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Eliot Sumner

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Eliot Sumner
Eliot Sumner in 2015.
Eliot Sumner in 2015.
Background information
Birth nameEliot Paulina Sumner
Also known asCoco, I Blame Coco, Coco Sumner
Born (1990-07-30) 30 July 1990 (age 34)
Pisa, Tuscany, Italy
GenresNew wave, indie rock, synthpop
Occupation(s)Musician, singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, drums, bass guitar, piano, synth
Years active2005–present
LabelsIsland Records, Universal Music Group
Websiteeliotsumner.com

Eliot Paulina Sumner (born 30 July 1990 in Pisa, Tuscany, Italy), also known as Coco, is an English musician. Sumner's debut album was released under the band name I Blame Coco, a name which the artist has since abandoned. I Blame Coco's debut album, The Constant, was released in the United Kingdom on 8 November 2010. Sumner is the child of musician Sting and actress/producer Trudie Styler.

Career

Eliot Sumner began playing music at a young age and writing songs at the age of 15.[1] Some of their earlier demos include "I Blame Coco", "Look The Other Way", "Darkstar", "Never Be", "Voice in My Head", "Avion", and "No Smile" (A song which would later appear on their album, The Constant), many of which were imbued with a heavy reggae influence and elements of pop punk. The song "I Blame Coco", which was co-written with Mr Hudson, was released independently as a 7" single in 2007.[citation needed]

At the age of 17, Sumner signed a multi-record deal with Island Records.[2][3] Sumner spent six months writing and recording their debut album The Constant in Sweden with one of their two producers, Klas Åhlund.[1] According to their manager, Christian Wåhlberg, Åhlund had been keen to work with Sumner because he saw the "punk rocker" in them.[4] The electropop sound of their debut album was influenced by Island president Darcus Beese, with Wåhlberg saying that if Eliot had signed to a different label then the music created with Åhlund would have sounded different.[4] I Blame Coco's debut single for Island, "Caesar", featuring Robyn, was released in February 2010.[3] Sumner released their follow-up single entitled "Self Machine" on 12 July 2010.[5]

Sumner has worked with Fyfe Dangerfield performing "Only Love Can Break Your Heart",[6] Miike Snow, and Sub Focus performing "Splash". They have also performed with Pete Doherty of The Libertines, Mr Hudson and Plan B.[citation needed]

Since 2012, Sumner was working on a second album. In February 2012, the band appeared at London's Hoxton Bar & Kitchen also in New York City at Piano's Bar & Night Club to showcase some of their new material, which exhibits a more laidback and mature sound. Sumner announced that they would be writing the rest of the songs on their second album. In an interview in October 2013, Sting said that Coco's new album would be out in Spring 2014.[7] Later, in April 2014, Coco said in an interview that henceforth music would be released under the name Eliot Sumner.[8] They released an EP, Information, on 5 August 2014.

In November 2014, Sumner supported Lykke Li on an international run of dates of Europe, The United Kingdom and Ireland.[citation needed] In August–September 2015, Sumner performed on their first North American tour in support of On An On in Milwaukee.[citation needed] Sumner's second album and debut solo album, Information, was released in January 2016.

Other work

Sumner provided guest vocals on the track "End of The Road" from the 2008 Sway DaSafo album, The Signature LP. In April 2010, Eliot provided vocals and appeared in the Sub Focus' single "Splash",[9] from his 2010 self-titled début album, Sub Focus. Sumner's vocals can also be heard on the Miike Snow track 'Animal'.[citation needed] Sumner also appeared on the Trentemøller 2011 album Reworked/Remixed - track title " ... Even Though You're with Another Girl [I Blame Coco Version]" Eliot worked with Clint Mansell on the soundtrack for the 2013 film Filth, contributing a cover of the Radiohead song "Creep". Aside from that, Sumner also had a small role in the 2007 film Stardust.

Personal life

Eliot Sumner is the child of musician Sting and actress/producer Trudie Styler. Eliot has five siblings: half-brother Joseph Sumner (born 1976) is the lead singer of the band Fiction Plane; actress Fuschia Katherine "Kate" Sumner (born 1982) is her half-sister; sister Brigitte Michael "Mickey" Sumner (born 1984) is a filmmaker, artist and actress; brother Jake Sumner (born 1985) is a film director; and youngest brother Giacomo Luke Sumner (born 1995) is a student. Eliot's sense of smell was lost after a brain injury in 2009.[10]

Sumner was educated at Bryanston School in Dorset and then the Fine Arts College, a 6th form college in Belsize Park, north London.[11] Sumner is dyslexic.

In December 2015, when asked if Sumner identified with any particular gender, they replied "no", and that they did not believe in gender labels. Sumner also revealed that they had been dating Lucie Von Alten, an Austrian model, for two years.[12]

Discography

Studio albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions
UK AUT
[13]
BEL
(VL)

[14]
BEL
(WA)

[15]
FRA
[16]
GER POL
[17]
SWI
[18]
The Constant
(as I Blame Coco)
86 58 82 88 41 31 36 72
Information
  • Released: 22 January 2016
  • Label: Island Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
99

Singles

As lead artist

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
UK BEL
(VL)

[14]
BEL
(WA)

[15]
GER
"Caesar" (featuring Robyn) 2010 The Constant
"Selfmachine" 64 53 93 56
"Quicker" 91
"In Spirit Golden"
"Turn Your Back on Love" 2011
"Information" 2014 Information
"I Followed You Home"
"Dead Arms & Dead Legs" 2015
"After Dark"
"Firewood"
"Species"
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
UK UK
Dance
"Animal" (with Miike Snow) 2009 98 Miike Snow
"Splash" (with Sub Focus) 2010 41 7 Sub Focus

Other: Remixes

  • Eliot Sumner - After Dark (Mr Tophat's Alterned 303 Remix)
  • Eliot Sumner - Firewood - Lakker Remix

Music videos

Year Title Director
2010 "Caesar" Hope Audikana[19]
"Only Love Can Break Your Heart" Tom & Tabitha[20]
"Splash" Nick Frew[21]
"Self Machine" Alex Smith[22]
"Quicker" China Moo-Young[23]
"In Spirit Golden" Hope Audikana[24]
Year Title Director
2014 "Information" Eliot Lee Hazel[25]
2015 "Dead Arms & Dead Legs"
"After Dark"
"Firewood"
"Species"
"I Followed You Home"

Awards and Nominations

Virgin Media Music Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2010 "I Blame Coco" Best Newcomer Nominated

References

  1. ^ a b "About". I Blame Coco. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
  2. ^ McCormick, Neil (1 February 2010). "Coco Sumner: 'Forget my dad! Hear my band'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
  3. ^ a b Machell, Ben (30 January 2010). "Coco Sumner on Sting, shyness and singing". Times Online. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
  4. ^ a b "Interview With Christian Wåhlberg". HitQuarters. 2 May 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  5. ^ "http://www.radio1.gr/music/forthcoming_uk_singles.htm". radio1.gr. Retrieved 11 February 2016. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); External link in |title= (help)
  6. ^ "Coco Sumner and Fyfe Dangerfirld Team Up". Glasswerk.co.uk. 25 March 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2010. {{cite web}}: |first= missing |last= (help)
  7. ^ "I Blame Coco : Sting annonce un deuxième album au printemps 2014". chartsinfrance.net. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  8. ^ Poveda, Ona. "ELIOT SUMNER – PullTheMetal". PullTheMetal. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
  9. ^ "SUB FOCUS FT. COCO 'SPLASH' (OFFICIAL VIDEO) - Drum & Bass Arena :: Established 1996". web.archive.org. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  10. ^ "Coco Sumner: My dad Sting talked me into having life-saving brain scan". Now Magazine. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  11. ^ "Coco Sumner – Every little thing Sting's daughter does is magic". The Independent. 30 April 2010. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  12. ^ "I don't believe in 'gender labels,' says Sting's daughter Eliot Sumner". Evening Standard. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  13. ^ "Discographie Eliot Sumner". Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  14. ^ a b "Discografie Eliot Sumner". Ultratop.be. Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  15. ^ a b "Discografie Eliot Sumner". Ultratop.be. Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  16. ^ "Discographie Eliot Sumner". Lescharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  17. ^ Peak position for The Constant:
    "OLIS - Official Retail Sales Chart :: sales for the period 02.11.2010 - 07.11.2010". OLiS. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  18. ^ "Discography Eliot Sumner". Swisscharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  19. ^ "Promo News " Blog Archive " I Blame Coco's Caesar by Hope Audikana " Promo News". Promonews.tv. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  20. ^ "Coco and Fyfe – Only Love Can Break Your Heart". YouTube. 12 April 2010. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  21. ^ "Promo News " Blog Archive " Sub Focus' Splash (feat. Coco) by Nick Frew " Promo News". Promonews.tv. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  22. ^ "Promo News " Blog Archive " I Blame Coco's Self Machine by Alex Smith " Promo News". Promonews.tv. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  23. ^ Moo, China. "I Blame Coco 'Quicker' on Vimeo". Vimeo.com. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  24. ^ "Promo News " Blog Archive " I Blame Coco's in Spirit Golden by Hope Audikana " Promo News". Promonews.tv. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  25. ^ "Promo News " Blog Archive " Eliot Sumner's Information by Eliot Lee Hazel " Promo News". Promonews.tv. Retrieved 31 July 2014.