Aqualung
Matthew Nicholas Hales, born 17 January 1972 in Southampton, is an English
singer‑songwriter, musician and record producer who has performed as Aqualung.
Growing up in a family that ran an independent record shop, Hales began writing
songs at four and earned a scholarship to study music composition at Winchester
College, where he composed his first symphony. After stints with bands such as
Ruth and the 45s, he launched his solo career as Aqualung; the single "Strange
and Beautiful" (2002) gained prominence in a Volkswagen Beetle advertisement and
peaked at number 7 on the UK Sing...
