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Lauren Hoffman

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For the Filipino hurdler, see Lauren Hoffman (hurdler).

Lauren Hoffman
Born1977 (age 46–47)
OriginCharlottesville, Virginia, U.S.
GenresAcoustic
Folk
Alternative rock
Lo-fi
Pop
Indie
OccupationSinger-songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, piano, synth, bass, tambourine, guitar
LabelsVirgin Records
Fargo Records [fr]
Slow River Records
PIAS Recordings
Kill Rock Stars
Free Union Records
Dreamy Records
Pitch-a-Tent Records
Websitewww.laurenhoffman.com

Lauren Hoffman (born 1977) is an American singer-songwriter. She released her debut album Megiddo through Virgin Records in 1997[1] to critical praise.[2][3][4] In 1999 Hoffman independently issued her second LP From The Blue House and an EP, A Harmless Little Kiss.[5] Her third album Choreography was released through French record label Fargo Records in 2006 and includes her single "Broken".

She released her next album Interplanetary Traveler in 2010. Between 2015 and 2017, she performed and released music under a new moniker, The Secret Storm,[6] during which she released two EPs and a fourth full-length album Family Ghost. Hoffman's 2019 EP Mercury Girls was positively reviewed by Rolling Stone as a "stunner."[7]

Biography

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Hoffman was born in Los Angeles, in 1977. She moved to Charlottesville, Virginia at the age of 2, and started writing songs and playing guitar at 12 years old.[8] She also played bass with Shannon Worrell and Kristin Asbury in a band called Monsoon, named after the Thai restaurant in which they played.[9] She later left the band to focus on her career. She released her first full-length album Megiddo when she was 19.[10] She parted ways with Virgin Records while taking full rights of the album – as it was poorly promoted, though it was largely recognized in Europe, especially France.[11] Hoffman produced Megiddo with John Morand and Cracker's David Lowery; the album was mixed by Ethan Johns[12] and recorded at the Sound of Music studio in Richmond. Hoffman and Jeff Buckley were friends for four years prior to his death – she called him a "mentor" and a "muse."[13]

Hoffman produced her second album From The Blue House, released in Europe through PIAS in 1999. The album features "Song For A Boy," a tribute to her friend Jeff Buckley.[14]

During 2003, Hoffman was in a band called The Lilas, based in Charlottesville. They worked up some of the songs that would appear on her next solo album.[15]

Her third album, Choreography, was co-produced with John Morand - who has worked with Hoffman throughout her career, from early demos to Interplanetary Traveller, and as noted above Megiddo. Choreography was released in 2006 through French label Fargo Records. The album contains Hoffman's most successful single, "Broken".[16]

Throughout her travel experiences she eventually recorded The Lucknow Demos, which partly inspirited her 2006 album Choreography. Her fourth album Interplanetary Traveler — which she recorded in Israel, was released in 2010.[17] She released several of her EPs and albums in both Europe and America on 7" and 12" vinyl and CD. 2019 saw the release of her latest album Mercury Girls.

Discography

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Albums

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  • Megiddo (1997)
  • From The Blue House (1999)
  • Choreography (2006)
  • Interplanetary Traveler (2010)
  • Lauren Hoffman & The Secret Storm: Family Ghost (2017)
  • Mercury Girls (2019)

Singles & EPs

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  • Fall Away (1996) 7" Vinyl
  • The Chemist Said It Would Be Alright But I’ve Never Been The Same (1997)
  • Rock Star (1997) 12" Vinyl
  • Lolita (1997) 12" Vinyl
  • A Harmless Little Kiss (1999)
  • Song For A Boy (2000) 7" Vinyl
  • Solipsist (2006) Single
  • The Secret Storm: In The Sun (2015)
  • The Secret Storm: The Dragon (2015)
  • Lauren Hoffman & The Secret Storm: A Friend for the Apocalypse (2017) Single
  • Shadow of the Moon (2018) Single
  • Heartbreak and Tacos (2019) Single
  • The Chemical (2019) Single
  • The Chemical [Pandemic Remix] (2020) Single

Hallmark Releases

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  • The Lucknow Demos (2003) [Available to public 2018]
  • Megiddo – 20th Anniversary All-Analog Vinyl Reissue (2018)

Arts and filmography

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After her album Megiddo was released in 1997, Hoffman spent some time traveling India, Europe and Israel to tour and forego her musical endeavour. She later studied the art of dance and choreography at Virginia Commonwealth University.[18] In 2002 she decided to move forward from the study of dance to pursue her passion of music, while also incorporating her talent as a dancer. With her fellow peers, Hoffman went on to produce several musical and dance video productions for some of her songs, including Solipsist and Another Song About the Darkness — Choreography (2006).

The album cover for her EP The Chemist Said It Would Be Alright But I’ve Never Been The Same, was designed by outsider artist Wes Freed. Another Song About the Darkness, from her album Choreography, is included on The Sound the Hare Heard album.

Five of Hoffman's songs from Choreography were played throughout the groundbreaking LGBT series South of Nowhere: Ghost You Know, Magic Stick, Hope You Don't Mind, Reasons to Fall, and Broken. Her song Rock Star appears on the soundtrack of the 1998 motion picture, Palmetto.

References

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  1. ^ "LaurenHoffman". Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  2. ^ "Megiddo – Lauren Hoffman | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  3. ^ "Pop and Jazz Guide". The New York Times. October 3, 1997. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  4. ^ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. November 6, 1999.
  5. ^ "Lauren Hoffman: A Harmless Little Kiss EP". AllMusic. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  6. ^ Donelson, Marcy. "The Secret Storm Biography & History All Music". AllMusic. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  7. ^ Sheffield, Rob (April 3, 2020). "Bandcamp Friday, May 2020: Support Artists by Buying This Music". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  8. ^ "Little bit fixed: Lauren Hoffman". C-VILLE Weekly. March 3, 2015. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  9. ^ "Globetrotter Lauren Hoffman". The Daily Progress. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  10. ^ "The Secret Storm: A Biography by Marcy Donelson". SoundHound. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  11. ^ "Cult Q&A: Lauren Hoffman". Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  12. ^ "Artist Ethan Johns". Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  13. ^ Gorra, Jeff (March 2, 2017). "Lauren Hoffman: How Jeff Buckley, Charlottesville and Childhood Inspired 'Family Ghost'". Artist Waves. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  14. ^ "Lauren Hoffman – From the Blue House". Indie Rock Mag. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  15. ^ "Lauren Hoffman's webpage for The Lilas". Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  16. ^ "Lauren Hoffman: Choreography on Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  17. ^ "Lauren Hoffman: Interplanetary Traveler". PopMatters. March 1, 2010. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  18. ^ "The Hook: Girl interrupted". readthehook. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
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