Lianne La Havas

Lianne Charlotte Barnes (born 23 August 1989),[1][2] known professionally as Lianne La Havas (/liˈæn ləˈhævəs/),[3]) is a British singer-songwriter and record producer. Her career began after being introduced to various musicians, including singer Paloma Faith, for whom she sang backing vocals. In 2010, La Havas signed to Warner Bros. Records, spending two years developing her songwriting, before releasing any music. La Havas' debut studio album, Is Your Love Big Enough? (2012), was released to positive reviews from critics and earned her a nomination for the BBC's Sound of 2012 poll and awards for the iTunes Album of The Year 2012.[4]

Lianne La Havas
La Havas in 2013
Background information
Birth nameLianne Charlotte Barnes
Born (1989-08-23) 23 August 1989
London, England
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active2011–present
Labels
Associated acts
Websitewww.liannelahavas.com

Early life

La Havas was born and raised in London, England, to a Greek father and Jamaican mother.[5][6] She was raised in Tooting and Streatham, spending the majority of her time with her grandparents after her parents separated.[7] La Havas began singing at seven, and cites her parents' diverse musical tastes as having the biggest influence on her music.[8] Her father, an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, taught her the basics of guitar and piano. Lianne wrote her first song at the age of 11, but did not learn to play the guitar until she was 18 years old. Lianne sang in her school choir.[9] She attended Norbury Manor Business and Enterprise College for Girls in Thornton Heath where she studied art A-level, and had planned to take an art foundation course before she decided to leave college to pursue a career in music full-time.[7] Her birth name is Lianne Barnes, and her stage name is an adaptation of her Greek father Henry Vlahavas' surname. She lives in London.[1]

Career

Beginnings and debut (2008–14)
Lianne La Havas in 2012.

Whilst attending sixth-form in Croydon, Lianne was introduced to musicians who would assist La Havas in the recording of her first demos.[7] Through that same friend La Havas was also introduced to British singer Paloma Faith; she later sang backing vocals on tour for Faith. La Havas was discovered on Myspace in 2008. Duncan Ellis, owner of Scruffy Bird Artist Management, first heard of La Havas through colleague Alex Hardee of the Coda Music Agency.[9] When Ellis first saw La Havas perform, she was in the duo the Paris Parade, collaborating with future Elephant member Christian Pinchebeck (who designed the artwork for Lost & Found); their short-lived career would kick off La Havas' career in commercial music.[10] In 2010, Lianne signed to Warner Bros. Records, spending two years developing her songwriting skills before releasing any music publicly.[11][12]

Her first EP Lost & Found was released on 21 October 2011 on the Labour of Love label,[13] featuring Willy Mason on the opening track "No Room For Doubt".[14] That same month, La Havas released the live EP Live From LA, which was made available for free download on her website.[15][16] La Havas made her television debut on 21 October 2011 broadcast of BBC Two's Later… with Jools Holland, a programme that also featured Wisconsin folk band Bon Iver;[17] soon after this on 25 October 2011 it was announced that La Havas would be the supporting act for Bon Iver's December 2011 North American tour.[18]

Her official debut single "Lost & Found" was released in the UK on 30 April 2012,[19] and her debut album, Is Your Love Big Enough? was released on 9 July 2012 on Warner Brothers.[11] At the end of 2012, Is Your Love Big Enough? was named iTunes Album of the Year.

On 24 September 2012 La Havas supported Alicia Keys at MTV 'Crashes' Manchester, a live performance in front of 1,000 people in Manchester Cathedral which was broadcast in 164 countries. On 31 December 2012, she appeared on BBC Two's New Year's Eve show Jools' Annual Hootenanny singing Cow Cow Boogie. On 9 June 2013, La Havas played at the RockNess music festival in Inverness, Scotland,[20] and on 30 June 2013 La Havas performed at the Glastonbury Festival 2013.[21] La Havas also performed at the Isle of Wight Festival in June 2013.

In early 2014, Prince played a gig in her living room in London.[22] She also appeared on Alt-J's 2014 album This Is All Yours on the track "Warm Foothills". On 30 September Prince released Art Official Age, featuring La Havas heavily through the album, singing in "Clouds" and providing vocals on "Affirmation I&II", "Way Back Home" and "Affirmation III".[23] La Havas performed with Prince on an episode of Saturday Night Live as a featured vocalist on 1 November 2014.[24] She collaborated with Aqualung on the song "Eggshells" from his album 10 Features, released on 19 January 2015.[25]

2015–19: Blood

After touring was completed for her first album, La Havas and her mother traveled to Jamaica. During the trip, La Havas was inspired to write new material, which would eventually become part of her second album. She gave a live performance for her family with producer, Stephen McGregor, who would later co-produce her forthcoming album. Many of the songs were inspired by La Havas' reconnection to her Greek and Jamaican heritage.[26] The first single, "Unstoppable", from this album, Blood, premiered for streaming on 1 April 2015. The single, which was co-written with Paul Epworth, was officially released in the UK on 1 June 2015. Its music video premiered on 12 May 2015 on La Havas' official YouTube channel. Blood was released on 31 July 2015 for physical and digital formats. La Havas toured in the UK and Europe in support of album from mid-May to September 2015.[27][28] La Havas features twice on Rudimental's album, We the Generation (2015), on the songs "Needn't Speak" and "Breath". She appeared on the popular "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" on CBS in the United States on 27 October 2015, singing with Colbert's regular band, New Orleans jazz bandleader Jon Batiste and Stay Human.[29] She also performed a Tiny Desk Concert on NPR in October 2015.[30]

La Havas plays a hollow-bodied 1964 Harmony Alden Stratotone guitar, which is put through a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe amp on stage with her band. For solo gigs she uses a SansAmp DI'd, and a Roland CUBE amp is used for practice.[31]

2020: Lianne La Havas

La Havas released "Bittersweet" on 25 February 2020[32] as the lead single from her upcoming album. On 4 May 2020, La Havas released the second single "Paper Thin" and announced that her self-titled third studio album would be released on 17 July 2020.[33] Recording of the album took place between October 2019 and December 2019, with sessions taking place in London, Bath, LA and New York. The album's production was handled by La Havas along with long-term collaborator Matt Hales, co-producers Beni Giles, Sam Crowe and guest co-producer Mura Masa. [34] [35]

Following its release, the album received a number of positive reviews from major publishers.[36][37] The New York Times' chief pop music critic, Jon Pareles, in his review, has mused:

The songs illuminate passion, impulsiveness, ambivalence and uncertainty, yet the structures La Havas created are lucid and poised. While matters of the heart may be out of control, her fingers and voice are impeccable.[36]

Discography
Main article: Lianne La Havas discography

Concert tours
Headlining
  • Is Your Love Big Enough? Tour (2012–13)
  • Blood Tour (2015–16)
Supporting

Awards and nominations
Year Organisation Award Work Result
2011 BBC Sound of... Sound of 2012[4] Lianne La Havas Nominated
2012 Barclaycard Mercury Prize[38] Is Your Love Big Enough? Nominated
iTunes Best of 2012 Album of the Year[39] Is Your Love Big Enough? Won
2013 MOBO Awards[40][41] Best Female Act Lianne La Havas Nominated
Best R&B/Soul Act Lianne La Havas Nominated
2015 MOBO Awards[42] Best Female Act Lianne La Havas Nominated
Best R&B/Soul Act Lianne La Havas Nominated
Best Album Blood Nominated
2016 58th Annual Grammy Awards Best Urban Contemporary Album [43] Blood Nominated
2017 2017 Brit Awards British Female Solo Artist[44] Lianne La Havas Nominated

References
  1. Stevenson, Jane. "Lianne La Havas always in good company | Entertainment". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  2. Lester, Paul (22 April 2009). "Paloma Faith (No 532)". The Guardian. London.
  3. "Lianne La Havas interview (part 2)". FaceCulture. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  4. "Sound of – 2012 – Lianne La Havas". BBC. 22 November 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  5. "Lianne La Havas – About". 23 August 1989. Retrieved 31 July 2015 – via Facebook.
  6. Tim Lewis (13 March 2014). "One to watch: Lianne La Havas". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  7. Jasmine Gardner (12 April 2012). "Sound of the summer: Lianne Le Havas". London Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 20 April 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
  8. "Nonesuch to Release English Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist Lianne La Havas's Debut Album in US This Summer; First LA Show May 22". Nonesuch Records – Journal. 3 April 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
  9. Ramirez, E (25 August 2012). "Soulful Sensation". Billboard.
  10. "Ligature Magazine. Retrieved October 17". Ligaturemagazine.co.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  11. "Lianne La Havas: 'A Lot Has Happened In My Life' | DIY". Thisisfakediy.co.uk. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
  12. "3 UK Female Singers to Look Out For". Yinnyang.co.uk. 22 June 2011. Archived from the original on 9 November 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  13. "Lost and Found: Lianne La Havas". 9 September 2009. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  14. Ligature Magazine.
  15. "FreEP: Lianne La Havas – "Live In L.A" " PinBoardBlog.com – Alt-Urban Specialists". Pinboardblog.com. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  16. Peter Vidani (8 October 2011). "Lady. Bang. Beat". Lady. Bang. Beat. Archived from the original on 30 March 2012. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  17. "BBC BBC Two Programmes – Later... with Jools Holland, Series 39, Episode 5". BBC. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  18. Souza, Kris De (25 October 2011). "Lianne La Havas confirmed for Bon Iver's December US tour". Thefourohfive.com. Archived from the original on 25 December 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  19. "Lianne La Havas' Sold Out Scala Show To Be Streamed Live". Femalefirst.co.uk. 6 March 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
  20. Lynn, Kirstin. "RockNess 2013: Lianne La Havas raises the bar in supreme soul diva set". STV. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  21. Lachno, James (1 July 2013). "Glastonbury 2013, Day Three review: other stages: Bobby Womack, Lianne Le Havas, Sir Bruce Forsyth". The Telegraph. London. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  22. "Prince to charge $10 for live shows". BBC. 5 February 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  23. Beaumont, Mark (15 September 2014). "Alt-J – 'This Is All Yours'". Time Inc. (UK). Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  24. "Watch:Lianne La Havas Performs on "Saturday Night Live" with Prince". Nonesuch. 3 November 2014. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  25. "AQUALUNG UNVEILS VIDEO FOR 'EGGSHELLS', FEATURING LIANNE LA HAVAS". DIY Magazine. 9 January 2015. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  26. "Lianne La Havas: 'debuts knew song". Marketwired.com. 21 April 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  27. "Lianne La Havas: announces new album Blood". 21 April 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  28. "Watch: Lianne La Havas Unveils "Unstoppable" Video". 12 May 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  29. "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert". CBS. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  30. "Lianne La Havas: Tiny Desk Concert". NPR. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  31. "Guitar Girl'd: 'Is Your Love Big Enough' for Lianne La Havas?". NewBay Media, LLC. 8 September 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  32. "iTunes - Bittersweet - Single by Lianne La Havas". iTunes Store.
  33. "@liannelahavas on Twitter: I'm so glad I can finally say...MY NEW ALBUM IS COMING 17th JULY 2020 In ALL of the ways!!! I love you I love you I love you I love you ILOVEYOUUUU" – via Twitter.
  34. https://www.allmusic.com/album/lianne-la-havas-mw0003386991/credits
  35. https://tapenotes.co.uk/project/tn61-lianne-la-havas-sam-crowe-beni-giles
  36. Pareles, Jon (21 July 2020). "Lianne La Havas Traces the Arc of a Romance". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  37. Cragg, Michael (19 July 2020). "Lianne La Havas: Lianne La Havas review – purposeful, tender and bold". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  38. Jonze, Tim (12 September 2012). "Mercury Prize 2012 Nominations". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  39. "Lianne La Havas, Emeli Sande, amongst iTunes Best of 2012". Music Week. 14 December 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  40. "Disclosure, AlunaGeorge, Jessie Ware & more nominated for MOBO Awards 2013". thelineofbestfit.com. 4 September 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  41. "Winners 2013 MOBO Awards". mobo.com. Archived from the original on 9 February 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
  42. "MOBO Awards 2015 nominations revealed as Krept & Konan lead the way in four categories including Best Album". Mirror. 30 September 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  43. "Grammy Nominations 2016: See the Full List of Nominees". Billboard.
  44. "Brit Awards 2017: The winners". BBC News. 22 February 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
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