Laura Critchley (born 27 March 1984) is an English singer and songwriter. She released her debut album, ''Sometimes I'', in 2007 and has toured with various artists. Critchley has recorded music with Robbie Williams, performed a duet with Ronan Keating, and worked as a backing singer for Tom Jones. In addition to her music career, she has been involved in charity work.

Biography

Laura Critchley was born in Little Sutton,

Ellesmere Port Ellesmere Port ( ) is a port town in the Cheshire West and Chester borough in Cheshire, England. Ellesmere Port is on the south-eastern edge of the Wirral Peninsula, north of Chester, on the bank of the Manchester Ship Canal. In the 2021 Unite ...

Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Merseyside to the north-west, Greater Manchester to the north-east, Derbyshire to the east, Staffordshire to the south-east, and Shrop ...

. With a voice described as that from a love child of

Rod Stewart Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British singer and songwriter. Known for his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists of all time, having sold ...

and

Stevie Nicks Stephanie Lynn Nicks (born May 26, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter, known for her work with the band Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist. After starting her career as a duo with her then-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham, releasing the album ...

, Critchley started singing when she was 7 years old. She wrote her first song, "Change", at the age of 16. It received radio play on BBC Radio Merseyside on the Billy Butler and Jimmy McCracken show. She got to the last 50 in '' Fame Academy'' in 2001, and appeared as

Jessica Simpson Jessica Ann Johnson (née Simpson; born July 10, 1980) is an American singer, actress, and fashion designer. After performing in church choirs as a child, Simpson signed with Columbia Records in 1997, aged seventeen. Her debut studio album, '' ...

on '' Stars in Their Eyes''. In 2006, she moved to London and within three months was signed to independent record label,

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, owned and run by Andrew Gemmell and Jeremy Marsh (RCA Telstar). She toured with the Sugababes in March 2007, with Ray Quinn in October 2007, with Deacon Blue in November 2007, and with

Boyzone Boyzone were an Irish boy band created in 1993 by the talent manager Louis Walsh. Before even recording any material, Boyzone made an appearance on RTÉ's ''The Late Late Show (Ireland), The Late Late Show''. Its most successful line-up was co ...

in May 2008. Critchley's début album, ''Sometimes I'', was released on 19 November 2007. Radio 2

Terry Wogan Sir Michael Terence Wogan (; 3 August 1938 – 31 January 2016) was an Irish radio and television broadcaster who worked for the BBC in Britain for most of his career. Between 1993 and his semi-retirement in 2009, his BBC Radio 2 weekday brea ...

has praised Critchley saying that her single was an excellent single and that she was one to look out for. Also in 2007, she recorded three songs with

Robbie Williams Robert Peter Williams (born 13 February 1974) is an English singer and songwriter. He found fame as a member of the pop group Take That from 1990 to 1995, launching a solo career in 1996. His debut studio album, ''Life thru a Lens'', was re ...

. In December she sang at Ronan Keating's cancer research ball, and also duetted with him on a version of "Last thing on my mind". Her first single, "Sometimes I" was released on 21 May 2007. Produced by Steve Power, the man who worked on many of

' hits with him, the single did not chart, but did well on the video channels. The second single "What do we do" was on the Radio 2 playlist on the

show, and was released on 12 November 2007. Her third single is a remix of "Sometimes I", by Ash Howes (who has worked with Girls Aloud and the Sugababes) and was released on 25 February 2008. Critchley's fourth single "Today's Another Day" was released on 16 June 2008 and was a radio hit, reaching number 4 in the independent charts. On 6 July 2009, Critchley released her single "Feel Proud" which she wrote with UK troops in mind. Profits went to the Help For Heroes charity. Critchley's songs have been on the Radio 2 playlists as well as many regional stations such as Radio Ulster. Having supported The Sugababes, and Boyzone on their respective arena tours, duetted with Ronan Keating and sung for Robbie Williams, She won the best live performance award at the Irish Entertainment Awards in October 2008. Critchley performed her debut American showcase on 1 May 2008, to which many record execs went. Jeff Arch (the Sleepless in Seattle writer) also directed her video for the single "Today's Another Day". A 10 part series for

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called ''Kenwood Glamour Puds'' has used Critchley's music as the title music and sound beds. Glamour puds, featuring Critchley's music, has since been shown on Channel 4 on daytime TV. In 2010, Critchley was picked by Tom Jones to be one of his two backing singers during his worldwide performances and promotion of his album, '' Praise and Blame''. She appeared on ''

Good Morning America ''Good Morning America'', often abbreviated as ''GMA'', is an American breakfast television, morning television program that is broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends wit ...

'' as well as many other shows around the world with Jones.

Other work

Critchley was chosen as the face of new airline Fly Pink. She is a

patron Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, art patronage refers to the support that princes, popes, and other wealthy and influential people ...

autism Autism, also known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by differences or difficulties in social communication and interaction, a preference for predictability and routine, sensory processing d ...

charity Wishing Well House. Screenwriter Jeff Arch has written a scene for Critchley in his upcoming film ''The Chelsea Story'' set to star

John Cusack John Paul Cusack ( ; born June 28, 1966)(28 June 1996)Today's birthdays ''Santa Cruz Sentinel'', ("Actors John Cusack is 30") is an American actor. With a career spanning over four decades, he has appeared in over 80 films. He began acting in f ...

and Naomi Watts. He has since also asked her to write the title track for the film as well. Laura has also accepted a request from the Duchess of York, to be one of her charity's (Children in Crisis) celebrity ambassadors for 2008.

Discography

"Sometimes I" is the second single by Critchley that launched her music career from her MySpace page. It was released on 21 May 2007. It was produced by Steve Power, the man behind many of

hits, the single did not chart, but did well on the video channels. A re-mix of the song was released as Critchley's fourth single on 25 February 2008.

Albums

*''Sometimes I'' – (19 November 2007)

Singles

; from ''Sometimes I'': *"Don't Say" – (26 March 2007) *"Sometimes I" – (21 May 2007) *"What Do We Do" – (12 November 2007) *"Sometimes I" (re-mix) – (25 February 2008) *"Today's Another Day" – (16 June 2008) ; non-album single: *"Feel Proud" – (6 July 2009)

References

External links

Get Ready To Rock.com Review of Sometimes I
{{DEFAULTSORT:Critchley, Laura 1984 births Living people 21st-century English women singers 21st-century English singers