Amy Macdonald
Amy Elizabeth Macdonald (born 25 August 1987) is a Scottish singer-songwriter. In 2007, she released her debut studio album, This Is the Life, which respectively produced the singles "Mr. Rock & Roll" and "This Is the Life"; the latter charting at number one in six countries, while reaching the top 10 in another 11 countries. The album reached number one in four European countries – the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands and Switzerland – and sold three million copies worldwide.[1] Moderate success in the American music market followed in 2008.
For other people with the same name, see Amy MacDonald (disambiguation).
Amy Macdonald
Amy Elizabeth Macdonald
25 August 1987
Bishopbriggs, Scotland
Singer-songwriter
- Vocals
- guitar
2006–present
- Virgin EMI
- Vertigo
- Mercury
- Melodramatic Records
- Infectious
- BMG
Macdonald's second studio album, A Curious Thing, was released in 2010.[2] Its lead single "Don't Tell Me That It's Over" peaked at number 45 on the UK Singles Chart, and reached the Top 10 in several mainland European countries. In 2010, she collaborated with Ray Davies on his album, See My Friends; she sang with him on a cover of the Kinks' 60s hit "Dead End Street". Her third studio album, Life in a Beautiful Light, was released in 2012 and supplied three singles: "Slow It Down", "Pride" and "4th of July".[3] In 2017, Macdonald released her fourth studio album, Under Stars, which entered at number two on the Scottish and UK Album Charts, and spawned three three singles, with the lead single "Dream On" achieving chart success in European charts.
In 2020, Macdonald released her fifth studio album, The Human Demands, which spawned four singles and one promotional single. The lead single "The Hudson" reached number twelve in her native Scotland, whilst The Human Demands performed favourably in European album markets. She represented Scotland at the Free European Song Contest 2021 with her song "Statues", finishing in 4th place with 77 points.[4] Macdonald has sold over 12 million records worldwide.[5]
Early life[edit]
Amy Elizabeth Macdonald was born on 25 August 1987.[6] She attended Bishopbriggs High School in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland.[7] After being inspired by Travis at the T in the Park festival in 2000, she heard Travis' song "Turn" and wanted to play it herself.[8] She bought a Travis chord book, and started playing on her father's guitar, teaching herself how to play.[9] Soon afterward she began composing her own songs, the first being called "The Wall".[9][10] She started playing in pubs and coffee houses around Glasgow at the age of 15,[11] including the Brunswick Cellars on Sauchiehall Street.[12]
Career[edit]
2006–2007: Breakthrough[edit]
Macdonald sent a demo CD in response to an advertisement placed in the NME[11] by a new production company set up by songwriters Pete Wilkinson and Sarah Erasmus.[13] Wilkinson said he was "literally aghast" at her songwriting abilities when first he heard Macdonald play the songs "This Is the Life" and "Mr Rock n Roll".[13] He then spent around eight or nine months recording demos with Macdonald at his home studio with a view to securing a record deal for his new client. In 2007 she signed a contract with Vertigo when she was 18 years old.[14]
She has claimed that she feels she was "in the right place at the right time" by answering the advertisement in NME, later claiming that the subsequent success she endured to be "a weird life". Macdonald has been described as "one of the last artists" to gain a recording contract by sending a demo to record companies, with Macdonald claiming it to be "mental", citing the music industry changes since 2007. Macdonald claims that "what’s funny is even then, everyone found it bizarre that I got a record deal from sending a demo, because this was when people were being discovered on MySpace — Lily Allen, Arctic Monkeys; they were all doing it that way".[15]
Personal life[edit]
Macdonald is a fan of cars, and has owned a Range Rover Vogue, an Audi R8, a Nissan GT-R and a Ferrari 458 Speciale amongst others. [73][74] She is a prominent supporter of Scottish independence, claiming that "I’ve always been very proud of where I come from. Who knows if I’d be the same if I was from a different part of the world? I think it can also be harder for Scottish artists to break through, I don’t think we always have great support. Somtimes you have to battle that little bit harder."[75] The song "Leap of Faith" from her fourth studio album Under Stars was written about the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. About the song, Macdonald claimed that "the idea of Scotland being in control of its own affairs is something that I actually never thought I'd see in my lifetime. People fight and die for this right and all we've to do is put a little cross in a box. You know what to do Scotland."[76]
She was engaged to footballer Steve Lovell in 2008, but did not marry.[2] She announced in January 2016 that she was engaged to footballer Richard Foster.[77] They married on 4 June 2018 in Las Vegas.[78] Macdonald is a supporter of Glasgow club Rangers.[79]
In 2015, Macdonald had an estimated fortune of £6 million.[80]