" is the debut single by Laura Critchley. It was released on March 26, 2007. It was produced by Steve Power, the man behind many of Robbie Williams hits, the single did not chart....
" - (26 March 2007) - "Sometimes ISometimes I"Sometimes I" is the second single by Laura Critchley that launched her music career from her MySpace page. It was released on May 21, 2007. It was produced by Steve Power, the man behind many of Robbie Williams hits, the single did not chart, but did well on the video channels.A re-mix of the...
" - (21 May 2007) - "What Do We DoWhat Do We Do"What Do We Do" is the third single by Laura Critchley. It was released on November 12, 2007. Like her first two singles it was produced by Steve Power , the man behind many of Robbie Williams hits, the single did not chart....
" - (12 November 2007) - "Sometimes ISometimes I"Sometimes I" is the second single by Laura Critchley that launched her music career from her MySpace page. It was released on May 21, 2007. It was produced by Steve Power, the man behind many of Robbie Williams hits, the single did not chart, but did well on the video channels.A re-mix of the...
" (re-mix) - (25 February 2008) - "Today's Another DayToday's Another Day"Today's Another Day" is the fifth single by Laura Critchley. It is due to be released on June 16, 2008. Like her first four singles it was produced by Steve Power, the man behind many of Robbie Williams hits....
" - (16 June 2008)
non-album single:
- "Feel ProudFeel Proud"Feel Proud" is the sixth single by Laura Critchley. It was released on July 6, 2009 via digital download.The single is Laura's first new release since her 2007 album Sometimes I and it is the last release Laura made as a solo artist as all future releases would go under the name Call Me Laura. ...
" - (6 July 2009)