Alison Goldfrapp | |
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 Goldfrapp at a concert in Oxford in 2010 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Alison Elizabeth Margaret Goldfrapp |
| Also known as | Goldfrapp |
| Born | 13 May 1966 London, England |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1989–present |
| Labels | |
| Member of | Goldfrapp |
| Website | alisongoldfrapp |
Alison Elizabeth Margaret Goldfrapp (born 13 May 1966) is an English musician and record producer, known as the vocalist of English electronic music duo Goldfrapp.
Alison Elizabeth Margaret Goldfrapp [1] was born on 13 May 1966, in Enfield, London, the youngest of six children. [2] Her mother, Isabella Barge, was a nurse. [2] Her father, Nicholas Goldfrapp, had been an army officer, and worked in advertising. Goldfrapp's surname is of German origin. [3]
While Goldfrapp was growing up, her family moved frequently, eventually settling in Alton, Hampshire, where Goldfrapp attended the independent Alton Convent School. She sang in a choir at the school and has said that she loved being in a school with nuns. [4] However, she was forced to leave at age 11 after failing the senior exam, [5] and attended the local comprehensive school, Amery Hill School. [5]
She moved into a squat in London aged 16, then lived in Belgium for a brief time. Four years later, she went to art school, where she started experimenting with music. [6]
In 1994, she featured on the Orbital album Snivilisation and recorded songs "The Good" and "The Bad" with trip reggae outfit Dreadzone, for their 'best of' album The Best of Dreadzone – The Good The Bad and the Dread. Performing with them live resulted in two songs on the limited edition Performance album released in 1994. [7] In the same year, Goldfrapp featured on trip hop artist Tricky's 1995 song "Pumpkin" and collaborated with Stefan Girardet on two songs on the soundtrack to the 1995 film The Confessional .
Goldfrapp was introduced to composer Will Gregory in 1999 after he had listened to her vocal contribution for "Pumpkin"; they then formed Goldfrapp and signed to Mute Records.
In 2000, she was a featured vocalist on the songs "The Time Of The Turning" and "The Time of the Turning (Reprise)/The Weaver's Reel" from the release OVO , Peter Gabriel's soundtrack album to the London Millennium Dome Show.
The pair began recording their debut album over a six-month period, beginning in September 1999, in a rented bungalow in the Wiltshire countryside. [8] The band's debut album Felt Mountain was released in 2000 and featured Goldfrapp's synthesized vocals over cinematic soundscapes. [9] Goldfrapp released their second album Black Cherry in 2003. The band recorded the album in Bath, England. This album focused more heavily on dance music and glam rock-inspired synths than its predecessor. [10] Black Cherry peaked at number nineteen on the UK Albums Chart, [11] where it has since been certified Platinum for sales in excess of 300,000 copies. It also sold over 52,000 copies in the US by 2006. [12]
Supernature , Goldfrapp's third album, was released in 2005. The album comprises pop and electronic dance music prominently featured on Black Cherry, but focuses more on subtle hooks instead of the large choruses that made up its predecessor. It has sold one million copies worldwide [13] and earned the duo two nominations at the 2007 Grammy Awards for Best Electronic/Dance Album and Best Dance Recording for the song "Ooh La La". [14]
Seventh Tree , Goldfrapp's fourth album, was released in 2008 and debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart. [11] The album is a departure from the pop and electronic dance music featured on Supernature, featuring ambient and downtempo music. The band were inspired by an acoustic radio session they had performed, which led the duo to incorporate acoustic guitars into their music to create "warm" and "delicate" sounds. [15]
In 2009, she was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Music degree by the University of Portsmouth. [16]
Goldfrapp have released seven albums, most recently Silver Eye in 2017. Hits include "Strict Machine", "Ooh La La", "Lovely Head" and "A&E". The multi-platinum selling band have been nominated for the Mercury Prize, multiple Brit and Grammy Awards and won an Ivor Novello for "Strict Machine".
Goldfrapp scored the films My Summer of Love and Nowhere Boy .
In recent years, Goldfrapp has dedicated more time to her role as a photographer and director. She created and photographed the album artwork for Silver Eye and directed videos for singles "Systemagic", "Everything Is Never Enough" and "Ocean".
In September 2021, Goldfrapp were awarded the Ivor Novello 'Inspiration Award' which celebrates "peer recognition for the excellence of the Goldfrapp songwriting catalogue and in particular how it has inspired the creative talent of other creators". [17]
In January 2023, Goldfrapp confirmed she would be releasing her first music as a solo act under her name. [18] On 19 January, her collaboration track with Claptone, "Digging Deeper", was released. [19] In February 2023, Goldfrapp released "Fever" with Paul Woolford. [20]
On 16 March 2023, Goldfrapp announced her debut solo album, The Love Invention , which was released on 12 May 2023. [21] Goldfrapp described the album as "my tribute to the dance floor". The lead single, "So Hard So Hot", was released alongside the announcement on 16 March. [21] [22] The album reached no.6 in the UK Album charts (matching previous Goldfrapp albums Head First and Silver Eye ). [23] It was followed in 2024 by the companion remix album The Love Reinvention.
On 24 July 2024, Goldfrapp announced that she had launched her own record label, A.G Records; its first release was the single "I Wanna Be Loved (Just A Little Better)". [24]
"Goldfrapp's voice—ethereal, otherworldly, but always human—remains a constant variable, the cord that connects all of Goldfrapp's disparate, but equally captivating, incarnations."
Goldfrapp has a soprano vocal range. [2] [26] She is noted for her operatic abilities, particularly on the group's debut album Felt Mountain and prominently on the songs "Utopia" and "Pilots". Her delivery in a more contemporary voice has been described as "breathy", "sultry", "ethereal" and "startling". [27] [28]
Goldfrapp has been commended for her vocal versatility, morphing her voice to fit various genres such as folk, pop, classical, dance, trip hop and electronica throughout her career. [29] [30] Goldfrapp has used a Korg MS20 Audio Envelope follower to manipulate her vocals, such as the song "Lovely Head" in which her voice is altered to resemble a theremin. [31] Vocally, Goldfrapp has been compared to Marlene Dietrich, Siouxsie Sioux, Björk, [32] Kate Bush and Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins. [33]
Goldfrapp produces and writes most of her material alongside bandmate Will Gregory. She draws inspiration from a range of artists and musical genres. As a teenager she listened to Kate Bush, T. Rex, Donna Summer, Joan Jett, Marc Bolan, David Cassidy, [34] and Iggy Pop and The Stooges, and discovered Serge Gainsbourg while working in Belgium. [35] While travelling through Europe in the early 1990s, she began listening to Polish disco music and cabaret music from the Weimar Republic. [35] Other media, including film, have influenced Goldfrapp who cites Roman Polanski's 1966 psychological thriller Cul-de-sac , the 1973 cult film The Wicker Man and the James Bond franchise as influences. [36] [37] She draws inspiration from surrealism and nature, all of which appear in Goldfrapp's album artwork, which she designs in collaboration with Big Active. [8] Goldfrapp believes that "music is a visual experience" and therefore visualises her lyrics before writing them. While writing, Goldfrapp uses her vocals to create melodies and drumbeats. [38] Her songwriting is characterised by its use of animals to describe human emotions and status. [39]
While touring in 2004, sections of the group's stage show featured Goldfrapp in a white dress wearing a horse tail and dancers with deer heads, which were inspired by her interest in animals and mythology. [40]
The artwork for Goldfrapp's album Seventh Tree featured her dressed as a Pierrot. Her new image, inspired by paganism, featured her dressed in white or natural-coloured flowing gowns with loose curly blonde hair. [41] [42]
During 2010, Goldfrapp took on several new images to fit with their forthcoming album Head First . The music on this album was more '80s-influenced, reflected in the artwork featured on the album's first single, "Rocket", which features Goldfrapp in a pink jumpsuit. For their live shows, she wore spangly black leggings and a jacket covered in VHS tape which was blown about by two electric fans placed at front centre-stage. The shine of the plastic reflected the colourful stage lighting.
In 2013, Goldfrapp was invited by the Lowry, Salford, to curate an exhibition as part of their 'Performer as Curator' annual series. The exhibition was a collection of photography and paintings inspired by ideas of metamorphosis and fairytales.
Goldfrapp confirmed she was dating film editor Lisa Gunning in a February 2010 interview with The Sunday Times saying, "I think of everything as being about a person and a relationship, and I am in a wonderful relationship with a wonderful person. It just happens to be with a lady... It's something I've thought about for a long time and it concurs with my philosophy on life and sexuality. I don't think it can or should be pigeonholed. I've thought about this since I was a teenager. I've always found it claustrophobic to think about having to put things into categories like that. My sexuality is the same as my music and my life. Why does it need a label?" [43] Goldfrapp's relationships before this were with men. [44]
In November 2020, it was announced that Goldfrapp was dating architect Peter Culley. [45]
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK [23] | GER [46] | ||
| The Love Invention | 6 | 39 | |
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK Dig. | ||||
| "Digging Deeper" (with Claptone) [47] | 2023 | 72 | The Love Invention | |
| "Fever" (with Paul Woolford) [48] | — | |||
| "So Hard So Hot" [49] | 80 | |||
| "NeverStop" [50] | — | |||
| "Love Invention" [51] | — | |||
| "In Electric Blue" [52] | — | |||
| "Every Little Drop" [53] | — | The Love Reinvention | ||
| "I Wanna Be Loved (Just A Little Better)" | 2024 | — | TBC |
Goldfrapp were an English electronic music duo from London, formed in 1999. The duo consists of Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory (synthesiser).
Black Cherry is the second studio album by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp, released on 23 April 2003 by Mute Records. It marked a departure from the ambient sound of their debut album, Felt Mountain (2000), incorporating glam rock and synth-pop music; inspirations were Spanish disco group Baccara and Swedish techno artist Håkan Lidbo. The album was met with positive reviews, with many critics complimenting its blend of retro and modern electropop music.
Supernature is the third studio album by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp, released on 17 August 2005 by Mute Records. The album received generally favourable reviews, with most critics complimenting its blend of pop and electronic music. It debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart with first-week sales of 52,976 copies, and has been certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Supernature has sold one million copies worldwide.
English electronic music duo Goldfrapp have released seven studio albums, two live albums, two compilation albums, four extended plays, 25 singles, eight promotional singles, one video album and 29 music videos. The band was formed in 1999 in London, and consists of Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory (synthesiser).
"Number 1" is a song by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp from their third studio album, Supernature (2005). Written and produced by Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory, the song features a synthesiser and bass guitar arrangement and was written about the importance and meaningfulness that somebody shares with another, despite that it might not necessarily last.
"Ooh La La" is a song by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp from their third studio album, Supernature (2005). Written and produced by Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory, the song consists largely of a synthesiser and guitar arrangement, and has been described as "a dirty, decadent homage to Marc Bolan".
"Ride a White Horse" is a song by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp. The song was written by Alison Goldfrapp, Will Gregory and Nick Batt for Goldfrapp's third album Supernature (2005). The song was inspired by the disco era nightclub Studio 54.
"Black Cherry" is a song by British electronic music duo Goldfrapp. The song was written and produced by Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory for their second studio album, Black Cherry (2003). The song was released as the album's fourth single in March 2004 to positive reviews from music critics. It was a modest commercial success, reaching the top thirty in the United Kingdom and on the United States Hot Dance Singles Sales chart.
"Strict Machine" is an electronic dance song written by British electronic music duo Goldfrapp and Nick Batt for Goldfrapp's second studio album, Black Cherry (2003). It was produced by Goldfrapp and describes laboratory rats in neuroscience experiments. Alison Goldfrapp read in a newspaper about experiments in which scientists stimulated rats' brains so that the rats would feel joy when following commands. She was inspired to write "Strict Machine" based on images of the experiment and "more human aspects of machines and sex and control". Actress Gwendoline Christie features on the record sleeve disguised in a rabbit mask.
"Fly Me Away" is an electronic song performed by British group Goldfrapp. The song was written and produced by Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory for the duo's third album Supernature (2005). The song features a synthesizer and orchestral arrangement and was written about the need to escape from the troubles of daily life.
We Are Glitter is a remix album by English electronic duo Goldfrapp. It was released in North America on 17 October 2006 by Mute Records. The album features remixes of songs from the band's third studio album, Supernature (2005), many of which were previously unavailable in North America.
Paul Woolford is a British dance music producer and DJ from Leeds, Yorkshire, who also uses the aliases Bobby Peru and Special Request, such as on the underground hit, "Erotic Discourse".
Seventh Tree is the fourth studio album by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp, released on 22 February 2008 by Mute Records. It was named after a dream Alison Goldfrapp had about a "very large tree". Taking inspiration from paganism and surreal English children's books, Goldfrapp described the album as a "sensual counterpoint to the glitterball glamour of Supernature", their previous studio album from 2005.
"A&E" is a song by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp from their fourth studio album, Seventh Tree (2008). The song was written and produced by Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory, with co-production handled by Flood. It was released as the album's lead single on 11 February 2008.
"Supernature" is the title track of Cerrone's 1977 album Supernature . Along with the tracks "Give Me Love" and "Love Is Here", the song reached number one on the US disco/dance charts in early 1978. The single also crossed over to both the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number 70, and the soul charts, where it peaked at number 72. In August 1978, "Supernature" peaked at number 8 in the UK Singles Chart following heavy exposure on the first series of The Kenny Everett Video Show.
Head First is the fifth studio album by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp, released 19 March 2010 by Mute Records. The album debuted at number six on the UK Albums Chart, selling 23,261 copies in its first week. It was supported by three singles: "Rocket", "Alive" and "Believer". Head First received a nomination for Best Electronic/Dance Album at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards.
Head First is the fifth concert tour from British band Goldfrapp in support of their fifth studio album, Head First, released in March 2010.
Tales of Us is the sixth studio album by English electronic music duo Goldfrapp, released on 6 September 2013 by Mute Records. In June 2013, the duo embarked on the Tales of Us Tour to promote the album.
"Anymore" is a song performed by English group Goldfrapp from their seventh studio album Silver Eye (2017). It was released as a CD single and digital download on 23 January 2017 through Mute Records. The song was written and produced by Alison Goldfrapp and William Owen Gregory, with additional production coming from The Haxan Cloak and John Congleton. The song incorporates several genres, including dance-pop, electronica and synth-pop, and takes influence from disco and glitch music. Critics noticed similarities between "Anymore" and the music from their 2003 album Black Cherry. Lyrically, Goldfrapp sings in robotic vocals about romance, which one critic felt referenced their 2005 single "Ooh La La".
The Love Invention is the debut solo studio album by British singer and musician Alison Goldfrapp. It was released on 12 May 2023 as her first full-length project under her own name, away from her efforts as part of electropop duo Goldfrapp. Singles from the album include "Digging Deeper" featuring Claptone, "Fever" featuring Paul Woolford, and "So Hard So Hot".
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)| Studio albums | |
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