Florence and the Machine: Where is the lead singer now?

FLORENCE Welch has fascinated the world with her vocals and poetic storytelling since almost two decades.

From overcoming personal challenges to collaborating with global icons such as Taylor Swift, her journey is as captivating as her music.

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Florence Leontine Mary Welch is an English musician, singer and songwriter.

She was born on August 28, 1986, in Camberwell, London.

Her father, Nick Welch, was an advertising executive, while her mother, Evelyn Welch, was an academic with a passion for Renaissance history.

Florence’s grandmother Cybil Welch recognised her early singing talent and her passion for music and encouraged Florence  often to perform at weddings and funerals.

However, her early years were not without challenges.

Florence struggled with dyslexia and dyspraxia, which made school life difficult.

Music became her refuge, offering her an escape from the struggles that haunted her childhood.

She attended Thomas’s London Day School and Alleyn’s School in South East London.

Florence then enrolled at Camberwell College of Arts before dropping out to focus on her musical career.

Florence and the Machine

In 2006, Florence formed Florence and the Machine with her friend and collaborator Isabella Summers.

The band quickly gained attention with their blend of indie and rock.

On July 6, 2009, their debut album Lungs was released.

It was a success, with peaking at number one in the UK and number two in Ireland.

Release of their second album

In  2011, Florence and the Machine saw significant success with their second studio album Ceremonials, which was released on 31 October 2011.

The album debuted at number one in the UK and number six in the US.

In December 2011, she paid tribute to Amy Winehouse at the VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul concert in New York City, where she performed Amy’s Back to Black.

The band’s hit Spectrum was remixed by Calvin Harris, becoming their first UK number-one single in July 2012.

Florence also collaborated with the DJ on Sweet Nothing, which topped the UK charts and was nominated for a Grammy.

She also performed with the Rolling Stones at the O2 Arena in London to sing their song Gimme Shelter.

Third album and collaborations

In June 2015, Florence and the Machine released their third album How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, which topped charts globally and earned three Grammy nominations.

That same year, they headlined Glastonbury Festival for the first time, filling in for Foo Fighters after Dave Grohl’s injury.

In 2016, she collaborated with Lady Gaga on the track Hey Girl, featured on Gaga’s Joanne album.

In 2017, she contributed the song To Be Human to the Wonder Woman soundtrack and made an appearance in Terrence Malick’s film Song to Song.

Florence and the Machine released their fourth album High as Hope in 2018 and Florence performed with Mick Jagger during the Rolling Stones’ No Filter Tour.

She also published her first book, Useless Magic: Lyrics and Poetry in July 2018, which featured her lyrics and artwork.

In 2021, Florence announced her involvement in a musical adaptation of The Great Gatsby, contributing music and lyrics alongside producer Thomas Bartlett.

The musical premiered on 5 June 2024 at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Dance Fever album

In 2022, Florence and the Machine released their fifth studio album Dance Fever.

Hints of the album surfaced in early 2022 when fans began receiving tarot cards marked with King and Chapter 1.

The lead single, King, along with a music video directed by Autumn de Wilde, was released on 23 February.

Following this, the second single, Heaven Is Here, was released on 7 March, with another de Wilde-directed video.

On 9 March, Florence officially revealed the album’s title, Dance Fever, describing it as “a fairytale in 14 songs.”

Shortly after the third single My Love premiered, accompanied by a music video and the announcement of the album’s release date—13 May 2022.

In 2023 the band released a compilation album, called Under Heaven Over Hell.

The 39-track long collection gathers tracks from all five studio albums.

Florence also collaborated with Taylor Swift on the song Florida!!! on Taylor’s album The Tortured Poets Department.

The two artists later performed the song during Taylor’s Eras Tour, with performances in London on August 20, 2024 and Miami on October 18 and 19, 2024.