Barns Courtney

A British singer/songwriter who splits the difference between Ed Sheeran's sensitivity, the big-footed stomp of early Mumford & Sons, and a keen moodiness, Barns Courtney received a heavy boost in 2015 when his song "Fire" appeared on the soundtrack to the Bradley Cooper vehicle Burnt. Prior to that break, the singer/songwriter — born Barnaby George Courtney — had led a pair of indie bands, SleeperCell and Dive Bella Dive. Courtney then toured as a singer/songwriter, opening for Libertine Carl Barat on a solo jaunt and Ed Sheeran on a North American tour, but he paid the bills by working at PC World. He signed with Virgin, and "Fire" made its way into the production circles of Burnt; it was selected for the soundtrack, with a second single, "Glitter and Gold," appearing around the same time. Before the release of his first full-length album, Courtney issued the Dull Drums EP in early 2017. The album — titled The Attractions of Youth — arrived later that fall, produced and engineered with help from former Dive Bella Dive bandmate Sam Bartle. February 2018 saw the release of the single "Sinners," which was co-written with Carl Barat. A pair of songs, "99" and "Good Thing," followed six months later. Courtney returned in May 2019 with the single "You and I," which preceded the September release of his second album, 404. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine