After she won the Under 18s category of the UK talent contest Open Mic UK at the age of 12, Bogaerde was soon offered a publishing contract by Good Soldier Songs Ltd, run by Christian Tattersfield, chairman of Warner Music UK. In 2011, at the age of 14, she released a haunting cover version of the Bon Iver "Skinny Love", which reached #17 on the UK Singles Chart. The track was later featured in an episode of The Vampire Diaries.
Her self-titled debut album, "Birdy", was released on 4th November, 2011 and featured "Skinny Love" , "1901" and "People Help The People", other notable tracks from the album include James Taylor's" Fire and Rain" and “Terrible Love” The album reached #1 in Australia, Belgium and The Netherlands, it also peaked at #13 in the UK.
In 2011, "Skinny Love" sold 259,000 copies in the UK becoming the third biggest selling rock single of that year. As of August 2016, the song had sold almost 800,000 copies in the UK.
In 2012, Birdy released an 8 track EP " Live in London “ which featured several tracks from her debut album plus a version of the Ed Sheeran song "The A Team “and "Just a Game from “The Hunger Games”
In July 2013 Birdy announced via YouTube, that her 2nd album would be released later in the year. She also previewed two new songs "Wings "and "No Angel" which would both be featured on her second studio album "Fire Within"
Her second studio album, "Fire Within" was released 23rd September, 2013. It featured 11 original songs, either written or co written by Birdy including Strange Birds, co-written with Sia.
The first single from the album was “Wings” released as a digital download then officially released in the UK on 8th September 2013. The song reached #8 on the UK charts, becoming Birdy’s first UK top 10. It was also featured in an episode of The Vampire Diaries. Subsequent singles were “No Angel”, Light Me Up” and “Words as Weapons”
In 2014, Birdy submitted three songs to the soundtrack of the film “The Fault In Our Stars” which stars “Shailene Woodley” and “Ansel Elgort”. “Not About Angels” was the second released single from the soundtrack album. Other Birdy contributions were “ Tee Shirt" and “ Best Shot"
On 25th March 2016, Birdy's third album "Beautiful Lies" was released, it featured the singles, "Keeping Your Head Up" ,"Wild Horses" and "Words" Once again her songwriting abilities were evident as she wrote or co wrote all of the 14 tracks.
Also in 2016 she was featured on the "Sigma" single " Find Me which was only a minor success in the UK.
Her song Ghost In The Wind" also appeared on the soundtrack of the film The Edge Of Seventeen
After an extensive tour of USA and Asia, she took a break from music, only to return with a new single called “ Open Your Heart" in 2020. The song was featured on the 4 track EP called “Piano Sketches”
Birdy’s fourth studio album “Young Heart” was then released on 30th April 2021, the first single “ Surrender” was issued earlier in 2021, a day after she had announced that her new album was coming. Birdy described the album as a heartbreak album heavily inspired by Joni Mitchell’s “Blue”
2023 saw the release of Birdy's fifth studio album “Portraits” It was released on 18th August 2023. “Raincatchers” was issued as the first single, which had been released earlier in 2023. Subsequent singles from the album have since followed, “Heartbreaker”, “Your Arms” and “Paradise Calling”
Birdy's music is described as folk, pop, indie folk. She cites her early music influences as Classical Music and Pop music that her parents would play. along with her own influences, which are so evident in her music(Bon Iver, George Michael and Keane)
Album Discography:
Birdy (2011)
Fire Within (2013)
Beautiful Lies (2016)
Young Heart (2021)
Portraits (2023)
Sites: Discogs, Wikipedia and YouTube.
Keeping Your Head Up
Birdy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're not in control and you won't be told
All I can do to keep you safe is hold you close
Hold you close till you can breathe on your own
Till you can breathe on your own
Hold tight you're slowly coming back to life
I'll be keeping your head up
Let go of all your haunted dreams tonight
I'll be keeping your head up
I'll be keeping your head up, darling
Hold tight you're slowly coming back to life
I'll be keeping your head up
I'll be keeping your head up, darling
Let go of all your haunted dreams tonight
I'll be keeping your head up
I'll be keeping your head up
And I won't let you down
Everyone keeps a darker place
To lose control, you're not alone
And when you come looking for embrace
I know your soul, I'll be your home
Til you can breathe on your own
Til you can breathe on your own
Hold tight, you're slowly coming back to life
I'll be keeping your head up
I'll be keeping your head up, darling
Let go of all your haunted dreams tonight
I'll be keeping your head up
I'll be keeping your head up, darling
Hold tight, you're slowly coming back to life
I'll be keeping your head up
I'll be keeping your head up, darling
Let go of all your haunted dreams tonight
I'll be keeping your head up
I'll be keeping your head up
And I won't let you down
You never think that you can fly
You'll always swim against the tide
Don't you know your pain is mine?
And I would die a thousand times to ease your mind
To ease your mind
Hold tight, you're slowly coming back to life
I'll be keeping your head up
I'll be keeping your head up, darling
Let go of all your haunted dreams tonight
I'll be keeping your head up
I'll be keeping your head up, darling
Hold tight, you're slowly coming back to life
I'll be keeping your head up
I'll be keeping your head up, darling
Let go of all your haunted dreams tonight
I'll be keeping your head up
I'll be keeping your head up
And I won't let you down
"Keeping Your Head Up" is a comforting song about being there for someone when they are struggling with their mental health. The opening lyrics address a person who has lost their way and doesn't feel in control of their life. The singer promises to hold them tight, to help them feel safe so they can eventually learn to breathe on their own. The message of the song is that even when things feel overwhelming, someone will always be there to support and guide you through it. The chorus repeats the message that the singer will be there to "keep your head up" and let go of any fears or regrets that may hold the listener back.
The second verse speaks to anyone with mental illness who feels alone in their struggles. The singer acknowledges that everyone has their "darker place" and that it's not uncommon to feel out of control. She makes a promise to be there for anyone who needs a safe embrace or a place to call home. The third verse takes a more personal turn, with the singer expressing a deep level of care for the person she's addressing. She would go to great lengths, even die countless times, to ease their pain and help them find peace of mind.
Line by Line Meaning
Times that I've seen you lose your way
I have witnessed you getting lost and confused multiple times
You're not in control and you won't be told
You feel like you do not have control over your life and do not want others to dictate it to you
All I can do to keep you safe is hold you close
The only thing I can do to ensure your safety is keep you close to me
Hold you close till you can breathe on your own
I will hold you tight until you can regain your composure and stand on your own
Hold tight you're slowly coming back to life
Have patience, you will slowly regain the spark of life
I'll be keeping your head up
I will be encouraging and supporting you
I'll be keeping your head up, darling
I will look after you and make sure you do not lose hope
Let go of all your haunted dreams tonight
Forget all of your past traumas and worries tonight
And I won't let you down
I will not disappoint you, break your trust or bring you down in any way
Everyone keeps a darker place
Everyone has a hidden, darker side
To lose control, you're not alone
You are not the only one who feels they have lost control over their life
And when you come looking for embrace
I will be there with open arms when you need comfort
I know your soul, I'll be your home
I understand your deepest desires and feelings, and will be your place of refuge
You never think that you can fly
You lack confidence in your abilities
You'll always swim against the tide
You are always going against the norm and doing things differently
Don't you know your pain is mine?
I share your pain and it affects me as well
And I would die a thousand times to ease your mind
I would do anything to make you feel better and ease your worries and fears
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Wayne Anthony Hector, Steve Mac, Jasmine Lucilla Elisabeth Van Den Bogaerde
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@matildaox4450
Times that I’ve seen
You lose your way
You’re not in control
And you won’t be told
All I can do to keep you safe
Is hold you close
Hold you close
Til you can breathe on your own
Til you can breathe on your own
Hold tight you’re slowly
Coming back to life
I’ll be keeping your head up
I’ll be keeping your head up,darling
Let go of all your haunted dreams tonight
I’ll be keeping your head up
I’ll be keeping your head up,darling
Hold tight you’re slowly
Coming back to life
I’ll be keeping your head up
I’ll be keeping your head up, darling
Let go of all your haunted dreams tonight
I’ll be keeping your head up
I’ll be keeping your head up
And I won’t let you down
Everyone keeps a darker place
To lose control,you’re not alone
And when you come looking for embrace
I know your soul
I’ll be your home
Til you can breathe on your own
Til you can breathe on your own
Hold tight you’re slowly coming back to life
I’ll be keeping your head up
I’ll be keeping your head up,darling
Let go of all your haunted dreams tonight
I’ll be keeping your head up
I’ll be keeping your head up, darling
Hold tight you’re slowly coming back to life
I’ll be keeping your head up
I’ll be keeping your head up, darling
Let go of all your haunted dreams tonight
I’ll be keeping your head up
I’ll be keeping your head up
And I won’t let you down
You never think
That you can fly
You always swim
Against the tide
Don’t you know
Your pain is mine?
And I would die a thousand times
To ease your mind
To ease your mind
Hold tight you’re slowly coming back to life
I’ll be keeping your head up
I’ll be keeping your head up,darling
Let go of all your haunted dreams tonight
I’ll be keeping your head up
I’ll be keeping your head up, darling
Hold tight you’re slowly coming back to life
I’ll be keeping your head up
I’ll be keeping your head up,darling
Let go of all your haunted dreams tonight
I’ll be keeping your head up
I’ll be keeping your head up,darling
And I won’t let you down
@DavidTriangle
This new style reminds me of Florence + The Machine
@aLeeTQq
+David Rees Me too!
@leandrogaymer2999
I don't think lol... this music is like those music to dance. but opinion is opinion. my friend also said it remembers him of Florence.
@Mang-iy3ky
Can you imagine if they collaborate 💖 I want too see a Birdy & Florence & Sia it would be amazing!!!
@neonpandas
True
@bruja2591
I was just thinking that!
@anorman5613
As someone who died inside because of depression and is working on recovery, the “hold tight, you’re slowly coming back to life” lyrics make me cry every single time. Beautiful lyrics
@OttyReal
Yes I have found people tend to listen to the lyrics of a song when in a dark place or down, rather than not listening to the words but the groove.
@yahainHotPink
💖
@deannarusso202
Same ❤