Amy Wadge

Amy Victoria Wadge (born 22 December 1975) is an English singer and songwriter. She has co-written tracks with Ed Sheeran, including "Thinking Out Loud" for which she won the 2016 Grammy Award for Song of the Year.

Amy Wadge
Wadge at The Celtic Festival of Wales in 2010
Background information
Birth nameAmy Victoria Wadge
Born (1975-12-22) 22 December 1975
OriginBackwell, England
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active1992–present
Associated acts
Websitewww.amywadge.com

Early life

Wadge was born and brought up in Backwell, a small village just outside Bristol, England. Her father's passion for music influenced her enormously, and on the subject of her paternal influences she has said that she "grew up listening to early Elton John, Joni Mitchell and James Taylor. That was the stuff I cut my teeth on and now I listen to everything you can possibly imagine from hip hop to country".[1]

She began to write her own songs at the age of 9 on the family piano. When she was 11, her parents bought her her first guitar from a junk shop. It was when Wadge taught herself to play along to Tracy Chapman's debut album that she discovered her affinity for the guitar.

While still at school, Wadge regularly gigged around Bristol. At the age of 14, she signed her first record deal, along with her band Two uv a Mind. She released her first single at the age of 16.[2]

Career

Songwriting

Apart from writing songs for herself, Wadge has been active in collaborating with new performers in Britain, most notably Ed Sheeran. The two collaborated on a number of songs, and Sheeran titled his self-released 2010 EP Songs I Wrote with Amy. One track was included with the deluxe edition of Sheeran's album +.[3] Wadge continued her collaborative relationship with Sheeran in 2014. The single "Thinking Out Loud", written on a guitar given to Sheeran, features on the album x.[4]

Wadge has also written with Lewis Watson, with tracks "Halo" and "Sink or Swim" appearing on the album The Morning (All of the Songs). She has collaborated with Shannon Saunders, Anna Pancaldi and other notable artists. She wrote and performed the songs for the soundtrack of the BBC Wales series Keeping Faith in 2018, and for the second series, shown in 2019.[5] Wadge also co-wrote Consequences, the third single from Camila Cabello's debut album Camila.

Solo performer

Having moved to Wales and graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Wadge started performing at open mic sessions in Cardiff's Toucan Club and soon started developing a fanbase and gaining critical recognition. She was quickly spotted and received encouragement from some of the big players in the city, among them Manics/Catatonia/Super Furry Animals producer Greg Haver, who recorded her debut mini-album, The Famous Hour. This album "brought her more attention and acclaim". She played alongside Stereophonics, Embrace and Lenny Kravitz at the launch party for BBC 6 Music.[6]

In 2002, Wadge won "Best Female Solo Act" at the annual Welsh Music Awards, ahead of Charlotte Church. In 2003, she toured Australia with the Welsh Rugby Team during the Rugby World Cup with the song "Adre Nôl". Later that year, she retained her "Best Female Solo Act" at the Welsh Music Awards.

2004 saw her release her first full album, WOJ (a play on her surname, which is often mispronounced), to critical acclaim. In June 2004, she performed at London's Royal Albert Hall on a bill that included Jeff Beck and Jan Hammer, charted by Billboard magazine as one of the world's top-grossing concerts of the summer.[7]

2006 saw the release of Wadge's second album, No Sudden Moves. The album includes a cover of the Manic Street Preachers single A Design for Life. 2008 saw the release of her third album, Bump, which (according to her own sleeve notes) was recorded over two days when she was 8 months pregnant. It includes a cover of "Don't Leave Me This Way" (originally recorded by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, and later covered by The Communards).

On Monday 2 November 2009, Wadge released her new single "Hold Me" with new record label, Choice Music. She also released a Welsh version of the track ("Dal Fi") which was a fundraiser for her daughter's Ysgol Feithrin (Welsh nursery school), with 20p from the sale of every Welsh language download being donated to Mudiad Meithrin, a Welsh language nursery organisation.[8]

In 2010 and 2011, Wadge and Pete Riley released a CD (Rivers Apart), as well as two live DVDs, and toured extensively together.[9] Her single "USA? We'll Wait and See" was released in both English and Welsh.[10]

She occasionally presents shows on BBC Radio Wales. She presented Suck It and See, a programme about the harmonica on BBC Radio 4.

Personal life

Wadge is married to actor Alun ap Brinley. They live near Pontypridd, in Wales.[11]

Songwriting credits

Title Year Album Artist Written with
"Bad Things" 2020 no one else, not even you Mae Muller Mae Muller, Westen Weiss
"Airpods" Leave it Beautiful Astrid S Astrid S, Jakob Hazell, Svante Halldin
"Stop" Anthony Ramos Anthony Ramos, Sean Douglas, Jesse Shatkin, Joel Castillo
"Under Dog" Non-album single Alicia Keys Alicia Keys, Ed Sheeran, Foy Vance, Johnny McDaid, Jonny Coffer
"First Man" 2019 Romance Camila Cabello Camila Cabello, Jordan Reynolds
"Used to This" Camila Cabello, Finneas O'Connell
"Woman" The Good & The Bad Anthony Ramos Anthony Ramos, Jackson Morgan, Johan Carlsson, Ross Golan
"Dear Jealousy" My Name Is Michael Holbrook Mika George Moore, Mika
"Platform Ballerinas" Mika
"Blue" Mika
"This" Non-album single Megan McKenna Megan McKenna
"FUNoah" Non-album single Noah Cyrus Noah Cyrus, Varren Wade, London Holmes
"Monsters" Once Upon a Mind James Blunt James Blunt, Jimmy Hogarth
"This" Non-album single Megan McKenna Megan McKenna, Alex Stacey
"Let It Be Love" Ocean Lady Antebellum Hillary Scott, Jordan Reynolds
"Centre Point Road" Centre Point Road Thomas Rhett Thomas Rhett, Cleve Wilson, Jesse Frasure
"VHS" Thomas Rhett, Ashley Gorley, Jesse Frasure
"Almost" Thomas Rhett, Ashley Gorley, Jesse Frasure
"Not Like Us" Fire & Brimstone Brantley Gilbert Brantley Gilbert, Brock Berryhill, Rhett Akins
"The Haunting of Me" The Years In Between Jamie Lawson Jamie Lawson
"Faith's Song" 2018 Keeping Faith – EP Amy Wadge
"We Fall Down"
"Here I Go Again"
"Pain"
"Evan's Song"
"Let The Light Back In"
"How Long"
"No Prayer"
"Not Enough"
"Steve's Song"
"End Of It All"
"By Christmas Eve" A Legendary Christmas John Legend John Legend, Dan Lafrombe Evans
"Paperboy" Story of Me Megan McKenna Jon Maguire, Catherine McGrath
"Everything but You" Megan McKenna
"Story of Me"
"How Many Times"
"If You"
"Ladies in the 90's" Non-album single Lauren Alaina Lauren Alaina, Jesse Frasure
"Rock Bottom" A Northern Soul Sheridan Smith Sheridan Smith, Jimmy Hogarth
"Remedy in the Melody" Sheridan Smith, Jimmy Hogarth
"Handle With Care" Sheridan Smith, Jimmy Hogarth
"Are You Just Sleeping" Sheridan Smith, Jimmy Hogarth
"Ain't That Funny" Sheridan Smith, Jimmy Hogarth
"Because" Thank You & Goodnight Boyzone Ronan Keating, Ed Sheeran
"Run in the Rain" Lighting Matches Tom Grennan Tom Grennan, Adj Buffone
"Wonder Woman" Golden Hour Kacey Musgraves Kacey Musgraves, Jesse Frasure, Hillary Lindsey
"Every Little Part of Me" Golden Kylie Minogue Kylie Minogue, Sky Adams
"Radio On" Kylie Minogue, John Green
"Rollin'" Kylie Minogue, Sky Adams
"Sincerely Yours" Kylie Minogue, Jesse Frasure
"Parallel Line" Graffiti You Keith Urban Keith Urban, Ed Sheeran, Johnny McDaid, Julia Michaels, Benjamin Levin
"Consequences" Camila Camila Cabello Camila Cabello Emily Weisband, Nicole Galyon
"Hollow Hallelujah" Southern Gothic Tyminski Dan Tyminski, Jessie Frasure, Sarah Buxton,
"Little By Little" Clare Bowen Clare Bowen Clare Bowen, Brandon Young
"I Don't Know" 2017 Non-album single Molly Kate Kestner Molly Kate Kestner
"Galway Girl" Divide Ed Sheeran Ed Sheeran, Johnny McDaid , Foy Vance, Damien McKee, Sean Grahan, Liam Bradley, Eamon Murray, Niamh Dunne
"Save Myself" Ed Sheeran
"Nancy Mulligan" Ed Sheeran , Johnny McDaid, Foy Vance, Benjamin Levin, Murray Cummings
"Barcelona" Ed Sheeran, Johnny McDaid , Foy Vance, Benjamin Levin
"Paradise" The Afterlove James Blunt James Blunt
"2005" James Blunt, Steve Mac
"Stay My Love" The Waiting Game Una Healy Una Healy
"All You Ever Need is Love" Una Healy
"Craving You" Una Healy
"Broken" Only When We're Naked Zak Abel Zak Abel, Fred Cox
"When Christmas Comes Around" 2016 Non-album single Matt Terry Ed Sheeran
"Stand in the Rain" Non-album single Jessarae Jessarae
"Numb" Max Jury Max Jury Max Jury
"Start Again" Beautiful Life Birdy Birdy
"Don't Let Me Let You Go" 2015 Jamie Lawson Jamie Lawson Jamie Lawson
"Let Myself Try" Adore Jasmine Thompson Jasmine Thompson
"Slamming Doors" Ben Haenow Ben Haenow Ben Haenow
"Make It Back to Me" Ben Haenow
"Thinking Out Loud" 2014 X Ed Sheeran Ed Sheeran
"Even My Dad Does Sometimes" Ed Sheeran
"Halo" The Morning Lewis Watson Lewis Watson
"Sink or Swim" Lewis Watson
"Bodies and Beats" Non-album singles Shannon Saunders Shannon Saunders, Eg White
"Comfortably Alone" Shannon Saunders
"Scars" 2012 Shannon Saunders
"Sink or Swim" Another Four Sad Songs Lewis Watson Lewis Watson
"Once Before" Lewis Watson
"Gold Rush" 2011 + Ed Sheeran Ed Sheeran
"Ed Sheeran"
"Cold Coffee" Songs I Wrote with Amy
"Fall"
"Fire Alarms"
"Where We Land"
"She"

Discography

Albums

Title Artist Year Credits
Amy Wadge Amy Wadge 2016 Co-written & Performed
Afterglow Amy Wadge & Pete Riley 2012 Co-written & Performed
Rivers Apart 2011 Co-written & Performed
Acoustig Amy Wadge 2009 Written, Performed & Produced
Bump 2019 Written, Performed & Produced
Tougher Than Love 2007 Co-written & Performed
No Sudden Moves 2006 Written & Performed
Woj 2004 Written & Performed
Open 2003 Written & Performed
The Famous Hour 2002 Written & Performed

EPs and singles

Title Artist Year Credits
"Keeping Faith" - Series 2 Amy Wadge 2019 Written, Performed
"Keeping Faith" 2018 Written, Performed
"No Use Crying Over Spilt Milk" 2016 Written, Performed & Produced
"Recovery" (EP) 2014 Written, Performed & Produced
"Hold Me" 2009 Written & Performed
"SXSW" 2009 Written, Performed & Produced
"A Design For Life" (Cover) 2006 Performed
"USA? We'll Wait and See..." 2005 Co-written & Performed
"USA? Oes Angen Mwy..." 2005 Co-written & Performed
"Just In Time" 2003 Written & Performed
"Saddest Eyes" 2000 Written & Performed

Other charted songs

Year Title Peak position
UK
[12]
2019 "Faith's Song" 74

Awards

Year Awarding Body Award
2016 ASCAP Songwriter of the Year
2016 University of South Wales Honorary Doctorate of Music
2016 The Recording Academy, Grammy Award Song of the Year
2015 The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama Fellowship
2003 Best Female Solo Artist Welsh Music Awards
2002 Best Female Solo Artist Welsh Music Awards

References

  1. Wadge, Amy (18 March 2014). ""A Real Muso's Gig!" – Amy Wadge Interview". Archived from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  2. Amy Wadge, Maverick
  3. Wadge, Amy (17 February 2012). "Wales Music: Amy Wadge: My role in Ed Sheeran's success". BBC. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  4. Wadge, Amy (30 June 2014). "How I wrote Ed Sheeran's song...On Harry Styles' guitar". WalesOnline. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  5. "Bafta Cymru: Keeping Faith songwriter's show delight". VVC News. 14 October 2018. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  6. "BBC Wales - Music - Amy Wadge - Biography". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  7. Billboard. Vol. 116, No. 30. Neilsen Business Media, Inc. 24 July 2004. p. 19. ISSN 0006-2510.
  8. "Wadge to release Single in Welsh". WalesOnline.
  9. Amy Wadge and Pete Riley Archived 21 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Moneypenny Agency
  10. Pontypridd-based singer mum Amy Wadge gets back on the road to avoid stage fright, WalesOnline
  11. Wightwick, Abbie (11 June 2017). "Amy Wadge won't duet with Ed Sheeran in Wales and this is why". Walesonline.co.uk. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  12. "AMY WADGE | full Official Charts History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
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