Dan Croll
{{short description|English singer-songwriter|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Dan Croll
| image = Dan Croll - Way Back When Festival 2017 - Alexander Kellner - 3.jpg
| caption = Dan Croll in 2017
| birth_name = Daniel Francis Croll
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1990|07|18}}
| birth_place = Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, England
| origin = Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England
| genre = {{hlist|Indie rock|folktronica|pop rock|indie pop|soft rock}}
| occupation = Singer-songwriter
| instruments = {{hlist|Guitar|trumpet|piano|bass guitar|percussion}}
| years_active = 2010—present
| label = {{hlist|Turn First Records|Deram Records|Decca Records|Capitol Records|Communion Records}}
| website = {{URL|dancroll.com}}
}}
Daniel Francis Croll (born 18 July 1990) is an English singer-songwriter. He is known for his songs "From Nowhere," "Compliment Your Soul," "Home," and "Yesterday." Often associated with indie pop and folktronica, his work also spans indie folk, folk-pop, rock music, and 1970s-style R&B and soft rock. In 2011 he was named Songwriter of the Year by the Musicians' Benevolent Fund while attending the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. His debut single, "From Nowhere," was released in 2012 and achieved commercial success. Croll followed it with 2014's full-length album Sweet Disarray. He has since released the albums Emerging Adulthood (2017), Grand Plan (2020), and Fools (2023), as well as the EP On Top (2021).
Career
=Early career=
Born in Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, Croll moved to Liverpool when he was 18 to attend the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA). While at LIPA, he won the national Songwriter of the Year award from the Musicians' Benevolent Fund{{Cite news|date=14 February 2011|title=LIPA student wins writing award|newspaper=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-12424372/|accessdate=14 January 2013}} and was one of eight students picked to have a one-to-one with LIPA founder Sir Paul McCartney. He wrote his 2020 track "Yesterday" about the experience of meeting McCartney.
=2012–2015=
Croll signed to Turn First Records in 2012. His debut single, "From Nowhere," was released worldwide on 24 September 2012 via Turn First / Racquet Records (Croll's own imprint) as a digital download and limited 7". "From Nowhere" spent 3 days at the top of the Hype Machine popular charts, was playlisted in the UK on BBC 6 Music, XFM and Amazing Radio, and received spot plays on BBC Radio 1. The song also received airplay in the US, reaching #36 on the Billboard Alternative chart. Croll was named a Guardian New Band of the Day{{Cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/nov/08/new-band-dan-croll | title=New band of the day – Dan Croll (No 1,390)|newspaper=The Guardian | date=8 November 2011| accessdate=14 January 2013| last1=Lester| first1=Paul}} in November 2012 and described as "Paul Simon jamming with Prince. Very nice."
Croll released his second single "Compliment Your Soul" in March 2013.{{cite web|title=Dan Croll – Compliment Your Soul|url=http://www.indieshuffle.com/dan-croll-compliment-your-soul/|publisher=Indie Shuffle|accessdate=3 March 2013}} This was followed up by the release of "In/Out" in July 2013.{{cite web|first=Dan |last=Croll|url=http://www.indieshuffle.com/dan-croll/|publisher=Indie Shuffle|accessdate=12 July 2013|title=Dan Croll – In/Out}}
On 13 October 2013, Croll released the song "Home" on his own VEVO channel on YouTube. On 29 October 2013, during an on-air Virgin Radio interview, Croll confirmed he had finished recording his full-length debut album. The LP was expected to be released early in 2014.{{cite web|url=http://virginmobilefeed.com/on-air-with-abbey-1029-feat-dan-croll/|title=A Simpler Way to Buy Mobile - Virgin Mobile|website=virginmobilefeed.com}}
His song "Compliment Your Soul" was included in the soundtrack for the video game FIFA 14.{{cite web |title=EA Sports revealed the soundtrack for the video game FIFA 14 |url=http://www.utfifas.com/news/EA-Sports-revealed-the-soundtrack-for-the-video-game-FIFA-14.html |website=www.utfifas.com/ |accessdate=24 October 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140331010834/http://www.utfifas.com/news/EA-Sports-revealed-the-soundtrack-for-the-video-game-FIFA-14.html |archivedate=31 March 2014}} While his song From Nowhere’s remix by Andrew Baardsen was featured in a radio station in Grand Theft Auto V.
On 19 April 2014 for Record Store Day, Croll released a limited 10" orange vinyl featuring 2 unreleased songs. Side A featured "Hello My Baby" (featuring Ladysmith Black Mambazo) which was backed with "Ever at Your Side". Croll went to Durban to record "Hello My Baby" with the group. The limited vinyl was released in independent record stores on the day.
= 2015–present: Subsequent releases =
In September 2015, Croll released the single "One of Us." In June 2016, Croll announced that he had signed with Communion Music.{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}
The electro-song "Swim" was released on 25 August 2016 through the label.{{cite web|title=Swim - Single by Dan Croll on Apple Music|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/swim-single/id1147456968|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160924133334/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/swim-single/id1147456968|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 September 2016|website=iTunes|accessdate=1 September 2016}}{{cite web|last1=Hunt|first1=El|date=31 August 2016|title=Dan Croll returns with 'Swim'|url=http://diymag.com/2016/08/31/dan-croll-returns-with-swim|website=DIY|accessdate=1 September 2016}} The music video for "Swim" was released on 31 August 2016.{{cite web|date=31 August 2016|title=Dan Croll - Swim (Official Video)|website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M34VETZL7uA|accessdate=1 September 2016}} Croll's second studio album Emerging Adulthood was released on 21 July 2017. The album was produced by Ben H. Allen.
In 2018, Croll relocated from Liverpool to Los Angeles.{{Cite web|date=2020-04-16|title=Dan Croll 13 Questions - on LA, hot sauce and new album Grand Plan|url=https://www.getintothis.co.uk/2020/04/dan-croll-13-questions-on-la-hot-sauce-and-new-album-grand-plan/|access-date=2021-07-23|website=Getintothis|language=en-GB}} In 2019/2020, he began working with producer Matthew E. White at his Spacebomb Studios in Richmond, Virginia. In early 2020, multiple new songs were released, and a third album named Grand Plan was announced on 15 April via social media.{{cite web|title=Dan Croll Announces New Album GRAND PLAN|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/Dan-Croll-Announces-New-Album-GRAND-PLAN-20200415|accessdate=25 April 2020|date=15 April 2020}} It was released on 21 August 2020.{{cite web |last=Croll |first=Dan |url=https://twitter.com/DanCroll/status/1296733272966389761 |title=My new album "Grand Plan" is out now! I'm so proud of this album, and especially thankful to Matthew e. White and the Spacebomb family for helping me bring these songs to life. |website=twitter.com |access-date=20 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200821085846/https://twitter.com/DanCroll/status/1296733272966389761 |archive-date=21 August 2020 |url-status=dead}} In 2021, he released a live version of the album, recorded at Spacebomb.{{Cite web|title=Dan Croll To Perform At Matthew E. White's Spacebomb Studio This Sunday – Volatile Weekly|url=https://volatileweekly.com/2020/09/dan-croll-to-perform-at-matthew-e-whites-spacebomb-studio-this-sunday/|access-date=2021-07-23|language=en-US}} Later that year, Croll released the four-track EP On Top. Released in July 2021 via Communion, it was also produced and recorded with Matthew E. White.{{Cite web|title=Dan Croll - On Top|url=http://www.communionmusic.co.uk/news/post/dan-croll-on-top|access-date=2021-07-23|website=Communion (UK)}}
Discography
=Studio albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:15em;"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;"| Album details ! scope="col" colspan="2"| Peak positions |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| UK
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| SCO |
|---|
| scope="row"| Sweet Disarray
| | 26 || 53 |
| scope="row"| Emerging Adulthood{{cite web|title=Emerging Adulthood|work=iTunes.Apple (GB)|url=https://music.apple.com/gb/album/emerging-adulthood/1214384018|access-date=2017-03-26}}
|
| — || — |
| scope="row"| Grand Plan{{cite web|title=Grand Plan|work=iTunes.Apple (US)|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/grand-plan/1505787879|accessdate=August 25, 2020|archive-date=23 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201223190730/https://music.apple.com/us/album/grand-plan/1505787879|url-status=dead}}
|
| — || — |
| scope="row"| Fools
|
| — || — |
= Studio EPs =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
! scope="col" style="width:15em;" | Title ! scope="col" style="width:16em;" | Album details |
| scope="row" | From Nowhere EP
|
|
|---|
| scope="row" | On Top{{Cite web|title=On Top EP, by Dan Croll|url=https://dancrollmusic.bandcamp.com/album/on-top-ep|access-date=2021-07-23|website=Dan Croll}}
|
|
= Live albums =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
! scope="col" style="width:15em;" | Title ! scope="col" style="width:16em;" | Album details |
| scope="row" | Spotify Session
|
|
|---|
| scope="row" | iTunes Festival: London 2013{{Citation|title=iTunes Festival: London 2013 - EP by Dan Croll|url=https://music.apple.com/gb/album/itunes-festival-london-2013-ep/1442335237|language=en-GB|access-date=2021-07-23}}
|
|
| scope="row" | Grand Plan (Live){{Cite web|title=Grand Plan (Live), by Dan Croll|url=https://dancrollmusic.bandcamp.com/album/grand-plan-live|access-date=2021-07-23|website=Dan Croll}}
|
|
= Remix albums =
- In / Out (Turnfirst / Decca, 2013)
- Nobody Knows (Remixes) (Decca, 2014){{Citation|title=Nobody Knows (Remixes) [feat. The Very Best] - EP by Dan Croll|url=https://music.apple.com/gb/album/nobody-knows-remixes-feat-the-very-best-ep/1444622612|language=en-GB|access-date=2021-07-23}}
- Home (Remixes) (Decca, 2014)
- From Nowhere (Remixes) (Decca, 2014)
- Tokyo EP (2017)
=Singles=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" style="width:20em;"| Title
!Year !Format !Album |
|---|
| scope="row"| "From Nowhere"{{cite web|title='From Nowhere' by Dan Croll|url=https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/from-nowhere-remixes-ep/id562480455|url-status=dead|publisher=iTunes|accessdate=14 January 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121213091150/https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/from-nowhere-remixes-ep/id562480455|archivedate=13 December 2012|df=dmy}}{{cite web|title=Future Releases on Triple A (AAA) Radio Stations|url=http://www.allaccess.com/triple-a/future-releases|url-status=dead|publisher=All Access Music Group|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140727124426/http://www.allaccess.com/triple-a/future-releases|archivedate=27 July 2014|df=dmy}}
|2012 |Digital, 7" | rowspan="4" |Sweet Disarray |
| scope="row"| "Compliment Your Soul"
| rowspan="3" |2013 |Digital |
| scope="row"| "In/Out"
|Digital |
| scope="row"| "Home"{{cite web|title=Home - Single by Dan Croll on Apple Music|url=https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/home-single/id736211832|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110054813/https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/home-single/id736211832|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 November 2013|website=iTunes}}
|Digital, 7" |
| scope="row"| "Hello My Baby" (featuring Ladysmith Black Mambazo) / "Ever at Your Side"
| rowspan="2" |2014 |10" (RSD) | rowspan="2" |Sweet Disarray |
| scope="row"| "Nobody Knows" (featuring The Very Best) |Digital |
| scope="row"| "One of Us"
|2015 |Digital | rowspan="2" |Emerging Adulthood |
| scope="row" | "Swim"
| rowspan="2" |2016 |Digital |
| scope="row" | "Be Alone"
|Digital | {{N/A|Non-album single}} |
| scope="row" | "Away From Today"
| rowspan="2" |2017 |Digital | rowspan="2" |Emerging Adulthood |
| scope="row" | "Bad Boy"
|Digital |
| scope="row" | "So Dark (Live)"
| rowspan="5" |2021 |Digital | rowspan="2" |Grand Plan (Live) |
| scope="row" | "Surreal (Live)"
|Digital |
| scope="row" | "On Top"
|Digital | rowspan="2" |On Top |
| scope="row" | "Big One"
|Digital |
| scope="row" | "Home - Piano Version"
|Digital | {{N/A|Non-album single}} |
| scope="row" | "How Close We Came"
| rowspan="1" |2022 |Digital | rowspan="4" | Fools |
| scope="row" | "Slip Away"
| rowspan="3" | 2023 | rowspan="3" | Digital |
| scope="row" | "Talk To You" |
| scope="row" | "Second Guess" |
= Guest appearances =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" style="width:20em;" | Title
!Year !Other artist(s) !Album |
|---|
| scope="row" | "Marion"
|2012 |N/A |Communion: New Faces |
| scope="row" | "A Place Called World"
| rowspan="3" |2014 |John Legend, Nach, Anni B Sweet | rowspan="2" |A Place Called World |
| scope="row" | "A Place Called World (The Zombie Kids Remix)"
|John Legend, Nach, Ani B Sweet, The Zombie Kids |
| scope="row" | "From Nowhere (Baardsen Remix)"
|N/A |The Music Of Grand Theft Auto V – Vol. 3: The Soundtrack |
| scope="row" | "Honey Sweet - Dan Croll Remix"
|2017 |Honey Sweet (Remixes) |
| scope="row" | "Grand Plan - 414 Demo"
|2020 |N/A |A Little Bit At A Time: Spacebomb Family Rarities |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Croll, Dan}}
Category:English male singer-songwriters
Category:Musicians from Staffordshire
Category:People from Newcastle-under-Lyme
Category:Alumni of the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts