Singer Luvcat, born Sophie Morgan Howarth, is gaining recognition as a rising force in the music scene, with her debut album 'Vicious Delicious' amassing over 120 million streams. The 29-year-old artist, who draws comparisons to American pop star Sabrina Carpenter, is known for her darkly humorous songs that often explore tragic love affairs with a macabre twist. The lead single from her album, 'He's My Man,' has alone garnered 68 million listens.
Luvcat's unique style and growing popularity led to an invitation to open for Sabrina Carpenter at a 65,000-person show in Hyde Park last summer. Carpenter even sent Luvcat a personal note, which the singer now keeps as a treasured item. "She gave me a shoutout on stage," Luvcat recalled, impressed by Carpenter's ability to remember her and the other performer's names.
Born into a gothic household in Liverpool, Luvcat's musical journey began at a young age. Influenced by her parents' love for bands like The Smiths and The Cure, she was given a notebook at seven years old to write down song lyrics, a practice she continues to this day. Her early aspirations were to emulate Morrissey, and she still has her first notebook entry from that period.
Her musical path was further shaped by an encounter at age 14 with Simon Jones, bassist for the band The Verve. After performing at her mum's friend's wedding, Jones encouraged her to stop listening to "old miserable men" and introduced her to a collection of CDs by female artists such as Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and Kate Bush. Jones has since become a significant mentor, even gifting her a red Fender Mustang for her birthday.
Despite these early encounters, Luvcat's rise to prominence was not immediate. She spent years busking in Liverpool and distributing DIY EPs. A pivotal moment came when she began posting clips on Instagram, accumulating a substantial following of 230,000. This online presence led to fans learning her unreleased songs from live clips and even dressing in her signature outfits for shows. One notable instance saw an entire front row at a Cologne concert wearing a dress Luvcat had showcased online.
Luvcat's recent 'Lovebites' EP features a reimagining of 'He's My Man,' a song about slow poisoning. For this track, she collaborated with the 77-year-old punk poet John Cooper Clarke and Roxy Music's Andy Mackay on saxophone, opting for unexpected artistic choices over a more conventional pairing with a "young sexy man" that her record label might have preferred.
Despite her success, Luvcat maintains a grounded perspective, even discussing past disastrous gigs with a sense of humor. She has a summer of festival appearances scheduled, including Splendour in Nottingham on July 18. Luvcat is also working on her second album, which she partially wrote in Hollywood. She also hinted that a recurring theme in her songs about joining the circus as a trapeze artist and fleeing after a doomed affair with the ringmaster might be explored more fully on a future album.