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Paloma Faith | |
|---|---|
_(53837667576)_(cropped).jpg) Faith in June 2024 | |
| Born | Paloma Faith Blomfield (1981-07-21)21 July 1981 (age 44) Stoke Newington, London, England |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2007–present |
| Spouse | |
| Partner | Leyman Lahcine (2012–2022) |
| Children | 2 |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Labels | |
| Website | www |
Musical artist | |
Paloma Faith Blomfield (born 21 July 1981) is an English singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. After signing withEpic Records in 2008, Faith released her debut album,Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful? (2009), which produced the UK top-twenty singles "Stone Cold Sober" and "New York". Her second album,Fall to Grace (2012), charted at number two on theUK Albums Chart, earned her twoBrit Award nominations, and spawned her first UK top-ten single "Picking Up the Pieces" and the top-twenty cover version ofINXS's "Never Tear Us Apart".
Faith's third album,A Perfect Contradiction (2014), was certifieddouble platinum by theBritish Phonographic Industry and spawned the UK top-ten singles "Can't Rely on You" and "Only Love Can Hurt Like This", with the latter topping the charts in Australia. She collaborated with the duoSigma on the 2014 single "Changing", which charted atop theUK Singles Chart. Her fourth album,The Architect (2017), debuted at number one in the UK, becoming Faith's first number one album. In 2018, she co-wrote and featured on DJSigala's single "Lullaby". Her next two albums,Infinite Things (2020) andThe Glorification of Sadness (2024), both reached the top-five in the UK.
As an actress, Faith appeared in the filmsStTrinian's (2007),The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009),Dread (2009),Youth (2015), and the television seriesPennyworth (2019–2022). She has also served as a coach on the television talent showThe Voice UK (2016) and its spin-offThe Voice Kids (2020). In 2024, Faith released thememoir,MILF, which became aSunday Times Bestseller. In 2025, she was a contestant on the reality television showThe Celebrity Traitors.[1]
Paloma Faith Blomfield was born in theHackney area ofLondon on 21 July 1981, the daughter of an English mother and Spanish father.[2] Both of her parents were raised inNorfolk.[3] Her parents separated when she was two years old and divorced two years later. She was raised by her mother inStoke Newington, although she maintains a close relationship with her paternal grandmother.[4] As a child, she took ballet classes inDalston.[5] After completing herA-levels atCity and Islington College,[6] she went on to study for a degree incontemporary dance at theNorthern School of Contemporary Dance inLeeds,[7] while working as ahip-hop dancer at the nightclub LoveDough. She then studied for anMA in theatre directing atCentral Saint Martins College of Art and Design and took various part-time jobs as a sales assistant atAgent Provocateur, a singer in aburlesquecabaret, a bartender, alife model, and amagician's assistant.[4]
Faith's first foray into music began when she mimicked famoussoul andjazz singers includingEtta James andBillie Holiday, whom she admires and cites as influences for her own work.[4][8] She met her managers Jamie Binns andChristian Wåhlberg of Lateral Management in 2007.[9] Binns had been tipped off by the producer Peanut, a client who had recently worked with Faith in his studio and been impressed.[10] He met up with Faith shortly afterwards and was "completely blown away", later saying, "I wasn't sure what this girl was going to do – she was an actress and a singer – but there was just something about her in that artistic realness that when I came out of the meeting I called Christian and said, 'We have to do something with this girl!'"[10]
During her time at college, Faith worked in a pub where the manager asked her to front his band, which they later called Paloma and the Penetrators.[11] During a performance with the band at a cabaret show, she was scouted by anA&R man fromEpic Records, who invited her to sing for the manager of the label.[11] 20 minutes into the audition, she asked the manager to turn his phone off; when he refused, she walked out.[11][12] The manager later called her and offered her a contract, claiming that he had seen many acts since their meeting but none had been as memorable as her.[11] She turned down an opportunity to joinAmy Winehouse's band in order to write and perform her own songs.[13] Her first recognised work was the song "It's Christmas (and I Hate You)", which she recorded as a duet withJosh Weller in 2008.[14]
In June 2009, Faith released her debut single "Stone Cold Sober", which reached number 17 on theUK Singles Chart.[15] Her second single, "New York", was released in September 2009,[16] charting at number 15 in the UK.[17] It was later re-released as an updated version featuring rapperGhostface Killah.[18] In September 2009, she released her debut album,Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful?,[19] for which she wrote or co-wrote all of the songs in the UK, Sweden and America.[20] It debuted at number 14 on theUK Albums Chart and later peaked at number nine, remaining in the chart for 16 weeks.[21] and becomingBBC Radio 2's "Album of the Week" from 19 September 2009.[19] She released her third single, the album'stitle track in December 2009.[22] The song peaked at number 64 in the UK.[23] In the same year, Faith appeared as a vocalist onBasement Jaxx'sScars album and American hip-hop artistMF Doom's album,Born Like This.[24][25]
In March 2010, Faith released her fourth single "Upside Down", which reached number 55 in the UK. To promote the album, she embarked on her first headliningtour of the UK and Ireland commencing in March.[26]The Times described the tour as being "full of theatrical artifice, but based on the rock-solid foundation of [Faith]'s sensational singing voice and a personality that sparkled like a rough diamond".[27] She performed a live set for the BBC'sRadio 2 Introduces... and gave an interview to hostDermot O'Leary.[28] Faith performed at numerous festivals throughout that summer, includingT4 on the Beach, theCheltenham Jazz Festival and the 2010iTunes Festival.[29][30] In May 2010, Faith featured on the theme song "Keep Moving" to the 2010 British film4.3.2.1, alongsideAdam Deacon andBashy.[31] In October 2010, Faith released "Smoke & Mirrors" as the final single from her debut album.[32][33]
In January 2011, Faith was nominated for British Female Solo Artist at the2011 BRIT Awards,[34] where she also performed "Forget You" alongsideCee Lo Green.[35] She appeared on the charity single "Hard Times" withPlan B andElton John in May 2011.[36] In May 2012, Faith released her second studio albumFall to Grace.[37][38] She enlisted record producersNellee Hooper andJake Gosling to work with her on the project.[38][39] The album charted at number two on theUK Albums Chart.[40] The album's first single "Picking Up the Pieces" reached number seven on theUK Singles Chart, becoming Faith's first top ten single.[41][42] In May 2012, Faith joinedThe Voice UK as one of four guest mentors.[43] She worked with coachDanny O'Donoghue during the battle rounds phase of the competition[43] and also performed "Picking Up the Pieces" during the results show.[44]
In August 2012, Faith released "30 Minute Love Affair" as the second single fromFall to Grace.[45] She recorded a version ofINXS's "Never Tear Us Apart" for aJohn Lewis advertisement, which began airing on television from September 2012.[46] It was later included on the album as a single.[47] Faith released "Just Be" as the fourth single from the album on in December 2012. She performed the track onLater... with Jools Holland.[48] In early 2013, Faith embarked on a headline UK and Ireland tour in support of the album.[49] She received two nominations at the 2013BRIT Awards; for Best Female and for Best British Album forFall to Grace.[50] The album has been certified double platinum by theBritish Phonographic Industry for sales in excess of 700,000 copies.[51]
In January 2013, Faith revealed that she had begun to write her third studio album during her time in the US. Later that year, she headlined theEvolution Festival in Newcastle upon Tyne. In March 2014, Faith's third albumA Perfect Contradiction was released.[52] It became her fastest-selling album to date, debuting at number two in the UK and receiving a double platinum certification.[53] The lead single "Can't Rely on You" produced byPharrell Williams, became her second top ten in the UK.[54][55] The album's second single "Only Love Can Hurt Like This", written byDiane Warren,[56] became her most successful single to date, reaching number six in the UK, number one in Australia and number three in New Zealand. After the success of the single, the album reached a new peak of number four in Australia.[57] The album's third single, "Trouble with My Baby" was released in August 2014.[58]
In September 2014, British drum and bass duoSigma released their single "Changing", featuring vocals from Faith. It debuted at number one in the UK, becoming her first UK number one single.[59] In November 2014, a repackaged "Outsider's Edition" of her third album was released featuring four new songs including the single "Ready for the Good Life".[60] The same month, Faith joined the charity groupBand Aid 30 along with other British and Irish pop acts, recording a new version of the track "Do They Know It's Christmas?" to raise money for the2014 Ebola crisis inWest Africa.[61] At the2015 Brit Awards, Faith won the award for British Female Solo Artist, becoming her first win.[62]
In June 2015, Faith confirmed that she had started the process of creating her fourth studio album. She made reference toJimi Hendrix andJanis Joplin as inspirations for the record.[63][64] In August 2015, it was announced that Faith would become a coach onThe Voice UK.[65] She also launched her ownmanagement andpublishing company.[66][67]
In August 2017, Faith returned with the lead single "Crybaby" from her fourth album entitledThe Architect. The album was later released in November, debuting at number one on theUK Albums Chart, becoming Faith's first UK chart-topping album.[68] Three further singles from the album have been released: "Guilty", "'Til I'm Done" and "Warrior". In February 2018, Faith released a collaboration with DJSigala, "Lullaby", which charted at number six in the UK, becoming her fourth top ten single as a lead artist and fifth overall.[69] The following month, Faith covered the 1960s song "Make Your Own Kind of Music" byMama Cass. It featured in a TV commercial byŠkoda which was heavily played throughout the year, causing the track to chart at number 28 in the UK.[70] In November 2018, Faith released a re-issue "Zeitgeist Edition" ofThe Architect, featuring six new songs including "Make Your Own Kind of Music", "Lullaby" and "Loyal".[71]
In 2020, Faith reprised her role as a coach onThe Voice UK's children's counterpart,The Voice Kids for itsfourth series. In August 2020, the title of her fifth studio album was announced asInfinite Things.[72]
In October 2023, Faith announced that "How You Leave a Man", the lead single from her sixth album, would be released on 11 October. With the release, she announced a nationwide tour to would begin in April 2024; the album,The Glorification of Sadness, was released on 16 February 2024. Faith announced the album is inspired by the separation of her long-term relationship.[73]
On 31 January 2024, it was announced that Faith would be a headline performance atCamp Bestival atWeston Park inShropshire in August 2024.[74] On 28 January 2025 Faith launched her first podcast "Mad, Sad & Bad".[75]
In 2007, Faith appeared in an episode of theBBC police dramaHolbyBlue portraying a thief. She was cast as Andrea inSt Trinian's in 2007. Faith was also cast inTerry Gilliam'sThe Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus as Sally, the girlfriend of the Devil (played byTom Waits) in 2009.[76] She appeared in the horror filmDread as Clara Thornhill. She later starred in theChannel 4 seriesComing Up and the short filmA Nice Touch. Of getting the part, she stated "I don't think they even knew I was an actress. I went to an audition and they said that they liked my interpretation of the character and I said, 'I'm just being myself'."[77] In 2013, she appeared ascabaret performer Georgia, in a television adaptation ofP. G. Wodehouse'sBlandings (episode "The Crime Wave at Blandings") on theBBC.[78] In 2015 she appeared as herself inPaolo Sorrentino'sYouth. Later that year, Faith also appeared asTinker Bell in the TV filmPeter & Wendy, based onJ. M. Barrie's novelPeter Pan.
In 2018, Faith was cast as the lead villainess in theEpix seriesPennyworth, aBatman prequel.[79] She also voices Portia the goth poodle on101 Dalmatian Street.
In 2016, Faith became a judge onThe Voice UK. She remained on the panel for one series, owing to her pregnancy.[80] She returned to the show in 2020 to judge its spin-off seriesThe Voice Kids UK. In 2024, Faith releasedMILF, a memoir focusing on motherhood and womanhood. It became aSunday Times Bestseller.[81][82][83] In May 2025, Faith was announced as a contestant on the upcoming first series ofThe Celebrity Traitors.[1] She was the first contestant to be "murdered", in episode two afterAlan Carr "murdered" her in plain sight.[84]
Faith is known for herretro and eccentric style. She is amezzo-soprano. Her music often blendssoul and elements ofjazz andgospel; she has been consequently compared toAmy Winehouse,Adele andDuffy.[85][86][87]
During an episode ofThe Voice UK, Faith said she once read an article that called music artistKT Tunstall old despite being only 27 at the time. As she was 27 herself at the time, Faith felt pressure to lie about her age when trying to acquire a record deal, and claimed to be 23.[88] She later admitted to lying about her age, saying, "I want to be judged for my music, not my age", and would frequently change her age onWikipedia until a fan provided her birth certificate.[89]
Faith married New Zealand chef Rian Haynes in 2005; they separated after eight months and were divorced in 2009.[90] She later said of the marriage, "It was just a young, frivolous thing. We were in our early twenties and we did something quickly and realised it was a mistake. But we're still close. I am still friends with him. All my other relationships were the ones that screwed me up, not that one!"[91]
In August 2016, it was revealed that Faith was expecting her first child with long-term boyfriend Leyman Lahcine.[92] She gave birth to a daughter in December 2016,[93] and had a second daughter in February 2021.[94][95] In an October 2023 interview withThe Independent, she stated that after their 10-year relationship had ended, but would not confirm that they had been married.[73]
In March 2024, Faith signed anOxfam letter calling for an end toUKarms exports toIsrael.[96] On December 13, 2024, Faith held abenefit concert alongsidePaul Weller,Kneecap,Primal Scream,Liam Bailey andLowkey, which raised over £115,000 forMedical Aid for Palestinians.[97][98] In March 2025, Faith gave a speech at a protest against theMarch 2025 Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, saying: "I know that Israel has violated every ceasefire agreement it has ever signed. But even with that knowledge, after months of watching thisgenocide, I wasn't prepared for the new depths of brutality that Israel has descended to."[98]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | St Trinian's | Andrea | |
| 2009 | The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus | Sally | |
| Dread | Clara Thornhill | ||
| 2012 | A Nice Touch | Alma | Short film |
| 2015 | Youth | Herself |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Mayo | Goth Girl | Episode: "Killing Me Softly" |
| The Impressionists | Renoir's Model | 1 episode | |
| Tricky TV | Coach | ||
| 2007 | HolbyBlue | Donna Reynolds | Episode: 1.7 |
| Tittybangbang | Hairsalon Customer / Nurse | Series 3, episodes 2 and 4 | |
| Dogface | Various | Episode: 1.4 | |
| 2009 | Never Mind the Buzzcocks | Herself | Guest; 2 episodes |
| 2010 | |||
| Coming Up | Rainy | Episode: "I Don't Care" | |
| 2010–2017 | Celebrity Juice | Herself | Guest; 10 episodes |
| 2012 | The Voice UK | Battle Advisor | Series 1 Battle Round |
| 2013 | Blandings | Georgia | Episode: "The Crimewave at Blandings" |
| Let's Dance For Comic Relief | Guest Judge | ||
| 2015 | Peter & Wendy | Tinker Bell | Television film |
| Brit Awards 2015 | Performer | ||
| 2016 | The Voice UK | Coach / Judge | |
| 2017 | Sounds Like Friday Night | Guest Host | |
| 2019–2022 | Pennyworth | Bet Sykes | Main role (24 episodes) |
| 2019–2020 | 101 Dalmatian Street | Portia Poodle (voice) | Recurring role (7 episodes) |
| 2020 | The Voice Kids UK | Coach / Judge | Series 4 |
| 2022 | Dangerous Liaisons | Florence de Regnier | |
| 2024 | The Great Celebrity Bake Off for SU2C | Contestant | 1 episode |
| 2025 | The Celebrity Traitors | Series 1 |
| Year | Organisation | Award | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | ATC Hitz Awards | Best New Act Female Singer | Herself | Nominated |
| 2010 | Clothes Show Style Awards | The Best Dressed Woman of the Year | ||
| 2011 | Brit Awards | British Female Solo Artist | ||
| ASCAP Awards | ASCAP College Award | Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful? | Won | |
| MPG Awards | UK Single of the Year 2010 | Nominated | ||
| UK Music Video Awards | Best Styling in a Video | "Smoke & Mirrors" | ||
| 2012 | Best Pop Video | "Picking Up the Pieces" | ||
| 4Music Video Honours | Best Video | |||
| 2013 | MPG Awards | UK Single Song Release of the Year | ||
| UK Album of the Year | Fall to Grace | |||
| Brit Awards | MasterCard British Album of the Year | |||
| British Female Solo Artist | Herself | |||
| Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women Award | Cosmopolitan's Style Icon | Won | ||
| 2014 | MP3 Music Awards | The JSB Award | "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" | Nominated |
| The HDT Award | "Changing" withSigma | Won | ||
| Urban Music Awards | Best Music Video | "Can't Rely on You" | Nominated | |
| UK Music Video Awards | Best Video Artist | Herself | ||
| Best Colour Grade in a Video | "Can't Rely on You" | |||
| "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" | Won | |||
| Xperia Access Q Awards | Best Video | Nominated | ||
| World Music Awards | World's Best Album | Fall to Grace | ||
| Pro Sound Awards | Best Recording Production | A Perfect Contradiction | Won | |
| O2 Silver Clef Awards | Best British Act Award | Herself | ||
| Attitude Awards | Music Gong | |||
| Glamour Awards | Best Solo UK Artist | |||
| 2015 | Brit Awards | British Female Solo Artist | ||
| International Dance Music Awards | Best Dubstep/Drum & Bass Track | "Changing" withSigma | Nominated | |
| 2018 | Global Awards | Best Female | Herself | |
| Best Appeal | ||||
| Best British Artist or Group | ||||
| Brit Awards | British Female Solo Artist | |||
| Music Week Awards | Artist Marketing Champaign | |||
| Webby Awards | Celebrity/Fan | www.palomafaith.com | ||
| 2019 | Brit Awards | British Single of the Year | "Lullaby" (withSigala) | |
| Global Awards | Mass Appeal Award | Herself | Nominated | |
| Music Week Awards | Music & Brand Partnership | Herself (withŠkoda) | Won | |
| UK Music Video Awards | Best Choreography | "Loyal" | Nominated | |
| Best Colour Grading | Nominated | |||
| Shark Music Video Awards[105] | Nominated | |||
| D&AD Awards[106] | Best Production Design | Nominated | ||
| Clio Awards[107] | Music Marketing | Paloma's Bedtime Alexa Skill | Nominated | |
| 2020 | Attitude Awards | Honorary Gay | Herself | Won |
| 2021 | Pop Awards[108] | Song of the Year | "Better Than This" | Nominated |
| 2022 | Berlin Music Video Awards[109] | Most Bizarre | "Monster" | Won |
| 2023 | British LGBT Awards[110] | Advocacy | Herself | Won |
| 2024 | Artist & Manager Awards[111] | The Icon Award | Won |
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