Johnny Borrell is a singer-songwriter from London, United Kingdom, best known as the frontman of Razorlight. He grows up in Hampstead and is active in the Camden music scene while still at school.

Early life and education

Borrell attends St Anthony’s Preparatory School before moving to Paris, where he studies at the Ecole Active Bilingue Jeannine Manuel. He later returns to England and goes to Highgate School, where he is in the same school circle as John Hassall, who later plays bass in The Libertines and fronts Yeti. He completes A levels in English, French and Philosophy at Fine Arts College in Belsize Park, Hampstead.

Early music work

At 17, Borrell plays bass guitar in Violet, a band that regularly performs on the Camden circuit. The group records an EP and gains some attention before splitting on stage at the Dublin Castle in late 1997 or early 1998. The title track from that EP later appears in the soundtrack to Michael Winterbottom’s 1998 film I Want You.

After Violet ends, he briefly works as a solo performer, covering songs by The Clash and Leadbelly. Many of these performances take place with close friends in The Libertines.

Razorlight

In 2002, Borrell forms Razorlight with Carl Dalemo, Christian Smith Pancorvo and Björn Ågren. The group rehearses in a Hackney warehouse called Unit 13 and plays house parties. Christian Smith Pancorvo is later replaced by Andy Burrows. The band’s name comes from a misheard or distorted lyric from a jam session recorded on video, which develops into “Razorlight”.

Razorlight become a successful indie rock band. After the single “Golden Touch”, their debut album Up All Night reaches number 3 in the UK. The follow-up single “Somewhere Else” reaches number 2, and the band’s self-titled second album debuts at number 1 in the UK album chart. Razorlight also score their first UK number 1 single with “America” in October 2006.

Other work

In 2008, Borrell contributes the song “Carrikfergus”, featuring the Suri tribe, to the Survival International charity album Songs for Survival.