GETTING LOST WITH FREYA

Freya Ridings is an unexpected powerhouse. Although she floats into a room, she also commands it—albeit with poise. Seeing her perform in front of a select crowd at Capitol’s Studio A, which was atypically adorned with velvet, I half expected to spot tiny doves carrying the ends of her seafoam RIXO dress in their eager beaks. Given her mysterious and almost mythical first impressions, the wit and girlish glee that beams through a conversation with Ridings totally disarms, and makes you want to throw back a pint with her. As for that voice, its serene fluidity is undeniable, but her laser-sharp focus and commanding delivery are what solidify her especially compelling nature.

The highly sought-after graduate of London’s world-renowned Brit School, which counts the likes of Adele and Amy Winehouse as its alumni, very recently decided on a U.S. home, officially inking a deal with Steve Barnett’s Tower-based label. Following a placement in a particularly nail-biting episode of Love Island—the ridiculously popular British reality show—Ridings’ song “Lost Without You” immediately surged, and even earned a spot on Taylor Swift’s personal playlist. She quickly became the first independent U.K. artist in six years to break the U.K. Top 10 with a self-written song. The evocative ballad now boasts more than 40m streams at Spotify. Overall, it’s at 75m+ globally, quietly pulling 10m+ in the U.S. based on pure word of mouth. With a remarkable 10 weeks (and counting) on Radio 1, and a just-closed commercial panel spanning Capital FM, Kiss FM, etc, she’s certainly not slowing down. “Lost Without You”—Top 10 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart—has also been #1 at Shazam in the U.K. for five weeks.

The Christian Tattersfield/Good Soldier-repped artist’s U.K. tour sold out with gusto, as 14k tickets flew out four months before the dates. And her debut album’s not even out yet. She’ll make her official U.S. debut with a performance at L.A.’s famed Troubadour on 1/15, and a 1/17 date at N.Y.’s Mercury Lounge is slated to follow. One can only assume that 2019 has Ridings written all over it.