UK singer-songwriter Paloma Faith is definitely a name to look out for – her third album A Perfect Contradiction is already one of the top five best-selling UK albums of the year, and it promises to take the U.S. and the rest of the world by storm after its worldwide release this week.
Known for her outspoken opinions and eccentric fashion sense, Faith has been compared to singers from Amy Winehouse and Adele to Florence Welch and Annie Lennox. And it’s no surprise, considering her songs span a variety of genres, including soul, funk and pop.
Her career kicked off in 2009 with first album Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful?, including the hauntingly beautiful title track as well as breakup ballad “New York” and the catchy first single “Stone Cold Sober”:
Originally trained as a dancer and a theatre director, Faith also has some acting experience under her belt; she starred in 2007 film St. Trinian’s and 2009’s The Imaginarium of Doctor Pernassus as Sally, the devil’s girlfriend. She’s also worked on The Voice UK as one of the mentors, but declined a permanent position as a judge on the X Factor, saying that she was not “emotionally equipped to deal with the scrutiny and that level of celebrity”.
In 2011, she lent her vocals alongside Elton John to a Plan B track titled “Hard Times”, the proceeds of which went to benefit victims of the Pakistan floods.
Her second album Fall to Grace was released in 2012 and includes “Picking Up the Pieces”, about being in a relationship with someone who hasn’t gotten over their last one, and her cover of INXS track “Never Tear Us Apart”:
More recently, her vocals were featured on one of this season’s hottest dance songs and this week’s chart-topper, Sigma’s “Changing”:
But perhaps the biggest testimony to her growing fame is the fact that she is one of the featured artists in this cover of the Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows”, produced by BBC to celebrate the launch of BBC Music and including a range of today’s top musicians:
Her just released third album A Perfect Contradiction is already one of the biggest selling albums of the year, and includes singles “Only Love Can Hurt Like This”, written by legendary songwriter Diane Warren, and “Can’t Rely On You”, which was co-written and produced by Pharrell Williams:
And the latest offering from A Perfect Contradiction is brand new upbeat track “Ready for the Good Life”, featured on a re-released and repackaged version of the album:
WE SAID THIS: Don’t miss this Q&A with the founder of Cairo’s Music Tent, the hottest new music venue this season!