THE BACKSTORY:
Hailing from County Mayo, alt-pop songstress Lydia Ford has been making waves in her native Ireland for a few years now. Over the past 12 months, though, there’s a growing consensus that she’s ready for a bigger global breakthrough – and you certainly wouldn’t begrudge her that success.
Indeed, her sound clearly boasts universal appeal. Wrapped in sleek, glossy production, her music brings to mind a delicious marriage of Sharon Van Etten and Sigrid, combining big, bold synth-pop sounds with arresting, otherworldly melodies. Her lyrics, drawn from personal experience, also pack a real punch, exploring relationship struggles and self-identity.
Raised in Castlebar, County Mayo, Lydia Ford grew up listening to a medley of sounds, from classical music to Fleetwood Mac and Bruce Springsteen, before she started writing her own songs. However, it wasn’t until she finished college and moved to New York that Ford found her true voice. Emboldened by life in the Big Apple, she became more comfortable in her own skin (she’s spoken about her difficulties telling people she was gay) and, of course, she began to blossom as a songwriter.
It certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed. She started the year appearing in numerous ‘Hot for 2020’ lists, and she’s received huge support from Spotify and BBC Introducing. Already the pride of Irish music – Lydia Ford is now set to go global.
KEY TRACK: ‘Overrated’. Her latest single, released last week, this dreamy synth-pop number explores the troubled breakdown of a toxic relationship.
FOR FANS OF: Sharon Van Etten, Sigrid, Julia Michaels, Laura Welsh.
