Clare Maguire
Encyclopedia
Clare Rita Mary Maguire is a British singer-songwriter. She was signed to Universal Music Group
Polydor Records
in 2008. She was rated in fifth place in the BBC Sound of 2011 list of the top 15 most promising new artists. Maguire was also singled out as one of MTV's Brand New: For 2011 Acts. Her voice has been compared to Stevie Nicks
and Annie Lennox
.
Maguire's debut album, Light After Dark
, was released on 28 February 2011.
to establish music contacts and also began posting demo songs on MySpace
. One of these tracks, Strangest Thing, recorded with Joe Flory (Primary 1) approached 500,000 plays, leading to interest from a number of major recording companies. Maguire was also invited to Jay-Z's
restaurant to meet the American rapper and millionaire businessman and other well established recording artists, including Jarvis Cocker
, who was impressed and offered her one of his songs. Maguire signed a recording contract with Polydor Records
in 2008 and then worked on her debut album Light After Dark with producer Fraser T. Smith
, who has previously worked with Kylie and Adele
.
. She has also written a song with fellow Birmingham rap artist Mike Skinner
entitled Lock the Locks which will feature on his last Streets album, Computers and Blues
. Maguire also features on the track Midnight Caller which appears on Drum and Bass
-duo Chase & Status
' second studio album, No More Idols
.
Maguire released her debut single Ain't Nobody in the United Kingdom on 18 October 2010 through Polydor Records
, where it debuted at number 78 on the UK Singles Chart
. A remix of the song was used in Renault
's 2011 Clio
commercial entitled "What is Va Va Voom?". Maguire's song You're Electric was selected as the iTunes
single of the week and was available for a free digital download
from 28 December until 3 January 2011. The song also appears on Light After Dark, but was released as part of an iTunes-exclusive EP entitled Let's Begin. In March 2011, Maguire began supporting The Script in their UK tour.
On 31 December 2010, the song Lucky appeared as another free promotional download on Amazon. She then released her second official single, The Last Dance
. The single was said to have been written by Maguire the day after the death of music legend Michael Jackson
in response to a series of unjustified comments. The official video that accompanied the single was first premiered by The Sun on 7 January 2011 and was directed by AlexandLiane
. The song was 4Music and TheBox's 'VIP Track of the week' and was also 'Record Of The Week' for BBC Radio 1 DJs Fearne Cotton
and Dev. BBC Radio 1 added the song to the B-List on its playlist.
Light After Dark
went in at Number 7 in the official UK top 100 album chart (refer to previous link). The album was released on the 20th February 2011. The last single to be released off the album was 'The Shield & The Sword'. It peaked at #91 on the UK Music charts.
, on 15 September 1987, Maguire comes from a large musical Irish family, the middle child of three born to Caroline (née Deehan) and Francis Maguire Sr. and started singing and writing music from the age of 7. She went to school at the independent all-girls school, Saint Martin's. She includes among her significant influences Johnny Cash
, Prince
, Michael Jackson
, Fleetwood Mac
and Sister Rosetta Tharpe
, the pioneering 1940s gospel singer, songwriter and recording artist who popularised mixing spiritual lyrics with rock and roll accompaniment.
and Plan B
tours in the past, and was supporting The Script, 17–29 March 2011, as part of their Science & Faith Tour
. On 3 February 2011 Maguire announced details of a UK and Ireland tour, set for March and April.
Maguire performed at Pride Bristol 2011 on 16 July.
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
Polydor Records
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
in 2008. She was rated in fifth place in the BBC Sound of 2011 list of the top 15 most promising new artists. Maguire was also singled out as one of MTV's Brand New: For 2011 Acts. Her voice has been compared to 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...
and Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox, OBE , born Ann Lennox, is a Scottish singer-songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. After achieving minor success in the late 1970s with The Tourists, with fellow musician David A...
.
Maguire's debut album, Light After Dark
Light After Dark
Light After Dark is the debut album by British singer-songwriter Clare Maguire which went in at number 7 in the UK Albums Chart. "Ain't Nobody" was released as the first single from the album on 18 October 2010, followed by "The Last Dance", which was released on 20 February 2011.- Composition...
, was released on 28 February 2011.
Career beginnings
When she was 17, Maguire began travelling regularly to LondonLondon
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...
to establish music contacts and also began posting demo songs on MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
. One of these tracks, Strangest Thing, recorded with Joe Flory (Primary 1) approached 500,000 plays, leading to interest from a number of major recording companies. Maguire was also invited to Jay-Z's
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
restaurant to meet the American rapper and millionaire businessman and other well established recording artists, including Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Branson Cocker is an English musician and frontman for the band Pulp. Through his work with the band, Cocker became a figurehead of the Britpop movement of the mid-1990s. Following Pulp's hiatus Cocker has led a successful solo career...
, who was impressed and offered her one of his songs. Maguire signed a recording contract with Polydor Records
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
in 2008 and then worked on her debut album Light After Dark with producer Fraser T. Smith
Fraser T. Smith
Fraser T. Smith is an English record producer, songwriter, mix engineer and guitarist....
, who has previously worked with Kylie and Adele
Adele (singer)
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins , known professionally as Adele, is an English singer-songwriter. She was the first recipient of the Brit Awards Critics' Choice and was named the number-one predicted breakthrough act of 2008 in an annual BBC poll of music critics, Sound of 2008...
.
2009–2011: Light After Dark
Maguire began a European concert tour in October 2010 supporting Plan B and HurtsHurts
Hurts are a British synthpop duo formed in 2009, consisting of singer Theo Hutchcraft and synthesist Adam Anderson . Their debut album Happiness, which was released in September 2010, has reached the Top 10 in 12 European countries, and has sold over 800,000 copies worldwide...
. She has also written a song with fellow Birmingham rap artist Mike Skinner
Mike Skinner (musician)
Michael Geoffrey "Mike" Skinner is a British rapper, musician and record producer from Birmingham, United Kingdom, best known for the rap project, The Streets.-Early life:...
entitled Lock the Locks which will feature on his last Streets album, Computers and Blues
Computers and Blues
Computers and Blues is the fifth album by The Streets and the final one Mike Skinner plans to release under this alias, officially released in the United Kingdom on 7 February 2011. It contains 14 songs, including an appearance from British singer-songwriter Clare Maguire. Rob Harvey of The Music...
. Maguire also features on the track Midnight Caller which appears on Drum and Bass
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
-duo Chase & Status
Chase & Status
Chase & Status are an electronic music production duo from London consisting of Saul Milton and Will Kennard. MC Rage & Andy Gangadeen also make up the live band.-2003-2005:...
' second studio album, No More Idols
No More Idols
No More Idols is the second album by British production duo Chase & Status, released on 28 January 2011. No More Idols marks the first major full-length release by Chase & Status since their debut album More Than Alot three years prior; a period in which the group signed a major management deal...
.
Maguire released her debut single Ain't Nobody in the United Kingdom on 18 October 2010 through Polydor Records
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
, where it debuted at number 78 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. A remix of the song was used in Renault
Renault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
's 2011 Clio
Renault Clio
The Renault Clio is a supermini car produced by the French automobile manufacturer Renault. Originally launched in 1990, it is currently in its third generation...
commercial entitled "What is Va Va Voom?". Maguire's song You're Electric was selected as the iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
single of the week and was available for a free digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
from 28 December until 3 January 2011. The song also appears on Light After Dark, but was released as part of an iTunes-exclusive EP entitled Let's Begin. In March 2011, Maguire began supporting The Script in their UK tour.
On 31 December 2010, the song Lucky appeared as another free promotional download on Amazon. She then released her second official single, The Last Dance
The Last Dance (Clare Maguire song)
"The Last Dance" is the second single by English singer-songwriter Clare Maguire, released from her debut album Light After Dark. It was released in the United Kingdom on 20 February 2011 through Polydor Records.-Music video:...
. The single was said to have been written by Maguire the day after the death of music legend Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
in response to a series of unjustified comments. The official video that accompanied the single was first premiered by The Sun on 7 January 2011 and was directed by AlexandLiane
AlexandLiane
Alex Large and Liane Sommers are a British directing team who have been based in Berlin since 2000. They have made music videos for Kylie Minogue, La Roux, Tiga, Take That, Cheryl Cole, Scissor Sisters, Dido, Mika, Bloc Party, The Ting Tings, Sam Sparro, Armand Van Helden, Tocotronic and...
. The song was 4Music and TheBox's 'VIP Track of the week' and was also 'Record Of The Week' for BBC Radio 1 DJs Fearne Cotton
Fearne Cotton
Fearne Cotton is an English television and radio presenter who is known for presenting a number of popular TV programmes such as Top of the Pops and the Red Nose Day telethon. In 2007, she became the first regular female presenter of BBC Radio 1's Chart Show...
and Dev. BBC Radio 1 added the song to the B-List on its playlist.
Light After Dark
Light After Dark
Light After Dark is the debut album by British singer-songwriter Clare Maguire which went in at number 7 in the UK Albums Chart. "Ain't Nobody" was released as the first single from the album on 18 October 2010, followed by "The Last Dance", which was released on 20 February 2011.- Composition...
went in at Number 7 in the official UK top 100 album chart (refer to previous link). The album was released on the 20th February 2011. The last single to be released off the album was 'The Shield & The Sword'. It peaked at #91 on the UK Music charts.
2011-present: Second Studio Album
During 2011, Maguire has been working with various songwriters and producers for the second album. During her debut headline tour, she premiered new song titled 'Mess You Around'. She has also premiered 2 new songs during festivals over the summer of 2011, titled 'A Change In Me' and 'Lights Out'. Maguire has described the second album as more of a "bluesy/soul record" with influences from Johnny Cash among others.Personal life
Born in SolihullSolihull
Solihull is a town in the West Midlands of England with a population of 94,753. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is located 9 miles southeast of Birmingham city centre...
, on 15 September 1987, Maguire comes from a large musical Irish family, the middle child of three born to Caroline (née Deehan) and Francis Maguire Sr. and started singing and writing music from the age of 7. She went to school at the independent all-girls school, Saint Martin's. She includes among her significant influences Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
, Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
, Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British–American rock band formed in 1967 in London.The only original member present in the band is its eponymous drummer, Mick Fleetwood...
and Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Sister Rosetta Tharpe was an Amercian pioneering gospel singer, songwriter and recording artist who attained great popularity in the 1930s and 1940s with a unique mixture of spiritual lyrics and early rock and roll accompaniment...
, the pioneering 1940s gospel singer, songwriter and recording artist who popularised mixing spiritual lyrics with rock and roll accompaniment.
Discography
- Light After DarkLight After DarkLight After Dark is the debut album by British singer-songwriter Clare Maguire which went in at number 7 in the UK Albums Chart. "Ain't Nobody" was released as the first single from the album on 18 October 2010, followed by "The Last Dance", which was released on 20 February 2011.- Composition...
(2011) - Second Studio Album (TBA)
Touring
Maguire has supported HurtsHurts
Hurts are a British synthpop duo formed in 2009, consisting of singer Theo Hutchcraft and synthesist Adam Anderson . Their debut album Happiness, which was released in September 2010, has reached the Top 10 in 12 European countries, and has sold over 800,000 copies worldwide...
and Plan B
Plan B
Plan B is a popular term used to mean a reserved, secondary plan, in case a first plan fails. Plan B is also an FDA-approved emergency contraception drug.It also may refer to:-People:...
tours in the past, and was supporting The Script, 17–29 March 2011, as part of their Science & Faith Tour
Science & Faith Tour
The Science & Faith Tour is a world tour by Irish alternative rock band The Script. The tour will support their second album Science & Faith which was released on 13 September 2010.-Background:...
. On 3 February 2011 Maguire announced details of a UK and Ireland tour, set for March and April.
Maguire performed at Pride Bristol 2011 on 16 July.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Organisation | Nominated work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | BBC Sound of 2011 Sound of... (BBC poll) Sound of... is an annual poll of music critics and industry figures to find the most promising new music talent. It was first conducted by the BBC News website in 2003. A top 10 list is published each January.-Winners:-Sound of 2009:... |
Clare Maguire | Sound of 2011 | Fifth place |
| MTV Brand New MTV Brand New MTV Brand:New is a 24 hour specialist music channel featuring the very best in new music videos, alternative and indie music available in the Netherlands and Germany. An Italian version of the channel launched in Italy on September 14, 2003, it also launched in the Netherlands on August 1, 2006... |
Clare Maguire | New for 2011 | ||
| Q Awards Q Awards The Q Awards are the UK's annual music awards run by the music magazine Q. Since they began in 1990, the Q Awards have become one of Britain's biggest and best publicised music awards, helped in no small part by the often boisterous behavior of the celebrities who attend the event... |
Clare Maguire | Next Big Thing | ||
| 2011 | Glamour Women Of The Year Awards | Clare Maguire | UK Solo Artist/Musician | |
| PANDORA Breakthrough Artist |