Jake Bugg | |
|---|---|
 Bugg at theSWR3 New Pop Festival inBaden-Baden, 2013 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Jake Edwin Charles Kennedy (1994-02-28)28 February 1994 (age 31) Nottingham, England |
| Genres | |
| Occupations | Singer-songwriter, musician |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, piano |
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Labels | Mercury,RCA |
| Website | jakebugg |
Jake Bugg (bornJake Edwin Charles Kennedy[2][3] on 28 February 1994) is an English singer-songwriter. His self-titled debut album,Jake Bugg, some of which was co-written with songwriterIain Archer, was released in October 2012 and reached number one on theUK Albums Chart. His second album,Shangri La, was released in November 2013, and his third, largely self-produced album,On My One, in June 2016. His fourth album,Hearts That Strain, a largely acoustic effort produced byDan Auerbach, was released in September 2017. After a gap of four years, in August 2021, Bugg released the more pop-influenced fifth albumSaturday Night, Sunday Morning.
Jake Bugg was born Jake Edwin Charles Kennedy inNottingham to musical parents who separated when he was young.[4] His father, David Bugg,[5] was a nurse, and his mother worked in sales, both parents having previously made recordings.[6] He grew up in theClifton council estate of Nottingham and started playing guitar at the age of 12 after being introduced to the instrument by his uncle Mark. He attendedFarnborough School Technology College in Clifton. He has described a formative musical moment when, aged 12, he heardDon McLean's "Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)" onan episode ofThe Simpsons.[7] He was enrolled in a music technology course but, by the age of 16, he had dropped out and was writing and performing his own songs.[3]
Bugg was selected to perform on the "BBC Introducing" stage at the2011Glastonbury Festival at age 16 after submitting material to their website, and subsequently signed toMercury Records.[8] His songs were then placed on various BBC Radio playlists, with "Country Song" being used in a national TV beer commercial forGreene King IPA.[9][10]
Bugg's self-titled debut album was released on 15 October 2012.[11] Talking about Bugg and his debut,Clash hailed the "precocious talent fusing retro folk with blistering contemporary rock riffs".[12] On 21 October 2012 the song "Two Fingers" charted at 28 in the UK while the album reached number one in the UK charts.[13] The album has sold 604,100 copies in the United Kingdom and is the 57th best selling album of the 2010s decade.[14] Bugg's touring band drummer Jack Atherton and bassist Tom "Robbo" Robertson performed on five songs on the album.
On 22 May 2012, Bugg appeared on the BBC music programmeLater... with Jools Holland. In August 2012, Bugg was a support act forNoel Gallagher's High Flying Birds atBelsonic Music Festival, Belfast.[15] On 1 October 2012, he performed live on theBBC Radio 6 Music programmeLive at Maida Vale.
Bugg had been inMalibu working withRick Rubin andIain Archer, and had had some interactions withChad Smith from theRed Hot Chili Peppers, working on the drums to some of his songs, including the single "Broken". On 8 September 2013, Bugg tweeted, "2nd album done! Hope you're all well!" On 23 September 2013, Bugg announced his new album,Shangri La, along with a new single, "What Doesn't Kill You".Shangri La was released on 18 November 2013.[16] This album is named after the studio Bugg recorded it in.[17] As well as Chad Smith,Shangri La includesElvis Costello's drummerPete Thomas.[18] The album generally received positive reviews from the music community.[19] Bugg was one of five nominees for the 2013Brit Award for "British Breakthrough Act", which was voted on byBBC Radio 1 listeners.[20] The award was won byBen Howard.
On 28 June, Bugg performed an afternoon set on the Pyramid Stage at the2013Glastonbury Festival, making him the first artist that has moved from the BBC Introducing Stage to the Main Pyramid stage in successive years.[21] On 12 July, Bugg played the Radio 1 Stage atT in the Park. On 13 July, he supportedthe Rolling Stones atHyde Park in London.[22] On 20 July, Bugg headlined at the Splendour festival in Nottingham.[23] On 2 August, Bugg performed at theOsheaga Festival in the Parc Jean-Drapeau, Montreal, Quebec. On 23–25 August, Bugg performed at theReading and Leeds Festival on the Radio 1/NME stage. On 13 October, Bugg performed atthe Fonda Theatre in Hollywood, California. That same month, he was also at the River Stage atOttawa Bluesfest and performed at thePaléo Festival nearLake Geneva inSwitzerland.
In February 2014, Bugg performed at theRoyal Albert Hall in London and was joined on stage byJohnny Marr andMichael Kiwanuka.[24][25]
On 5 October 2014, at Cardiff, he played for the first time two new songs: "Down the Avenue" and "Hold on You". A new song, "Feel What's Good", was used onthe soundtrack of the filmThe Giver.
Bugg's song "Simple As This" was featured in the filmThe Fault in Our Stars.[26] The song "Me and You" was featured in the filmDumb and Dumber To.
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Speaking toNME in early 2015, Bugg said that he was working on his third album, of which "the content of the songs was much darker" than earlier work. On the 16 February 2016 he released free of charge a new song: "On My One".[27] On 25 February, his new single "Gimme the Love" debuted on BBC Radio 1. Bugg also talked about the forthcoming albumOn My One, announcing its release for June.[28] On 26 February, he announced the album would be released on 17 June. He also shared the track list and revealed the artwork.[29] In May 2016, a number of tour dates in London and Nottingham for June were announced.[30] His 2012 single "Trouble Town" was used as the theme for each of the three BBC TV seriesHappy Valley broadcast in 2014, 2016 and 2023.
On 2 August 2017, Bugg's new single "How Soon the Dawn" was played on BBC Radio 1, hosted byAnnie Mac. On 4 August, Bugg released the single on all platforms with a music video. He later announced his fourth studio album titledHearts That Strain. It was released on 1 September 2017. He will embark on an acoustic tour through November to support the new album.[31] Bugg also released a piano-laden song with the American singerNoah Cyrus called "Waiting".
In December 2018, Bugg signed to Sony'sRCA label in a bid to relaunch his career.[32][33]
On 26 October 2020, Bugg issued the single "All I Need".[34] The song followed "Rabbit Hole" and "Saviours Of The City", the latter of which was the Nottingham singer-songwriter's first new music of 2020 when it was shared in April. He accompanied the release with a short film.[35]
On 19 March 2021, it was announced that Bugg was due to release his fifth album,Saturday Night, Sunday Morning, in August 2021, featuring previously released singles "All I Need" and "Kiss Like the Sun". The album, his first effort under the Sony RCA label, was expected to be accompanied by a UK tour in Spring 2022.[36]
Bugg then joinedLiam Gallagher andJohn Squire as a special guest on their international tour, which commenced in March 2024 in promotion of theirnew self-titled album.[37]
Bugg played guitar on theJohnny Blue Skies albumPassage du Desir in 2024.
On 4 October 2024, Bugg released his sixth studio albumA Modern Day Distraction under RCA Records. It was originally announced on 17 May 2024 to release on 20 September 2024, pre-order available, but the release date was pushed back for unknown reasons. With hints ofrock andpop, this album features lots of guitars and a "lively, spontaneous feel."[38]
Bugg announced the dates of the Modern Day Distraction U.S tour, with tickets going on sale on July 19. There were four different shows with locations in New York, Illinois, Tennessee, and California, with dates in early to mid October, just days after the album was released.[39]
The lead single of the album, "Zombieland", and its official video were released the same day the album was announced, and was also the first song written on the album.
Bugg said himself that he had started working on his seventh album, weeks beforeA Modern Day Distraction had come out.[38]
In April 2013, Bugg was reported to be in a relationship with English model, actress, and singerCara Delevingne.[40][41] In 2017, it was reported that Bugg was in a relationship with model Roxy Horner.[42] The couple parted two years later.[citation needed]
In June 2017, Bugg was confirmed as the shirt sponsor of his favourite and local football team,Notts County, taking the November slot in a season-long rotation.[43] In September 2020, the club announced that Bugg would sponsor their away shirt during the 2020–2021 season.[44]
Studio albums
| Year | Television show | Performing | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| BBC 2The Review Show | "Trouble Town" | January 2012 | |
| 2012 | Later... with Jools Holland | "Trouble Town", "Country Song" & "Lightning Bolt" | Series 40, Episode 6[45] |
| Hootenanny | "Lightning Bolt" & "Two Fingers" | Annual Hootenanny 2012–2013[46] | |
| 2013 | Conan | "Two Fingers" | 17 January 2013[47] |
| The Ellen DeGeneres Show | "Lightning Bolt" | Series 10, Episode 129[48] | |
| The Graham Norton Show | "Broken" | Series 13, Episode 13[49] | |
| Late Show with David Letterman | "Lightning Bolt" | Series 20, Episode 129[50] | |
| The Tonight Show with Jay Leno | "Lightning Bolt" | Series 21, Episode 68[51] | |
| Conan | "What Doesn't Kill You" | 1 October 2013[47] | |
| Later... with Jools Holland | "What Doesn't Kill You", "Slumville Sunrise" & "A Song About Love" | Series 43, Episode 4[52] | |
| The Tonight Show with Jay Leno | "What Doesn't Kill You" | Series 21, Episode 206[53] | |
| 2014 | The Graham Norton Show | "A Song About Love" | Series 14, Episode 11[54] |
| The Ellen DeGeneres Show | "A Song About Love" | Series 11, Episode 91[55] | |
| American Idol | "Me and You" | Series 13, Episode 15[56] | |
| The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon | "Me and You" | 14 March 2014[57] | |
| 2016 | Jimmy Kimmel Live! | "Gimme the Love", "Lightning Bolt" | March 15, 2016 |
| Late Night with Seth Meyers | "Love, Hope and Misery" | June 7, 2016 | |
| The Andrew Marr Show | "Love, Hope and Misery" | 19 June 2016[58] | |
| 2021 | The Graham Norton Show | "All I Need" | Series 28, Episode 13[59] |
| Year | Organisation | Award | Nominated | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | BRIT Awards[60] | British Breakthrough Act | Himself | Nominated |
| Žebřík Music Awards[61] | Best International Discovery | Nominated | ||
| NME Awards[62] | Best Solo Artist | Nominated | ||
| Best Album | Jake Bugg | Nominated | ||
| Ivor Novello Awards[63] | Best Song Musically and Lyrically | "Two Fingers" | Nominated | |
| Q Awards[64] | Best New Act | Himself | Won | |
| Best Solo Artist | Himself | Nominated | ||
| Mercury Prize[65] | Album of the Year | Jake Bugg | Nominated | |
| 2014 | BRIT Awards[66] | British Male Solo Artist | Himself | Nominated |
| NME Awards[67] | Best Solo Artist | Nominated | ||
| Q Awards[68] | Nominated | |||
| Capricho Awards | International Singer | Nominated | ||
| Japan Gold Disc Award[69] | Best Three New Artist | Won | ||
| 2015 | NME Awards[70] | Best Solo Artist | Won | |
| Silver Clef Award[71] | Best Male | Won |
[David Bugg, father:] And he was never Jacob. It has always been Jake. It was annoying me so much that I had it changed on Wikipedia.
Jake Bugg, 19, says a musical lightning bolt struck him at age 12 while watching an episode of The Simpsons at his working class home in the north of England. "I heard this Don McLean song, Vincent (Starry Starry Night), and I just couldn't understand why I liked it and that intrigued me," Bugg says in a thick Nottinghamshire accent. "That's the wonderful thing about music, sometimes you can't work it out. From then on, I knew this was the only thing I wanted to do."
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