Brooke Fraser
Brooke Gabrielle Ligertwood (née Fraser; born 15 December 1983) better known by her maiden name Brooke Fraser, is a New Zealand singer and songwriter best known for her hit single "Something in the Water", released in 2010. Fraser released two studio albums What to Do with Daylight (2003) and Albertine (2006) through Columbia Records before signing a recording contract with Wood + Bone. Her third studio album, Flags, was released in 2010 and is her most successful album to date. She released the album, Brutal Romantic, was released in November 2014 through Vagrant Records.[1] Her latest album, her first live album, Seven was released in 2022.
Brooke Fraser | |
|---|---|
Fraser in 2015 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Brooke Gabrielle Fraser |
| Born | 15 December 1983 Wellington, New Zealand |
| Origin | Wellington, New Zealand |
| Genres | Contemporary Christian music, pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, record producer |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, piano, guitar |
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Labels |
|
| Website | brookefraser |
Fraser became a member of the Australian Christian music group Hillsong Worship from 2005 to 2010; she rejoined the group in 2016 since she was the songwriter and lead vocalist for the Grammy winning[2] song "What a Beautiful Name", which was credited under her married name Brooke Ligertwood.[3] Other well-known songs written and performed by Fraser (both with Hillsong Worship and as a solo artist) include "Hosanna", "Lead Me To The Cross", "Better", "Who You Say I Am", "King of Kings", "Awake My Soul".
Early life
Fraser is the eldest of three children born to former All Black Bernie Fraser,[4] who was born in Lautoka, Fiji, and his wife Lynda.[5] Her father is of Fijian, Portuguese, and Scottish descent.[6] She has two brothers: Matthew, who lives in Wellington, and Shea, who lives in Dunedin.[7][8] Fraser grew up in Naenae, Lower Hutt and attended Dyer Street School, Naenae Intermediate School and Naenae College.[9]
Fraser took piano lessons between the ages of seven and seventeen. She started writing songs at age twelve and taught herself the acoustic guitar at age fifteen.
She began writing for the Soul Purpose magazine at age fifteen and was later made editor in 2002. She gave up her job as editor shortly after moving to Auckland in late 2002 in order to pursue her music career.[10] In 2002, at the age of 18, Fraser signed a multi album deal with Sony Music, after a fierce bidding war between labels.[11]
Musical career
2002−2004: Breakthrough with What to Do With Daylight
Fraser's first album, What to Do with Daylight, was released in New Zealand in late 2003, which debuted at No. 1 and achieved gold status the same week. The album eventually went seven times platinum,[12] which sold over 105,000 copies in New Zealand alone.[13] It remained on the album charts for sixty-six weeks.[14] All five singles from the album reached the top twenty in the New Zealand Singles Chart.[15] Her album also topped the New Zealand Top 50 Albums for all of 2004.[16] The album also achieved gold status in Australia.[citation needed]
Following the release of What to Do with Daylight, Fraser toured Australia and New Zealand with American recording artist John Mayer and then toured New Zealand with veteran English rock artist David Bowie.[17][18]
2005−2009: Albertine and other ventures
In 2005, prior to writing and preparing her follow-up album, Fraser went to Rwanda before visiting her World Vision sponsor children in Tanzania. Fraser wrote the song "Albertine" about a young genocide victim (named Albertine), whom she met while in Rwanda. This song became her second album's title track.[19] For this album, Fraser decided to enlist a new band of American session musicians who had worked with an array of notable artists, both live and recorded.[20]
In 2006, Fraser and the band went into the studio in Los Angeles to record the album with producer Marshall Altman. The first single, "Deciphering Me", reached No. 4 in the New Zealand single charts in 2006.[citation needed] On 4 December 2006, the album, Albertine, was released in New Zealand, which achieved double platinum status less than a month after its release. The album was released in Australia and internationally on 31 March 2007. In Australia, it charted at No. 29 in its first week on 9 April and has achieved Gold sales status. Albertine also became Fraser's US debut, released on 27 May 2008. It entered the Billboard 200 at No. 90 on 19 July 2008. The album was propelled by online sales after being chosen as Editor's Choice on iTunes.[21] In 2008, Fraser undertook a major world tour, culminating the Montreal Jazz Festival and the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London, UK. "Albertine" (the single) won the prestigious APRA Silver Scroll for Song of the Year in 2007.
2010−2015: Flags and Brutal Romantic
Flags was recorded at East West Studios in Hollywood in mid 2010[22] and released on 12 October 2010, in New Zealand, Australia and North America. Fraser celebrated with sold-out tours in all territories. Flags reached No. 1 on the New Zealand album chart,[23] No. 3 in Australia[24] and entered at No. 59 on the Billboard 200 in the US.[25] Flags has been certified Gold in Australia and 3× Platinum in New Zealand, where it was also the sixth-highest-selling album of 2010.[26] The first single, "Something in the Water", achieved extensive radio success across the globe; notably, it received BBC Radio 2 A-list rotation in the top 10 in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Finland and Belgium and is a gold single in Germany and Italy.[27] The single achieved double platinum sales in NZ where it spent 21 weeks in the 2010 singles chart.[28] Flags was released in July 2011 in Europe and debuted in the album charts at No. 6 in Germany, No. 33 in Austria and No. 24 in Switzerland. A month after its release, Flags remained in the German top twenty at No. 13 and "Something in the Water" on the singles charts at No. 8. Flags was released in October 2011 in Hungary and reached No. 15 on the national album chart by the second week of release.[29] Flags was later released in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland on 7 November 2011.[30]
In its review of Flags, Glide Magazine said: "Brooke Fraser's third release, Flags, is a wonder. From the stunning lyrical imagery throughout to the impressive guest vocalists who join her (Cary Brothers, Jon Foreman and Aqualung among them), from Fraser's ethereal and breathy performances to the wide-ranging soundscapes, this record is drenched in beauty and stands as one of the more remarkable achievements of 2010."[31]
After the release of Flags, Fraser signed a recording contract with Vagrant Records and started recording her fourth studio album. On 13 August 2014, Fraser released a "taster track" titled "Psychosocial" on SoundCloud.[32] The song marked a shift in musical direction for Fraser, as she moved from more acoustic and singer-songwriter based tunes to more electronic sounds. Her single "Kings and Queens" went to radio on 22 September 2014 and was available for digital download on 26 September 2014. On 1 October, she announced her fourth studio album, Brutal Romantic, would follow in November.[1][33] The album was released in Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia on 14 November 2014 and in North America on 17 November 2014. The album was produced by Fraser and David Kosten, except the track "Magical Machine" which was produced by Fraser, Kosten and Dan Wilson.[34] In September 2015, Fraser performed a song titled "Team, Ball, Player, Thing" as a part of a charity supergroup #KiwisCureBatten. It was an official supporters' song of the All Blacks in the 2015 Rugby World Cup. It was also in aid of research into Batten disease via the New Zealand charity Cure Kids. It was released as a single on 11 September 2015.[35] The day after it was released, the single debuted at No. 6 on the New Zealand Top 40 chart.[36]
2016−present: A Sides and work with Hillsong Church
In 2016, she released "Therapy", off her first compilation album, A Sides, which was released 25 November 2016.[37] This was followed by her second compilation album, B Sides, on 16 November 2018.[38][39]
Already part of Hillsong Church since 2005, Fraser joined the Australian church's worship band—Hillsong Worship—where she participates under her married name: Brooke Ligertwood.[40] The first album she was included on was the 2006 album Mighty to Save, on which she co-wrote "None But Jesus" from United We Stand, released in 2006. Her last live album with the band was the 2010 album A Beautiful Exchange, after which Fraser left Hillsong Worship. The 2016 live album Let There Be Light marked Fraser's return and her first live recording with Hillsong Worship since her departure in 2010.[40] She co-wrote and sang lead vocals on the song "What a Beautiful Name" for the 2016 live album.[40] At the 2018 Grammy Awards, the group won the Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song award for "What a Beautiful Name". Billboard ranked the song as the top Christian Song of 2017[41] and third of the 2010s decade.[42]
On February 25, 2022, Fraser released SEVEN. It is her first live solo album, her first solo work since rejoining Hillsong Worship and the first to be released under her married name.[43]
On April 28 2023 she realised spanish EP Siete (EP contains 5 songs from Seven in spanish) [44]
Since 2016, Ligertwood has led the Hillsong Worship team, both in Australia and abroad and she also tours under her own individual brand.
Personal life
After the success of her first album, Fraser moved to Sydney in 2004. On 17 March 2008, she married Scott Ligertwood, in Sydney.[45] She continues to perform under her maiden name "Brooke Fraser" for her solo career[46] with the exception of her live album Seven.
In March 2015, Fraser announced she was pregnant with their first child.[47] A daughter was born on 18 September 2015.[48] Fraser currently lives in Los Angeles, where she is occasionally on the Sunday worship team at the Hillsong Church Los Angeles campus.[3] Another daughter was born on 10 July 2017.[49][50]
Artistry and influences
Pop music is music that everyone can connect to and get on board with, and that's really the same with worship music. Ideally, it's music that you can come into a church and sing, whether you're a mechanic or a singer or a doctor or a stay-at-home mum, that you would find a connection point in those lyrics which uplifts you, connects you to God and helps you on your own journey.
— Fraser on her journey with music in a Newshub interview[51]
Fraser's music tends to contain Christian themes and imagery while "her work with Hillsong allowed her to fully express her faith."[51] Her genres include folk-pop with more recent pop elements incorporated into her work.[52] Fraser's image as an artist is described as a "dark-haired, wide-eyed, eternally innocent Christian who sang of happy feet, being thrown a lifeline and things in the water."[53] As an artist who writes her songs, she is described as "fast-paced and diligent; she throws herself into everything," fashion and lyric-wise.[53]
Philanthropy
In late 2010 whilst on tour in the US promoting her third album Flags, Fraser, in conjunction with charity: water, ran a birthday campaign asking her fans to donate $27 in honour of her 27th birthday. The goal was to raise $50,000 to build clean water wells in Ethiopia.[54] The campaign was similar to those of Justin Bieber,[55] Will Smith[56] and Adam Lambert.[57]
Fraser has worked with World Vision as an Artist Associate since 2001. She has visited Cambodia and Tanzania with World Vision, the Philippines with Opportunity International and independently travelled to Rwanda in June 2005, in June 2006 as part of charity event "Hope Rwanda", and in May 2007 when she filmed the music video for the song "Albertine" off her second studio album of the same name.[58] Fraser was one of many New Zealand performers to work alongside New Zealand comedy band Flight of the Conchords in their 2012 New Zealand Red Nose Day charity song "Feel Inside (And Stuff Like That)".[59]
Discography
- What to Do with Daylight (2003)
- Albertine (2006)
- Flags (2010)
- Brutal Romantic (2014)
- Seven[60] (2022)
Awards and nominations
Grammy Awards
| Year | Nominee/work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | "What a Beautiful Name" | Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song | Won |
GMA Dove Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Brooke Fraser | Female Vocalist of the Year | Nominated | |
| 2022 | Seven | Worship Album of the Year | Nominated | |
| Recorded Music Packaging of the Year | Nominated |
Vodafone Pacific Music Awards
| Year | Nominee/work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | "Something in the Water" | New Zealand On Air Radio Airplay | Nominated |
| 2015[63] | "Kings & Queens" | Won | |
| 2018[64] | "Therapy" | Won |
APRA Awards (New Zealand)
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004[65] | "Better" | Most Performed Work in New Zealand | Won |
| 2007[65][66][67] | "Deciphering Me" | Won | |
| APRA Silver Scroll | Nominated | ||
| "Albertine" | Won | ||
| 2011 | "Something in the Water" (shared with Scott Ligertwood) | Most Performed Work in New Zealand | Won |
| 2013 | Won | ||
| Most Performed Work Overseas | Won |
New Zealand Music Awards
| Year | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2004[68] | People's Choice Award | Nominated |
| Album of the Year (What to Do with Daylight) | Nominated | |
| Best Female Solo Artist | Won | |
| Breakthrough Artist of the Year | Won | |
| Single of the Year ("Lifeline") | Nominated | |
| Songwriter of the Year | Nominated | |
| People's Choice Award | Nominated | |
| 2007 | Album of the Year (Albertine) | Nominated |
| Best Female Solo Artist | Nominated | |
| Highest Selling Album (Albertine) | Won | |
| Single of the Year ("Deciphering Me") | Nominated | |
| Airplay Record of the Year ("Deciphering Me") | Won | |
| 2009[69] | International Achievement Award | Won |
| 2011 | Album of the Year (Flags) | Nominated |
| Best Pop Album (Flags) | Won | |
| Best Female Solo Artist | Nominated | |
| Single of the Year ("Something in the Water") | Won | |
| People's Choice Award | Won | |
| 2015 | Best Female Solo Artist (Brutal Romantic) | Nominated |
| 2018 | International Achievement Award (for winning Grammy for "What a Beautiful Name") | Won |
References
- ^ a b "Kiwi Brooke Fraser unleashes new sound". Retrieved 30 September 2014.
- ^ Lynch, Joe (28 November 2017). "Grammys 2018: See the Complete List of Nominees". Billboard. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
- ^ a b Asker, Jim (14 April 2017). "Hillsong Worship Songwriter Brooke Ligertwood on What Sets Christian Music Apart: 'When You Connect With People, You Can Feel Their Spirits Being Lifted'". Billboard. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
- ^ Hurley, Bevan (7 March 2010). "Singer's Hollywood sojourn turns ugly". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
- ^ Monk, Felicity (6–12 March 2004). "Brooke Fraser". New Zealand Listener. 192 (3330). Retrieved 19 July 2010.
- ^ Quinn, Keith (21 January 2010). "Quinn: Bill McLaren, goodbye to a legend". Television New Zealand. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
- ^ . NOTED. Archived from the original on 25 September 2018. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
- ^ Macdonald, Nikki (21 November 2011). "Brooke Fraser's long road to stardom". Stuff (company). Retrieved 25 September 2018.
... She even went to her first Parramatta Eels rugby league game. Fraser's younger brothers remain in New Zealand (Matt in Wellington; Shea in Dunedin) ...
- ^ . BiggestStars.com. Archived from the original on 5 October 2009. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
- ^ Smithies, Grant (6 August 2007). . The Sunday Star-Times. Archived from the original on 30 September 2009. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
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- ^ . Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. charts.org.nz. Archived from the original on 7 February 2005. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
- ^ . brookefraser.net. Archived from the original on 23 September 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
- ^ . muzic.net.nz. Archived from the original on 22 December 2003. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
- ^ "Brooke Fraser". Brooke Fraser. 8 December 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
- ^ The NewsTours Page 15 November 2006 at the Wayback Machine on Fraser's website indicates her band's history.
- ^ "Brooke Fraser puts a Kiwi note into US charts". The New Zealand Herald. 21 July 2008. Retrieved 20 August 2008.
- ^ "Brooke Fraser – Flag Bearer". Flush The Fashion. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
- ^ . RIANZ. Archived from the original on 9 March 2009. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
- ^ "ARIA Chart News for week commencing 18 October 2010". the AU review. 18 October 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
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- ^ . RIANZ. Archived from the original on 22 July 2010. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
- ^ "Radio 2 – Playlist". BBC. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
- ^ . RIANZ. Archived from the original on 22 July 2010. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
- ^ "Flags – Hungary Albums Chart". mahasz. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
- ^ . Brooke Fraser Official Website. Archived from the original on 31 October 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
- ^ "CD Review, Brooke Fraser, Flags". Glide Magazine. 18 January 2011. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
- ^ Yap, Timothy (14 August 2014). "Hillsong's Brooke Fraser Returns with Psychosocial; Hear Her New Song Here". Hallels. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
- ^ "Brooke Fraser – Timeline Photos – Facebook". Archived from the original on 26 February 2022.
- ^ "NZ Herald: New Zealand's Latest News, Business, Sport, Weather, Travel, Technology, Entertainment, Politics, Finance, Health, Environment and Science". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
- ^ "All Blacks combine with musicians and celebrities for charity song". Stuff. 10 September 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
- ^ "14 SEPTEMBER 2015". Official NZ Music Charts. RMNZ. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
- ^ "Brooke Fraser to Release 'A Sides' Collection on November 25 – Scoop News". scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
- ^ "Brooke Fraser on Instagram: "'B Sides' is OUT NOW! A special collection of previously unreleased demos, covers and live recordings 💙 Link in bio X"". Instagram. Retrieved 16 November 2018.[non-primary source needed]
- ^ "Hillsong Singer Brooke Fraser's Surprise Album 'B Sides' Is One For The Books". Relevant Magazine. 19 November 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ a b c Asker, Jim (14 April 2017). "Hillsong Worship Songwriter Brooke Ligertwood on What Sets Christian Music Apart: 'When You Connect With People, You Can Feel Their Spirits Being Lifted'". Billboard. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
- ^ "Hot Christian Songs – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
- ^ "Hot Christian Songs – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
- ^ "Brooke Ligertwood Marries Theology and Art on 'SEVEN'". American Songwriter. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
- ^ "Brooke Ligertwood Releases Spanish EP". 28 April 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
- ^ . nzgirl. Archived from the original on 4 May 2009. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
- ^ Schulz, Chris (1 December 2017). "Brooke Fraser's secret Grammy nomination is for Hillsong's What a Beautiful Name". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
Despite the success of What a Beautiful Name, from the album Let There Be Light, she still plans to perform under the name Brooke Fraser. "When I'm singing as Brooke Fraser, it can be more about me; when I am with Hillsong, I am simply part of the church and it's not about me," she said.
- ^ "How Brooke Fraser announced her pregnancy". The New Zealand Herald. 19 March 2015. Retrieved 14 April 2015.
- ^ "Brooke Fraser on Instagram: "My daughter, Dylan Wilde Ligertwood 9 / 18 / 15"". Instagram. Retrieved 21 September 2015.[non-primary source needed]
- ^ "Brooke Fraser welcomes second child". NewsHub.
- ^ "Brooke Ligertwood". Hillsong Official Website.
- ^ a b c Bateman, Sophie. "'Church Songs Are The Ultimate Pop Music' - Brooke Fraser". Newshub. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
- ^ Ankeny, Jason. "New Zealand Singer/songwriter Known for her Pensive, Intelligent Compositions". Retrieved 3 June 2020.
- ^ a b McAllen, Jess (27 December 2014). "The Reinvention of Brooke Fraser". Retrieved 3 June 2020.
- ^ . Mycharitywater.org. Archived from the original on 7 September 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
- ^ . Mycharitywater.org. Archived from the original on 18 October 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
- ^ "Will & Jada's Birthday Contest". Charitywater.org. 30 September 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
- ^ . Mycharitywater.org. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
- ^ "Brooke Fraser casting her line deeper". Retrieved 1 May 2020.
- ^ Carp, Jesse (29 August 2012). "Flight of the Conchords Reunite For Charity Song Feel Inside And Stuff Like That". CInemablend. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ Though Seven was released as a live album, it features all original material. Additionally, it is her first album to be released under her married name "Brooke Ligertwood".
- ^ . Gospel Music Update. 20 February 2009. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
- ^ "2022 Nominees | The 53rd Annual GMA Dove Awards". GMA Dove Awards. 10 August 2022. from the original on 11 August 2022. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
- ^ "Brooke Fraser on Instagram • June 14, 2015". Instagram. Retrieved 11 December 2018.[non-primary source needed]
- ^ "Brooke Fraser on Instagram: "Thanks so much to the Vodafone Pacific Music Awards for the 'NZ On Air Radio AirPlay' award for 'Therapy' last night! ..."". Instagram. Retrieved 27 November 2018.[non-primary source needed]
- ^ a b . Pacific Starmap. Archived from the original on 24 July 2010. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ . New Zealand Press Association. Archived from the original on 10 July 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2010 – via Fairfax New Zealand.
- ^ . 17 July 2007. Archived from the original on 3 April 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
- ^ "Four dominate at 2004 music awards" (Press release). New Zealand Music Awards. 23 September 2004.
- ^ . New Zealand Press Association. 8 October 2009. Archived from the original on 11 October 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2010 – via Television New Zealand.
External links
- Official website
- Brooke Fraser's channel on YouTube
- AudioCulture profile