Jump to content

Ladyhawke (musician)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by IdLoveOne (talk | contribs) at 06:16, 14 May 2011 (Unsure of if the gift was early or not). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

This article is about the musician. For her self-titled album, see Ladyhawke (album). For other uses, see Ladyhawk.
Ladyhawke

Phillipa "Pip" Brown (born July 13[2][3] or 14, 1979 in Masterton, New Zealand)[4][5] better known by her stage name Ladyhawke, is a New Zealand singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She was formerly a part of the Wellington-based band Two Lane Blacktop, named for the 1971 road film of the same name.[6] Before assuming the name Ladyhawke, she formed the band Teenager with Nick Littlemore of Pnau and Empire of the Sun. Ladyhawke named herself after the 1985 Richard Donner film Ladyhawke.[7] Ladyhawke is best known for her hit singles "Paris Is Burning" and "My Delirium".[8] Her self-titled debut album was released on Modular Recordings[9] in September 2008. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2009, Ladyhawke won for Best Breakthrough single and album.

The Observer grouped Ladyhawke in with other singers gaining notice with their distinct fashion, 1980s references, and androgyny, including Lady Gaga, Little Boots, Lissy Trullie and Elly Jackson from the synthpop duo La Roux.[10]

Early life

Brown was born in Masterton, a town in the Wellington Region of New Zealand. She came from a musical family, with her mother being a singer–guitarist and her stepfather, a jazz drummer. During her childhood, various illnesses and allergies kept her in and out of the hospital. At age ten she contracted erysipeloid, a disease that is common in seagulls but had not been seen in humans in New Zealand for twenty years. Her allergies to antibiotics, penicillin, and antihistamines greatly complicated treatment efforts and had put her in a coma and she came close to dying.

Brown has been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. Brown believes that the large amount of her childhood she spent absorbed in music, be it listening to the radio or her mother's The Beatles and Pretenders albums, was attributable to this syndrome.[11]

While attending Chanel College, she played in several grunge bands. After high school, Brown moved from Masterton to Wellington.

Recording career

Two Lane Blacktop

In Wellington, Brown formed the band Two Lane Blacktop with some friends, playing lead guitar. She describes Two Lane Blacktop as being "like Iggy and The Stooges meets The Clash". She cites her experience playing the notorious New York City club CBGB with Two Lane Blacktop as being a defining moment.[12] Two Lane Blacktop parted ways when their lead singer and drummer quit the band two days prior to a date they booked in Austin, Texas playing at SXSW. Brown then made the impulsive decision to relocate to Melbourne, Australia.

Teenager

Sometime after her move to Melbourne, Sydney-based musician Nick Littlemore (of Empire of the Sun and Pnau) heard of Brown's move to Australia and asked her if she was interested in joining a band he had started called Teenager. Brown liked Littlemore's music and decided to join. Brown and Littlemore played together for two years, with Brown relocating to Sydney to be closer to the band, and also other people she enjoyed playing and writing music with. The Teenager song "Pony" is featured in the 2008 video game Grand Theft Auto IV.

Ladyhawke

Ladyhawke live at the Rhythm & Vines festival 2008/2009

Still close with Littlemore, Brown decided to leave Teenager to focus on a personal project she had been developing for sometime, a persona she had dubbed Ladyhawke. She named herself so after a character played by Michelle Pfeiffer in the 1985 film of the same name because she sees herself as a sort of pop superwoman creating radio-friendly songs with a single bound.[11] Brown says she started Ladyhawke out of a desire to do her own project where she could completely express herself in any way she wanted. She says: "I wanted to make music that could put a smile on peoples faces and give them a feeling of nostalgia even though they may be hearing my songs for the first time. I love how music evokes memories of a certain time, I wanted to see if I could find a method of songwriting that would evoke those feelings from me on writing the song and then on the individual when listening to it for the first time."[12]

Ladyhawke appeared for the first time in a Triple J Hottest 100 with two entries in the 2008 countdown; "My Delirium" at number 11 and "Paris is Burning" at number 26. The Pnau song, "Embrace", which features Ladyhawke, was voted in at number 12. Brown was nominated for an NME Award in the category of Best Solo Artist.[13] Christina Aguilera has supposedly covered "My Delirium" for her upcoming album Bionic, co-produced by electro group Ladytron; but during an interview with University Radio Nottingham, Brown admitted that the cover was only a rumour and would not be happening.

Ladyhawke is noted as being influenced by 1980s music.[14][15][16] Peaches, to whom Ladyhawke's music has been compared, remixed the single "Paris Is Burning",[15] and the two have performed together, with Peaches taking DJ duties.[17] Ladyhawke's music has also been likened to that of Cyndi Lauper,[14] Pat Benatar, Kim Wilde, Annie, and New Young Pony Club.[15]

She often claims her largest influence is Electric Light Orchestra, and has stated that their album Time is one of her favourite albums of all time. Brown also draws inspiration from music of the 90s. "Listening to Nirvana takes me back to being fourteen at the school disco. Bands from the nineties have that effect on me."[18] She has been compared to a wave of individualistic androgynous female pop musicians who are in their 20s.[19]

By May 2009 her debut album had been certified as gold and her single "Back of the Van" had been released.[20] A limited 7-inch version of "Back of the Van"—each one hand painted by Sarah Larnach—was sold on eBay. The proceeds went to the Parkinsons Society of New Zealand.[21]

Brown is writing material for a second album.[6]

In August 2009 it was announced that she would co-headline a tour of North America with Ida Maria starting September 10 in Atlanta and concluding October 3 in Los Angeles.[22] The tour is being sponsored by celebrity blogger Perez Hilton.[22]

Personal life

Ladyhawke playing live at Nevereverland 2008 at Belvoir Amphitheatre, Perth, Western Australia.

Brown dresses in men's and boys' clothing. She wears hoodies, tight jeans and big boots. Her jeans are slung low enough to reveal boys' underwear. She has said "I don't wear women's clothes because I'd feel like a fraud. It's not just that the cut is all wrong on me, I feel much more of an individual in menswear." She feels that "I don't lose any aspect of my femininity by wearing boys' clothes".[23]

Phillipa Brown is a fan of video games. "I'm a big, big gamer".[24]

Brown is dating the former girlfriend of NZ musician Anika Moa.[25] The pair attended the latter's 2010 wedding to burlesque performer Azaria Universe.

Other pursuits and appearances

  • She appeared as herself in an episode of the 2009 British ITV2 sitcom FM.[26]
  • Ladyhawke has designed “Music Inspired Art Labels” for limited edition of Beck's. Labels were illustrated by Sydney-based artist, Sarah Larnach, who lived with Ladyhawke back when she was first getting started on her music career.[27]
  • "Paris is Burning" has been featured on season 3 of Ugly Betty, as a theme song for the French TV show Paris 16e and Le Grand Journal 's "coming next" sequence, and remixed for the beginning of a CSI: Miami episode in the seventh season.
  • "My Delirium" was featured in the video game Dirt 2.[28] It is also featured in Forum Snowboards movie F*** It.

Collaborations

  • Ladyhawke collaborated with Pnau on Embrace, one of their most known songs.[29]
  • The Charlatans' Tim Burgess has revealed that he is collaborating with members of The Horrors, Klaxons and Ladyhawke on a new solo album. "I've been working with Josh, the guitarist from The Horrors, and Stefan, the drummer from the Klaxons and right now we can only do stuff when our other bands aren't doing things. But when we do get together, it's really explosive and it'll be well worth waiting for. I've also got Ladyhawke singing on it." [22][30]

Awards

New Zealand Music Awards
Year Nominated work Award Result
2009[31] Ladyhawke Album of the Year Won
Best Dance/Electronica album Won
"My Delirium" Single of the Year Won
Herself International Achievement Award Won
Best Female Solo Artist Won
Breakthrough Artist of the Year Won
People's Choice Award Nominated
ARIA Music Awards
Year Nominated work Award Result
2009[32] Ladyhawke Breakthrough Artist – album Won
Best Pop Release Nominated
Best Cover Art Nominated
"My Delirium" Single of the Year Nominated
Breakthrough Artist – single Won
Herself Best Female Solo Artist Nominated
Brit Awards
Year Nominated work Award Result
2010[33] Herself International Female Solo Artist Nominated
NME Awards
Year Nominated work Award Result
2009[34] Herself Best Solo Artist Nominated
MTV Australia Awards
Year Nominated work Award Result
2009[35] Herself Best Kiwi Nominated
Independent Spirit Nominated

Discography

Main article: Ladyhawke discography

References

  1. ^ Synth pop: Encyclopedia of Modern Music The Times
  2. ^ Ladyhawke posts
  3. ^ on Twitter
  4. ^ Hall, Tom (April 6, 2009). "LadyHawke: French Class". The Irish Independent. Retrieved 2009-07-09.
  5. ^ Bennett, Cath (2009-10-14). "Ladyhawke soars high". Stuff Sunday News. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
  6. ^ a b Carpenter, Ellen (January 19, 2009). "Ladyhawke: The Ingenue". Spin. Retrieved 2009-04-28.
  7. ^ Zhuravlyova, Sonia. "Dude looks like a Ladyhawke", The Independent on Sunday, 2008-06-15, p. 64. Retrieved on 2008-07-04.
  8. ^ Clarke, Paul. "Ladyhawke in it for the long haul", Metro, 2008-07-02. Retrieved on 2008-07-04.
  9. ^ Lindsay, Cam. "Ladyhawke: Back of the Van", Exclaim!, February 11, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-07-04.
  10. ^ Day, Elizabeth (2009-04-19). "Pop's new wave: quirky, stylish girls fashioned from the 80s". The Observer. London. Retrieved 2010-02-02.
  11. ^ a b Lester, Paul (September 11, 2008). "Asperger's, allergies and aubergines". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2008-09-17.
  12. ^ a b Brown, Pip. "Bio – Or Life Story, Take Your Pick", www.ladyhawkemusic.com, 2008-02-01. Cite error: The named reference "Bio" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  13. ^ "Ladyhawke scores NME award nomination". stuff.co.nz. Fairfax New Zealand. 29 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-28.
  14. ^ a b Keyes, J. Edward. "Hype Monitor: Ladyhawke", Rolling Stone, 2008-06-19. Retrieved on 2008-07-04.
  15. ^ a b c Lester, Paul. "Band of the day: No. 329: Ladyhawke", guardian.co.uk, 2008-06-09. Retrieved on 2008-07-04.
  16. ^ Cairns, Dan. "Breaking act: Ladyhawke", The Sunday Times, 2008-06-29. Retrieved on 2008-07-04.
  17. ^ Cooper, Leonie. "First sight: Ladyhawke", The Guardian, 2008-06-13, p. 12.
  18. ^ a b "Spring Music". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 2009-04-10.
  19. ^ Day, Elizabeth (April 19, 2009). "Pop's new wave: quirky, stylish girls fashioned from the 80s". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2009-04-28.
  20. ^ "Ladyhawke: 'Back Of The Van'". Digital Spy. May 17, 2009
  21. ^ "Ladyhawke Raising Money for New Zealand Parkinsons Society Glasswerk". glasswerk.co.uk. May 22, 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
  22. ^ a b c "Ladyhawke plots co-headlining US tour with Ida Maria". NME. Retrieved 2009-08-12. Cite error: The named reference "NME" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  23. ^ "Ladyhawke feels a fraud". MyPark Magazine. BANG Media International. March 8, 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-28.
  24. ^ "Ladyhawke: flying high". London: Telegraph.co.uk. 2009-01-27. Retrieved 2010-09-18.
  25. ^ http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/3411489/Anika-Moa-on-her-wedding
  26. ^ "FM". ITV. Retrieved 2009-03-11.
  27. ^ http://culture.bitchbuzz.com/ladyhawkes-music-inspired-art-labels-for-becks.html. Retrieved 2009-09-29. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  28. ^ "Dirt 2 Soundtrack". IGN. Retrieved 2010-09-18.
  29. ^ PNAU (CD album liner notes). Etcetc. October 2007.
  30. ^ "Tim Burgess' 'explosive' supergroup". FemaleFirst. Retrieved 2010-09-15.
  31. ^ "Honours of night go to Ladyhawke". NZ Herald. Retrieved 11 October 2009.
  32. ^ "2009 ARIA Awards details announced". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 11 October 2009.
  33. ^ "Brit Awards nominations 2010: full list". London: Telegraph.co.uk. 2010-01-18. Retrieved 15 February 2010.
  34. ^ "Oasis, Alex Turner, Killers: Shockwaves NME Awards 2009 nominations". NME (New Musical Express). Retrieved 11 October 2009.
  35. ^ "List of nominees for the 2009 MTV Awards". Melbourne: The Age. 2009-02-20. Retrieved 11 October 2009.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ladyhawke.

Template:Persondata

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ladyhawke_(musician)&oldid=429038996"