Biography
Who is Florence Welch?
Early life and education
Florence Leontine Mary Welch was born on August 28, 1986, in Camberwell, London. Her father, Nick Russell Welch, worked in advertising, while her mother, Evelyn Welch, is an academic from the United States. Because of her mother, Florence holds both British and American citizenship. She grew up in a Catholic household.
She attended Thomas's London Day School in Battersea before moving to Alleyn's School in South East London. During her school years, she often sang loudly in the choir. She was also diagnosed with dyslexia and dyspraxia, which affected her organization and spelling. After finishing secondary school, she worked at a pub before studying illustration at Camberwell College of Arts.
Music career and first albums
Florence Welch began performing in small London venues in 2006 alongside Isabella Summers. The duo initially used the names Florence Robot and Isa Machine. In 2007, she recorded with the band Ashok on the album Plans on the Filthy Lucre. This project featured an early version of her song Kiss with a Fist.
Her main group, Florence and the Machine, released the debut album Lungs in 2009. This record reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and earned a Brit Award for Best British Album. The band followed this success with five more albums that also performed well on the charts. In 2018, she also published a book of poems and lyrics titled Useless Magic.
Major hits and collaborations
The band released the album Ceremonials in 2011, which also topped the UK charts. During this period, she performed at the 83rd Academy Awards, singing with A. R. Rahman. She also recorded the song Breath of Life for the film Snow White and the Huntsman. In 2012, she collaborated with Calvin Harris on the number one single Sweet Nothing.
Florence Welch has worked with various artists including Lady Gaga on the track Hey Girl. She also appeared in the film Song to Song and contributed the song To Be Human to the Wonder Woman soundtrack. In 2015, her band headlined the Glastonbury Festival after Dave Grohl injured his leg. Her third album, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, reached number one in several countries including the US and Canada.
Family and personal life
The family of Florence Welch includes her sister Grace and her brother J.J. Her parents divorced when she was 13. Following the divorce, her mother married Peter Openshaw, which gave Florence three step-siblings named Maddie, Sam, and John. She also has a stepbrother named Nick through her father.
Her extended family includes her uncle John Stockwell, who is an actor and filmmaker. She is also the niece of satirist Craig Brown. Some of her music has been inspired by her grandmothers, including her maternal grandmother who passed away in New York. Her paternal grandmother, Cybil, encouraged her to pursue a career in music.
Birthday and age
Florence Welch was born on August 28, 1986, which makes Florence 40 years old today. That birthday falls under the Virgo sign. Florence shares the date with 35 other famous people.
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