Known for his emotive and complex style of songwriting, fusing acoustic folk with poppier elements of electronica, David Gray was the soundtrack of the late 1990s and early 2000s for many.
That said, the ‘Babylon’ singer was far from an overnight success. Growing up in Pembrokeshire before moving to Liverpool to study fine arts, Gray spent years honing his songwriting skills, performing in local pubs and trying to find his audience. In keeping with his unique sound, his early musical influences ranged from introspective songwriters such as Bob Dylan and Van Morrison, to rowdy punk bands such as The Clash.
David Gray released his debut album, A Century Ends in 1993, followed by Flesh (1994), and Sell, Sell, Sell (1996). During this time, Gray toured relentlessly around the UK and Ireland, and began to engage pockets of dedicated folk-rock fans with whom his work resonated. Whilst these early albums are now revered as his formative efforts to sharpen his distinctive sound and raw vocal delivery, they failed to achieve commercial success in the same way that White Ladder soon would.
Featuring tracks such as ‘This Year’s Love’, ‘Babylon’, ‘Sail Away’ and ‘Please Forgive Me’, White Ladder – now widely acknowledged as one of the best-selling British albums of the 21st century – was a turning point for David Gray. The album was self-released in 1998, having been recorded at his home using a basic set-up. Initially a slow-burner, White Ladder soon gained enough momentum to be re-released in 2000 on ATO Records (co-founded by Dave Matthews), which was when the chart placements and nominations began to roll in.
With a fresh yet timeless blend of subtle electronic beats and folk-rock roots, Gray’s signature folktronica sound was widely applauded. Following the re-release, White Ladder has sold more than eight million copies worldwide, initially climbing to number one in the UK in 2001, before spending the next three years in the UK Top 100. During this time, David Gray received a flurry of BRIT Award nominations; Best British Male Solo Artist, British Album of the Year, and British Single of the Year, as well as a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.
David Gray’s fifth album, A New Day at Midnight, followed in 2002 with hit tracks ‘The Other Side’ and ‘Be Mine’. It went straight to No.1, achieving platinum status within a year, and paving the way for Gray to continue touring all over the world and releasing new music – even after a couple of hiatuses. All the while, David Gray has been regularly cited by more contemporary artists such as Ed Sheeran, Adele, and Hozier, as being one of the most influential and respected songwriters of recent decades.
Today, David Gray is gearing up for the release of his 13th studio album, Dear Life, which is due 17th January 2025 and is tipped to feature guest vocals by his daughter Florence Gray. The album will be accompanied by a UK, Ireland and US tour in the spring of 2025.
