FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE

Florence and the Machine's sound has been described as a combination of various genres, including rock and soul. The band has received praise across the music media even before they gained mainstream success, especially from the BBC who played a large part in Florence and the Machine's rise to prominence by promoting her as part of BBC Introducing. The band's debut album, "Lungs" was released on July 6, 2009 and held the No. 2 position for its first five weeks in the UK Album Chart. On January 17,2010, the album reached No. 1 on the UK album chart, having remained in the chart for 28 consecutive weeks up until that point. At the 2010 Brits Awards, "Lungs", won the Mastercard British Album award.

Florence Leontine Mary Welch, born August 28,1986 in London, is the daughter of Evelyn Welch, a Harvard-educated Professor of Renaissance Studies and Academic Dean of Arts at Queen Mary University of London and author, and Nick Welch, her father works in advertising.

Welch's fascination with terror and doom was intensified by the death of her grandparents within a few years of each other. At age 10, Welch witnessed her grandfather's deterioration and her maternal grandmother, an art historian who died when Welch was 14. When Welch was 13 years old, her mother moved in with her next door neighbor and his three teenage children. According to Florence they get along now, but it was a nightmare then. She would just stay in her room and dance around and sing.

Florence was educated at Alleyn's School, South East London. Despite doing well academically, Welch often didn't focus at school and was often in trouble for improptu singing and just belting out a tune any time. Welch was diagnosed with dyslexia and dysmetria and she suffers from OCD,ADD and insomnia. Upon leaving school, Florence studied at Camberwell College of the Arts, before dropping out to focus on her music. She contributed vocals to the David Byrnes and Fatboy Slim's, 2010 album, "Here Lies Love".

The Machine is Welch's back-up band, composed mostly of session musicians, who differ dependent on Welch's requirements when performing. The Machine and Florence actually performed as "Florence and the Machine" when she was a solo artist, before she met them, and attributes her acts name to her original musical project with "Isabella Machine" as a teenager. Like most solo female singers, Welch relies on a regular line up of musicians to support her in live shows. The current line up includes session musicians Robert Ackroyd on guitar, Chris Hayden on drums, Isabella Summers on keyboard, Mark Saunders on bass and Tom Monger on harp. In the past, Welch has praised the Machine for understanding her creative process, claiming it's because she has worked with most of them for a long time and they know her style, know the way she writes, and they know what she wants.” According to Welch, the name "Florence and the Machine", started off as a private joke that got out of hand. She made music with her friend, who she called Isabella Machine and she was Florence Robot. In 2006, Welch's performances in small London venues under the name, " Florence Robot is a Machine", began to attract notice.

Florence and the Machine are managed by Mariread Nash, who decided to manage the singer when an very drunk Florence followed Nash into the toilets and sang the Etta James song, "Something's Got A Hold On Me". The album was officially launched with a set at the Rivioli Ballroom in Brockley, South East London.

The album peaked at the number 1 position in the UK and the number 13 position in Europe. As of August 6, 2009, the album had sold over 100,000 copies in the UK and by August 10, 2009, had been at the number 2 position for five straight weeks. Following its July 25, 2009, release for download in the United States, the album debuted at the number 17 position on the Billboard "Heatseekers" chart. The album was released in the U.S. on October 20, 2009 by Island Records. The album was produced by James Ford, Paul Epworth, Steve Mackey, and Charlie Hugall. Much of the material on the album was written as reaction to what turned out to be a temporary break-up with Welch's current boyfriend. She said that he preferred her not to talk about it so she found it funny and sang about it instead.
The follow-up single, " Dog Days are Over", was recorded with no instruments in a studio the size of a restroom. The third single from the album was "Rabbit Heart(Raise it Up). Part of the song's melody, as well as the lyrics, "How quickly the glamor fades" were taken from New York band Gang Gang Dance's song "House Jam", without credit on the " Lung's" liner notes. Members of the group noticed and brought it to the attention of Florence and The Machine's label, Island Records, who acknowledged infringement and agreed to pay Gang Gang Dance a share of the song's publishing royalties. Welch agreed that she had screwed up and said her intent was to pay homage to the band.

After the release of "Lungs", the singles, "Drumming Song" and " Candi Staton" cover and "You've Got the Love" were released. The latter went on to become part of a mash-up called, " You Got the Dirty Love", between Welch and British rapper, Dizzee Rascal. The two performed the mash-up together at the 2010 BRIT Awards and the recorded performance was released as a single the following day. In January 2010, " Hurricane Drunk", was originally announced as the next single from the album. However, on March 3, 2010, a re-release of "Dog Days Are Over", the opening track from "Lungs", was announced on the band's website. The single was to be released digitally on April 11, 2010, on 7" vinyl and will have a new video released, too. "Cosmic Love" has been confirmed to be the 7th and final single from Florence's debut album "Lungs", with a music video having already been shot.