Imagine a singer-song-writer in a rap group, traveling across the United States (U.S.), who has studied Buddhism in Scotland and fallen 40 feet from a cherry picker has worked as a magician, plumber’s assistant, cave tour guide, and photograph salesperson, all in just two decades of life. Lucy Spraggan has led an extremely interesting life, and it is manifested in her music. From her songs, listeners get to observe the world through Spraggan’s eyes.
Even if Canterbury-born, Sheffield-raised Lucy Spraggan’s music career has just begun to take off, she has a long list of achievements trailing her name. After she finished second on the famed British audition show, Live and Unsigned, her self-released debut album, Top Room at the Zoo (2011), made it to number two on the UK Top 40 Indie Albums Chart. Soon after, she appeared on the popular television audition program, X-Factor 2012. Although she had to drop out mid-season due to health issues, it led to her signing with Columbia Records, the home of artists such as Bob Dylan, Kings of Leon, and MGMT. She released her first full-length album, Join the Club in 2013, as well as numerous digital singles.
"Everybody experiments–that is life.” Spraggan’s view of life seems to be reflected in her music. She has described her music as a mix between acoustic pop, folk, and hip-hop, and affectionately calls it A-Flop. These different genres mix together to create a wonderfully refreshing sound with a distinctive brighten-your-day sort of acoustic pop sound. Take a listen, and see the world through Spraggan’s eyes.
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| ▲ Lucy Spraggan. Provided by metro.co.uk. | ||
Spraggan has come a long way from her X-Factor days. Listening to her two albums—Join the Club and We Are (2015)—released since her appearance on the show, her main themes-a love of life, disappointments, hope, and humor—are obvious. Her most recent album , We Are, showcases more depth in her vocals and more mature lyrics. One especially endearing aspect of Spraggan’s music, other than her sweet Yorkshire accent, is that her songs all have her experiences woven into them. They tell stories of mistakes, happy times, love, and hilarity. Many listeners will find themselves pleasantly entangled in Spraggan’s narrative.
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| ▲ Album cover of We Are. Provided by lucyspraggan.com. | ||
Spraggan’s songs are like diamonds in the rough that do not need cutting to be beautiful. “Last Night (Beer Fear)” is perfect for blasting full volume on a night out with friends. It is a fun and upbeat number that anyone can connect with and say “Oh I’ve been through that before,” “Tea and Toast” will brighten people’s days; who wouldn’t want to hear “Skies will clear up, my darling,” after a particularly rough day?
Her more recent tracks do not fall far from the tree. “IOU” is an upbeat song with a reggae beat. “Uninspired” is a big treat for listeners who just want to indulge themselves in Spraggan’s beautiful vocals. With minimal instrumentation, the lyrics and singing speak out. Tired of everyday life? Lucy Spraggan’s refreshingly honest music will get anyone back on feet.
Kim DaHyun
byejen@korea.ac.kr