Rumer
Sarah Joyce (born 3 June 1979), better known by her stage name, Rumer, is a Pakistani-British singer-songwriter. Supported by leading music industry figures including Burt Bacharach, Elton John, Carly Simon, and Jools Holland, Rumer was nominated for two Brit Awards on 13 January 2011. Her debut album, Seasons of My Soul, released in 2010, peaked on the UK Charts at No.
Also recorded as Sarah Joyce
Rumer

ELOJeff10538 · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Name
- Rumer
- Birth Name
- Sarah Joyce
- Born
- 3 June 1979
- Birthplace
- Tarbela Dam, Pakistan
- Occupation
- * Singer
- Nationality
- United Kingdom.
- Fields
- music and singing.
- Languages
- English.
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Documentary summary
Sarah Joyce (born 3 June 1979), better known by her stage name, Rumer, is a Pakistani-British singer-songwriter. Supported by leading music industry figures including Burt Bacharach, Elton John, Carly Simon, and Jools Holland, Rumer was nominated for two Brit Awards on 13 January 2011. Her debut album, Seasons of My Soul, released in 2010, peaked on the UK Charts at No.
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In this article
Biography
Biography
Rumer worked across singer, singer-songwriter, guitarist, musician and performing artist and 2 further recorded occupations. The registers place that work in pop music. This article rests on 78 catalogued compositions, 3 published texts, 32 issued recordings and 11 scholarly references drawn from named institutional registers. Every statement below returns to a source shown in the evidence panel; where the record is silent or divided, the article says so instead of resolving it.

Rumer performing at Birmingham's Symphony Hall, March 2011
Egghead06
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Rumer • Birth Name — Sarah Joyce • Alias — Sarah Prentice • Born — 3 June 1979 • Birthplace — Tarbela Dam, Pakistan • Genre — * Pop • easy listening • soul • Occupation — * Singer • songwriter • Instrument — * Vocals • guitar • Years Active — 2000–present • Website — www.rumer.co.uk/ • Label — * Atlantic • East West • Warner • Cooking Vinyl
Early life and education
Early life and education
Rumer was the seventh of eight children and was born in 1979 in Tarbela Dam, Pakistan. Her family lived there from 1977 to 1984 while her registered British father was contracted as Chief Engineer of the Tarbela Dam Project. Her parents split, and her Streatham-born mother moved back to England with Rumer and her siblings. Rumer moved to Carlisle aged 11 and attended Newman Catholic School, where she won the school's annual talent show in 1994. Rumer became fascinated with the work of Judy Garland at a young age, and sought solace from difficulties at home and school by listening to artists such as Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell and Tracy Chapman. She was encouraged by her musical family, who all played instruments and played in their local Catholic church. This began her interest in becoming a performer. Rumer later discovered her biological father was the family's Pakistani cook, with whom her mother had had an affair when living in Pakistan. While her mother was dying of breast cancer in 2001, she asked Rumer to make the journey to Pakistan to search for her biological father, with her mother reportedly saying "I want to leave this planet with my house in order". She discovered on arriving he had only recently died in a freak accident. Rumer briefly attended the drama course at Dartington College of Arts, in Devon before dropping out, moving to London at 18 and getting a job as a waitress. Born Sarah Joyce, she chose the name Rumer after the author Rumer Godden.
2001–2010: La Honda and Stereo Venus
2001–2010: La Honda and Stereo Venus
• Illustration — Rumer in 2010 Under the name of Sarah Prentice, Sarah sang with a moderately successful London-based folk/indie band called La Honda between 2000 and 2001. In 2004, she formed the band Rumer & The Denials and released an early version of "Come To Me High" on 7" in 2007. Their Myspace page, now closed, included an acoustic recording of "Slow", which was included on the compilation album A Very Magistery Valentine. A collection of material was recorded in 2008 with Rory Moore under the name Stereo Venus. This was aimed at television and film and was originally distributed in Europe. An album was released in 2012 entitled Close to the Sun and the band played support for Saint Etienne. The material was also released under her real name, Sarah Joyce in South Korea in April 2010 as Coffee And Honey.
2010–2011: Solo career as Rumer, Seasons of My Soul and Rumer Sings Bacharach at Christmas
2010–2011: Solo career as Rumer, Seasons of My Soul and Rumer Sings Bacharach at Christmas
Rumer's debut album Seasons of My Soul was released on 1 November 2010, produced by her mentor, British composer Steve Brown. Her debut single, "Slow", was featured on Smooth FM, and the single "Aretha" on BBC Radio 2's Record of the Week feature, and she is signed to Atlantic Records. Seasons of My Soul, peaked on the UK Charts at No. 3, was listed at No. 26 in the Official Top 40 Biggest Debut Albums of the Decade in 2019, and was certified platinum in 2013 having sold over one million copies. She supported Jools Holland on his UK tour in the Autumn of 2010 which included a performance at the Albert Hall in London. Rumer received a personal note from Richard Carpenter regarding her debut album, "You not only sing beautifully," writes Carpenter, "but what you've created is actually musical, something that has been in short supply in recent years. The fact that the album is a sales success as well is reassuring to me, as I still firmly believe that if the public is exposed to music that is natural and of high quality, they will respond positively. Congratulations". After Burt Bacharach invited Rumer to his California home to hear her sing, Atlantic Records released Rumer Sings Bacharach at Christmas on 13 December 2010. It featured "Some Lovers" from the musical Gift of the Magi by Bacharach and Steven Sater. A limited edition 7-inch vinyl version was also released with a cover personally designed by Rumer. Rumer also contributed to a memorial concert to film composer, John Barry, which took place on 20 June 2011 at the Royal Albert Hall in London where the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Dame Shirley Bassey, David Arnold, Wynne Evans, trumpeter Derek Watkins and others performed Barry's music. Rumer performed the John Barry/Hal David song "We Have All the Time in the World" accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Nicholas Dodd. She recorded the track "I Believe in You" for the end credits to Johnny English Reborn, released in October 2011. In January 2012 she started her first American tour in Los Angeles.
2012–2013: Boys Don't Cry
2012–2013: Boys Don't Cry
Rumer's second album Boys Don't Cry was released on 28 May 2012. It contains a selection of songs by male artists and writers from the 70s and 80s period. Covers of songs by artists such as Todd Rundgren, Gilbert O'Sullivan, Neil Young and Terry Reid were chosen to mirror the solace and anguish Rumer experienced since achieving success and fame (BBC Music review). The majority of Boys Don't Cry was recorded at the same time as, or before Seasons of My Soul, but two weeks before the deadline Rumer and Steve Brown irreparably fell out. Rumer sought urgent help to finish the record and enlisted family friend Jennie Muskett, a notable film and TV composer to step in and help realise her vision in Steve's absence. A lot of the music had to be re-recorded at RAK Studios with John Paraceli on guitar, Ian Thomas and Steve Pierce on drums and Dave Hartley on piano. Rumer's version of PF Sloan written by Jimmy Webb was released as a single, followed by a second single written by Hall and Oates, "Sara Smile". She appeared on The Andrew Marr show with Jools Holland at the end of 2012 and performed with Jimmy Webb on CBS Second Cup Cafe in September 2013. Rumer was interviewed on The Graham Norton show and performed PF Sloan, just previous to the release of Boys Don't Cry. Rumer later performed "P.F. Sloan" as a duet with P.F. Sloan on 14 June 2014. Webb invited her to perform the song at Live at MacArthur Park, Los Angeles on 15 June 2013. Webb then invited Rumer to record, Still Within The Sound of My Voice, (written by Jimmy Webb) which was the title track on Webb's album, Still Within the Sound of My Voice which included other guest performances by Keith Urban, Carly Simon, among others, released later in 2013.
2014–2015: Into Colour, B Sides and Rarities and Love is the Answer
2014–2015: Into Colour, B Sides and Rarities and Love is the Answer
Rumer released her second album of all original material, and her third total studio album, Into Colour on 10 November 2014 in the UK, Ireland and Japan, peaking at No. 12 on the UK Charts. The record was then released worldwide in early 2015 by Atlantic Records. The first song to be released from the album was "Dangerous", which takes Rumer in a more disco direction. The song was made available on her SoundCloud page in September 2014. In 2015, Rumer released a collection of unreleased tracks and B-sides from her back catalog entitled, B Sides & Rarities. The collection features collaborations with the likes of Dionne Warwick, Stephen Bishop and Michael Feinstein. On 11 December 2015, Rumer released a four-track EP entitled Love is the Answer.
2016–2019: This Girl's in Love (A Bacharach and David Songbook)
2016–2019: This Girl's in Love (A Bacharach and David Songbook)
Rumer's fourth album, released under the East West Records label, features Rumer's take on select tracks from the songbook of Burt Bacharach and Hal David. It was released on 25 November 2016. Rumer remarked about how this album "was one she couldn't have made five years ago" and that how she felt that she had the right "emotional palette" to draw on the songs she recorded. It was produced by her husband and producer Rob Shirakbari at Capitol Studios in early 2016. In October, Rumer played her first London gig in over 2 years at London's Cadogan Hall. Rumer contributed to Trevor Horn's album Reimagines the Eighties, released in January 2019.
2020: Nashville Tears (The Songs of Hugh Prestwood)
2020: Nashville Tears (The Songs of Hugh Prestwood)
Rumer released her fifth studio album, and her third album of covers, Nashville Tears (The Songs of Hugh Prestwood), on 14 August 2020. The album, which originally was scheduled for a May 2020 release, was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nashville Tears includes covers of songs from singer-songwriter Hugh Prestwood. "Creating this album was the beginning of a joyful time in my life," Rumer explained about the record. "I was listening to Hugh Prestwood's catalog all day and doing the dishes and walking the dog and taking care of my baby. It was a wonderful time....with this record, through Hugh Prestwood's words, I wanted to create a piece of work that would, to me be like a tapestry of America how I felt it and saw it, and I feel like I did just that."
Television and radio appearances
Television and radio appearances
In September 2010, Rumer performed three songs on Later with Jools Holland. She performed with British jazz singer Jamie Cullum in the 2010 Royal Variety Performance. Also in 2010, Elton John invited Rumer to be his special guest at his BBC Electric Proms concert. On 9 May 2012, Rumer performed at the White House in a tribute concert honouring the songwriting team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David, singing the Bacharach-David song "A House Is Not a Home". She also participated in the finale, "What the World Needs Now Is Love". The concert, Burt Bacharach & Hal David: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song in Performance at the White House, was broadcast on PBS on 21 May 2012. On 15 August 2012, Rumer appeared on episode No. 57 of Daryl Hall's webcast 'Live From Daryl's House' where they performed 'Sara Smile' together as well as other songs including 'Take Me As I Am' and 'I Can't Go For That'. Rumer and her husband Rob Shirakbari recorded two songs for the BBC's Radio 2 from their home in Macon, Georgia while self-isolating during the COVID-19 pandemic. The two live songs "Hard Times for Lovers" and "Aretha" were aired on Ken Bruce the morning of 5 May 2020 along with an interview.
Personal life
Personal life
In 2010, Rumer began a relationship with Sam Winwood, the son of English songwriter, former member of the Spencer Davis Group and record producer Muff Winwood. The two separated the following year. Rumer began dating Rob Shirakbari, Burt Bacharach's former musical director, whom she met after moving to Los Angeles following the release of Boys Don't Cry. The pair moved to Shirakbari's home state of Arkansas, and married there in 2015. In an interview she gave to The Independent, she said that following the pressures brought about by the music industry after releasing her debut album, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. She also said in the same interview that she had a miscarriage.
Studio albums
Studio albums
• Album Title — Album details — Peak chart positions — Sales — Certifications (sales threshold) • UK — AUS — BEL (FLA) — BEL (WAL) — FRA — IRL — NOR — NZ — NL — SWE — SWI — US • Seasons of My Soul — * Released: 1 November 2010 * Label: Atlantic * Formats: CD, LP, download — 3 — 35 — 6 — 11 — 34 — 7 — 6 — 10 — 2 — 13 — 15 — 46 — *UK: 529,238 — *UK: 2× Platinum *IRE: Platinum • Boys Don't Cry — * Released: 28 May 2012 * Label: Atlantic * Formats: CD, LP, download — 3 — 63 — 42 — 54 — — — 8 — — — — — 22 — — — 30 — — — *UK: 100,000+ — *UK: Gold • Into Colour — * Released: 10 November 2014 * Label: Atlantic * Formats: CD, LP, download — 12 — — — 40 — 67 — — — 42 — — — — — 33 — — — 80 — — • This Girl's in Love (A Bacharach & David Songbook) — * Released: 25 November 2016 * Label: East West, Warner * Formats: CD, LP, download — 28 — — — 87 — 100 — — — 66 — — — — — — — — — — — — • Nashville Tears (The Songs of Hugh Prestwood) — * Released: 14 August 2020 * Label: Cooking Vinyl * Formats: CD, LP, Cassette, download — 17 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Live albums
Live albums
• Album Title — Album Details — Peak chart positions • UK • Live from Lafayette — * Released: 17 September 2021 * Label: Cooking Vinyl * Formats: CD, Vinyl, Digital download — — • In Session — * Released: 31 January 2025 * Label: Ciancia Management * Formats: CD, Vinyl, Digital download — —
Compilation albums
Compilation albums
• Album Title — Album Details — Peak chart positions • UK • B Sides & Rarities — * Released: 4 September 2015 * Label: Atlantic Records * Formats: CD, Digital download — 97 • B Sides & Rarities Vol. 2 — * Released: 22 April 2022 * Label: Atlantic Records * Formats: CD, Digital download — —
Extended plays
Extended plays
• EP Title — EP Details — Peak chart positions • UK • Rumer Sings Bacharach at Christmas — * Released: 10 December 2010 * Label: Atlantic Records * Formats: CD, 7" vinyl, Digital download — 78 • iTunes Festival: London 2011 — * Released: 20 July 2011 * Label: Warner Music * Formats: Digital download — — • Into Colour EP — * Released: 6 October 2014 * Label: Atlantic Records * Formats: CD, Digital download — — • Love Is The Answer — * Released: 11 December 2015 * Label: Night Owl Music Ltd * Formats: CD, Digital download — —
Singles
Singles
• Year — Single — Peak chart positions — Album • UK — BEL (FLA) — BEL (WAL) — IRL — NL • 2007 — "Remember (Christmas)" — — — — — — — — — — — Non-album single • 2010 — "Slow" — 16 — 58 — 41 — 33 — 61 — Seasons of My Soul • "Aretha" — 72 — — — — — — — 47 • 2011 — "Am I Forgiven" — — — 78 — 59 — — — — • "I Believe in You" — — — — — — — — — — — Johnny English Reborn OST • "I Wanna Roo You" — — — 135 — — — — — — — rowspan="1" Non-album single • 2012 — "P.F. Sloan" — — — 73 — — — — — — — Boys Don't Cry • "Sara Smile" — — — 97 — — — — — — • 2014 — "Dangerous" — — — — — — — — — — — Into Colour • "Reach Out" — — — — — — — — — — • 2016 — "Balance of Nature" — — — — — — — — — — — This Girl's in Love (A Bacharach & David Songbook) • "Walk On By" — — — — — — — — — — • "What The World Needs Now Is Love" — — — — — — — — — — • 2020 — "Hard Times For Lovers" — — — — — — — — — — — Nashville Tears • "The Fate of Fireflies" — — — — — — — — — — • "June It's Gonna Happen" — — — — — — — — — — • "Deep Summer In the Deep South" — — — — — — — — — — • 2022 — "Roses" — — — — — — — — — — — B Sides & Rarities Vol. 2 • "Old-Fashioned Girl" — — — — — — — — — — • 2023 — "Don't Interrupt the Sorrow" (Live Masterlink Sessions) (with Redtenbacher's Funkestra) — — — — — — — — — — — rowspan="2" Non-album single • "Amelia" (Live Masterlink Sessions) (with Redtenbacher's Funkestra) — — — — — — — — — —
Radio singles
Radio singles
• Year — Single — Album • 2011 — "Goodbye Girl" — Seasons of My Soul • "Take Me As I Am"
Videography
Videography
• Year — Song — Reference • 2010 — "Slow" • "Aretha" • "Alfie" • 2011 — "Slow" (International Version) • "Am I Forgiven" (Directors Cut) • "Am I Forgiven" • "Goodbye Girl" • "Slow" (US version) • 2012 — "P.F. Sloan" • "Sara Smile"
Other appearances
Other appearances
• "Slave to the Rhythm" on Trevor Horn's Reimagines the Eighties • "Still Within The Sound Of My Voice" on Jimmy Webb's Still Within The Sound of my Voice
Career and working life
Career and working life
Rumer worked as singer, singer-songwriter, guitarist and musician, and the authority record catalogues a further 3 occupations under the same name, among them performing artist, composer and songwriter. Active from 2000. The fields Rumer worked in include pop music. Rumer played the voice. Rumer worked in English.
Compositions, 1970
Catalogued output
Compositions, 1970
The entries below are works composed by the subject, as the institutional registers catalogue them; later performances and commercial recordings of the same music are listed separately. They belong to a run of 78 titles in all, from 1970 to 1970.
1 composition carry the date 1970
Compositions without a settled date
Catalogued output
Compositions without a settled date
77 further compositions are catalogued under Rumer's name without a date the collections agree on, which is why they are set apart from the dated run rather than placed in it. A selection is set out below and the complete run may be opened beneath it. What the World Needs Now Is Love. It Could Be the First Day. This Guy’s in Love With You. Are You There (with Another Girl). It Might Be You. Love Is the Answer. A House Is Not a Home.
You Just Don’t Know People
One Less Bell to Answer
Just for a Moment
The Same Old Tears on a New Background
Where’ve You Been
(They Long to Be) Close to You
Baby, Come Back to Bed
I Wanna Roo You
Come Saturday Morning
Being at War With Each Other
Be Thankful for What You Got
Ac‐cent‐tchu‐ate the Positive
The complete catalogue · 40
You Just Don’t Know People
One Less Bell to Answer
Just for a Moment
The Same Old Tears on a New Background
Where’ve You Been
(They Long to Be) Close to You
Baby, Come Back to Bed
I Wanna Roo You
Come Saturday Morning
Being at War With Each Other
Be Thankful for What You Got
Ac‐cent‐tchu‐ate the Positive
Take Me as I Am
Walk On By
Still Within the Sound of My Voice
On My Way Home
Pizza and Pinball
The Song Remembers When
The Last One to Be Loved
You’ll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart)
Here Comes the Sun
The Look of Love
A Man Needs a Maid
Home Thoughts From Abroad
The Warmth of the Sun
In the Land of Make Believe
I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)
Come to Me High
Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)
I Believe in You
You're the One
John Sebastian's Girl
Scarlett stereo venu
Intro (Return of Blackbird)
Slave to the Rhythm
Long, Long Day
Be Nice to Me
Play Your Guitar
I Am Blessed
Balance of Nature
Issued recordings
Primary material
Issued recordings
These are published sound issues catalogued under the name. Most postdate the works they carry, and an issue is never counted here as a work of composition. 8 issues carry dates between 2010 and 2020. The run opens with Aretha and closes with Nashville Tears. The 2010s are the densest part of the run, with 7 titles, and that concentration is a fact about what the registers have catalogued rather than a judgement on the work itself.
Recordings and discography
Primary material
Recordings and discography
The discography assembled here shows how Rumer's work has been published in sound, not what Rumer made. 24 sound issues are catalogued, carrying dates from 2010 to 2025. An issue is a published recording, distinct from the composition it carries, from a printed score of that composition and from any single performance of it; none of the entries below is counted in the catalogue of compositions above, and several of them carry the same work in different readings. The 2010s are the densest decade of publication, with 17 issues. The performers and issuing labels are as the discographic register states them; where it names no performer the article names none.
B Sides & Rarities, Vol
In Session feat
Awards and nominations
• 2011: Nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Breakthrough Act and Best British Female Solo Artist • 2011: Nominated for the UK Asian Music Award for Best Alternative Act and Best Newcomer • 2011: Won the UK Asian Music Award for Best Alternative Act • 2011: Nominated for the MOJO Award for Best Breakthrough Act, Best Album with "Seasons of my Soul" and Song of the Year with "Slow" • 2011: Won the MOJO Award for Best Breakthrough Act
Authority records
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
institutional register
Bibliothèque nationale de France authority file 16276970wBibliothèque nationale de France
Partially resolvedinstitutional register
Partially resolvedinstitutional register
GND (German National Library) authority file 1011857936GND (German National Library)
Partially resolvedinstitutional register
Partially resolvedinstitutional register
Partially resolvedinstitutional register
Library of Congress authority file no2011109618Library of Congress
Partially resolvedinstitutional register
Partially resolvedinstitutional register
Partially resolved
Every cited source · 9
- 01
Bibliothèque nationale de France authority file 16276970w
institutional register · Unverified · Bibliothèque nationale de France
Consult the source - 02
- 03
GND (German National Library) authority file 1011857936
institutional register · Unverified · GND (German National Library)
Consult the source - 04
- 05
- 06
Library of Congress authority file no2011109618
institutional register · Unverified · Library of Congress
Consult the source - 07
- 08
- 09
Wikidata, structured authority record Q270534: Rumer
institutional register · Unverified · Wikimedia Foundation
Consult the source
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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