Biography
Britain's Lauren Aquilina first gained notice as a lyrical singer and songwriter through her self-released 2012 EP Fools, earning acclaim for an ethereal style built around piano-driven pop. After issuing her debut album she stepped away from the industry for a time, only to reemerge in 2018 with the single "Psycho."
She entered the world in Bristol, England, in 1995, the daughter of Maltese immigrants. Singing entered her life at eight, followed a year later by piano lessons. By thirteen she was posting homemade recordings on YouTube, steadily cultivating a devoted audience. Early exposure to high-energy house music, alongside repeated plays of Coldplay and Stereophonics during family car journeys, prompted her to begin composing original material while still young. Over time her listening habits broadened, bringing Bon Iver, Annie Lennox, and Ellie Goulding into audible range within her own work.
During her final year of school she issued the EP Fools and began playing live dates throughout the United Kingdom. Momentum built rapidly—much as it had for online discovery Gabrielle Aplin—once piano-accompanied renditions of songs by Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, and Ed Sheeran surpassed two million views, complemented by the video for the title track "Fools." Recognition arrived from multiple sources, including Take That member Gary Barlow, and BBC Radio 1 added her music to its rotation. The follow-up EP Sinners appeared in 2013; its title song reached the U.K. charts.
A third EP followed in 2015, after which Aquilina withdrew to record her first full-length project. Island Records released Isn't It Strange in 2016. In the aftermath she experienced depression tied to professional doubts and difficulties with management. That October she posted on Twitter that she intended to exit the music business. Months of personal reassessment, during which she briefly considered training as an airline cabin-crew member, preceded her return; the single "Psycho" arrived in 2018.
She entered the world in Bristol, England, in 1995, the daughter of Maltese immigrants. Singing entered her life at eight, followed a year later by piano lessons. By thirteen she was posting homemade recordings on YouTube, steadily cultivating a devoted audience. Early exposure to high-energy house music, alongside repeated plays of Coldplay and Stereophonics during family car journeys, prompted her to begin composing original material while still young. Over time her listening habits broadened, bringing Bon Iver, Annie Lennox, and Ellie Goulding into audible range within her own work.
During her final year of school she issued the EP Fools and began playing live dates throughout the United Kingdom. Momentum built rapidly—much as it had for online discovery Gabrielle Aplin—once piano-accompanied renditions of songs by Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, and Ed Sheeran surpassed two million views, complemented by the video for the title track "Fools." Recognition arrived from multiple sources, including Take That member Gary Barlow, and BBC Radio 1 added her music to its rotation. The follow-up EP Sinners appeared in 2013; its title song reached the U.K. charts.
A third EP followed in 2015, after which Aquilina withdrew to record her first full-length project. Island Records released Isn't It Strange in 2016. In the aftermath she experienced depression tied to professional doubts and difficulties with management. That October she posted on Twitter that she intended to exit the music business. Months of personal reassessment, during which she briefly considered training as an airline cabin-crew member, preceded her return; the single "Psycho" arrived in 2018.
Albums
Singles
