Biig Piig

Irish musician (born 1998)

  • Neo soul
  • hip hop
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • rapper
Years active2016–presentLabelsRCA Records, Columbia Records
Musical artist

Jessica Smyth, known by the stage name Biig Piig is an Irish singer and rapper based in West London. She performs in English and Spanish and is signed to Sony Music Entertainment.

Early life

Biig Piig was born in Cork, Ireland. She lived in Spain from the ages of four to twelve,[1] after her family had moved on advice that the climate would be better for her brother's asthma.[2] Upon moving with her family back to Ireland, she was at first able to read and write only in Spanish, and had to reintegrate into Irish culture. She moved with her family to West London at the age of 14[3] where she worked as a late-night poker dealer,[4] and where her parents continue to run a pub.[5][6] While taking a music technology class at Richmond College, Biig Piig met Lava La Rue, the founder and creative director[7] of NiNE8, a collective of like-minded young DIY musical artists.[8] Biig Piig subsequently joined NiNE8, and during this period, performed at Soho open mics, finding a new voice at a freestyling session in 2015.[9] It was at this freestyling session that Biig Piig met Mac Wetha, with whom she began writing and who became a major producer for her.[10]

Career

In 2016 Biig Piig began uploading her music to SoundCloud. In 2017 her single "Vice City" caught the attention of digital music platform COLORS, who invited her to record a live video session of the song at their Berlin studios. Released on 13 April, it was a breakthrough for her, and has been viewed over nine million times on YouTube[11] and streamed more than seven million times on Spotify. She followed it up with the singles "24K" and "Perdida". The latter gained her further notice.

On 27 April 2018 she released the first of a trilogy of projects, the five-track EP Big Fan of the Sesh, Vol 1.[12] Its sequel, A World Without Snooze, Vol 2, followed on 22 March 2019. In June of that year she signed to RCA Records,[13] releasing the track "Roses and Gold" 2 October 2019 in advance of a headlining European tour[14] and her first official label release "Sunny",[15] produced by Zach Nahome.

The third in her trilogy, No Place For Patience, Vol. 3, her first EP on RCA, was released in November 2019 followed by latest EP release The Sky Is Bleeding in 2020, following a string of breakthrough singles including Switch,Don't Turn Around and Feels Right with combined streams of over 60 million. [16]

Biig Piig opened for Glass Animals on their Dreamland tour in November 2021.[17]

The single "Fun" was released on 14 June 2022.[18] Biig Piig features on the single "Rainbow Tables" by Bien Et Toi, released August 2022.[19]

In September she issued the single "Kerosene", co-written with Zach Nahome and Maverick Sabre. [20]

Stage name

Biig Piig has explained that the name "puts no pressure on me to be a certain way – I can be a mess, and I can also be cute and put together."[21][22]

Discography

Mixtapes

List of mixtapes, with release date and label shown
Title Details
Bubblegum
  • Released: 20 January 2023
  • Label: RCA

Extended plays

List of extended plays, with release date and label shown
Title Details
Big Fan of the Sesh, Vol. 1
  • Released: 27 April 2018
  • Label: Independent
A World Without Snooze, Vol. 2
  • Released: 22 March 2019
  • Label: Independent
No Place for Patience, Vol. 3
  • Released: 1 November 2019
  • Label: Sony
The Sky Is Bleeding
  • Released: 21 May 2021
  • Label: Sony

Singles

List of singles, with year released and album name shown
Title Year Album
"Crush'n" 2017 Non-album singles
"24K"
"Vice City"
"Raze : Plan B"
(featuring Sukha, Mac Wetha and Benny Mails) 		2018
"Nothing Changes"
(featuring Kxrn) 		2019 A World Without Snooze, Vol. 2
"Sunny" Non-album single
"Roses and Gold" No Place for Patience, Vol. 3
"Switch" 2020 Non-album singles
"Don't Turn Around"
"Oh No" / "Liahr"
"Feels Right"
"Cuenta Lo" 2021
"Body & Soul"
(featuring Emotional Oranges)
"Lavender" The Sky Is Bleeding
"Fun"[18] 2022 Non-album single
"Kerosene"[18] Bubblegum
"This Is What They Meant"
"Picking Up"
(featuring Deb Never)
"Watch Me" 2023 TBA

References

  1. ^ Freyaldenhoven, Laura (20 November 2019). "Biig Piig: Finding a home in music". Dork. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  2. ^ Williams, Jenessa (10 December 2019). "CLASS OF 2020: BIIG PIIG". DIY. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  3. ^ Freyaldenhoven, Laura (20 November 2019). "Biig Piig: Finding a home in music". Dork. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  4. ^ Cochrane, Greg (12 September 2017). "Behind Biig Piig's minimal songwriting is an ex-poker dealer embracing her own messy world". Loud and quiet. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  5. ^ Joshi, Tara (12 October 2019). "One to watch: Biig Piig". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  6. ^ Cochrane, Greg (12 September 2017). "Behind Biig Piig's minimal songwriting is an ex-poker dealer embracing her own messy world". Loud and quiet. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  7. ^ Byrne, Stephen (28 January 2019). "BIIG PIIG". Golden Plec. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  8. ^ Bulut, Selim (6 April 2018). "Biig Piig: Finding a home in music". Dazed. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  9. ^ Ramos, Chuck (28 August 2018). "Biig Piig: Finding a home in music". Ones to Watch. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  10. ^ Ramos, Chuck (28 August 2018). "Biig Piig: Finding a home in music". Ones to Watch. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  11. ^ "Biig Piig - Vice City - A COLORS SHOW". YouTube. 13 April 2017. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  12. ^ Williams, Jenessa (10 December 2019). "CLASS OF 2020: BIIG PIIG". DIY. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  13. ^ Kerwick, Sean (21 October 2019). "INTRODUCING BIIG PIIG". DIY. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  14. ^ "BIIG PIIG SHARES HAZY NEW TRACK 'ROSES AND GOLD'". DIY. 2 October 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  15. ^ Samways, Gemma. "Biig Piig: Together, apart". Crack Magazine. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  16. ^ Rudas, Matthew (4 November 2019). "Biig Piig Showcases Her Versatility and Dreamlike Vocals in 'No Place for Patience, Vol. 3'". Ones to Watch. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  17. ^ "Glass Animals send fans into 'Dreamland' at Brighton show". Brighton and Hove News. 14 November 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  18. ^ a b c Moore, Sam (6 September 2022). "Biig Piig shares new single 'Kerosene' and announces London and Dublin gigs". NME. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  19. ^ "Bien et Toi Steps Out of the Shadows with 'Rainbow Tables' | News". 5 August 2022.
  20. ^ "Biig Piig Unveils New Song 'Kerosene'". 6 September 2022.
  21. ^ Bulut, Selim (6 April 2018). "Biig Piig: Finding a home in music". Dazed. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  22. ^ "Biig Piig shares new single 'Kerosene' and announces London and Dublin gigs". NME. 6 September 2022.