Singer Luvcat, whose given name is Sophie Morgan Howarth, is drawing comparisons to American pop star Sabrina Carpenter, partly due to their similar appearance and Carpenter's invitation for Luvcat to open for her at a 65,000-strong Hyde Park concert. However, Luvcat, a 29-year-old from Liverpool, is establishing her own distinct identity in the music industry.
Luvcat's musical style is characterized by dark, often humorous lyrics exploring tragic love affairs that typically end in murder. Her debut album, "Vicious Delicious," has garnered over 120 million streams, with its lead single "He's My Man" reaching 68 million listens. This dark lyrical content is a deliberate artistic choice, inspired in part by a near-fatal carbon monoxide leak in her former flat, which she described as a "silent killer," mirroring the way love can inflict unseen damage.
Raised in a gothic-influenced household in Liverpool, Luvcat was exposed to music from bands like The Smiths and The Cure. Her father, a punk enthusiast, encouraged her songwriting from a young age, giving her a notebook to capture lyrics that came to her, much like his idol Morrissey. This early encouragement led her to teach herself guitar and pursue songwriting.
Her career took a significant turn at age 14 when, after singing a Bob Dylan song at a wedding, she was approached by Simon Jones, bassist for The Verve. Jones became a musical mentor, advising her to explore female artists like Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and Kate Bush, and gifting her CDs that influenced her musical direction.
Despite this early connection, Luvcat spent years busking in Liverpool and distributing self-made EPs. Her online presence, particularly on Instagram, proved to be a turning point, accumulating over 230,000 followers. Fans began learning her unreleased songs from live clips, and her fashion choices, like a dress from Urban Outfitters, became so popular that an entire front row at a Cologne show was seen wearing the same outfit.
Luvcat's distinctive approach extends to her collaborations. For a reimagining of "He's My Man" on her "Lovebites" EP, she enlisted the 77-year-old punk poet John Cooper Clarke and Andy Mackay of Roxy Music on saxophone, opting for unconventional pairings over expected collaborations with younger male artists.
Looking ahead, Luvcat is working on her second album, partly written in Hollywood. She also hints at delving deeper into her past experiences, including a story about joining a circus as a trapeze artist and leaving after an affair with the ringmaster, a narrative she has alluded to in her songs and may fully explore on a future record. Luvcat is scheduled to perform at the Splendour festival in Nottingham on July 18.