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Kate Nash
Nash performing in June 2013
Nash performing in June 2013
Background information
Birth nameKate Marie Nash
Born (1987-07-06) 6 July 1987 (age 37)
Harrow, London, England[1]
GenresIndie pop, indie rock, garage punk
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, actress
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, synth, keyboard, bass, drums
Years active2006–present
LabelsHave 10p Records
Fiction Records/Universal
Moshi Moshi, Dine Alone Records (Canada)
Websitewww.katenash.co.uk

Kate Marie Nash[2] (born 6 July 1987) is an English singer, songwriter, musician and actress.[3] She had a UK number-2 hit "Foundations" in 2007, followed by the platinum-selling UK number-1 album Made of Bricks. She was named Best British Female Artist at the 2008 Brit Awards.

Her second studio album, titled My Best Friend Is You, was released in the United Kingdom on 19 April 2010 and in the U.S. on 11 May 2010, and spawned the successful single "Do-Wah-Doo".[4]

Nash self-released her third studio album, Girl Talk, on 4 March 2013.[5][6]

Early life

Nash was born on 6 July 1987 in Harrow, London[1][7] to an English father, Steve Nash, and an Irish mother, Marie (née Walsh). Marie is a nurse in a hospice.[1][8][9][10]

When she was 18, Nash underwent cardiac ablation, in which a section of her heart was treated with RF energy in order to eliminate tachycardia.[11] This at least partly provided inspiration for the song "Death Proof": "Burn burn, burn my heart baby".[12]

She attended St. John Fisher in Melrose Road, Pinner and then St. Joan of Arc Secondary School in Rickmansworth. She had been working for fashion retailer River Island[13] and restaurant chain Nando's prior to starting her music career.[14]

Education

Nash is a graduate of the BRIT School. She originally wanted to study acting after graduating, but was rejected from several drama colleges and universities,[1][14][15] one of them being Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.[16]

Music career

Nash in 2007

2005–06: "Caroline's a Victim"

Nash started her career in 2005. She started recording after falling down the stairs and breaking her foot, leaving her homebound.[15] After several gigs, she uploaded her music to MySpace, found a manager and then producers for her music. Her debut was a single, "Caroline's a Victim"/"Birds", produced and recorded in Iceland by Valgeir Sigurðsson and released through Moshi Moshi Records in February 2007. The release was limited to 2,000 copies and available only on 7" vinyl. Due to demand, another 1,000 copies were made and these also sold out. CD-promo copies were produced for distribution to the press and DJs and are occasionally available for sale. The single is featured on the CD Moshi Moshi Singles Compilation. A video for the song, directed by Kinga Burza, was released and received airplay on MTV2. The single's B-side, "Birds", later featured on her début album Made of Bricks. Both tracks have also been released as MP3 downloads.

2007–09: Made of Bricks

Nash in 2007

In April 2007, Nash was signed to the Polydor offshoot Fiction Records.[17] Her second single "Foundations", which she co-wrote with producer Paul Epworth, was released by Fiction on 18 June 2007 and reached number two in the official UK Singles Chart. Following this success, Fiction announced plans to bring forward the release of Nash's début album Made of Bricks to 6 August 2007. The album, also produced by Paul Epworth, included many of the tracks she had been performing during her two nationwide tours.

Made of Bricks was leaked to filesharing networks a few days before its official commercial release and subsequently received mixed reviews; The Independent described it as being in "pole position for worst album of the year," while a BBC review called it "an album of surprising verve and variety."[18][19] It proved, however, to be successful and reached number 1 in the UK album charts.[20]

During mid-2007, Nash performed at numerous festivals, including the Wireless Festival, Bestival, Electric Gardens, Glastonbury, Latitude, Reading and Leeds, Oxegen and T in the Park. She made her official TV performance début on Later... with Jools Holland.

Throughout late 2007 and early 2008, Nash released three more singles from Made of Bricks. "Mouthwash" and "Pumpkin Soup" both made the Top 40 in the UK Singles Chart. Although her fifth single "Merry Happy" didn't chart well in the UK, the song enjoyed some success in other countries, including the United States and Canada. The album topped out at number 36 on the United States Billboard 200 chart on 26 January 2008.[21] In 2010, Made of Bricks was certified Gold in Germany.[22]

2009–11: My Best Friend Is You

Nash performing in 2010

In late March 2009, Nash revealed that she was in the early stages of recording her second album. She was introduced by her boyfriend Ryan Jarman to Bernard Butler, the producer for Duffy's debut album Rockferry and a former guitarist for Suede. He began working with Nash, working in the studio with her over a period of months and producing her second album.[23] In August 2009, the pair worked on eight songs at RAK Studios for the album.[24]

On 14 January 2010, Nash revealed that the second album was complete. On 11 February, a song from the album, "I Just Love You More", was available to download free from her official website.[25]

On 11 March 2010, Nash announced her nine-date North American tour that began on 26 April with the all-female travelling festival Lilith Fair to promote her new album My Best Friend Is You. Her opening act was Supercute!, a psychedelic pop teen girl trio from New York City.[26][27][28] She was also scheduled to take part in the 2010 V Festival.[29]

The first single from the album was called "Do-Wah-Doo", and was released on 12 April 2010. The album was released on 20 April. The sound was described as completely different from her debut album and having a "girl group" sound, taking influence from Motown stars such as Diana Ross and The Supremes. Nash explained that maturity is the reason for the change in musical style.[30] The album has been described as having a wide variety of sounds from Wall of Sound, Motown to No wave and Riot grrrl.[31][32][33] As of 11 May, the album was number 6 in Germany and number 16 in Europe.[34] As of 27 May, the album was at number 62 in the United States.[35]

On 24 February 2011, her concerts in Circo Voador, Rio de Janeiro and in HSBC Hall, São Paulo were the first contact with her Brazilian fans. It was so intense that Nash has said on stage "Here (Rio de Janeiro) was the happiest place I have ever been. You are beautiful, incredible" and promised a return soon.[36] On her Twitter, she finally declared "Rio, you're just too good to be true. I must be dreaming. Thanks for giving me the best concert of my life".[37]

2012–present: Girl Talk

On 2 May 2012, Nash announced the "Faster Pussycat Run Run Tour", in which she played 12 shows across the UK throughout June 2012.[38] Nash contributed the song "My Chinchilla" to the Narduwar and The Evaporators album Busy Doing Nothing.[39] On 15 June 2012, Nash released a music video for a new song, "Under-Estimate The Girl", which was available for free on her website.[40][41] Nash released her EP Death Proof in November 2012, with the first single being 'Death Proof', a song inspired by the Quentin Tarantino film of the same title. Nash had a small role in Greetings from Tim Buckley, a film on Tim and Jeff Buckley, which premiered at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival.[42][43] Nash released the first single from her third album Girl Talk (released 4 March 2013) titled "3AM" which was released on 18 February. It debuted on Radio 6Music by Steve Lamacq. Nash played a headline show as part of the NME Awards Shows 2013, at the Sebright Arms in London on 13 February.

Other music career activities

Nash performing in June 2007

Nash co-wrote a song titled "Almost Isn't (Good Enough) Is It?" with Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players member Jason Trachtenburg for his 2009 album File Under Pop Male Vocal.[44] She featured on the Lethal Bizzle track 'Look What You Done' from his album 'Back in Bizzness'.

As a side project in late 2009, she joined a punk band called The Receeders where she plays bass, with Jon Jackson and Brett Alaimo.[30] On 17 December 2009, the band played a live gig on the stage of 93 Feet East.[45] Nash likes to refer to the band as her "side project" as she says for 2010 she would be mainly focusing on her solo material. Her music was used as part of an exhibition at the British Library tracing the history of Cockney English. The exhibition, which ran from 12 November 2010 to 11 April 2011, uses Nash's music to demonstrate today's younger urban mode of Cockney English.[46]

On 23 March 2010 Nash, a founding director of the Featured Artists Coalition, a musicians' lobbying group,[47][48] launched the Kate Nash's Rock n Roll for Girls After-School Music Club as a platform to inspire teenage girls to get into songwriting and making their own music, due to the shortage of female artists in the UK- something that shocked and motivated Nash the previous year. On her UK tour of 2011, Nash visited schools such as City of Portsmouth Girls' School, Woodchurch High School, Avonbourne High School and John Madejski Academy.[49]

In April 2011, Nash announced the launch of her own record label, 'Have 10p Records', saying she had some extra money and wanted to give something back to the arts.[50] Nash has worked with the teen indie pop band, SUPERCUTE!, helping to produce their first album.[51] Nash also appeared in the band's music video for their first single, "Dumb-Dumbs". However, Supercute! split up before the album could be released. Nash has also worked with indie act Brigitte Aphrodite (who has toured with Kate on many occasions) on Nash's label releasing Aphrodite's début single 'I Dream Myself Awake' in 2011 with Aphrodite being the first artist signed to the label. Kate has also collaborated with Brisbane-based band The Thin Kids and released an EP called 'The Thin Kids Theme/Warrior in Woolworths' in April 2012 on her label.

In February 2012 Nash wrote and recorded a song with some of the St. Pauls Cathedral Protesters, following workshops led by her and Sam Duckworth of Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly.[52]

Kate wrote the song "I Am Me" with Willow Smith, which she released in July 2012.[53] Nash is the featured performer on Watsky's song "Hey, Asshole" which was released on 19 February 2013.

Personal life

In 2008, following intensive touring, Nash had what she described as a "proper breakdown", including a relapse of the mild obsessive-compulsive disorder which she had experienced as a child.[1]

Nash is a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and, for Halloween 2012, she did a stage version of the season six musical episode "Once More, with Feeling" at Hackney Picturehouse.[54]

Activism

On 2 September 2009, Nash began using her MySpace and Facebook pages to help spread the word of a young girl called Tilly who lost her hands due to meningococcal disease. She used an auction on eBay to help donate money to the five-year-old girl's parents so that she can afford a pair of prosthetic hands.[55]

During the 2011 England riots, Nash volunteered to collect donations for those made homeless by riots in Tottenham, setting up her own public donation stand and delivering donations to Tottenham Leisure Centre in her car.[56]

Nash is a supporter of LGBT rights, having performed at gay pride parades such as Manchester Pride. She has a large following of mainly lesbians, but also gay as well as straight males.[57]

Nash has supported the Russian feminist band Pussy Riot during their trial, by encouraging her fans to make posters and raise awareness of their situation and she, amongst other musicians, has signed a letter to the Russian president Vladimir Putin, demanding the release of the band.[58] Nash has also spoken on BBC Radio 5 and BBC World Service against the imprisonment of the band and about the value of freedom of speech in music.[citation needed]

Music industry criticism

In an interview with artistxite, Nash criticised the music industry's early failure to adapt to the digital market and nurture new talent:

There is no nurturing of talent. No one wants artists to grow and develop. Everyone is afraid of being fired and they didn't move with the digital age. The music industry had the power to move with the digital age, but they didn't do it and it was the biggest mistake they ever made. It fucked them really bad. And they waste so much money! It's ridiculous, they don't use it wisely. .... There are a lot of uncreative people in a creative industry. Most of them want to keep their jobs and don‘t know how to be innovative.[59]

In a recent series of Tweets on the 29th August 2016, Kate Nash criticised a music store for selling vinyls featuring females artists in a “females of all description” category. She went on to state her views citing there would “never be a ‘males of all description’ section because the rest of the shop and all other music genres are considered male".

[60]

Relationships and sexuality

Regarding her sexuality, Nash has explained:

I would never say ‘I’m straight, I’m bisexual, I’m gay.’ I feel like I will fall in love with a human being for who they are. I’m not afraid to say I’ve been attracted to a woman before and I’ve kissed girls before and been in love with them before. I’ve never really had a girlfriend or anything and I would never say I’m anything, really. I don’t have an identity in that way.[61]

She has railed against the "anaemic" model figure, noting in an interview with the Daily Telegraph that she herself is a "curvy size 12".[62] In a 2010 op-ed for The Independent, Nash wrote, "I spend so much time ... trying to get the world to judge me on anything other than my breasts and body shape." ... I am liberated by many things ... a world where I can be free sexually, I can wear revealing clothing if I want to, I can buy condoms, go on the pill, get the coil, talk about sex, write about it if I wish."[63]

Nash started dating Ryan Jarman, front man of the English indie rock band The Cribs, after meeting while taping an episode of the music television programme Later... with Jools Holland in May 2007.[13] On 19 March 2012, Jarman announced that the pair had broken up.[64]

Style

Nash is a natural redhead, but as of 2013 she had dyed black and blond hair. She originally dyed her hair black for her film role as Carol in Greetings from Tim Buckley, and has maintained this look to promote Girl Talk because it makes her "feel a bit stronger." In April 2014, she dyed her hair pink for her performance at Coachella Festival.[65] She wears punk jewelry, such as safety pin and razor blade earrings.[66]

Artistry

Influences

Nash's biggest musical influences include grunge band Hole,[67] citing their 1994 record Live Through This as her favourite album;[68] and riot grrrl group Bikini Kill, crediting front woman Kathleen Hanna as her idol.[69] Nash is also a fan of fellow English artists Arctic Monkeys, having performed a cover of their song Fluorescent Adolescent in 2007.

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2012 Greetings from Tim Buckley Carol
2013 Syrup Beth
2013 Powder Room Michelle
2014 The Distortion of Sound Herself
2015 The Devil You Know Bridget Bishop Pilot
TBA G.L.O.W. Rhonda Recurring

Discography

Main article: Kate Nash discography

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Kate Nash

On 20 February 2008 she received a BRIT Award for Best Female artist.[70]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Day, Elizabeth (14 March 2010). "Kate Nash: 'I felt as if I was having a nervous breakdown'". The Guardian. London.
  2. ^ ASCAP: American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
  3. ^ From nowhere to Number One: Why Kate Nash is the sound of the summer The Independent
  4. ^ Un. "Kate Nash". Myspace.com. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  5. ^ "Kate Nash on Her New Album 'Girl Talk' and Why She's Proud To Be A Feminist". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  6. ^ "Kate Nash fights for feminism on 'Girl Talk' tour". The Daily Californian. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  7. ^ "Kate Nash interview – Nightlife Features". TimeOutDubai.com. 30 November 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  8. ^ Gibson, Owen; correspondent, media (14 January 2008). "Pop goes the Brits: Take That, Leona Lewis and Mika lead nominations". Retrieved 16 August 2016 – via The Guardian. {{cite web}}: |last2= has generic name (help)
  9. ^ "Gig tickets, tour dates for Kate Nash". Gigwise. 29 January 2007. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  10. ^ "Moshi Moshi Records | Artists: Kate Nash". Moshimoshimusic.com. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  11. ^ "Heart op changed Kate's life". Daily Express. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  12. ^ Stockham, Emily. "Kate Nash on Girl Talk: Track by Track". Company. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  13. ^ a b Thrills, Adrian (23 April 2010). "Kate Nash reveals how success sent her crazy". Mail Online. London. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  14. ^ a b "Kate Nash tells us her tour secrets". Topshop. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  15. ^ a b "Kate Nash's fall to fame". CBS News. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  16. ^ Frere-Jones, Sasha. "Full Exposure". The New Yorker. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  17. ^ "You couldn't make it up: Kate Nash signs with Fiction". Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  18. ^ Gill, Andy (17 August 2007). "Reviews: Album – Kate Nash". The Independent. London. Retrieved 17 August 2007.
  19. ^ Tagoe, Roman. "Kate Nash Made Of Bricks Review". BBC Music. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  20. ^ "Nash names new album". The Sun. London. 25 July 2007. Retrieved 8 April 2008. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help) [dead link‍]
  21. ^ Billboard Made of Bricks Page
  22. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Kate Nash)" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  23. ^ NME.COM. "Kate Nash and Metronomy to release collaboration songs - NME.COM". Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  24. ^ NME.COM. "Kate Nash begins work on new album with Bernard Butler - NME.COM". Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  25. ^ "Kate Nash announces new album release date and free download". NME.com. 11 February 2010
  26. ^ [1] Archived 29 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  27. ^ "Kate Nash Talks "My Best Friend Is You," Announces Spring Tour". idiomag. Retrieved 11 March 2010.
  28. ^ Norah Jones, Heart, Loretta Lynn Added To Lilith Fair Lineup Billboard 21 January 2010
  29. ^ Kings of Leon and Kasabian to headline 2010 V Festival BBC 2 March 2010
  30. ^ a b In the Studio: Kate Nash Spin magazine 28 January 2008
  31. ^ Kate Nash: My Best Friend is You The Times 17 April 2010
  32. ^ Kate Nash My Best Friend Is You The Guardian 15 April 2010
  33. ^ My Best Friend is You Allmusic Review
  34. ^ Billboard My Best Friend is You Page
  35. ^ Kate Nash Chart History Billboard
  36. ^ "EGO - NOTÍCIAS - Kate Nash declara sua paixão pelos cariocas após apresentação no Rio". Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  37. ^ "Kate Nash diz que Rio de Janeiro é o melhor público". Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  38. ^ "Kate Nash announces June 2012 UK tour". 2 May 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  39. ^ "Nardwuar The Human Serviette and The Evaporators present...Busy Doing Nothing!". Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  40. ^ "Kate Nash unveils video for new song 'Under-Estimate The Girl' – watch". Retrieved 15 June 2012.
  41. ^ "Kate Nash unveils comeback track 'Under-Estimate The Girl' – video". Retrieved 15 June 2012.
  42. ^ "Anthrax bassist Frank Bello joins Penn Badgely's Jeff Buckley film". HitFix. 23 August 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  43. ^ Kurchak, Sarah (15 August 2012). "TIFF 2012 Adds Greetings From Tim Buckley, Spike Lee's Bad 25 Michael Jackson Doc, Skrillex Soundtrack". Spinner. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  44. ^ "Kate Nash". Mytopartists.com. 23 January 2008. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  45. ^ "The Receeders to Play Special London Show". Glasswerk.co.uk. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  46. ^ Jury, Louise (11 November 2010). "Would you Adam 'n' Eve it? Cockney history revealed". Evening Standard. London.
  47. ^ Youngs, Ian (12 March 2009). "Music stars call for more power". BBC News. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  48. ^ "Kate Nash: chirpy, but definitely no Pussycat". The Times. London. 16 April 2010.
  49. ^ Sharp, Rob (19 March 2011). "Kate Nash launches scheme to get girls into songwriting". The Independent. London.
  50. ^ Still, Jenifer (27 April 2011). "Nash announced that she had launched her own record label". Digital Spy.
  51. ^ "Do you like candy and hula-hoops? « Rebel Grrrl Italiana". Lachristagreco.com. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  52. ^ "Kate Nash's backing track for St Paul's camp". Evening Standard. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  53. ^ "Never Underestimate this girl Kate Nash". 6 August 2012.
  54. ^ "Video: Buffy The Vampire Slayer – Once More With Feeling Was Performed Live Last Night". BleedingCool.com. 1 November 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  55. ^ "'Give tilly a hand' & we're out of beans van Kate Nash op Myspace". Myspace.com. 2 September 2009. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  56. ^ Curtis, Nick (12 August 2011). "Kate Nash: 'I am so proud to be a Londoner right now'". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
  57. ^ Morgan, Joe. "Kate Nash on drunk-tweeting Cher, dumb anti-gay politicians and taxidermy tigers". Gay Star News. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  58. ^ "Jarvis Cocker, Johnny Marr, Alex Kapranos and Kate Nash call on Putin to release Pussy Riot". NME. 2 August 2012.
  59. ^ "Interview with Kate Nash: Patti Smith looks like she had a fucking epic life!" (Interview). artistxite. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  60. ^ {cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/kate-nash-calls-out-record-shop-for-sexist-labelling-after-spotting-females-of-all-description-a7219586.html
  61. ^ Bendix, Trish. "Kate Nash: "I would never say I'm straight. I don't have an identity in that way."". After Ellen. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  62. ^ Wilson, Sophie (7 April 2010). "Kate Nash interview: what Kate did next". The Daily Telegraph. London.
  63. ^ Nash, Kate (29 October 2010). "Kate Nash: 'Real sexiness is about art, mystery and intelligence'". The Independent. London.
  64. ^ "The Cribs' Ryan Jarman reveals 'psychological illness'". NME. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  65. ^ Clarke, Brad. "Coachella Style Profile: Kate Nash". Green Label Sound. Complex Media. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
  66. ^ "What I see in the mirror: Kate Nash". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  67. ^ Nash, Kate. "Live Through This". Tumblr. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  68. ^ "Exclusive Kate Nash Interview". Tumblr. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  69. ^ Huxley, David. "Kate Nash discusses meeting Bikini Kill singer Kathleen Hanna". Electric Banana. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  70. ^ "Brit Awards 2008: The winners". BBC News. 20 February 2008. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
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