For Fans Of: Rag’n’Bone Man, Emeli Sande, Beyonce
Sarah Grace McLaughlin, more commonly known as the powerful singer-songwriter Bishop Briggs, was just four years old when she performed publicly for the first time and has had her eye on the stage since. Born to Scottish parents while raised in Japan and Hong Kong, this first show took place in a Tokyo karaoke bar and has been followed by many more. She has developed her sets to become the enigmatic live shows fans experience today and is a prime example of that happens when talent meets determination.
She began writing her own songs just three years after her live debut, honing in on her natural talent of crafting compelling lyrics. She hit the charts with ease when she released her debut single ‘Wild Horses’ in 2015, aged 23, reaching number 1 on Spotify’s US Viral Chart and number 2 on their Global Viral 50 Chart. She continued the success with her Platinum-certified single ‘River’ which also hit number 1 on Spotify’s US Viral Chart and now has nearly 200 million plays on the platform. After teasing fans with a few more singles, she released her first self-titled EP in April 2017. Lemonade Magazine rated it 5 stars, stating “It takes serious talent to be able to pound out such clear, powerful notes without wavering […] You are invested from the beginning to end.”
Many may also know her from the Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack as her cutting cover of INXS’ monumental ballad ‘Never Tear Us Apart’ was a highly popular feature. It reached number 18 in the US Rock charts and has amassed over 29 million plays on Spotify.
In April 2018 she released her debut album Church of Scars via Island Records, which was rated 9/10 by Exclaim!, who also said “McLaughlin’s ability to draw you in with her warmth through her emotive voice truly demonstrates her talent.” It also features writing collaborations with the likes of Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons and Dan Wilson who co-wrote Adele’s ‘Someone Like You’, putting their forces together for ‘Lyin’ and ‘Dream’. Church of Scars is full of passion, delving into the depths of heartbreak and liberation, covering a span of emotions empowered by her neo-soul sound.
She followed up this grand success with the release of her second album Champion in November this year. It features the powerful lead single ‘Champion’, and ‘Tattooed On My Heart’ which speaks of recovering from a break up. Her incredible vocals simultaneously pull on the heartstrings and empower the soul, leaving no wonder she has been compared to the pure velocity of Janis Joplin, Florence Welch, Aretha Franklin, and Alabama Shakes’ Brittany Howard.
Briggs’ music transcends the limitations of genre, intertwining elements of folk, pop and electronica to develop her unique sound full of range and substance.
Website – bishopbriggs.com
Facebook – /thatgirlbishop
Twitter – @thatgirlbishop