On 25th March, British songstress Birdy released her third studio album ‘Beautiful Lies’. And we can’t lie, it’s absolutely beautiful.
Okay so terrible puns aside, the album itself is comprised of 14 tracks, with an additional five songs on the Deluxe version. During such, the Hampshire born beaut showcases her incredible indie folk vocals and songwriting abilities having worked alongside the likes of producers Tim Bran and Roy Kerr (best known for their work with band London Grammar). Tracks ‘Keeping Your Head Up’ and ‘Wild Horses’ have already been released as singles in January and March respectively, and we feel they really provided a taster for the overall tone of the album; managing to display Birdy’s skill of employing softness throughout intros before erupting into bursts of colour and layered sounds for choruses, and then later descending into further sweet melodic phrases during outros.
Having begun writing and production for ‘Beautiful Lies’ back in 2014 whilst on tour, Birdy’s third studio album has long been awaited – both for her fans and herself – with the 19-year-old finally announcing its impending arrival all the way back on 12th January this year. Notable tracks include ‘Hear You Calling’ with upbeat, catchy hooks and the incredibly emotive ballad ‘Deep End’ with its sorrowful vocal and piano accompaniment arrangement. Taken as a whole, the album’s overall sound is not that of lightness and optimism – covering things like heartbreak and questioned, confusing love.
Birdy was heavily influenced by the novel ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’, explaining how this “led to the album’s Japanese theme, most audible in the opening track Growing Pains” with its Eastern elements and is also evident in the album artwork where the singer sports a red print kimono (see below). Birdy hopes the album “will take people to a magical and enchanting place” – we definitely feel it does!
For those who have yet to discover BRIT and Oscar nominee, she has the vocal style similar to that of Kate Bush, Lorde and Lana Del Rey as well as the songwriting elements that equal Lucy Rose or Grammy nominee Florence and the Machine – so if you appreciate the haunting vocals and songs of such stars, then we highly advise that you give Birdy’s ‘Beautiful Lies’ a listen.
Birdy is touring this summer, check out her website here for dates. But until then, how about you leave us a comment or tweet us @CelebMix to let us know your thoughts on her new album!