Jonathan Higgs
Jonathan Higgs | |
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![]() Higgs performing in 2016 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Jonathan Higgs |
Born | Newcastle upon Tyne, England | 23 February 1985
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Instruments |
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Years active | 2007–present |
Jonathan Joseph Higgs[1] (born 23 February 1985) is an English singer, songwriter, filmmaker, director and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the frontman of the art rock band Everything Everything, with whom he has released six studio albums and five EPs. He is noted for having an unusually wide vocal range, particularly his use of falsetto.[2]
Biography
Early life
Higgs was born in Newcastle upon Tyne on 23 February 1985, and was raised in Northumberland, in the village of Gilsland. He studied in Hexham at the Queen Elizabeth High School when he was a teenager, where he first met Mike Spearman and Alex Niven and started making music with them.[3][4]
During his A Levels, Higgs set up the satirical website "Edexhell", which mocked the poor quality of exam papers issued by Edexcel that had affected his grades, and launched a campaign to have the board's accreditation withdrawn by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. No further legal action against the board was taken after Higgs' grades were eventually corrected upon appeal. [5]
Musical career and Everything Everything
Higgs went on to study Popular Music and Recording at Salford University, where the Everything Everything line-up became complete.[6][7] Together with Jeremy Pritchard and Michael Spearman, Higgs and Niven wrote and composed songs for their planned first album.
For the duration of Everything Everything's career, Higgs has directed the vast majority of the band's music videos.
His high-pitched vocals became his trademark in the music world after "Kemosabe"'s release in 2013, a song which won him his first grand music award—the UK Single of the Year at the Music Producers Guild Awards.
Since "Kemosabe", the band have released 22 singles, as well as four LPs and two EPs: Their 2015 album Get to Heaven, 2017 album A Fever Dream, 2018 extended play A Deeper Sea, 2020 album Re-Animator, 2021 extended play Supernormal and 2022 album Raw Data Feel.
Personal life
Higgs lives in Manchester[8] and used to live with 11 cats.[9]
References
- ^ "Infinity Industries LLP". app.duedil.com. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
- ^ McCorkell, Andrew; Lovell, Catherine (17 April 2011). "Anything you can sing, they can sing higher". The Independent. Archived from the original on 14 June 2022. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- ^ Everything Everything interview in The Collective Review by Von Von Lamunu, 16 June 2010
- ^ "Everything Everything's sounding great for Tynedale band". The Journal (Newcastle). 19 May 2009. Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
- ^ "Student's website mocks exam board".
- ^ Lester, Paul (21 January 2010). "Manchester's music scene now has Everything Everything". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
- ^ Fitzgerald, Todd (27 January 2013). "Salford University sings praises of graduates Everything Everything after album is chart hit". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
- ^ "Everything Everything's Jonathan Higgs interview: 'I think this lockdown period has been incredible'". The Independent. 17 June 2020. Archived from the original on 14 June 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
- ^ Higgs, Jonathan. "Self-Portrait: Jonathan Higgs of Everything Everything". www.undertheradarmag.com. Retrieved 17 October 2023.