Florence + The Machine
Florence And The Machine (stylized as Florence + The Machine) is the name of Florence Welch and a collaboration of other artists who provide backing music for her voice. Florence is an art college dropout from Camberwell, London, who grew up listening to the White Stripes and Kate Bush, was discovered singing Motown covers in a nightclub toilet, drunk. Musically Florence and the Machine’s sound is generally referred to as soul-inspired indie rock.
Florence And The Machine’s music has received praise across the British music media, especially from the BBC who have played a large part in their rise to prominence by bringing them into the spotlight as part of BBC Introducing. At the Brit Awards 2009 Florence picked up the Critics Choice Award; a category introduced in 2008 focusing on new talent, voted for by a panel of music industry experts.
In February 2011, Welch stated that she was working on a second album and was expecting to release new music soon. It was also revealed that a recording session will take place in April or June 2011 to record the album. Paul Epworth, the producer of the album, told BBC 6 Music that it “will probably be finished by the end of July” and described the sound as “a little less indie and a little bit more soulful”. The group has also contributed a cover of Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away” to Rave On Buddy Holly, a tribute album tied to Holly’s seventy-fifth birthday year released on 28 June 2011.