Angel Olsen

Last updated

Angel Olsen
Angel Olsen Rockefeller 2020 222104.jpg
Olsen performing live at Rockefeller in Oslo, Norway, 2020
Background information
Birth nameAngelina Marie Carroll [1] [2]
Born (1987-01-22) January 22, 1987 (age 37)
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Origin Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer-songwriter
  • musician
  • record producer
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • keyboards
Years active2009–present
Labels

Angel Olsen (born Angelina Marie Carroll; January 22, 1987) is an American singer-songwriter from St. Louis, Missouri [8] [9] who lives in Asheville, North Carolina. [10]

Contents

To date, Olsen has released six studio albums: Half Way Home (2012), Burn Your Fire for No Witness (2014), My Woman (2016), All Mirrors (2019), Whole New Mess (2020), and Big Time (2022).

Early life and education

Angel Olsen was born on January 22, 1987, in St. Louis, Missouri. At age three, Olsen was adopted by a foster family that had cared for her since shortly after her birth. The difference in years between her and her parents left an impression. "Because there are so many decades of difference between us, I became more interested in what their childhood was like," she says of her parents, both of whom died in 2021. [11] "I fantasized about what it was like to be young in the ’30s and ’50s, more so than other kids my age." [10] Olsen explained that "my mother just has this capacity for children." [10]

Despite early adolescent aspirations to be a "pop star", her interests later shifted in high school. Olsen became more introverted, regularly attending punk rock and noise music shows at the Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center and the Creepy Crawl as well as Christian rock shows throughout the city. [12] She began learning the piano and guitar and writing her own music. [10] [13] At the age of 16, she joined a local band called Good Fight, self-described as "a meeting of early No Doubt and punk rock." [14] Two years after graduating from Tower Grove Christian Academy, Olsen moved to Chicago. [12]

She befriended country rock singer-songwriter Bonnie “Prince” Billy, who invited her to go on tour as his backing vocalist. [15]

Career

2011–2014: Strange Cacti and Half Way Home

Olsen performing live at the Sinclair in Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2016 Angel Olsen @ The Sinclair (Cambridge, MA) (29733888992).jpg
Olsen performing live at the Sinclair in Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2016

Olsen released her debut EP, Strange Cacti in 2011, [16] and her debut studio album, Half Way Home, in 2012. [17] on Bathetic Records. In addition to her work with Bonnie "Prince" Billy and the Cairo Gang, Olsen has collaborated with a number of other notable figures of American indie rock, including Tim Kinsella of Cap'n Jazz, LeRoy Bach of Wilco and Cass McCombs. [18] Her collaboration with Kinsella and Bach, as well as with Chicago poet Marvin Tate, resulted in the album Tim Kinsella Sings the Songs of Marvin Tate by Leroy Bach Featuring Angel Olsen which the group released on Indianapolis label Joyful Noise Recordings on December 3, 2013. [18]

2014–2017: Burn Your Fire for No Witness and My Woman

Olsen signed a recording contract with Jagjaguwar, [19] ahead of her first full-band record, Burn Your Fire for No Witness , [20] which was released on February 17, 2014. [21] [22] The closing track of the album, "Windows", was featured in the final episode in the first season of the Netflix original series 13 Reasons Why in 2017.

Olsen performing live at Pitchfork Music Festival 2017 in Chicago, Illinois, 2017 P4K - Saturday (35120920564) (cropped).jpg
Olsen performing live at Pitchfork Music Festival 2017 in Chicago, Illinois, 2017

Olsen's third studio album, My Woman , was released on September 2, 2016. [23] [24] In a review for Consequence of Sound , critic Ciara Dolan described the album as a "startling record of unimpeachable strength and honesty", [25] while Pitchfork 's Jenn Pelly described it as "her best record yet". [26]

2019–2021: All Mirrors, Whole New Mess, and Songs of the Lark and Other Far Memories

Olsen's fourth studio album, All Mirrors , was released on October 4, 2019, to critical acclaim. Laura Snapes of Pitchfork described the album as "breathtaking", and a "strong wind" that blows in and "leaves you undone", [27] while Alexis Petridis of The Guardian described it as "challenging and intriguing", and Luke Saunders of Happy Mag described it as a change of "theatric transcendency", [28] when compared to her previous releases.

In 2019, British producer Mark Ronson featured Olsen on his fifth studio album Late Night Feelings , which also featured Miley Cyrus and Camila Cabello. [15]

On August 28, 2020, Olsen released her fifth studio album Whole New Mess through Jagjaguwar. [29] The album features tracks from All Mirrors arranged in a more intimate style.

On March 30, 2021, Olsen announced a special edition box set titled Songs of the Lark and Other Far Memories, which contains her previous two studio albums All Mirrors and Whole New Mess alongside demos, re-workings, remixes and covers to close this chapter of her career, released via Jagjaguwar. It was announced with the lead single "It's Every Season [Whole New Mess]" and is due for release on May 7, 2021. [30] In 2020, Olsen released several remixes of popular releases. On April 9, 2020, Olsen released a remix of "All Mirrors" from her studio album All Mirrors Produced by Chromatics' Johnny Jewel. [31] On June 3, 2020, Olsen released a remix of "New Love Cassette" from her studio album All Mirrors produced by Mark Ronson with whom she collaborated with on Ronson's song "True Blue". [32]

In 2020, Olsen worked on a cover of "Mr. Lonely", originally by Bobby Vinton, for the film Kajillionaire directed by Miranda July. Olsen collaborated with film composer Emile Mosseri on the cover which was released on September 16, 2020, and was included in the soundtrack. [33] On May 20, 2021, Olsen released a single with Sharon Van Etten, "Like I Used To", which was produced by John Congleton. Olsen and Van Etten appear in the music video with their hair styled in similar shag haircuts. [34]

2021–present: Aisles and Big Time

On August 20, 2021, Olsen released her fourth extended play, Aisles, consisting of five cover versions of popular songs from the 1980s. [35] Pitchfork writer Evan Rytlewski described it as "an unusual departure for a songwriter who's always staked everything on her conviction". [36]

In 2021 she also received the Libera Awards as Best Folk/Bluegrass Record 2021 for her album Whole New Mess (Jagjaguwar) by the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM). [37]

Olsen's sixth studio album, Big Time, was released on June 3, 2022. [11] The album was preceded by the lead single "All the Good Times", and followed by a second single, the title track "Big Time". On April 14, 2023, Olsen released her fifth EP, Forever Means, containing four previously unreleased tracks originally recorded for Big Time.

Style

Pitchfork has likened her album All Mirrors to acts such as the Cure, Cocteau Twins and Siouxsie and the Banshees, saying that she has created a dark dream-pop dealing with anxiety. [38] Olsen plays a vintage Gibson S-1 guitar from 1979. [39]

Personal life

On April 16, 2021, Olsen stated she was gay. [40] In 2022, Olsen revealed that her relationship with partner Beau Thibodeaux had ended, and that she had "dated" long-time friend and musician Meg Duffy for a few months in 2020. [41] [42] In a 2022 interview, Olsen stated she now identifies as pansexual, [42] and in August 2023 celebrated one year with boyfriend and singer-songwriter Maxim Ludwig. Ludwig co-directed the lyric video for Olsen's song "Nothing's Free", [43] additionally serving as a support act on her 2023 North American tour. [44] In 2024, Olsen and Ludwig married. [45]

Discography

Studio albums

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)ResultRef.
2014 Libera Awards Up and Comer Artist AwardBurn Your Fire for No WitnessWon [46]
2016 The Daily Californian Art AwardsBest Non-Billboard Song“Shut Up Kiss Me”Nominated [47]
2017 Libera Awards Album of the Year My WomanWon [48]
Best Live Act HerselfNominated [49]
Video of the Year “Shut Up Kiss Me”Nominated [49]
Video of the Year (Fan Vote)Nominated [49]
AIM Awards Independent Breakthrough of the YearHerselfNominated [50]
2020 Libera AwardsAlbum of the YearAll MirrorsNominated [51]
Best Alternative Rock AlbumNominated [51]
2021Best Folk/Bluegrass AlbumWhole New MessNominated [52]
2022 Video of the Year "Like I Used To" (with Sharon Van Etten)Nominated [53]
2023 Best American Roots Record Big TimePending [54]
Best Sync Usage "Go Home"Pending

Related Research Articles

Secretly Canadian is an American independent record label based in Bloomington, Indiana, part of the Secretly Group. The Secretly Group includes record labels Dead Oceans and Jagjaguwar as well as a music publisher known as Secretly Publishing, representing artists, writers, film makers, producers, and comedians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sharon Van Etten</span> American singer-songwriter

Sharon Katharine Van Etten is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She has released the albums Because I Was in Love (2009), Epic (2010), Tramp (2012), Are We There (2014), Remind Me Tomorrow (2019) and We've Been Going About This All Wrong (2022).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thundercat (musician)</span> American musician and producer (born 1984)

Stephen Lee Bruner, better known by his stage name Thundercat, is an American musician, singer, record producer, and songwriter from Los Angeles. First coming to prominence as a member of crossover thrash band Suicidal Tendencies, he switched his music with funk, soul, progressive R&B, psychedelia and jazz-fusion, has since released four solo studio albums and is noted for his work with producer Flying Lotus and his appearances on Kendrick Lamar's 2015 album To Pimp a Butterfly. In 2016, Thundercat won a Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Performance for his work on the track "These Walls" from To Pimp a Butterfly. In 2020, Thundercat released his fourth studio album, It Is What It Is, which earned him a Grammy Award for Best Progressive R&B Album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arca (musician)</span> Venezuelan musician (born 1989)

Alejandra Ghersi Rodríguez, known professionally as Arca, is a Venezuelan musician and record producer based in Barcelona, Spain. She initially began releasing music under the name of Nuuro. After attending the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, Ghersi first released the EP Baron Libre (2012) under the name Arca and subsequently released the EPs Stretch 1 and Stretch 2; the latter experimented with hip hop and brought her attention from prominent music publications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kamasi Washington</span> American saxophonist and bandleader

Kamasi Tii Washington is an American jazz saxophonist. He is a founding member of the jazz collective West Coast Get Down.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Courtney Barnett</span> Australian singer-songwriter and rock guitarist

Courtney Melba Barnett is an Australian singer, songwriter, and musician. Known for her deadpan singing style and witty, rambling lyrics, she attracted attention with the release of her debut EP I've Got a Friend Called Emily Ferris in 2012. International interest came with the release of her EP The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mitski</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1990)

Mitsuki Miyawaki, known professionally as Mitski, is an American singer-songwriter. She self-released her first two albums, Lush (2012), and Retired from Sad, New Career in Business (2013), while studying studio composition at Purchase College's Conservatory of Music. The albums were originally made as her senior project. Her third studio album, Bury Me at Makeout Creek, was released in 2014 on the label Double Double Whammy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phoebe Bridgers</span> American musician (born 1994)

Phoebe Lucille Bridgers is an American singer-songwriter. Her indie folk music typically centers around acoustic guitar and electronic production, with melancholic lyrical themes. She has received four Grammy Awards from eleven nominations.

<i>My Woman</i> (album) 2016 studio album by Angel Olsen

My Woman is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Angel Olsen, released on September 2, 2016 by Jagjaguwar Records. Produced by Olsen and Justin Raisen, the album was accompanied by music videos for the tracks, "Intern", "Shut Up Kiss Me", and "Sister" all co-directed or directed by Olsen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moses Sumney</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1992)

Moses Sumney is an American singer-songwriter. His self-recorded EP, Mid-City Island, was released in 2014. He released another five-song EP in 2016, titled Lamentations. His first full-length album, Aromanticism, was released in September 2017. His second studio album, Græ, was released in 2020. Sumney has performed as an opening act for James Blake, Solange Knowles, and Sufjan Stevens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soccer Mommy</span> American musician (born 1997)

Sophia Regina Allison, better known by her stage name Soccer Mommy, is an American singer-songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee. She has four studio albums to her name; her latest album, Evergreen, was released on October 25, 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angel Olsen discography</span>

The discography of American singer-songwriter Angel Olsen consists of six studio albums, one collaborative album, two compilation albums, five extended plays, and eight singles.

<i>All Mirrors</i> 2019 studio album by Angel Olsen

All Mirrors is the fourth studio album by American art pop singer-songwriter Angel Olsen, released on October 4, 2019 by Jagjaguwar. Produced by Angel Olsen and John Congleton, the album was preceded by two singles, the title track and "Lark". Both releases were accompanied by music videos directed by Olsen's friend and longtime collaborator Ashley Connor. The album received widespread acclaim from music critics and debuted at No. 52 on the Billboard 200.

The Libera Award for Record of the Year is an award presented by the American Association of Independent Music at the annual Libera Award which recognizes "best album released commercially in the United States by an independent label" since 2012.

The Libera Awards are an annual awards ceremony organized by the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM). First hosted in 2012, the awards celebrate the independent music community. The capstone of A2IM's Indie Week, an annual music business conference, the ceremony has been able to be viewed by the public since 2020.

The Libera Award for Best Breakthrough Artist is an award presented by the American Association of Independent Music at the annual Libera Award which recognizes "independent artist whose release exceeded a certain total of streams or equivalent sales" since 2012. The category was previously called Up & Comer Award in 2012 to 2014.

The Libera Award for Marketing Genius is an award presented by the American Association of Independent Music at the annual Libera Award which recognizes "the most innovative and creative marketing campaign for a project released by an Independent label or artist" since 2012. The category was known as Light Bulb Award in 2012 to 2014.

<i>Whole New Mess</i> 2020 studio album by Angel Olsen

Whole New Mess is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Angel Olsen, released on August 28, 2020 on Jagjaguwar. Recorded by Olsen and engineer Michael Harris in a converted church, the album features tracks from her 2019 album, All Mirrors, arranged in a more intimate style.

The Libera Award for Best Dance/Electronic Record is an award presented by the American Association of Independent Music at the annual Libera Award which recognizes "best dance or electronic music album released commercially in the United States by an independent label" since 2017. The first recipient of the awards was British musician Bonobo for his album Migration.

The Libera Award for Best Hip-Hop/Rap Record is an award presented by the American Association of Independent Music at the annual Libera Award which recognizes "best hip hop or rap album released commercially in the United States by an independent label" since 2017.

References

  1. ↑ "Interview: Angel Olsen". TimeOut Istanbul. September 5, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  2. ↑ Hislop, Christopher (July 23, 2015). "The sweet, haunting voice of Angel Olsen" . Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  3. ↑ Richardson, Mark (September 25, 2019). "'All Mirrors' by Angel Olsen Review: A Surprising Turn" . The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  4. ↑ Terich, Jeff (September 30, 2019). "Album of the Week: Angel Olsen – All Mirrors". Treble. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  5. ↑ Thomas, Fred. "Angel Olsen biography". AllMusic . Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  6. ↑ Donelson, Marcy. "My Woman – Angel Olsen". AllMusic . Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  7. ↑ Todd, Bella (August 29, 2016). "Angel Olsen: indie's dark star tackles 'the complicated mess of being a woman'". The Guardian . Retrieved January 19, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Angel Olsen Playlist - Adding Some Glam To The Gloom". Nme.com. January 22, 2014. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  9. ↑ Paul Lester (January 13, 2014). "Angel Olsen (New band of the day No 1,676) | Music". theguardian.com. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Bevan, David (March 24, 2014). "Angel Olsen Will Be Heard". Spin. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  11. 1 2 Petrusich, Amanda (June 6, 2022). "Angel Olsen Sees Your Pain". The New Yorker .
  12. 1 2 Appelstein, Mike. "Angel Among Us: An Oral History of Angel Olsen's Time In St. Louis". riverfronttimes.com. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  13. ↑ Lamont, Tom (March 30, 2014). "Angel Olsen: 'I had to learn someone else's songs. Now I teach people my material'". The Guardian. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Angel Olsen". Pearshapedarchive.com. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
  15. 1 2 "'When she howled, you could feel it': How Angel Olsen turned grief and longing into triumph". Los Angeles Times. June 9, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Strange Cacti 12 EP". batheticrecords.com. Bathetic Records. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Half Way Home". Bathetic Records. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  18. 1 2 Joyful Noise Recordings. "Tim Kinsella sings the songs of Marvin Tate by LeRoy Bach featuring Angel Olsen". Joyful Noise Recordings. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Angel Olsen". Jagjaguwar. Archived from the original on March 23, 2016. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  20. ↑ Zoladz, Lindsay (February 17, 2014). "Angel Olsen: Burn Your Fire for No Witness Album Review". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  21. ↑ "Angel Olsen Breaks Down Her Smoldering New Jagjaguwar Debut". Billboard. February 13, 2014. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  22. ↑ Fred Thomas. "Burn Your Fire for No Witness - Angel Olsen | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  23. ↑ Pearce, Sheldon; Monroe, Jazz (June 6, 2016). "Angel Olsen Announces New Album My Woman | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  24. ↑ Dolanon, Ciara (August 31, 2016). "Album Review: Angel Olsen – My Woman". consequence.net. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  25. ↑ "Album Review: Angel Olsen - My Woman". consequence.net. August 31, 2016. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  26. ↑ "Angel Olsen: My Woman". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  27. ↑ Snapes, Laura. "Angel Olsen: All Mirrors". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  28. ↑ "Most psychedelic sensory overload music videos on Youtube". Happymag.tv. October 5, 2019. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  29. ↑ "Angel Olsen: Whole New Mess". angelolsen.com. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
  30. ↑ "Angel Olsen". Angelolsen.com. March 30, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  31. ↑ "Angel Olsen Shares New Johnny Jewel Remix". Pitchfork.com. April 9, 2020. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  32. ↑ "Mark Ronson Remixes Angel Olsen's "New Love Cassette"". Pitchfork. June 18, 2020. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  33. ↑ "Angel Olsen Covers "Mr.Lonely"". Pitchfork. September 16, 2020. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  34. ↑ "Sharon van Etten, Angel Olsen Share New Song 'Like I Used To'". Rolling Stone . May 20, 2021.
  35. ↑ Bloom, Madison (July 8, 2021). "Angel Olsen Announces New EP Aisles, Shares Cover of Laura Branigan's "Gloria": Listen". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  36. ↑ Rytlewski, Evan (August 24, 2021). "Angel Olsen: Aisles EP". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  37. ↑ "Libera Awards 2021 winners". liberaawards.com. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  38. ↑ Greene, Jayson (December 11, 2019). "The Best Rock Albums of 2019 - Angel Olsen: All Mirrors". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  39. ↑ Taylor, Luke (May 7, 2017). "The Current's Guitar Collection: Angel Olsen, 1979 Gibson S-1". The Current. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  40. ↑ Haley Bosselman (April 16, 2021). "Singer-Songwriter Angel Olsen Announces She is Gay". Variety.
  41. ↑ "'He vivido una etapa de autoaceptación como persona queer a la vez divertida y embarazosa". September 16, 2022.
  42. 1 2 "'Losing my parents made me at ease with talking about love': Angel Olsen on coming out and being her true self". the Guardian. May 26, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  43. ↑ "'"Nothing's Free" Out Now | Lyric Video shot by Angela Ricciardi and Max Ludwig". March 7, 2023.
  44. ↑ "'Angel Olsen Expands North American Tour, Shares New Song "Forever Means": Listen". Pitchfork . April 11, 2023.
  45. ↑ Chand, Sagar (July 30, 2024). "Angel Olsen Weds Her Boyfriend Maxim Ludwig in Scenic Ceremony". PopTV Culture. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  46. ↑ Smith, Clyde F. (June 20, 2014). "Full List of 2014 A2IM Libera Award Winners". Hypebot. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  47. ↑ Staff, Daily Cal Arts (December 30, 2016). "Daily Californian Arts Awards: Music 2016". The Daily Californian . Retrieved September 24, 2021.
  48. ↑ "2017 Winners". libera awards. Archived from the original on January 22, 2022. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  49. 1 2 3 Houghton, Bruce (April 24, 2017). "Nominees A2IM'S Indie Music Libera Awards". Hypebot. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  50. ↑ Paine, Andre (August 8, 2017). "2017 AIM Awards nominations revealed". Music Week. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  51. 1 2 Brandle, Lars (April 4, 2020). "Chance the Rapper, FKA Twigs, Courtney Barnett & More Shortlisted For 2020 A2IM Libera Awards". Billboard. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  52. ↑ "2021 Libera Award nominees announced". Guitar Girl Magazine. March 23, 2021. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  53. ↑ Aswad, Jem (March 23, 2022). "Japanese Breakfast, Jason Isbell, Arlo Parks Lead Indie-Music Collective A2IM's 2022 Libera Awards Nominees". Variety . Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  54. ↑ Aswad, Jem (March 22, 2023). "Wet Leg Leads Nominations for A2IM's Indie Libera Awards" . Retrieved March 24, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.