Rea Garvey
Rea Garvey during Radio Regenbogen Award 2019 at Europapark
Background information
Birth nameRaymond Michael Garvey
Born (1973-05-03) 3 May 1973
Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland[1]
GenresPop rock, alternative rock
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, musician
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active1999–present
LabelsUniversal, Island, Virgin
Formerly ofReamonn
Websitereagarvey.com

Raymond „Rea“ Michael Garvey (born 3 May 1973)[1] is an Irish singer, songwriter and guitarist now residing in Germany. In 1998, he formed the band Reamonn. Over the 11 years that Garvey was their frontman, they saw chart-topping success in Europe, with a number of gold and platinum selling albums, Tuesday, Dream No. 7, Beautiful Sky, Wish and Eleven and several sold out European tours.[1] In 2010, after the release of the band's best-of album/DVD "Eleven", and a best-of tour, the band parted ways. Garvey took this time to pursue a solo career, which gave birth to his first solo album "Can't Stand the Silence" in 2011.[1] This album saw Garvey's transition from anthem rock with Reamonn, to alternative electro pop.

Early Life

Garvey was born on May 3, 1973 in Tralee, Ireland. He is the third of eight children and the only boy. His father works as a police chief, both parents are Catholic and very strict in their upbringing. By his own admission, Rea often went over the top in his youth – taking drugs, occasionally getting into fights, and getting arrested a few times – until he found a more moderate path with music.[1]

Career

Frontman

Garvey gained his first musical experience as frontman of the Dublin band The Reckless Pedestrians. In 1998, he immigrated to Germany without being able to speak German. In Upper Swabia, Rea Garvey initially stayed with friends. He earned his living as a T-shirt salesman and roadie at music festivals.[1]

At the same time, he placed an ad in the newspaper looking for people to join him in a band. Together with drummer Mike Gommeringer, keyboardist and saxophonist Sebastian Padotzke, guitarist Uwe Bossert and bassist Philipp Rauenbusch, he founded the band Reamonn in November of the same year. The band's name is derived from the Irish version of Garvey's first name Réamonn. In June 1999, the band signs its first record deal.[1]

In March 2000, the band Reamonn released their first single: "Supergirl" reached number four in the charts in Germany and Austria. In Switzerland, the song also makes it into the top ten. The debut album Tuesday follows two months later. It reaches number five in the German album charts. This is followed by over 200 sold-out concerts and two further albums (Dream No. 7, 2001 and Beautiful Sky, 2003), which achieve gold and platinum status.[1]

Solo work

Garvey began working as a solo artist during his time with Reamonn[1] and since then has written songs for a variety of acts, including Paul van Dyk, Jam and Spoon, Roger Cicero and The BossHoss. Rea has also collaborated with Apocalyptica, In Extremo, Nelly Furtado, Mary J Blige, Jam & Spoon, The BossHoss and ATB. In 2005, Rea collaborated with Nelly Furtado on the track "All Good Things (Come to an End)", for her 2006 album, Loose. The two also toured together in France and the Netherlands during 2007.

Garvey first showed his fascination with electronic music in 2001, on the title track "Be Angeled" for the movie Loveparade. This was the first of many collaborations with the DJ team Jam and Spoon. The song was performed for the first time in memory of Mark Spoon at the start of the Love Parade in July 2006. In 2007, Rea appeared on a track titled "Let Go" for Paul van Dyk's album In Between. Rea has also worked on a solo collaboration with Xavier Naidoo, with whom he recorded Falco's song "Jeanny" in 2002 and "My Child" for his solo debut album Can't Stand the Silence in 2011.[1] The latter was a multi-platinum success, following the break-up with his former band Reamonn in early 2011.

Garvey at Rock im Park 2014

Garvey was also one of the four coaches on the German version of The Voice, The Voice of Germany for season 1-2, 4-5, 9-10 and 12. The winner of the second season was British singer-songwriter Nick Howard, who was on Garvey's team.

In 2005, Garvey together with Xavier Naidoo, Sasha and comedian Michael Mittermeier, paid tribute to the Rat Pack in a live performance called Alive & Swingin', in aid of Garvey's charity organisation, Saving an Angel. Due to its success, the four took to the stage again, in early 2011, to a sold-out tour. As the demand for the German Rat Pack grew, the four continued to tour in 2012 and, with their big band, were set to take another encore in 2014.

Garvey won the 2021 edition of the Free European Song Contest, a spin-off of the Eurovision Song Contest created by the German TV Channel ProSieben to have a version of the original contest when the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world. He represented Ireland with his song 'The One' placing first with 116 points out of 16 songs.

Personal Life

Rea Garvey has been married to the German-Romanian Josephine Garvey (formerly Falticska) since 2002. The couple have been parents to a daughter named Aamor since 2005. Neither the name, gender nor year of birth of their second child is known. The family lives alternately in Berlin and in the Hessian village of Hadamar.[1]

Discography

Studio albums

List of albums, with selected chart positions and certifications
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
AUT
[2]
GER
[3]
SWI
[4]
Can't Stand the Silence
  • Released: 30 September 2011
  • Label: Island
  • Formats: CD, digital download
25423
Pride
  • Released: 2 May 2014
  • Label: Island
  • Formats: CD, digital download
1259
  • BVMI: Platinum[5]
Prisma
  • Released: 2 October 2015
  • Label: Island
  • Formats: CD, digital download
13218
Neon
  • Released: 23 March 2018
  • Label: Island
  • Formats: CD, digital download
727
Hy Brasil
  • Released: 20 November 2020
  • Label: Island
  • Formats: CD, digital download
1477

Singles

As lead artist

Year Single Peak chart positions Certifications Album
AUT
[2]
GER
[3]
SWI
[4]
2008 "Hallelujah" 58 Barfuss soundtrack
2011 "Can't Stand the Silence" 6517 Can't Stand the Silence
2012 "Colour Me In" 281246
"Heart of an Enemy" 47
"Wild Love" 61860 Can't Stand the Silence — The Encore
2014 "Can't Say No" 413249 Pride
"Oh My Love"
(featuring Amy Macdonald)
363542
2015 "It's a Good Life" 4340
"War" Prisma
"Armour" 86
"Stronger Than Ever"
(MarieMarie & Rea Garvey)
85 Non-album single
"Fire" Prisma
2018 "Is It Love?"
(featuring Kool Savas)
182012
  • BVMI: Gold[5]
  • IFPI AUT: Gold[6]
Neon
"Hometown" 94
"Beautiful Life"
"Kiss Me" 9139
2019 "Let's Be Lovers Tonight"
2020 "Talk to Your Body" Hy Brasil
"Hey Hey Hey"
"The One"
(featuring Vize)
2054
  • BVMI: Gold[5]
  • IFPI AUT: Gold[6]
2021 "Rose" Non-album single
"Love Makes You Shine"
(with YouNotUs & Kush Kush)
2022 "Best Bad Friend"
(with Michael Patrick Kelly)
Year Single Peak chart positions Certifications Album
AUT
[2]
GER
[3]
SWI
[4]
2001 "Be Angeled"
(Jam & Spoon featuring Rea Garvey)
151653 be.angeled soundtrack
2004 "Set Me Free (Empty Rooms)"
(Jam & Spoon featuring Rea Garvey)
5722 Tripomatic Fairtales 3003
2006 "Liam"
(In Extremo featuring Rea Garvey)
51 Mein rasend Herz
"All Good Things (Come to an End)"
(Nelly Furtado featuring Rea Garvey)
111
  • BVMI: Platinum[5]
Loose
2007 "Let Go"
(Paul van Dyk featuring Rea Garvey)
21 In Between
2010 "Each Tear"
(Mary J. Blige featuring Rea Garvey)
Stronger with Each Tear
2011 "Heroes"
(with Nena, Xavier Naidoo & The BossHoss)
5028 Die Highlights

Awards

  • 2010: Echo: In the category Honour Echo for Social Engagement'
  • 2012: Diva: In the category Music Artist of the Year[7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Rea Garvey - Steckbrief, Biografie, Musik, TVoG und alle News". ProSieben. 18 May 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 "Austrian Charts > Rea Garvey" (in German). austriancharts.at Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 "Rea Garvey" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 "Swiss Charts > Rea Garvey" (in German). swisscharts.com Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Rea Garvey)" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 "Austrian certifications – Rea Garvey" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  7. Evening paper Munich: Diva in the Bavarian yard – Awards for celebs in Munich: The true "divas"
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