Damien Rice facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Damien Rice
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Rice performing in 2010
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| Born | 7 December 1973 Dublin, Ireland |
| Origin | Celbridge, Ireland |
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| Years active | 1991–present |
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Damien George Rice (born 7 December 1973) is an Irish musician, singer, and songwriter. He is known for his folk and indie rock music. Damien started his music journey in the 1990s with a rock band called Juniper.
After leaving Juniper, he traveled around Europe, even working as a farmer for a while. In 2001, he returned to Ireland and began his solo music career. His first album, O, came out in 2002 and became very popular. He has also used his music to support important causes.
Contents
Damien Rice: An Irish Musician
Early Life
Damien Rice was born in Dublin, Ireland, on December 7, 1973. His parents are George and Maureen Rice. He grew up in a town called Celbridge in County Kildare. He went to Salesian College there. Damien is also related to Irish singer Stevie Mann and English composer David Arnold.
Starting with Juniper
In 1991, Damien Rice formed the rock band Juniper. He started the band with his school friends Paul Noonan, Dominic Philips, David Geraghty, and Brian Crosby. They all met while going to school in Celbridge.
The band toured all over Ireland. In 1995, they released their first music collection, an EP called Manna. Juniper signed a big record deal with PolyGram for six albums. They released popular songs like "Weatherman" and "The World is Dead."
Damien felt that the record company was making them change their music too much. So, he decided to leave the band in 1998. After leaving, he moved to Italy and lived in Tuscany, where he tried farming. Later, he traveled around Europe, playing music on the streets, which is called busking. He even got help from his cousin, composer David Arnold, who gave him a mobile recording studio.
Solo Music Journey
In 2001, one of Damien Rice's songs, "The Blower's Daughter," became a top-40 hit. Over the next year, he worked on his first solo album. He collaborated with many talented musicians. These included guitarist Mark Kelly, drummer Tom Osander, pianist Jean Meunier, producer David Arnold, vocalist Lisa Hannigan, and cellist Vyvienne Long. After recording, Damien toured Ireland with his new band.
In 2002, his first solo album, O, was released. It was a big success, reaching No. 8 on the UK Albums Chart. The album stayed on the charts for a long time and sold many copies. It also won the Shortlist Music Prize. Two songs from the album, "Cannonball" and "Volcano," became top 30 hits in the UK.
Music for Good Causes
Damien Rice has used his music to support important causes. In 2005, he joined the Freedom Campaign. This campaign worked to help free Aung San Suu Kyi, a leader of the democracy movement in Burma (now Myanmar). He wrote a song called "Unplayed Piano" to support her release. He performed this song at the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo.
In 2008, he contributed the song "Making Noise" to an album called Songs for Tibet: The Art of Peace. This album supported the 14th Dalai Lama and Tibet. In 2010, he also contributed the song "Lonely Soldier" to the Enough Project. This project works to end violence and injustice in different parts of the world.
Later Albums and Collaborations
In 2006, Damien Rice released his second album, 9. He had spent two years recording it. In 2007, he toured and played at big music events like England's Glastonbury Festival and the Rock Werchter festival in Belgium.
He also collaborated with other artists. In 2011, he appeared on two songs on the debut album by French actress and singer Melanie Laurent. In May 2013, Damien told fans at the South Korea Seoul Jazz Festival that he was working on a new album.
On September 4, 2014, Damien Rice announced his third album, My Favourite Faded Fantasy. It was officially released on November 10, 2014. The album received good reviews from music critics. The first song released from it was "I Don't Want To Change You."
In 2020, Damien Rice covered the song "Chandelier" by Sia. His version was included on the Songs for Australia benefit album. This album helped raise money for a good cause.
In July 2023, while performing in Valencia, Spain, Damien learned that singer Sinéad O'Connor had passed away. As a tribute, he played her famous song "Nothing Compares 2 U" for the audience.
Discography
- Studio albums
- O (2002)
- 9 (2006)
- My Favourite Faded Fantasy (2014)
See also
In Spanish: Damien Rice para niños
- List of songs performed by Damien Rice
