Rudimental are a British drum and bass band, signed to Asylum Records, Atlantic Records and Black Butter Records. The band consists of Piers Aggett, Kesi Dryden and Leon "Locksmith" Rolle.
They were nominated for a Mercury Prize in 2013, and won several awards including the Brit Award, and the MOBO Award for Best Album. Rudimental also received nominations at the MTV Europe Music Awards for Best New Act, and Best UK and Ireland act. Rudimental has achieved multiple Platinum awards for record sales in several countries including in the United Kingdom and Australia.
The band rose to prominence in 2012 when their single "Feel the Love", featuring singer John Newman, topped the UK Singles Chart, and for which they were also nominated for a BRIT Award in 2013. "Feel the Love" was also used for the opening credits of the 2013 documentary movie Spark: A Burning Man Story.
The band have released further singles, including "Not Giving In", featuring Newman and Alex Clare, "Waiting All Night", featuring Ella Eyre which also topped the chart in the UK, "Right Here", featuring Foxes, "Free", featuring Emeli Sandé, and "Powerless", featuring Becky Hill. Rudimental were named by the BBC as the festival band of the summer. In 2013, Rudimental's debut studio album Home debuted at number one in the UK Albums Chart and was also nominated for a Mercury Music Prize.
History
2009-2011: Beginnings
Aggett, Dryden and Rolle have known each other from an early age, growing up on the same street and attending the same school. In regard to the name "Rudimental", Kesi Dryden said, "When I was a kid I used to go to piano lessons. There was a book called the Book of Rudiments, and my teacher would always have a go at me for forgetting it. I always used to hear 'rudiments, rudiments, where's your rudiments?' When I was a teenager, I was looking for a producer name for myself, and I would call myself 'Rudiments'. And when we started collaborating and sharing music together, Rudimental sort of felt better for a band name."
Their first release, "Sexy Sexy", with vocal contribution by Natalie May was released in 2009 along with a music video and became a regular fixture in every club DJ set and was featured on a number of big selling dance and urban compilations. 2010 saw a second song release called "Club Love", and a remix of Natalie May's "Closer". In March 2011, the band signed with Black Butter Records and released their debut single "Deep in the Valley", featuring MC Shantie. In June 2011, they released "Speeding", featuring Adiyam.
In late 2011, the band approached Amir Amor as a record producer and songwriter. This initial collaboration resulted in the songs "Feel the Love", "Not Giving In" and "Spoons". He was then subsequently asked to join the group.
2012–14: Home
On 20 February 2012, Rudimental released "Spoons", featuring MNEK and Syron as the debut single from their debut studio album Home.
On 14 May 2012, they released "Feel the Love", featuring vocals from John Newman, as the album's lead single. The song entered the UK Singles Chart at number one, making it their first number one single in the UK. The song also was a top-5 hit in Australia, Belgium, The Netherlands and New Zealand, also charting in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Ireland. On 18 November 2012, they released the album's second single "Not Giving In", featuring vocals from Newman and Alex Clare. It debuted and peaked at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart. "Hell Could Freeze", featuring vocals from Angel Haze, was released on 14 January 2013 as a promotional free download. "Waiting All Night", featuring Ella Eyre, was released as the third single from the album in 2013, reaching number one on the UK Singles Chart on 21 April 2013.
Home was released on 29 April 2013 and debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, as well as being nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. The album cover features a 'peace mural' street scene in the band's home borough of Hackney. Rudimental donated £10,000 to ensure the upkeep of the mural. The group were also nominated for three MTV EMA awards in Amsterdam in November 2013. On 19 October 2013, during the 2013 MOBO Awards in Glasgow, Rudimental received the Best Album award for Home.