See how Birdy got famous with this one simple trick
I can’t stand Birdy. All she did to become famous was steal other artists’ songs by covering them and making them better known under her own name.
Though I had long been deceived that Skinny Love was an original song by Birdy, I have since become aware of the truth. After each time I play Skinny Love: Original by Bon Iver, in the style of Birdy, I clutch my Bon Iver records and swear to the indie gods that I know the song’s true creator.
But Birdy didn’t stop there. She also fooled me into thinking Terrible Love by The National was her original. I should have known. Who else is so skilled at deceiving the music world into thinking they have their own song-writing talent? I mean, name ONE original song by Birdy. Skinny Love? Already ruled that one out. People Help the People? That was originally by the band Cherry Ghost.
Birdy’s first album consisted almost exclusively of covers. Ironically, her most recent album (of originals) is entitled Beautiful Lies, which I actually think encapsulates the spirit of her first album, <i>Birdy<i>, and just generally what she’s about.
She also has literally four first names to choose from. Her full name is Jasmine Lucilla Elizabeth Jennifer van den Bogaerde, and she goes by BIRDY. And even that’s not original—she ripped off birds!.
You might say: “good for her, her cover was so successful that it became better known under her name than the original artist’s.” Well I say, “fuck that.” As my roommate adeptly put it, her “clanking on the keys” in the place of the original’s guitar is hardly worthy of a whole section on the “Skinny Love” Wikipedia article, let alone a number one position on the charts in the Netherlands and Australia.
Her songs may seem “beautiful,” but they are just as much “lies.” Don’t give her the benefit of profiting from others’ talent. Go give Bon Iver and The National some love (whether skinny or terrible).
I always knew Birdy’s original album was one of covers… it literally says that in the album description. I also had been listening to Bon Iver and the National before Birdy did covers of their songs… I actually discovered Birdy while listening to multiple covers of Skinny Love— and her version of the song is my favourite (better than the original too imo). Just because you were uninformed doesn’t make Birdy a liar and thief.
Gets a little petty and jokey at a point but this article is spot on. Birdy owes her success to stealing songs, rather, specifically targeting songs that were composed by indie bands who never intended to become super popular, and barely giving them credit when she originally released her covers. The fact that so many of her cringe-ass fans don’t even know that they aren’t hers is a testament to this. Tho any person who thinks a 12 year old is capable of identifying with what skinny love is actually about is either lying, an idiot, or a 12 year old themselves and it’s completely understandable since those are the prerequisites to like birdy in the first place
The only reason aspiring singer-songwriters would hate Birdy is that she blows away everyone else. She is now one of the world’s best songwriters, a great pianist and her singing is overwhelmingly beautiful, a view shared by millions. Don’t hate so much…you might hurt yourself.
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You sound like a talented musician yourself, I guess every time you play a song that was not originally written by you then that would also fall into your own category of ‘lies’ and ‘ripping people off”.
Of course you are entitled to your opinions :) It’s just interesting to see where unwarranted hate comes from – and how countless successful singers who started off making covers of other songs on YouTube managed to escape your wrath.
Just because you don’t know the song’s true origin doesn’t make it a lie – don’t blame your ignorance on a singer whose voice has accompanied me on many a lonely train ride :)
Lots of love to you
xx Copyrighted Birds everywhere
imagine being this ugly can’t relate
” Her songs may seem “beautiful,” but they are just as much “lies.” ”
Whoever wrote this op-ed post is a terrible writer and needs to control their own personal vendetta so they can actually try to make something decent and worthwhile to read. This was just utter trash.
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Wow, that’s harsh. She released covers because she was busy doing her GCSEs, and I think they’re great. Her next two albums are either co-written or her own. She does have one original song on her first album – it is “Without a Word”. She got the record deal for her first album by winning the Open Mic competition with her original song “So Be Free” when she was 12. Her music isn’t to everyone’s taste and that’s fine, but there is no reason to acuse her of lying, or insulting her name or personality.
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