Polly Scattergood
{{short description|English singer and songwriter (born 1986)}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Polly Scattergood
| image = PollyScattergoodInConcert.jpg
| caption = Scattergood performing in August 2008
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1986|10|18}}
| birth_place = Wivenhoe, Essex, England
| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter}}
| genre = {{hlist|Indie pop|experimental|alternative rock}}
| years_active = 2005–present
| label = {{hlist|Ark|Mute|Future Paradise}}
| website = {{URL|pollyscattergood.com}}
}}
Polly Scattergood (born 18 October 1986){{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/Polly+Scattergood |title=Polly Scattergood |publisher=discogs |accessdate=1 April 2012}}{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/polly.scattergood/info |title=Polly Scattergood |publisher=Facebook.com |accessdate=24 September 2013}}{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/pollyworld/status/258871319255465984 |title=Polly Scattergood |publisher=Twitter |accessdate=24 September 2013}} is an English singer and songwriter. She has been described as ethereal, dark, intense and quirky,{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/sep/16/popandrock1|title=And now for song number 801|last=Lester|first=Paul|date=15 September 2008|work=The Guardian|access-date=3 March 2017|issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/sep/02/popandrock2|title=Polly Scattergood|last=Clarke|first=Betty|date=1 September 2008|work=The Guardian|access-date=3 March 2017|issn=0261-3077}}{{cite web |url=http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/culture/neilmccormick/8062286/Not_the_sound_of_2009_the_next_small_things/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090805174234/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/culture/neilmccormick/8062286/Not_the_sound_of_2009_the_next_small_things/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 August 2009 |title=Not the sound of 2009: the next small things |first=Neil |last=McCormick |date=9 January 2009 |work=The Daily Telegraph |accessdate=4 May 2012}} while her musical style has been described as "early 21st century electro-dance-pop of London proper".[http://www.billboard.com/#/album/polly-scattergood/polly-scattergood/1255635/review Billboard Album Review]
Early life
Scattergood was born in Wivenhoe, Essex and grew up near Colchester, the eldest of three siblings with two younger brothers.
Her mother was an artist and her father an actor. Scattergood's first memory of making music was playing a toy piano when she was aged four.{{cite web|last=Morley |first=Cat |url=http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/snippets/issue16/polly_scattergood |title=Polly Scattergood | Issue 16 – The Vintage & Retro Issue |publisher=Cutoutandkeep.net |date=30 July 2009 |accessdate=1 April 2012}} At the age of 16, she moved to London to attend the BRIT School, a performing arts academy.
Career
After graduation she caught the attention of music industry executive Neil Ferris who took on her management. Ferris then introduced Scattergood to Daniel Miller head of Mute Records. He led her to the producer of her debut album Simon Fisher Turner.
Scattergood's debut single entitled "Glory Hallelujah" was released in 2005 on Ark Records and produced by Greg Walsh. Her September 2007 single "Nitrogen Pink" was released on Mute Records. The single "I Hate the Way" which was written on a toy keyboard was released on 22 September 2008 on both limited edition 10 inch vinyl and iTunes.{{Cite news|url=http://londonist.com/2008/09/listen_up_polly_scattergood.php|title=Listen Up: Polly Scattergood|date=23 September 2008|work=Londonist|access-date=3 March 2017}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.musicomh.com/singles/polly-scattergood_0908.htm|title=Polly Scattergood – I Hate The Way review |last=Murphy |first=John |date=19 September 2008 |website=MusicOHM |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919113120/http://www.musicomh.com/singles/polly-scattergood_0908.htm|archive-date=19 September 2008|url-status=}}
Her eponymous debut studio album, Polly Scattergood, was released 9 March 2009 in the UK.{{Cite web |url=http://www.glasswerk.co.uk/news/national/4868/Polly+Scattergood+Live+Dates |title=Polly Scattergood Live Dates – Glasswerk.co.uk, 21 January 2009 |access-date=22 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225113711/http://www.glasswerk.co.uk/news/national/4868/Polly+Scattergood+Live+Dates |archive-date=25 February 2012 |url-status=dead }} and on 19 May in the US.
"Other Too Endless" was released as a single from the album on 23 February 2009. It was named "record of the week" on the Steve Lamacq show. The download version features a remix by Vince Clarke. iTunes made it 'Single of the Week' on 30 March 2009. "Please Don't Touch" was her fourth single, released on 4 May 2009.
She then re-released "Nitrogen Pink" and released "Bunny Club" as singles. On 7 March 2009 Scattergood gave a live studio session on the BBC Radio 2 Dermot O'Leary show. She supported Amanda Palmer in September 2009 at Union Chapel, Islington.
In 2011 Scattergood recorded a cover of "New York New York" for EA Games "The Wall" trailer. It premiered in Time Square, "The Wall" trailer won the Mi6 Gold award for "Best Use of Sound" and the Mi6 Silver award for "Best Game Footage Trailer.{{Cite web |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/pressreleases/151148/MAVERICK_ONLY_EUROPEAN_AGENCY_HONOURED_AT_GLOBAL_VIDEO_GAMEMARKETING_AWARDS_FOR_CRYSIS_2_WORK.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923061429/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/pressreleases/151148/MAVERICK_ONLY_EUROPEAN_AGENCY_HONOURED_AT_GLOBAL_VIDEO_GAMEMARKETING_AWARDS_FOR_CRYSIS_2_WORK.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 September 2016 |title=Gamasutra – The Art & Business of Making Games|website=gamasutra.com|access-date=2017-03-03}} In 2012 she remixed the M83 song "Reunion".
Scattergood released her second studio album, Arrows, on 22 October 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/scattergoodpolly/pollyscattergood|work=Meta Critic|title=Polly Scattergood Reviews|accessdate=5 March 2010}} The album was produced by Ken Thomas who has previously worked with Sigur Rós and M83. "Wanderlust" was remixed by Charli XCX and "How to Dress Well" featured in America's Billboard magazine. The album was awarded four stars by Mojo, The Independent and Rolling Stone magazine. Scattergood supported Mute labelmates Goldfrapp at the summer series 2013 concerts at Somerset House, London on 20 July 2013.
After Arrows was released Scattergood decided to team up with her label mate James Chapman, aka the Mercury Nominated artist Maps, to write and record a joint project, entitled "onDeadWaves".{{Cite news|url=http://mute.com/artists/on-dead-waves|title=MUTE • Artists • On Dead Waves|work=MUTE|access-date=5 July 2018}} which eventually led in 2016 to the release of the 'onDeadWaves' album.{{Cite news|url=http://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/ondeadwaves-ondeadwaves|title=onDeadWaves – onDeadWaves|work=Clash Magazine|access-date=5 July 2018}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.xsnoize.com/album-review-on-dead-waves-on-dead-waves/|title=ALBUM REVIEW: ON DEAD WAVES – ON DEAD WAVES |date=20 May 2016 |first=Amanda |last=Stock |access-date=27 November 2023}}
After the 'onDeadWaves' album was released Scattergood was approached by Bruce Woolley to records a new version of the Buggles' track, "Video Killed the Radio Star" which was eventually to be titled "Dark Star". This new version was released by Grammaphone records in 2017.{{Cite web|url=http://www.electricity-club.co.uk/video-killed-the-radio-star-with-polly-scattergood-and-bruce-wooley/|title=Video Killed The Radio Star with POLLY SCATTERGOOD and BRUCE WOOLEY {{!}} The Electricity Club|website=www.electricity-club.co.uk|date=24 February 2017 |access-date=5 July 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://electronicsound.co.uk/blog/polly-scattergood-cover-of-video-killed-the-radio-star-no-really/|title=Polly Scattergood cover of 'Video Killed The Radio Star'… No, really {{!}} Electronic Sound|website=electronicsound.co.uk|access-date=5 July 2018}}
Scattergood released her third album entitled In This Moment on 3 July 2020.{{Cite web|title=Album: Polly Scattergood - In This Moment review - a poetic mood piece|url=https://theartsdesk.com/new-music/album-polly-scattergood-moment|access-date=2020-07-07|website=theartsdesk.com|date=3 July 2020 }}
In November 2021, Scattergood created a podcast with long-time friend Katie Melua called "The Detail" about the art of songwriting and making records".{{cite web |url=https://audioboom.com/posts/7978045-the-detail-trailer |title=The Detail Trailer }}
In March 2025, the band was featured on vocals on a track called "And All Went Dark," on a new album released by Chris Liebing.{{Cite web |last=Bhanawat |first=Akshay |date=2018-09-07 |title=Chris Liebing's second album - Burn Slow, is out now! |url=https://themusicessentials.com/music/chris-liebing-burn-slow-album/ |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=Music + Essentials |language=en-GB}}
Discography
=Studio albums=
| class="wikitable" center" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
!rowspan="2"| Album !| Peak chart positions |
|---|
| style="width:2em;" | UK |
| 2009
|align="left"|Polly Scattergood
| style="text-align:center;" |
| 2013
|align="left"|Arrows
| style="text-align:center;" |
| 2020
|align="left"|In This Moment
| style="text-align:center;" |
=Singles=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Single ! Album |
|---|
| 2005
|"Glory Hallelujah" |Glory Hallelujah – EP |
| 2007
|"Nitrogen Pink" |rowspan="6"| Polly Scattergood |
| 2008
|"I Hate the Way" |
| rowspan="4"|2009
|"Other Too Endless" |
| "Please Don't Touch" |
| "Nitrogen Pink" |
| "Bunny Club" |
| rowspan="2"|2013
|"Wanderlust" |rowspan="3"| Arrows |
| "Cocoon" |
| rowpsan="1"|2014
|"Subsequently Lost" |
| 2019
|"Sphere" |rowspan= "2"| In This Moment |
| 2020
|"Red" |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commonscat}}
- {{URL|pollyscattergood.com}}
- {{AllMusic|artist/polly-scattergood-mn0000525320}}
- {{Discogs artist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scattergood, Polly}}
Category:21st-century English singer-songwriters
Category:21st-century English women singers
Category:British indie pop musicians
Category:English women in electronic music
Category:English women singer-songwriters