Birdy, a Grammy nominated British singer, has captivated audiences with her incredible talent from a young age. Starting her musical journey at just seven years old, she quickly became a prodigy on the piano and began writing her own songs at eight. At the age of twelve, she took the British music scene by storm, winning the prestigious talent contest, ‘Open Mic UK.’ Birdy’s unique style shines through in her mesmerizing cover versions of songs by renowned artists such as Bon Iver, Ed Sheeran, Tracy Chapman, XX, and Passenger. Not only does she excel in covers, but her original songs have also become chart-topping hits. With her remarkable achievements at such a tender age, Birdy is undeniably one of the most promising young British singers of our time.
Quick Facts
- British Celebrities Born In May
- Also Known As: Jasmine Lucilla Elizabeth Jennifer van den Bogaerde, Jasmine van den Bogaerde
- Age: 27 Years, 27 Year Old Females
- Born Country: England
- Pop Singers
- British Women
- Height: 5’3″ (160 cm), 5’3″ Females
Childhood & Early Life
Jasmine Lucilla Elizabeth Jennifer van den Bogaerde, known professionally as Birdy, was born on May 15, 1996, in London, United Kingdom. Her father, Rupert Oliver Benjamin van den Bogaerde, is an author, and her mother, Sophie Patricia (nee’ Roper-Curzon), is a concert pianist. Birdy’s parents were married in 1997 and have two other children, Jake and Caitlin. She also has two older half-brothers from her father’s previous marriage. Birdy grew up in an old mill house on her maternal grandfather’s estate in the New Forest area of Southern England. She attended Durlston Court School, Priestlands School, and Brockenhurst College.
Career
Birdy began learning the piano at the age of seven from her mother and started writing her own songs at eight. In 2008, at the age of 12, she won the UK talent contest ‘Open Mic UK’, impressively winning both the under-18 category and the Grand Prize against ten thousand competitors. She performed her original song ‘So be free’ in front of two thousand people during the competition.
In 2011, Birdy gained recognition with her cover version of Bon Iver’s song ‘Skinny Love’, which became her first hit on the UK singles chart, reaching number seventeen. The song was also featured on TV series ‘The Vampire Diaries’ and ‘Being Human’. She released her debut album titled ‘Birdy’ in November 2011, which featured mostly cover versions. The album peaked at number one in Belgium, Netherlands, and Australia. Two cover tracks from the album, ‘Skinny Love’ and ‘People help the People’, reached number two and number ten respectively in Australia.
Birdy continued to gain success with collaborations and releases of her own music. She recorded the song ‘Learn me Right’ with the British band Mumford & Sons for the soundtrack of the animated movie ‘Brave’, earning a Grammy nomination in 2013. She contributed three songs for the soundtrack of the movie ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ and featured as a guest artist in French DJ David Guetta’s album ‘Listen’. In 2015, she co-wrote the song ‘Let it all go’ with Rhodes, and in 2016, she released her third studio album titled ‘Beautiful Lies’.
Major Works
Birdy’s self-titled debut album, released in 2011, reached number one on the Australian, Belgian, and Dutch album charts. It was certified triple Platinum in France, Platinum in Belgium, and gold in the UK. Her song ‘Skinny Love’ from this album peaked at number one in the Netherlands and number two in Australia. Her second album ‘Fire Within’ reached number five in Australia and number eight in the UK, while her third album ‘Beautiful Lies’ reached number five in Hungary, Ireland, and the UK.
Awards & Achievements
Birdy was nominated for a Grammy award in 2013 for her collaboration with Mumford & Sons on the song ‘Learn me Right’ for the movie ‘Brave’. She won the best International Rock/Pop Artist award at the Echo Awards in 2014 and was nominated for the Brit Awards in the British female solo artist category in the same year.
Personal Life
Birdy prefers to keep her personal life private but has mentioned that she enjoys spending her free time with her boyfriend, who is also in the music industry.
Trivia
Birdy earned her nickname because of the way she opened her mouth as an infant while being fed. She comes from an aristocratic British family on her mother’s side.