London Grammar: Reaching the top with social media

The biography of the successful indie electro-pop band "London Grammar" reads like a modern fairy tale in the age of YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. They owe their meteoric career start to social media.

Once upon a time, there was a very smart, beautiful but shy girl called Hannah. The schoolgirl wins an acting scholarship. She dreams of a great career on stage, if only it weren't for the terrible stage fright. Hannah fights it until she gets to university. She meets Dan Rothman in the halls of residence at Notthingham Research University. She and the guitarist are a perfect match, and in 2009 they perform several times as London Grammar. They are still one of many cover bands. Hannah's stage fright attacks diminish from gig to gig.

Career instead of social media

Later, drummer and keyboardist Dominic Major joins the band. The breath of fresh air is good for them. They became braver and dared to do their own thing. In December 2012, the three post the melancholy ballad "Hey Now" on social media. The release was London Grammar's starting shot, the song went viral and spread like wildfire. Hannah's delicate, strong voice is well received. The success doesn't come out of the blue: Hannah's singing lessons, which she has been taking since she was a child, are paying off. Hannah Reid on her role models: "Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston, Jessie J and The Cocteau Twins - they are masters of their craft."

Their debut album "If You Wait" conquers the charts and catapults the Londoners straight into pop heaven. The spherical London Grammar cloud spilled over to the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2016. And this year, the masters of melancholy will be stopping by Lake Geneva again. This time with them: the songs from their new album "Truth Is a Beautiful Thing", which was released on June 9.

About the new album "Truth Is A Beautiful Thing"

Delicate and beautiful as always. The new album shows: The band hasn't forgotten how to compose delicate, beautiful pop songs. Fans of Hannah Reid's chicken-skin voice will get their money's worth.

To fame with YouTube

British indie musicians are not the only ones who have become famous thanks to social media. Digital to the music Olympus: these stars have also managed to reach an audience of millions thanks to YouTube.

Justin Bieber

The Canadian took part in singing competitions. His mother posted videos of them on YouTube in 2007. He was signed to a record deal in 2008.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJWZSEkCrAM

Heather Russell

The Canadian's song "Beautiful" had only been on YouTube for a month when she was discovered by the music industry ... as a ten-year-old.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev6EoFvDfVM

Greyson Chance

His "Paparazzi" cover was viewed over 59 million times in 2010. The debut CD
"Hold on til the Night" was released in 2011, when Greyson was 13.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxDlC7YV5is