Gabrielle Aplin

Biography

Gabrielle Ann Aplin (born 10 October 1992) is an English singer-songwriter. After amassing a following for her acoustic music covers on YouTube, Aplin signed a recording deal with Parlophone in February 2012. She rose to prominence the following November when she was selected to record the soundtrack for a John Lewis television commercial with a cover of Frankie Goes to Hollywood's "The Power of Love×The Power of Love10 November 2012 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1The Power of Love4:07", which went on to top the UK Singles Chart.
Her debut album, English Rain×English Rain13 May 2013 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Panic Cord3:252Keep on Walking2:523Please Don't Say You Love Me3:014How Do You Feel Today?3:465Home4:086Salvation4:107Ready to Question3:188The Power of Love4:069Alive4:1210Human3:2611November4:0612Start of Time9:15Disc 21Evaporate3:312Wake Up With Me3:263Alive (The RAK Sessions)4:084Please Don't Say You Love Me (The RAK Sessions)3:015Home (The RAK Sessions)4:106How Do You Feel Today (The RAK Sessions)3:56, was released in May 2013 to positive reviews. It debuted at number two on the UK Album Chart and led to more singles: "Please Don't Say You Love Me", "Panic Cord×Panic Cord5 May 2013 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Panic Cord3:252Dreams4:203Panic Cord (Hucci remix)4:504Please Don't Say You Love Me (Cyril Hahn remix edit)3:53", "Home" and "Salvation×Salvation12 January 2014 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Salvation4:10". English Rain has since been certified Gold in the UK, selling over 100,000 copies. Aplin's second album, Light Up the Dark×Light Up the Dark18 September 2015 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Light Up the Dark4:172Skeleton3:373Fools Love4:064Slip Away3:525Sweet Nothing2:546Heavy Heart3:557Shallow Love4:008Anybody Out There3:109Hurt4:1310Together2:4511What Did You Do?4:2112A While / Don’t Break Your Heart on Me8:55Disc 21This Side of the Moon4:102Coming Home3:343Letting You Go3:094The House We Never Built3:155You Don’t Like Dancing3:36, was released in September 2015, followed by the release of her third album, Dear Happy×Dear Happy17 January 2020 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Until The Sun Comes Up3:112Invisible3:563One of Those Days4:044Kintsugi2:565Strange2:436My Mistake4:257Like You Say You Do3:078Losing Me3:029So Far So Good3:1810Nothing Really Matters2:4511Magic4:0512Love Back2:4713Miss You3:1814Dear Happy3:28, in January 2020. She has also released multiple extended plays throughout her career.
Her fourth album, Phosphorescent×Phosphorescent6 January 2023 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Skylight4:012Never Be the Same3:263Good Enough3:094Anyway3:325Wish I Didnt Press Send3:406Take It Easy3:117Don’t Know What I Want2:268Call Me3:289Half in Half Out4:0510Mariana Trench3:1711Don’t Say3:26, was released in January 2023.

Early life

Aplin grew up in Chippenham in Wiltshire. She is the eldest of three children. Aplin's parents bought her her first guitar when she was 11 years old. She is a fan of the singer-songwriters Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, as well as the rock band The National. Aplin went on to study music at Bath College, participating in the college's in-house label, BA1 Records.

Career beginnings (2011–2012)

Aplin's first release was the five-track Acoustic EP, which she self-released under her own label, Never Fade×Never Fade9 May 2011 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Never Fade3:132Lying to the Mirror2:593Panic Cord3:224Puzzle Piece4:04 Records, on 13 September 2010. Her second release, another extended play titled Never Fade, was released on 9 May 2011. In this EP, she expanded her sound, showcasing a more folk rock sound and playing all the instruments herself. In April 2011, Aplin was invited to perform for BBC Introducing at Maida Vale Studios, where she played three tracks from Never Fade and a cover of the Coldplay song "Fix You," which was the most-viewed video on the BBC Introducing YouTube channel. Aplin released her third EP, Home, on 12 February 2012, again under Never Fade Records. She described Home as "the most honest thing I've ever written and recorded."

English Rain and Light Up the Dark (2012–2016)

On 29 February 2012, Aplin announced that she had signed a deal with Parlophone Records. Later that year, Aplin was confirmed as the soundtrack to the John Lewis & Partners Christmas advert covering Frankie Goes to Hollywood's "The Power of Love×The Power of Love10 November 2012 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1The Power of Love4:07". The song went on to top the UK Singles Chart in December 2012. Her first major label single titled "Please Don't Say You Love Me" was released on 10 February 2013. On 13 May 2013, Aplin released her debut album, English Rain×English Rain13 May 2013 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Panic Cord3:252Keep on Walking2:523Please Don't Say You Love Me3:014How Do You Feel Today?3:465Home4:086Salvation4:107Ready to Question3:188The Power of Love4:069Alive4:1210Human3:2611November4:0612Start of Time9:15Disc 21Evaporate3:312Wake Up With Me3:263Alive (The RAK Sessions)4:084Please Don't Say You Love Me (The RAK Sessions)3:015Home (The RAK Sessions)4:106How Do You Feel Today (The RAK Sessions)3:56. Following its release, English Rain charted at number two on both the UK and Scottish album charts, selling over 35,000 copies. It also reached the top ten in Australia, number 11 in Ireland, and number 39 in New Zealand.

In 2013, Aplin's record label, Never Fade Records, signed Welsh folk-jazz singer Hannah Grace, who had previously supported Aplin on tour, and indie folk artist Saint Raymond to deals. Never Fade Records' first release since Aplin's own extended play Home in February 2012 was Saint Raymond's extended play Escapade on 22 April 2013. Saint Raymond has since departed Never Fade Records.
In May 2015, Aplin announced her second studio album, Light Up the Dark×Light Up the Dark18 September 2015 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Light Up the Dark4:172Skeleton3:373Fools Love4:064Slip Away3:525Sweet Nothing2:546Heavy Heart3:557Shallow Love4:008Anybody Out There3:109Hurt4:1310Together2:4511What Did You Do?4:2112A While / Don’t Break Your Heart on Me8:55Disc 21This Side of the Moon4:102Coming Home3:343Letting You Go3:094The House We Never Built3:155You Don’t Like Dancing3:36. The album announcement also featured the release of the title track's music video. The video for the second single from Light Up the Dark, "Sweet Nothing," was released on 6 August 2015. The album itself was released on 18 September 2015. In September of the same year, it was reported that she had signed a deal with Storm Management, a modelling agency.
In 2016, Aplin gained popularity in Brazil when her song "Home" was used in the popular telenovela Totalmente Demais. Aplin visited Brazil in May to make a cameo appearance in the final episode of the show. Following her appearance and a live performance on Domingão do Faustão, "Home" reached number 1 on the Brazilian iTunes chart, marking Aplin's fourth number 1 single worldwide. On 26 June, Aplin played at the Glastonbury Festival on the Acoustic stage and then on the BBC Introducing stage.

Extended plays and Dear Happy (2016–present)

On 9 November 2016, Aplin released "Miss You×Miss You9 November 2016 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Miss You3:18", the first single from the extended play of the same name. The song has been described as a departure from her previously guitar-driven sound on Light Up the Dark, and the production as being much less 'bare bones' than her previous efforts.
In February 2017, Aplin parted ways with Parlophone Records to focus on releasing material via her own independent record label, Never Fade Records. She said of the decision, "I really enjoy getting involved with everything—from my image to my artwork. It's been quite nice to be in control." Aplin released a single titled "Waking Up Slow×Waking Up Slow9 August 2017 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Waking Up Slow3:24" on 9 August 2017. She then released her next EP, Avalon×Avalon8 September 2017 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Waking Up Slow3:242Say Nothing3:413Used to Do3:404Stay4:05, on 6 October. "Waking Up Slow" was lauded as one of the best pop songs of 2017 by Popjustice.
Aplin announced the first single from her third album, "My Mistake×My Mistake28 November 2018 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1My Mistake4:25", on 20 November 2018; it was released on 28 November, with Aplin describing it as her "most honest and raw song to date". Aplin collaborated with Hannah Grace on a Christmas extended play titled December, which was released on 4 December 2018. On 27 March 2019, Aplin released the second single titled "Nothing Really Matters×Nothing Really Matters27 March 2019 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Nothing Really Matters2:45" from her third album, followed by another single titled "Losing Me", which features English singer JP Cooper, on 14 August. The album, titled Dear Happy×Dear Happy17 January 2020 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Until The Sun Comes Up3:112Invisible3:563One of Those Days4:044Kintsugi2:565Strange2:436My Mistake4:257Like You Say You Do3:078Losing Me3:029So Far So Good3:1810Nothing Really Matters2:4511Magic4:0512Love Back2:4713Miss You3:1814Dear Happy3:28, was released on 17 January 2020.

Her fourth album, Phosphorescent×Phosphorescent6 January 2023 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Skylight4:012Never Be the Same3:263Good Enough3:094Anyway3:325Wish I Didnt Press Send3:406Take It Easy3:117Don’t Know What I Want2:268Call Me3:289Half in Half Out4:0510Mariana Trench3:1711Don’t Say3:26, was released on 6 January 2023 on Never Fade×Never Fade9 May 2011 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Never Fade3:132Lying to the Mirror2:593Panic Cord3:224Puzzle Piece4:04 Records.
Her song "Never Be the Same×Never Be the Same7 October 2022 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Never Be the Same3:262Don’t Know What I Want2:263Call Me3:284Skylight4:00" from Phosphorescent was featured in the third episode of season 1 of Heartstopper, streaming on Netflix.
In 2021, Aplin's song 'Home' was featured in the video game Life Is Strange: True Colors.

Personal life

Aplin is vegan. She is in a relationship with musician Alfie Hudson-Taylor. The couple live in Somerset.