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Hannah Reid facts: London Grammar singer's age, partner, children and career explained
22 May 2024, 13:00
London Grammar – Californian Soil live stream trailer
Hannah Reid is the bassist and singer of one of the biggest chill-out bands around.
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Plenty of people form bands at university, but not that many stick together for 15 years (and counting) like Hannah Reid's group.
London Grammar got together during its first year at the University of Nottingham and have gone on to release three hit albums, with a fourth on its way soon.
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But do you know where in London the London Grammar singer hails from, or how she tackles stage fright?
Do you know how old she is, and what instruments she plays?
Read on for all your fast facts about Hannah Reid.
Where did Hannah Reid grow up and how old is she?
Hannah Felicity May Reid was born on December 30, 1989, which makes her 34 years old at the time of writing.
She grew up in Acton, West London.
In fact, despite the band being formed in Nottingham, fellow member Dan Rothman is also from the capital.
"Not only was it where we’re from but London is also so international and multicultural that it actually felt like quite a universal name in a way," she told the Evening Standard.
When did Hannah Reid form London Grammar?
London Grammar - Hey Now [Official Video]
Dan Rothman and Hannah Reid met at the Ancaster Hall student residence at the University of Nottingham, and according to some reports they formed as a trio with a singer-songwriter called Jo-Anne Jukes.
"I saw a picture of Hannah on Facebook,” Dan said. “She had a guitar and was interested in making music so I sent her a message asking if she’d like to collaborate with me.
"We immediately got on well together. There was a real creative spark between us.
Jo left the band, and Dominic 'Dot' Major joined on drums and keyboards a year later, and they soon made the trip to London to follow their musical dreams.
London Grammar - Kind Of Man (Official Visualiser)
They wasted absolutely no time getting noticed, being signed with Ministry of Sound early on, and doing some early recordings with some of the biggest names in electronic music.
That included Faithless star Rollo, Liam Howe from Sneaker Pimps, and Dreadzone's Tom Bran.
They popped the song 'Hey Now' on YouTube in November 2012, and three months later released their first single proper, 'Metal & Dust'.
What are Hannah Reid's biggest songs and albums with London Grammar?
London Grammar - Wasting My Young Years [Official Video]
London Grammar's debut album If You Wait went to number two in the UK albums charts. Follow-ups Truth Is a Beautiful Thing and Californian Soil did one better and went to number one.
Their fourth album The Greatest Love will be released in September 2024.
London Grammar's biggest songs include:
- Metal & Dust
- Wasting My Young Years
- Strong
- Hey Now
- Rooting for You
- Big Picture
- Truth Is a Beautiful Thing
- Oh Woman Oh Man
- Lose Your Head
- How Does It Feel
- Higher (with CamelPhat)
- House
What instruments does Hannah Reid play?
On the credits to their records, Hannah is listed for vocals, keys and programming.
She's famed for her contralto voice and is said to have a vocal range of two octaves, two notes and a semitone.
But if you've been paying attention, you'll remember that Hannah first joined the fledgling London Grammar on guitar.
What's more, when you see the band live, you'll notice that Hannah is not averse to playing bass, when the song demands.
Is Hannah Reid also a visual artist?
As well as singing, songwriting, and playing a few instruments, Hannah Reid is also a talented sketcher and painter.
Her Instagram page is packed with rather stunning artwork in both representational and abstract styles
How does Hannah Reid deal with stage fright?
London Grammar - Strong [Official Video]
Many musicians get a bout of the butterflies before a live show, but for some performers it's much more serious than that.
Some artists can suffer from debilitating stage fright that can scare them off concerts completely.
"Sometimes the nerves don’t lift at all, and I just feel horrible, and panicky throughout." Hannah told The Independent.
Hannah has been tackling the problem with something called Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) – think acupuncture without needles.
London Grammar - House (Official Video)
Reid taps so-called energy meridian points on her body while also stating positive affirmations to overcome the jitters.
"Doing EFT has taught me that I can help myself in dealing with my phobia," she said. "It's more manageable now, which I hope means I can at least stop it from getting any worse."
In the same interview, the gluten-intolerant Hannah also revealed that she doesn't drink alcohol on tour, as part of efforts to make sure the show goes smoothly.
"It’s my instrument, and my instrument is within me, so I do have to take extra care of it."
Is Hannah Reid married and does she have any children?
Hannah Reid has been in a long-term relationship with her boyfriend Sean O'Connor for several years.
She recently announced the birth of their first child by posting an absolutely adorable photograph on Instagram,
"Joshua Cillian Reid O’Connor 💗 you have stolen my heart," she captioned the picture.
"It is always and forever completely yours. We did good @seanoconnor6."
