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Fiona Bevan

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Fiona Bevan
Background information
Birth nameFiona Mackay Barclay Bevan
OriginSuffolk, England
Genres
OccupationSinger-songwriter
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • piano
LabelsNavigator Records
Websitewww.fionabevan.co.uk

Fiona Mackay Barclay Bevan is an English singer-songwriter from Suffolk, who currently lives in London.[1] She co-wrote the song "Little Things" for One Direction[2] with Ed Sheeran which became a number-one single in 13 countries and received a BMI award for the single.[3]

Bevan has co-written songs released by Kylie Minogue, LIGHTS, 5 Seconds Of Summer, Tom Walker, Steps, Mika, Shane Filan, Hey Violet, and Natalie Imbruglia. Apart from that, she has also written and was featured on Stefflon Don's debut release.

As an artist, Bevan's debut solo studio album 'Talk to Strangers', (April 2014) was released on Navigator Records. She has toured as support to Nick Mulvey, Ryan Keen, Ed Sheeran, Hawksley Workman, Ingrid Michaelson, Gwyneth Herbert, Luke Friend, and Bill Bailey. In 2014, Bevan completed a tour of Australia supporting Busby Marou and the following year she toured Canada, supporting Hawksley Workman.

Bevan also runs a residency night at Servant Jazz Quarters in Dalston, London called "Fiona Bevan Presents" featuring acts including Mercury Prize-nominated Sam Lee and Ed Harcourt, who also remixed her first single, "The Machine" in 2014.

Early life and education

[edit]

Bevan is of British and Canadian parentage.[1] Her great-grandmother was romantic novelist D. E. Stevenson and Treasure Island author, Robert Louis Stevenson was her great-great grandfather's cousin. She was born in Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, [4] brought up in Suffolk, and went to Colchester County High School for Girls.[5]

Solo career

[edit]

Fiona Bevan's debut Extended Play (EP), 'In The Swimming Pool', was released in 2007.[6] Her debut studio album 'Plant Your Heart', was released in 2009 on the Fallen Idol label.[7]

In 2011, she released an EP, 'Us and the Darkness', on Venus Climbing co-produced with Robin Baynton. It featured Bevan on lead vocals and guitar, accompanied by Rosalie Bevan on bass and James Crichlow on violin.[8] One of the songs on the EP, "Dial D for Denial", was a semi-finalist at the 2011 International Songwriting Competition.[1] The song "Pirates and Diamonds" was included on the OneTaste Collective Album Vol. 2, released on 14 June 2010, while she also appeared on Winter Hunter Remixes by The Living Graham Bond released on 26 July 2010 on the Fat label.[9]

Her song "Love in a Cold Climate" was included in the For Folk's Sake Christmas 2011 compilation album.[10]

Bevan's second album, Talk To Strangers was released in 2014 on Navigator Records in the UK, Planet Music in Australia, and P-Vine in Japan.[11] In 2015 it was released on Convexe / Universal Music in Canada and Convexe in the USA. The album's twelve songs were written, arranged and played by Fiona Bevan, produced and also played by Shawn Lee, engineered by Pierre Duplan in Bloomsbury, London, and mastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios, San Francisco. The Guardian wrote, "Bevan took us on startling odysseys that suggested Erykah Badu, Joanna Newsom, and Kate Bush spine-tinglingly joined".[12] The Line of Best Fit called her work, "mesmerizingly beautiful".[13]

The first single "The Machine" was remixed by Ed Harcourt and featured Fem Fel, which received an airplay on BBC Radio 1 and BBC London. Clash Music commentated about the track, "Fiona Bevan contrasts pastoral, acoustic textures with her golden, golden voice".[14]

The next single, "Rebel Without a Cause", was released in May 2014, with remixes by Anushka, who was signed to Gilles Peterson's Brownswood Recordings, and Mr. Hudson.

The single "They Sang Silent Night" was released in 2014 as a peacetime/Christmas song, marking the 100th anniversary of the Christmas Truce ceasefire when enemy troops united in peace to sing Silent Night across the trenches. A live version of the song aired on Christmas Day on national ABC radio in Australia, featuring Fiona accompanied by Jeremy Marou from Busby Marou on guitar.[15]

In December 2016, Fiona Bevan was featured on the Stefflon Don mix-tape Real Ting, with other artists such as Jeremih and Scouse Trappin Tremz. She wrote the song 'Forever' with Rymez and SteffLon Don, who was nominated for the BBC's Sound of 2017[16]).

In February 2017, the British newspaper The Observer identified Bevan's song "Little Things” in an article entitled "A History of the Love Song in 10 Tracks", as an important song in the digital era. The song, especially for young music listeners, have "tackled the physical inadequacies many young women feel in the age of social media and told them they were OK to have". She commented that, "it felt very important to write it like a feminist love song...Girls at that age – 12, 13, when their self-esteem is often rock bottom – need to hear those things said, so to hear them from their heroes is life-changing." Bevan received "hundreds of messages from girls on social media after the song grew in popularity.[17]

Bevan released a new solo EP, Wild Angels, Sweet Demons on Venus Climbing Records in 2018.[18]

Collaborations

[edit]

Ed Sheeran/One Direction

[edit]

Bevan co-wrote the One Direction song "Little Things" with Ed Sheeran, which appeared on their second studio album Take Me Home (2012).[2] In October 2012, Sheeran acknowledged her songwriting skills in an interview with the British radio network Capital FM, stating: "The great thing about it is I wrote that song with a girl called Fiona Bevan when I was 17 and we lost the song. I've kept in touch with Fiona, we've done gigs and stuff, and about two months ago she sent me the tune and was like, 'Oh, do you remember this?' I was like, 'Yeah, I do remember that', and I was in the studio with the One Direction boys at the time and I was playing it and they were like, 'We really like that'. It's got one of my favorite lines that I've ever written in a song."[19]

Carl Ryden/Steps

[edit]

In 2017, Fiona worked with the group Steps on their comeback album Tears on the Dancefloor.[20] "Scared of the Dark", the single she and Carl Ryden co-wrote for Steps, reached number 37 on the UK Singles Chart.[21]

Ben Haenow

[edit]

Bevan co-wrote "One Night" for Ben Haenow with Ben and producer duo Red Triangle (production team) for his deluxe debut album.[22] The album reached the top 10 in the UK and his subsequent 'One Night Tour' was also named after the track.[23]

Gwyneth Herbert

[edit]

Bevan co-wrote, with Gwyneth Herbert, two songs on Herbert's 2013 album The Sea Cabinet – "I Still Hear the Bells" and "The King's Shilling"– and performed with Herbert on the album and at its London launch at Wilton's Music Hall in May 2013.[24]

Laura Welsh

[edit]

With Laura Welsh, Bevan co-wrote the singles 'Red' and 'Concrete' from the 'See Red EP' which The Line Of Best Fit called "stunning".[25] Bevan also co-wrote Laura's previous single 'Sex and Violence' which was released as a 'Stream Only' premiere on Spin.com.[26][27]

ARCO

[edit]

With Neil Luck she co-composed music for and performed alongside the avant-garde string ensemble ARCO on Last Wane Days (squib-box), a two-act monodrama for voice and ensemble,[28] which was released on 12 March 2012. In a review, Tim Rutherford-Johnson said: "Bevan in particular can turn her voice on a dime. As co-composers, Luck and Bevan use sound and recurring motifs cleverly so that the rampant dislocations achieve an unexpected coherence and continuity. Serious artistry".[29]

Poussez Posse

[edit]

For several months in 2011, Bevan was joint lead guitarist in the Poussez Posse, a band fronted by Georgina Baillie and mentored by Adam Ant. Fellow members included other lead guitarists Danie Cox (later known as Danie Centric and Gobby Holder), bassist Molly Spiers MacLeod (daughter of Spizz), and drummer Rachael Smith. The last three later left to form the self-styled "flock rock" band The Featherz. This version of the Posse played several support slots for Ant in 2011 and recorded tracks for a planned single plus EP. It was replaced by a new line-up, still fronted by Baillie and including future Curse of Lono bassist Charis Anderson, which continued to support Ant on the UK, mainland European, and Australian tours until the end of 2012. Footage from 2011 of a band meeting of Bevan's lineup of the Poussez Posse at Ant's home is included in The Blueblack Hussar, a documentary about Ant directed by Jack Bond.[30][31]

Music for advertisements and television

[edit]

In the spring of 2015, Bevan's track "Slo Mo Tiger Glo" from her album Talk To Strangers was chosen as the theme music for the HSBC adverts aired in the UK and Ireland.[32] Her song "Beginners Luck" was used as the E! 2015 winter red carpet season USA track.[citation needed]

Discography

[edit]
Album Release date Label
Plant Your Heart[33] 16 November 2009[33] Fallen Idol
Talk to Strangers[34] 28 April 2014 Navigator Records
EP Release date Label
In the Swimming Pool 16 February 2007[6] Fiona Bevan
Us and the Darkness March 2011 Venus Climbing
Wild Angels Sweet Demoms November 2018[18] Venus Climbing

Songwriting credits

[edit]

  indicates a background vocal contribution.

Year Artist Album Song Co-written with
2012 One Direction Take Me Home "Little Things" Edward Sheeran
2014 5 Seconds of Summer 5 Seconds of Summer "Voodoo Doll" Calum Hood, Ashton Irwin, Adam Argyle
2015 Ben Haenow Ben Haenow "One Night" Benjamin Haenow, George Tizzard, Richard Parkhouse
2016 Max Non-album single "Christmas Song" Max Schneider, Matthew Radosevich
Tom Walker "Play Dead" Thomas Walker, Joshua Grant
Laura Welsh See Red EP "Red" Laura Welsh, Jonas Wallin
"Concrete" Laura Welsh, Jonas Wallin
Una Healy The Waiting Game "Angel Like You" Una Healy, Jez Ashurst
2017 Steps Tears on the Dancefloor "Scared of the Dark" Carl Ryden
Caitlyn Shadbolt Songs on My Sleeve "My Friends & I" Caitlyn Shadbolt, Mark Landon
Steps Tears on the Dancefloor "Neon Blue" Carl Ryden
Tom Walker Blessings EP "Rapture" Thomas Walker, Timothy Deal
Hey Violet From the Outside "Unholy" Nia Lovelis, Rena Lovelis, Miranda Miller, Casey Moreta, Julian Bunetta, David Pramik
Lights Skin & Earth "Skydiving" Lights Poxleitner, Matthew Radoisevich
Tom Walker Non-album single "Heartland" Thomas Walker, Shahid Kahn, Wesley Muoria-Chaves
Guy Sebastian Conscious "High On Me" Guy Sebastian, Mark Landon
Lights Skin & Earth "Morphine" Lights Poxleitner, Steve James Philbin
Mika Non-album single "It's My House" Michael Penniman Jr., Jonathan Quarmby
Steps Tears on the Dancefloor:
Crying at the Disco		 "Fool for You" Carl Ryden
Sonny Alven Non-album single "Cool with You"
(featuring Goldens)		 Sondre Alvestad, Jonny Wright, Simen Hope
Alexandru "Sellotape" James Newman, Maegan Cottone, Jack Walton
No Frills Twins "Lonely with You" Inna Rogers, Vanessa Rogers, Ash Howes, Richard Stannard
2018 Owen Thiele TBA "Some Like It Hot" Wynne Bennet
Aurora Infections of a Different
Kind (Step 1)		 "Queendom" Aurora Aksnes, James Edward Jacob, Couros Shebani
Natalie Prass The Future and the Past "Far from You" Natalie Prass
Lewis Capaldi Breach EP "Tough" Lewis Capaldi, Jonathan Quarmby
Tom Walker What a Time to Be Alive "My Way" Thomas Walker, Timothy Deal
LION LION "Oh No" Bethany Lowen
Aurora Infections of a Different
Kind (Step 1)		 "Gentle Earthquakes" Aurora Aksnes, James Edward Jacob, Couros Shebani
"Soft Universe" Aurora Aksnes, James Edward Jacob, Couros Shebani
Joseph J. Jones Built on Broken Bones Vol. 1 "Put the Word Out" Joseph Gibbons
"Angels Turn Away" Joseph Gibbons
Backstreet Boys DNA "Chances" Shawn Mendes, Scott Harris, Geoff Warburton, Ryan Tedder, Zach Skelton, Casey Smith
Andy Brown Non-album single "Put That Record On" Andrew Brown, Jonny Wright
2019 Claire Richards My Wildest Dreams "My Wildest Dreams" Steve Anderson
James Morrison You're Stronger Than You Know "Brighter Kind of Love" James Morrison, Jonathan Quarmby
311 Voyager "Good Feeling" Nicholas Hexon, Matthew Malpass, John Feldmann
Andy Black The Ghost of Ohio "Heroes We Were" Andrew Beirsack, Matthew Malpass, John Feldmann, Stephen Beerkens
Ashley Tisdale Symptoms "Insomnia" Ashley Tisdale, John Feldmann, Dylan McLean, Scott Stewart
Tom Walker What a Time to Be Alive "All That Matters" Thomas Walker, Timothy Deal
Aurora A Different Kind of Human (Step 2) "Hunger" Aurora Aksnes
2020 The Shires Good Years "On the Day I Die" Ben Earle, Peter Hammerton
"Independence Day" Ben Earle, Peter Hammerton
Steps What the Future Holds "Come and Dance with Me" Carl Ryden
Kylie Minogue Disco "Unstoppable" Kylie Minogue, Troy Miller
2021 Natalie Imbruglia Firebird "Build It Better" Natalie Imbruglia, Luke Fitton
"River" Natalie Imbruglia

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Victor Alfieri (16 March 2012). "Woman of Indie: Fiona Bevan – Us and Darkness". Indie Music Reviewer. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  2. ^ a b Take Me Home (liner notes). One Direction. Syco Records. 2012.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. ^ "Fiona Bevan Wins BMI Award for co writing One Direction song". Westminster University. 20 October 2014. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  4. ^ Singer offers free song-writing classes – Suffolk Free Press Archived 4 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2 November 2011.
  5. ^ "Chart success for songwriter and former Colchester schoolgirl Fiona Bevan". Daily Gazette. Colchester. 20 November 2012. Archived from the original on 6 December 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  6. ^ a b "Fiona Bevan: In the Swimming Pool". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 5 October 2017. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  7. ^ "New Music:Fiona Bevan". Music Liberation. 22 November 2009. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  8. ^ "Fiona Bevan – Us & The Darkness". Discogs. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  9. ^ "Winter Hunter Remixes MP3 Music". CD Universe. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  10. ^ "For Folk's Sake Christmas 2011 (2011)". For Folk's Sake. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  11. ^ "Fiona Bevan – Talk To Strangers". Discogs.com. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  12. ^ John Fordham. "Gwyneth Herbert – review". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  13. ^ "Stream Fiona Bevan's "The Machine" at Best Fit". The Line Of Best Fit. Archived from the original on 2 March 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  14. ^ "Track of the Day 10/2 – Fiona Bevan". Clash Magazine. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  15. ^ "New Single: Fiona Bevan – They Sang Silent Night". Navigator Records. 24 November 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  16. ^ "SteffLon Don". BBC Sound of 2017. BBC. Archived from the original on 2 December 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  17. ^ Rogers, Jude (12 February 2017). "A History of the love song in 10 tracks". The Observer. p. 13. Archived from the original on 12 February 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  18. ^ a b "Fiona Bevan releases wonderful new EP 'Wild Angels Sweet Demons'". Laurel Canyon Music. Archived from the original on 19 April 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  19. ^ Corner, Lewis (25 October 2012). "One Direction new single contains my favorite lyrics, says Ed Sheeran". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 27 October 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  20. ^ Homewood, Ben. "Steps reveal services deal with Absoute for comeback album". Music Week. Archived from the original on 8 March 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  21. ^ "Scared of the dark | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts. Archived from the original on 28 March 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  22. ^ "Ben Haenow – One Night lyrics | Musixmatch". musiXmatch. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  23. ^ "Ben Haenow Announces Headline "One Night Tour' Dates For 2016 – SuprTickets". SuprTickets. Archived from the original on 28 March 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  24. ^ John Fordham (28 May 2013). "Gwyneth Herbert – review: Wilton's Music Hall, London". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 February 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  25. ^ "Track By Track: Laura Welsh on new EP See Red". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  26. ^ "Laura Welsh drafts Fiona Bevan for new song "Sex & Violence" – Hamada Mania Music Blog". Hamada Mania Music Blog. 22 October 2015. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  27. ^ "Laura Welsh Cracks Herself Open on 'Sex & Violence'". Spin. 21 October 2015. Archived from the original on 24 November 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  28. ^ "New release- Last Wane Days". Squib. 17 March 2012. Archived from the original on 2 January 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  29. ^ Tim Rutherford-Johnson (5 April 2012). "Pocket reviews for April". Neil Luck, Fiona Bevan, ARCO – Last Wane Days. The Rambler. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  30. ^ "The sisters of song: Fiona Bevan and Kal Lavelle". dailyecho.co.uk. 15 August 2014. Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  31. ^ "More than one direction for Fiona Bevan". The Irish Times. 17 April 2014. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  32. ^ "Fiona Bevan's Slo Mo Tiger Glo featured in the new HSBC advert". Navigator Records. April 2015. Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  33. ^ a b "Plant Your Heart — Fiona Bevan". Last.fm. Archived from the original on 19 April 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  34. ^ "'Talk To Strangers' Debut Album by English Folk Singer Fiona Bevan". Worldmusiccentral.org. 2 May 2014. Archived from the original on 19 April 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
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