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Bryndon Cook

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For the heavy metal guitarist Brandon Cook, see Black 'n Blue.

Bryndon Cook
Birth nameBryndon Cook
Also known asStarchild
Born1992 or 1993 (age 31–32)[1]
GenresR&B, funk
Occupation(s)Musician, producer, singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)Guitar, keyboard, bass, drums, tenor saxophone
Years active2012–present
LabelsGhostly, New Romantic World
Websitenewromanticworld.net

Bryndon Cook, who also goes by the solo act Starchild & the New Romantic, is an American musician, producer, and singer-songwriter.[1][2] He is best known for his work as the touring guitarist and music director for singer Solange Knowles, and his collaborations with musician Dev Hynes.[2][1]

Early life

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Cook grew up in Maryland.[1] His family had also lived in Mississippi.[3] In an Interview magazine article, Cook said that his family moved to Atlanta, Georgia during his "very formative years, when I was 9 to 13 or 14", and he taught himself guitar and playing by ear while watching VH1 Classic and listening to Prince's music.[4] In high school, he was interested in journalism and worked on the student newspaper.[3] He returned to the Washington DC area to finish high school.[5]

He attended State University of New York at Purchase, graduating in 2015 with a BFA in Theater.[3] He also did an internship with music website Pitchfork.[6]

Music career

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Collaborations career

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In 2012, while still a student at SUNY Purchase, he reached out to singer and friend "Blood Orange" Dev Hynes, and ended up performing a rap at the end of Hynes's single "Neptune".[1][7] He would also later contribute vocals for several tracks on the 2016 Blood Orange album Freetown Sound and the music video "Augustine".[5] In 2017, he collaborated with Hynes as a duo called VeilHymn and releasing a single called "Hymn".[8][9]

In 2013, he met Patrick Wimberly of the band Chairlift, who told him of an opportunity to join Solange Knowles's band as the guitarist for an upcoming album tour, replacing Dev Hynes. He has since become a regular touring member, also supporting tour mates Kindness and Chairlift.[1][10][5] Cook worked on Knowles's 2016 album A Seat at the Table, co-producing and playing bass guitar on the track "Don't Touch My Hair",[11] which reached number 91 on the Billboard Hot 100.[12] In 2017, he became Knowles' band leader and music director.[13] He also worked with Kindness on the latter's 2019 single "Raise Up", where he plays brass and piano.[14]

In 2021, he served as the music director and guitarist for cellist Kelsey Lu on the latter's operatic project This Is a Test at The Shed in New York City.[15][16]

Solo career

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While touring with Solange, Hynes, and Chairlift, Cook wrote songs and music for his own solo career, where he goes under the moniker Starchild & the New Romantic, which was inspired by the P-Funk collective as well as Prince.[10][17][3] He described his moniker as a portmanteau bridging the traditions of afrofuturism and new romanticism.[4][10]

On March 18, 2016, he released his debut EP Crucial consisting of eight tracks, under the Ghostly label. He produced and recorded the EP on his own. The name was based on frequently used slang words "crucial" and "vicious" at the time and he likens the theme of the songs to diary entries from his teenage years.[18] It was also named after an unreleased bootleg album attributed to Prince.[4][17]

In February 23, 2018, he released his first studio album Language. He described the concept for the album as "from a 'very specific heartbreak and break up' toward the end of his college days when he first started working on the record", and "It's been pieced together with a lot of different experiences from the end of college and stepping into adulthood, but trying to maintain what makes you truly yourself." He wrote many of songs while on the road with various bands including Kindness.[3][19]

He released his second EP, VHS 1138 on his own label on November 3, 2019.[20]

He released his second album Forever in June 19, 2020.[21]

Other media appearances

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Cook has walked or worked for fashion brands, including: Telfar,[22][23] Dolce & Gabbana[24] and ASOS[25][26]

In 2019, Cook participated in the third TV season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel as an actor and as providing music.[27] He also had a role in a season 1 episode of Godfather of Harlem.[citation needed] He was part of the "TTB Band" in the 2021 Lin-Manuel Miranda-directed film Tick, Tick... Boom! which released on Netflix.[28]

Discography

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EPs

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  • Crucial (Ghostly, 2016)
  • VHS 1138 (New Romantic World, 2019)

Studio albums

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  • Language (Ghostly, 2018)
  • Forever (New Romantic World, 2020)

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Hyman, Dan (July 18, 2017). "Bryndon Cook on Finding His Place in R&B's 'Huge Tapestry'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Gaffney, Adrienne (June 12, 2016). "Playing for Solange While Living In A Dorm". New York Times.
  3. ^ a b c d e Gore, Sydney (January 17, 2018). "Starchild & The New Romantic Introduces Himself with 'Language'". Paper.
  4. ^ a b c Lindsay, Benjamin (January 26, 2016). "Discovery: Starchild & The New Romantic". Interview.
  5. ^ a b c Cosumano, Katherine (July 18, 2016). "Track Premiere: Starchild & The New Romantic's "Mood"". W. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  6. ^ Joyce, Colin (February 21, 2018). "Starchild & the New Romantic's New Single Is R&B From Another World". Noisey (Vice).
  7. ^ "Blood Orange ft. Starchild – "Neptune" (Lemonade Cover)". Complex. October 24, 2012.
  8. ^ Gore, Sydney (January 27, 2017). "Dev Hynes Starts New Group VeilHymn". Nylon.
  9. ^ Minsker, Evan (February 25, 2017). "Dev Hynes' New Band VeilHymn Chose Name, Wrote Single as Part of MailChimp Promotion". Pitchfork.
  10. ^ a b c Jayasuriya, Mehan (March 23, 2016). "Starchild & the New Romantic – Crucial EP". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  11. ^ "Starchild & the New Romantic Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  12. ^ "Solange". Billboard. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  13. ^ Hahn, Rachel (February 27, 2018). "Solange Bandleader Bryndon Cook's Style—and Music—Is a Pitch-Perfect Pastiche". Vogue.
  14. ^ Deville, Chris (August 21, 2019). "Kindness – "Raise Up"". Stereogum.
  15. ^ "This Is A Test". The Shed. New York City. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  16. ^ Qbertplaya, Ellen (April 5, 2021). "Kelsey Lu played The Shed on the first night NYC venues could reopen (pics, review)". Brooklyn Vegan.
  17. ^ a b Lester, Paul (April 22, 2016). "New band of the week: Starchild & The New Romantic (No 100)". The Guardian. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  18. ^ Caamano, Natalie (March 16, 2016). "Starchild & The New Romantic Channels Prince On Diaphanous 'Crucial' EP". Spin. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  19. ^ Ruiz, Matthew (February 26, 2018). "Language LP: Pitchfork Review". Pitchfork.
  20. ^ Younger, Briana (January 5, 2019). "Starchild & The New Romantic". The New Yorker.
  21. ^ Minsker, Evan (June 19, 2020). "5 New Albums You Should Listen to Now: Bob Dylan, Phoebe Bridgers, Teyana Taylor, and More". Pitchfork.
  22. ^ Wargo, Theo (February 9, 2018). Telfar – Runway – February 2018 – New York Fashion Week Presented By Made – NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 09: Bryndon Cook performs and showcases a look from Telfar during New York Fashion Week presented by Made at Gallery I at Spring Studios on February 9, 2018 in New York City.) – via Getty Images.
  23. ^ Moran, Justin (February 11, 2018). "Telfar Live! Featuring Kelela, Dev Hynes and Ian Isiah". Paper.
  24. ^ Herman, Leora (July 27, 2018). "Dolce & Gabbana Is Turning Its Boutique Into a Secret Club". The Cut.
  25. ^ Cook, Bryndon (May 16, 2017). "ASOS Supports Talent – Meet Bryndon Cook" (Interview). Interviewed by Keleher, Luke – via ASOS.
  26. ^ Lemons, Quil (February 6, 2018). "Polaroids From ASOS' New York Fashion Week Debut". Paper.
  27. ^ Cook, Bryndon [@thisisstarchild] (December 6, 2019). "Well! Chicken's Out The Egg, Cats out The Bag! Season 3 of Marvelous Miss Maisel is now available and streaming on behemoth Amazon! What a pleasure to get to act and play music at the same time. We even got to record some music for the show's finale. Enjoy 1960s Bryndon yall! @maiseltv #themarvelousmrsmaisel" – via Instagram.
  28. ^ Tick, Tick... Boom!. November 2021. Event occurs at Closing credits – via Netflix. TTB band member #3 – guitar: Bryndon Cook
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