Up until a few weeks ago, someone would mention the words “teen singer” and immediately my mind would fill with Taylor Swift’s thin voice singing “Love Story,” or, worse, the grating strains of Rebecca Black’s Friday. But thanks to Jasmine “Birdy” Van den Bogaerde, a fifteen-year-old indie artist, my hope for talented youth is renewed.
Birdy’s voice is genuine, rich, and expressive — a cross between Adele and Kate Bush. Within her willowy frame resides the strong, resonant voice of a true artist.
The daughter of a classically trained concert pianist, and the grandniece of independent actor and author Sir Dirk Bogaerde, Birdy has an innovative and musical background. When Birdy was a baby she would stretch her mouth wide in anticipation of being fed; so, her parents dubbed her “Birdy.”
Birdy has grown up in an old farmhouse by the sea in New Forest, England. She won the Open Mic UK talent contest four years ago, then began covering other artists’ songs, such as The xx’s “Shelter” and Bon Iver’s “Skinny Love.” In these songs, she honed her personal style and eventually moved on to her own compositions.
Birdy takes inspiration from various media, including literature. For instance, Birdy enjoyed “The Hunger Games” so much that she wrote a song, “Just a Game,” which appeared in the film version.
Her music videos are works of art and convey complex stories of love and bereavement. There is weight in her music. Her cover version of “Skinny Love” attracted more than six million hits on YouTube.
Some online viewers criticize Birdy’s adult themes. They argue a fifteen-year-old could not have experienced the depth of relationship and complexity of emotion Birdy describes.
She proves them wrong, capturing maturity beyond her years in the richness of her voice and in her ability to tell stories through music.
Birdy’s resonant voice and mature song choices (some rather dark) encompass a sense of true artistry that place her above the ranks of other aspiring musicians her age. Keep watching this artist –– who knows where she’ll fly.
