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Exclusive: British Phenom Birdy Debuts '1901' Video

by Jon Blistein, N.Y.  |   February 09, 2012 1:10 EST
Warner Bros.
Birdy
Warner Bros.

Artists in this Article

Phoenix
Fleet Foxes
Bon Iver
The xx
Birdy

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At just 15 years old, up-and-coming British songstress Birdy has already turned plenty of heads with her stunning cover of Bon Iver's "Skinny Love." The clip has garnered over 15 million views, and today Billboard has an exclusive first look at Birdy's latest video, for her rendition of Phoenix's hit, "1901."

 

 

The clip -- filmed on Brick Lane in East London -- shows two lovers struggling to make things work set to Birdy's haunting rendition of "1901," seamlessly turning the once up-beat song into a lovelorn ballad.

 

"I have been surrounded by music for as long as I can remember," said Birdy, "so singing and playing the piano has always been very natural to me." Birdy, whose mother is a concert pianist, rose to fame after she won the UK talent contest, "Open Mic UK," with a song of her own, "So Be Free."

 

Following the success of her "Skinny Love" cover, Birdy found herself with a record deal, and the subsequent challenge of leading the life of any teenager.

 

"Although switching between school life and my music career is sometimes very strange it's never been too difficult for me and I'm never left having to catch up with heaps of work," she says. "The change has started to become normal and I have begun to find the balance."

 

Now Birdy is set to make waves here in the States: Warner Bros. will release her self-titled debut on March 20, while she's also booked for performances at WXPN's World Cafe and Chris Douridas "It's A School Night." The record was partly recorded in Los Angeles, while Birdy even had the chance to cut some tracks at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. The album will feature covers of songs by Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, The xx, and more.

 

"Interpreting songs that inspire me in my own style has been a new and invigorating experience for me," says Birdy. "I have learned and gained loads from the whole process. It has also helped me as I develop my own compositions."

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