Florence Welch is known as the face of the popular alternative band Florence + The Machine, but many don’t realize just how influential she has been on the music scene. While delicate-looking and with a face of serenity on the outside, the singer is a powerhouse vocalist and songwriter, which only makes her a stronger female figure in the music industry.
Discovered singing to herself in the bathroom of a London pub, Welch was a standout from the beginning. She found inspiration from her parents to pursue music, began writing songs in her teenage years and eventually formed a band to launch her career.
Thus came the smash-hit success of what would be known as Florence + The Machine’s debut album, “Lungs” in 2009. Arguably, “Lungs” has some of the best songs within Welch’s musical catalog, including the whimsical, catastrophic “Cosmic Love” and the noteworthy, indie-radio sing-along, “Dog Days Are Over.”
Within this album, Welch proved in her early 20s just how serious she was as a singer, with her vocals reaching impressive new heights as she sang in beautiful falsettos and caught the attention of music listeners with dark, heavy lyricism and visuals. The project went on to peak at No.1 in the United Kingdom and No.17 in the United States.
Welch received so much positive feedback that she was later asked to travel to Los Angeles to work with American producers and writers, but rebelled against the idea of conforming to mainstream pop standards. Instead, the singer made an even more daring and conceptual sophomore album, “Ceremonials.”
If you’ve never heard “Shake It Out,” by Welch, then you’re simply missing out on an alternative-pop record that was exceeding what other artists at the time were creating. Leaving a striking mark within the music scene of 2011, the album sold close to one million copies. It also gained the attention of EDM DJ Calvin Harris, resulting in their collaboration with “Sweet Nothing,” reaching the Top 10 of the American Pop Charts just a year later.
Sadly, the stress of constant touring and recording led Welch to experience a vocal injury, and she canceled the rest of Florence + The Machine’s European music festival performances at the time. Yet, this didn’t stop the singer from bouncing back.
2015 saw a healthier, more wise version of Welch with her band’s third album, “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful.” Standouts like “What Kind Of Man” and “Ship To Wreck” helped solidify Welch as a frontwoman as well, earning her a Grammy nomination for “Best Rock Song.”
While Welch continued to thrive within her band, she’s also ventured outside of her own personal work, working with major icons such as Lady Gaga on her 2016 album “Joanne.” Additionally, she collaborated with beloved producer Jack Antonoff on the band’s most recent album, “Dance Fever,” which dropped over the summer.
Unlike their fourth studio album, “High As Hope,” “Dance Fever” is more engaging, seeing Welch take on the persona of a devilish spirit, exorcizing listeners yet again with her amazing talent. Rated a 7.1 by Pitchfork, the album is by far Welch’s most introspective, turning inwards to reveal her stance on power in the industry and femininity.
The album has been widely praised by many musicians close to Welch as well, including her musical prodigy, alternative-pop singer Maggie Rogers. The singer also saw praise from Antonoff and even earned the respect of rapper Kendrick Lamar, who sampled Welch’s vocals on “We Cry Together.”
Clearly, Florence Welch is a widely respected musician in all genres of music, even if she is known for her eccentric, hippie-like tendencies as a lead singer of one of the 2010s most popular alternative bands. Not only does she know how to remain a subtle, yet confident figure in the music industry, but Welch also knows that being the underdog is sometimes the best reputation to have, especially within an industry that is fixated on labels and rankings.
