George Ezra facts for kids

Quick facts for kids George Ezra
Ezra performing in 2022
Background information
Birth name	George Ezra Barnett
Born	(1993-06-07) 7 June 1993 (age 32) Hertford, Hertfordshire, England
Genres	Folk rock folk pop soul blues
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter guitarist podcaster
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Years active	2013–present
Labels	Columbia Sony

George Ezra Barnett (born on June 7, 1993) is a popular English musician. He is known for his deep, soulful voice and catchy songs. George Ezra became famous after releasing his hit song "Budapest". This song was a huge success, reaching number one in many countries.

His first album, Wanted on Voyage, came out in 2014. It quickly became number one in the UK. It was also one of the best-selling albums of that year. George Ezra's second album, Staying at Tamara's, was released in 2018. It also hit number one in the UK. Songs like "Paradise" and "Shotgun" from this album were big hits. "Shotgun" became his first song to reach number one in the UK, Ireland, and Australia. In 2019, he won a Brit Award for British Male Solo Artist. His third album, Gold Rush Kid, came out in 2022 and also reached number one in the UK.

Early Life and Education

George Ezra Barnett was born in Hertford, Hertfordshire, England. His parents were both teachers. George went to primary school in Bengeo and then to Simon Balle School. He later studied at Hertford Regional College.

In 2011, George moved to Bristol to study songwriting. He attended the British and Irish Modern Music Institute. George has an older sister, Jessica, who sometimes joins him on tour. His younger brother, Ethan, is also a singer-songwriter known as Ten Tonnes.

Music Career Highlights

2013–2016: Wanted on Voyage Era

In June 2013, George Ezra performed at the BBC Introducing Stage at Glastonbury Festival. This was an early step in his music career. He released his first EP, Did You Hear the Rain?, in October 2013. An EP is like a mini-album with a few songs.

Later in 2013, his songs "Did You Hear the Rain?" and "Budapest" were played a lot on BBC Radio 1. Many music platforms, like MTV and iTunes, named him a new artist to watch in 2014. He was also on the BBC Sound of... 2014 list, finishing in fifth place.

The song "Budapest" became very popular. It reached number six in Italy and sold enough copies to be certified platinum. George Ezra also opened shows for famous artists like Lianne La Havas, Bastille, Sam Smith, and Tom Odell. In March 2014, he released his second EP, Cassy O'.

His debut album, Wanted on Voyage, was released on June 30, 2014. It quickly entered the UK Albums Chart at number three. The album also charted in many other countries. On October 5, 2014, Wanted on Voyage reached number one in the UK. By December 2014, it had sold over 678,000 copies in the UK. In January 2015, it was named the third best-selling album of 2014 in the UK.

Ezra performing at the O2 Academy Glasgow in 2015

In October 2014, George Ezra released a music video for his song "Listen to the Man". This video featured the famous actor Ian McKellen. At the 2015 Brit Awards, George Ezra was nominated for four awards. These included Best British Album and Best British Male Solo Artist.

In early 2015, George Ezra toured North America with Sam Smith. He also joined Irish musician Hozier for some shows. On March 28, 2015, George Ezra was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live in the U.S. He also performed "Budapest" on The Late Late Show with James Corden. In May, he played at Radio 1's Big Weekend in Norwich, performing his hit songs.

2017–2019: Staying at Tamara's Era

In April 2017, George Ezra announced a special 10-date tour in the UK and Ireland. During this tour, he played new songs for the first time. The tour started in Belfast on May 26 and ended in Bath on June 7.

His song "Don't Matter Now" was released on June 16, 2017. It was the first song from his upcoming album, Staying at Tamara's. "Paradise" was released as the second single in January 2018. The music video for "Paradise" came out a week later.

"Shotgun" was released in May 2018. This song became George Ezra's first number-one hit in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia. It also received a platinum certification, meaning it sold a lot of copies. The album Staying at Tamara's was released on March 23, 2018.

George Ezra was a main performer at Neighbourhood Weekender 2019 in Warrington. He closed the main stage on the first day of the festival. He sang many songs from his albums, including "Blame It On Me" and "Budapest". His final song was "Shotgun". He also performed at Glastonbury 2019 in June 2019.

2022–2023: Gold Rush Kid Era

On January 12, 2022, George Ezra launched a new website called 'Gold Rush Kid'. This website was a preview for his third album. "Anyone for You (Tiger Lily)" was released on January 28 as the first song from the Gold Rush Kid album.

George Ezra performed a cover of Mimi Webb's "House on Fire" on BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge. He also performed his new song "Green Green Grass" on May 19.

The album Gold Rush Kid was released on June 10, 2022. George Ezra wrote and produced it in London with his friend and collaborator Joel Pott. In June 2022, George Ezra also performed at the Platinum Party at the Palace. This event celebrated Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee. He planned to tour various countries in Europe from February to July 2023.

Musical Style and Influences

George Ezra often mentions Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, and James Baylin as his main musical inspirations. Music critics have described his style as "folk rock" or "folk pop." They note that his music is often upbeat and catchy.

When the Gramophone Rings described George Ezra as having "a voice beyond his years." They said he has "a soulful tone" that sounds very mature. Zane Lowe, a former DJ at BBC Radio 1, called him "one of the most compelling and powerful new vocalists around."

George Ezra's interest in Bob Dylan led him to discover older American folk and blues artists. He said he wanted to explore music more deeply. This led him to artists like Lead Belly, Woody Guthrie, and Howlin' Wolf. George Ezra tried to sing like Lead Belly after hearing his music. He liked the idea of singing with a big, powerful voice.

Podcasts

On February 12, 2018, George Ezra started his own podcast called George Ezra & Friends. In each episode, he talks to other artists. The conversations usually last between 45 minutes and an hour and a half. George Ezra got the idea for his podcast from listening to other podcasts where comedians talked to each other.

Personal Life and Well-being

George Ezra has shared that he has Pure O. This is a type of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). It involves obsessions and anxiety with thoughts, rather than physical actions.

During the lockdown period, he started practicing Transcendental Meditation (TM). He explained that TM is a type of meditation where he closes his eyes for 20 minutes and repeats a special word, called a mantra. He finds it helpful for taking a break and stopping his thoughts.

Discography

• Wanted on Voyage (2014)
• Staying at Tamara's (2018)
• Gold Rush Kid (2022)

Awards and Nominations

Filmography

2022: End to End Documentary

End to End is a documentary film that follows George Ezra and his friends, Adam Scarborough and Christy Tattershall. They go on a long journey from Land's End to John o' Groats in the UK. The film was shown in theaters for one day on August 29, 2022. It was later released on Amazon Prime UK on January 13, 2023.

See also

In Spanish: George Ezra para niños