Rat Boy (musician)
| Rat Boy | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Jordan Cardy 21 February 1996 Chelmsford, Essex, England |
| Other names | Rat Boy |
| Years active | 2013–present |
|
Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Labels |
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| Website |
ratboy |
| Notable instruments | |
| |
Jordan Cardy (born 21 February 1996), known by his stage name Rat Boy, is a British musician from Chelmsford, Essex.
Early life
Cardy was born in Chelmsford, England on 21 February 1996. He studied at Chelmer Valley High School in Chelmsford and went on to study Art at Colchester College. Despite being severely dyslexic,[1] he began writing songs in his spare time, releasing songs on SoundCloud under the name "Rat Boy", a name given to him by his school friends who claimed he looked like a rat.[2] After college Cardy was hired and subsequently fired from Wetherspoons, which provided inspiration for his first release on SoundCloud, The Mixtape.[3]
Career
Cardy produced "The Mixtape", a 5 track mix on which he provided vocals, keyboard and bass. He sent "The Mixtape" to various record companies and in response Drew McConnell (bassist for Babyshambles) arranged for Rat Boy to have a meeting with him, Rat Boy was subsequently signed to Parlophone records in early 2015. In addition to this "The Mixtape" was featured in NME Magazine and played by radio stations including BBC Radio 1, XFM and BBC Radio 6.[4]
Rat Boy was added to the BBC Sound Of 2016 Longlist, an annual poll in which over 100 Music Specialists select artists they believe will be successful within the next 12 months.[5] In December 2015, MTV released its Brand New for 2016, an annually released article and webseries containing artists to watch out for during the upcoming year. Rat Boy was shortlisted along with 10 other artists including Bonkaz, Jack Garratt and Rationale. He was also nominated for the Best New Artist 2016 by NME magazine, which he subsequently won, along with performing his single "Move" at the awards ceremony.[6]
Musical style
Cardy's music is an amalgamation of several styles, most notably hip hop and indie rock. He has cited his main musical influences as English bands The Clash and The Streets and has been compared to artists such as Jamie T and The Beastie Boys. He is also a fan of Kendrick Lamar and Kasabian.[7] Cardy has a DIY approach to his art and music, generally recording and producing his own tracks at home and creating all his own album art. Many of Cardy's songs consist of narratives and stories within the lyrics, as well as samples recorded of sounds and conversations from his daily life.[8]
Discography
EPs/Mixtapes
- The Mixtape (2014)[9]
- Neighbourhood Watch (2015)
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK Vinyl[10] | ||||||
| "Sign On" | 2015 | 1 | ||||
| "FAKE ID" | 4 | |||||
| "Move" | 2016 | 5 | ||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||||
Touring Members
Cardy is joined by his band during live performances, members are as follows:
- Jordan Cardy - Vocals, Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Bass Guitar, Keyboard, Songwriter, Mixer/Producer
- Harry Todd - Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Sampler
- Liam Haygarth - Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
- Noah Booth - Drums
Awards and Nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Recipients and nominees | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | BBC Sound Of 2016 | Best New Act | Rat Boy | Nominated |
| MTV Brand New | Best New Act | Nominated | ||
| NME Awards[11] | Best New Artist | Won |
References
- ↑ The Independent http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/self-proclaimed-loud-and-annoying-singer-songwriter-ratboy-is-bringing-back-nineties-music-a6802006.html. Retrieved 2016-02-21. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ↑ "The Independent". Retrieved 2016-02-21.
- ↑ https://soundcloud.com/ratboyratboy/sets/the-mixtape
- ↑ http://2015.bestival.net/line-up/artists/ratboy
- ↑ http://www.nme.com/news/various-artists/90037
- ↑ http://www.nme.com/awardsvote
- ↑ "NME Awards 2016: Rat Boy Soundcheck". Youtube. Retrieved 2016-02-21.
- ↑ http://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-radar/rat-boy-interview-british-indies-cheekiest-new-upstart-is-busy-making-a-riot-of-life-s-tribulations
- ↑ http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/nov/21/new-band-of-the-week-rat-boy-no-32
- ↑ http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/vinyl-singles-chart/20151016/897/
- ↑ http://www.nme.com/news/various-artists/91604