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Singer, songwriter From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Thomas Paul Frederick Dutton, known professionally as Tom Aspaul, is a British singer and songwriter from Wolverhampton.[1] He released his debut album, Black Country Disco in 2020 to critical acclaim.[2] His songwriting credits include Kylie Minogue, Snakehips, Celeste and Becky Hill, among many others.
Tom Aspaul | |
|---|---|
Aspaul behind the scenes at the "Kiss It" music video, 2022 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Thomas Paul Frederick Dutton |
| Born | 16 September 1986 (age 38) |
| Origin | Wolverhampton, West Midlands, United Kingdom |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 2013–present |
| Labels | On Repeat Records (2013) BLK&WHT (2016) |
Tom grew up on a council estate[3] in the Black Country.[4][3] Writing songs from an early age, he would play ideas to family and friends, but was not involved in the local music scene.[3] Instead, Aspaul went on to study Architecture,[5] followed by a master's at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London.
Tom's career in music began in earnest while still studying at University in London. Encountering several A&Rs and music managers during his shifts working in an East London pub, Aspaul was eventually drafted to help write new material for the newly reformed Sugababes (then known as Mutya Keisha Siobhan) in 2012.[6] In October 2013, after uploading a demo to SoundCloud, his song "Indiana" was signed to Little Boots' label, On Repeat Records.[7][8] Produced by MNEK, the single attracted support from Popjustice[9] and Pitchfork.[10] The song was covered and renamed as "Feels So Good" by Australian singer Kylie Minogue.[11] Minogue included it on her twelfth studio album, Kiss Me Once, with Aspaul contributing backing vocals.[12] Tom signed his first publishing deal soon after.[13]
In September 2015, Tom co-wrote and featured on XYconstant's single, "Do It Well", released on FFRR Records/Parlophone in September 2015.[14] The track was featured on several 'Best of 2015' lists,[15][16][17] eventually being nominated[18] for the 2016 Popjustice £20 Music Prize, an annual prize awarded by music website Popjustice, recognising the "best British pop single of the previous year". During this time, often in five songwriting sessions a week,[19] Aspaul's other credits include writing singles for AlunaGeorge, LIZ, The X Factor thirteenth series winner Matt Terry (and the runner-up Saara Aalto), Snakehips and Celeste, among others.
After the initial success of "Indiana", on 10 December 2014 Tom premiered "Good Together", his second official single and the first from his debut mixtape.[20] The song, produced by GRADES, received support from Huw Stephens and was named by former BBC Radio 1 DJ, Zane Lowe as his "Next Hype".[21] Revelation, the mixtape, was self-released via YouTube 19 May 2015, receiving acclaim from billboard.[22] Also in 2015, Tom released his collaboration with Aeble (alias of producer Starsmith), "Better By Your Side", which went on to eventually amass over 20 million streams.[23]
Tom released his first full EP, LEFT on BLK&WHT records on 4 November 2016, featuring work with frequent collaborators MNEK and GRADES.[24] 2017 saw more collaborations, with Tom's vocals featuring on several EDM/dance and house tracks, including songs by Viceroy,[25] Bronze Whale and Sleepy Tom, the latter of which became one of BBC Radio 1's "Dance Anthems".
On 14 September 2019, Tom announced the beginning of a new project, Black Country Disco - a concept album named for the area in which he grew up and inspired by disco from the late 70s and early 80s.[26][4] The album was self-released in September 2020 to critical acclaim,[27] named "easily one of the best albums of the year".[28] The record was supported by a short-film titled Black Country Disco: The Movie, shot in and around Wolverhampton.[29]
Aspaul was awarded the PPL Momentum Fund in October 2020,[30] sponsored by PRS, Spotify and Arts Council England to help fund a second studio album. He also performed the entirety of his debut album at Birmingham Symphony Hall.[31] In April 2021, Tom released Black Country Discothèque, a remix album re-imagining each song on his debut LP, including collaborations with MNEK, Kim Wilde, Brendan Maclean and Bright Light Bright Light.[32][33] Later that month, Aspaul announced Black Country Disco: The Book, published by Polari Press, documenting the conception, creation and release of the album. Tom embarked on his first sold-out UK headline tour in July 2021, The Revenge Body Tour.[34]
On 31 December 2021 Aspaul released the first single, "Let Them (It's All Love)", from his second album, Life in Plastic.[35]
Released on 30 May 2022, and named after a lyric taken from the song "Barbie Girl" by Danish-Norwegian dance-pop group Aqua, the album saw Aspaul team up with long-time collaborators, Gil Lewis and MNEK. The record was inspired by late 90s and early 00s Europop, trance and Eurodance music, noted for referencing artists such as "La Bouche, Ace of Base, Steps, Whigfield, ATC"[36] and the band who inspired its name, Aqua - as well as Romanian pop music,[37] Balkan pop music[38] and the Eurovision Song Contest.
Described as a "monster pop record"[39] and a "party from start to finish",[40] Life in Plastic received acclaim for its consistency and "Y2K aesthetic", as well its eclectic influences. For The Independent, Isobel Lewis wrote "Life in Plastic is a pure bubblegum pop record – but not without substance".[41] In Line of Best Fit, Aspaul was praised as a "shining example of an independent artist making the music they want to make".[42]
On 17 October 2022 the album was re-released as Life in Plastic, It's Expanded, a deluxe edition with 8 new tracks and a music video for the song "Thessaloniki".[43]
In support of the album's release, Tom performed across the UK, North America and Europe, including Mighty Hoopla, the 2022 Commonwealth Games, held in Birmingham[44] and his second headline tour, the Planet Fantastic Tour which opened in Paris on 19 April 2023.[45]
Aspaul is a pop singer and songwriter, though his music has straddled pop, R&B[46] and electronic/dance. Aspaul is noted for using vocal harmonies extensively and his songs often feature his own voice layered several times.[47] His vocals have been described as having an "unapologetic queerness"[48] as well as being "unique", "soulful", "smooth", "versatile" and "effortless".[49][50][51] He frequently cites Rodney Jerkins, Janet Jackson and Jennifer Lopez among his favourite musicians,[3][52] although more recently, the likes of La Roux, Empire of the Sun and Daft Punk have influenced his work stylistically - as well as Chic, Grace Jones and ELO.[53]
Tom launched a music and pop culture podcast, Bottle Pop with Tom Aspaul in 2017. He is the host, with fellow singer-songwriter guests including MNEK, Becky Hill, Siobhan Donaghy, Anita Blay and Clare Maguire; as well as music journalist guests such as Popjustice.[54][55] Since 2018 Tom has been sporadically presenting on the internet only radio station, FUBAR Radio. In 2020 he began hosting a weekly show on Gorgeous FM, an LGBTQ+ station for Birmingham, the Black Country and Shropshire.[56][57] In 2021, Tom was part of United Kingdom's jury in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021.[58]
Aspaul is gay.[48] He lived in Thessaloniki, Greece as part of his master's degree.[59]
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Black Country Disco |
|
| Life in Plastic |
|
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Black Country Discothèque |
|
| Title | EP details |
|---|---|
| LEFT |
|
| Title | Mixtape details |
|---|---|
| Revelation |
|
| Lamentations |
|
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Indiana" | 2013 | Non-album single |
| "Good Together" | 2014 | Revelation |
| "Never Complaining" | 2016 | LEFT |
| "Burnt Out" | ||
| "Going Down" | 2018 | Non-album single |
| "Back 2 Earth" | 2019 | |
| "Traces" | Black Country Disco | |
| "Close 2 Me" | ||
| "W.M." | 2020 | |
| "Tender" | ||
| "01902" | ||
| "The Program" (with Funk LeBlanc & Madeleine Wood) | 2021 | Black Country Discothèque |
| "Tender 2" (with Funk LeBlanc) | ||
| "Traces" (MNEK Remix) | ||
| "Let Them (It's All Love)" | Life in Plastic | |
| "Kiss It" | 2022 | |
| "What Is Real Anymore?" | ||
| "Listen 2 Nicole" | ||
| "Love Me Right" | Life in Plastic, It's Expanded |
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2015 | "Better By Your Side" (Aeble featuring Tom Aspaul) |
| "Do It Well" (XY Constant featuring Tom Aspaul) | |
| 2017 | "Imagine" (Bronze Whale X Popeska featuring Tom Aspaul) |
| "Improvise" (Viceroy featuring Tom Aspaul) | |
| "Why Won't You Call" (Joe Hertz featuring Tom Aspaul) | |
| 2018 | "Plans" (with Sleepy Tom) |
| 2019 | "Don't Think" (Pat Lok featuring Tom Aspaul) |
| 2021 | "You're My Karma" (with Kim Wilde[60] |
| 2023 | "Gimme Gimme Gimme" (with Bentley Robles) |
| Title | Year | Director(s) |
|---|---|---|
| "Black Country Disco: The Movie" | 2020 | Sam Taylor-Edwards |
| "The Program" | 2021 | Dan Hett, Omari Douglas |
| "B.C.D Megamix" | Ryann Charless | |
| "Let Them (It's All Love)" | 2022 | Sam Taylor-Edwards |
| "Kiss It" | Rosie Sorrell | |
| "Thessaloniki" | Eleni Katrakalidi |
indicates a background vocal contribution
indicates an un-credited lead vocal contribution
indicates a credited vocal/featured artist contribution
| Year | Artist | Album | Song | Co-written with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Kylie Minogue | Kiss Me Once | "Feels So Good" | No additional writers |
| 2015 | Karen Harding | Say Something EP | "Those Girls" | Karen Harding, Daniel Traynor |
| Little Boots | Working Girl | "Working Girl" | Viktoria Hesketh, Daniel Traynor | |
| Hannah Lucia | Non-album single | "Don't Hold Out" | Hannah Lucia, Thomas AD Fuller | |
| Alo Lee | Videos EP | "Videos" | Alo Lee, Liam Howe, Exmoor Emperor | |
| 2016 | Alex Newell | Power EP | "Shame" | Karen Harding, George Tizzard, Richard Parkhouse |
| AlunaGeorge | I Remember | "Mediator" | Aluna Francis, George Reid | |
| Liz | Cross Your Heart | "Want U to Hate Me" | Elizabeth Abrams, Shane Tremlin, Thomas Foley | |
| Aanysa | Non-album single | "Burn Break Crash" (with Snakehips) |
Caroline Furoyen, Daniel Traynor | |
| 2017 | Celeste | The Milk & the Honey EP | "Chocolate" | Celeste Waite, James Edward Jacob |
| Joe Hertz | Non-album single | "Simple" (with Jones) |
Joseph Hertz | |
| Charlotte OC | Careless People | "In Paris" | Charlotte O'Connor, Martin Sjølie | |
| GotSome | Non-album single | "I Don't Know" (featuring Lisa Kekaula) |
Adam Gorsky, Alexander Holmes, Ian Griffiths, Thomas Griffiths, Rebecca Hill, Jimmy Hogarth, Lisa Kekaula | |
| Matt Terry | Trouble | "Try" | Matthew Terry, Daniel Shah, Skylar Adams | |
| 2018 | Saara Aalto | Wild Wild Wonderland | "Queens" | Saara Aalto, Farley Arvidsson, Charlie Walshe |
| Olivier Dion | Exposed | "Curious" | Sabina Ddumba, Daniel Traynor | |
| MOKS | Non-album single | "Do So Much" (featuring Vinchenzo) |
Rijad Rahmouni, Carlos Vroljik, Aaron Gill, Daniel McDougall | |
| Mae Muller | Frankly EP | "Maybe" | Holly Muller, Anthony Esterly | |
| 2020 | Louise | Heavy Love | "Villain" | Louise Redknapp, Hannah Robinson, Josef Page |
| Jay Pryor | Non-album single | "Aside" | Jay Pryor, James Bairian, Jesse Thomas, Louis Castle | |
| 2021 | Tia Kofi | Part 1: The Damage EP | "Outside In" | Victoria Hesketh, Gil Lewis |
| Dionne Bromfield | Non-album single | "Silly Love" | Dionne Bromfield, Lewis Dransfield | |
| Becky Hill | Only Honest on the Weekend | "Waiting Not Looking" | Rebecca Hill, Oscar Hill | |
| 2022 | Suki Waterhouse | I Can't Let Go | "Melrose Meltdown" | Lux Pyramid, Suki Waterhouse |
| 2024 | Andy C, Becky Hill | Believe Me Now? | "Indestructible" | Rebecca Hill, Andrew Michael Clarke, Ryan Ashley |
| Year | Nominee/Work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | "Do It Well" (featuring Tom Aspaul) | Popjustice £20 Music Prize[63] | Nominated |
| 2020 | Tom Aspaul | PPL Momentum[30] | Won |
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