Karen O

Last updated

Karen O
YeahYeahBrixton070622 (15 of 36) (52195756365) (cropped).jpg
Karen O performing with Yeah Yeah Yeahs in 2022
Background information
Born
Karen Lee Orzolek

(1978-11-22) November 22, 1978 (age 47)
Seoul, South Korea
Origin Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • musician
  • director
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • piano
  • keyboards
  • guitar
Works Discography
Years active2000–present
Labels
Member of Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Spouse
​
(m. 2011)​
Website karenomusic.com

Karen Lee Orzolek (born November 22, 1978) [1] is a South Korean and American musician who is the lead vocalist and pianist of the indie rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs. She was a key artist of the 2000s garage rock and post-punk revivals, noted for her energetic performances and eccentric fashion. In her solo career, Karen O has released two albums, collaborated with numerous artists and composed for several film and television soundtracks.

Contents

Karen O's accolades with Yeah Yeah Yeahs include nominations for five Grammy Awards. Her solo work has netted her nominations for three additional Grammys, an Academy Award, three Critics' Choice Awards and a Golden Globe Award. She appeared on NME's Cool List in 2002, 2003, and 2006. Rolling Stone ranked her among the "200 Greatest Singers of All Time" in 2023.

Early life

Karen Lee Orzolek was born in Seoul, South Korea, [2] [3] the daughter of a Korean mother and a Polish-American father. [4] [5] [6] [7] The family moved to the United States in 1980, [8] living in Englewood, New Jersey, where she grew up [9] and graduated from Dwight-Englewood School. [10] About her childhood, she stated that "it's almost embarrassing how well-behaved I was, which is probably why I do things like spit water on myself on stage as an adult". [11] She attended Oberlin College before transferring to New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.

Career

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Karen O is best known as the lead vocalist for the band Yeah Yeah Yeahs, founded in 2000. Regarding the band's approach to music, Karen O told the Los Angeles Times in 2009 that, "We still have to grab people by the collar ... We put out a record every three years now; we could easily be forgotten. If you look at a lot of our peers that we came up with, a lot of them have disappeared." [12]

In 2006, Karen O directed the Yeah Yeah Yeahs video for "Cheated Hearts". [13] [14]

Solo career

In 2004, Karen O, using the moniker Marshmellow, directed the music video for "We Fenced Other Gardens with the Bones of Our Own" by Liars, fronted by her then-boyfriend Angus Andrew. [15] [16] The following year, she directed the "Blessed Evening" video for Foetus with her then-boyfriend Spike Jonze working as cinematographer. [17]

Karen O performing in 2006 Karen O profile.jpg
Karen O performing in 2006

On December 10, 2006, a home-recorded album titled KO at Home was leaked via an invite-only BitTorrent tracking site. The album, originally a personal gift to Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio, was discovered inside a suitcase that Sitek had left behind in a New York City apartment. The disc's 14 tracks and scan of the cover (a photograph of Karen O with a poem written by Oscar Wilde on the back side of the photo) quickly spread. News sites broke the story of the leak when Sitek lashed out at the fan who leaked the demos. [18] [19] [20] Eventually, Sitek followed up his comments with an apology letter. [21] In response to the leak, Karen O said that "shit happens", and although she was "a little grossed out", she offered commentary on which of the songs she liked the most. [22]

Under the moniker Kids with Canes, Karen O and her now-husband Barnaby Clay directed the music video for the Tiny Masters of Today song "Hologram World", released in 2008. Karen O also contributed vocals to the song and served as choreographer of the video, in which she appears with Yeah Yeah Yeahs bandmates Nick Zinner and Brian Chase, as well as Mike D from the Beastie Boys, Gibby Haynes from the Butthole Surfers, Russell Simins from the Blues Explosion, and Sam James from The Mooney Suzuki. [23]

Karen O performing on the Crush Songs mini tour in 2014 Karen O at Bush Hall.jpg
Karen O performing on the Crush Songs mini tour in 2014

Karen O's debut solo album, Crush Songs , was released on September 9, 2014. [24] It was released on Cult Records via Kobalt Label Services. [25] On February 17, 2015, Karen O released a live album titled Live from Crush Palace, recorded during three shows at Hollywood Forever Cemetery's Masonic Lodge in Los Angeles in September 2014. The album features live renditions of songs from Crush Songs, as well as "Hideaway" from Where the Wild Things Are and "The Moon Song" from Her. [26] [27]

On January 11, 2018, Karen O released the song "Yo! My Saint", featuring guest vocals from Michael Kiwanuka, in support of Kenzo's Spring Summer 2018 collection. [28]

On March 15, 2019, Karen O and musician-producer Danger Mouse released the collaborative album Lux Prima . The two originally met to discuss collaboration in 2007 as mutual admirers, but did not collaborate until 2016 due to scheduling and availability, resulting in the album Lux Prima three years later. [29] To promote the album, an immersive art piece and communal listening experience titled "An Encounter with Lux Prima" was released. [30] [31] Spike Jonze also shot the video for the song "Woman" live in one take, as the duo performed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert .

Soundtrack work

Karen O often collaborates with Spike Jonze (pictured in 2013) Spike Jonze Her Premiere NYFF 2013 (cropped).jpg
Karen O often collaborates with Spike Jonze (pictured in 2013)

Karen O was featured in the track "Cut Me Up" by Har Mar Superstar for the soundtrack to the 2005 horror film House of Wax . For the film Jackass Number Two , Karen O collaborated with electronic artist Peaches and Johnny Knoxville to record a track entitled "Backass"; for Jackass 3D , she covered Roger Alan Wade's "If You're Gonna Be Dumb" under the alternative title of "If You're Gonna Be Dumb, You Gotta Be Tough". In 2007, she also contributed vocals to a version of Bob Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited" for the I'm Not There film soundtrack. [32] She performed a short song at the end of the Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! episode "Brothers Cinco". She also performed the track "Strange Love" on the album Frankenweenie Unleashed! (Music Inspired by the Motion Picture) .

Karen O composed all songs on the soundtrack of Spike Jonze's 2009 film Where the Wild Things Are (except a cover of the Daniel Johnston song "Worried Shoes") with Carter Burwell. She is listed on the soundtrack as "Karen O and the Kids". [33] The song "All Is Love", written by Karen O and Nick Zinner and included in this soundtrack, was nominated for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media at the 2010 Grammy Awards. [34] Karen O also contributed "The Moon Song" to Jonze's 2013 film Her , [35] which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song. [36]

Karen O collaborated with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross on a cover version of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" for the soundtrack to the 2011 film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo , for which Reznor and Ross composed the score. [37]

Other collaborations

In 2008, Karen O debuted a side project called Native Korean Rock with fellow New York City musicians, with two intimate performances at Union Pool in Brooklyn on July 21. [38] [39] The following year, she contributed backing vocals, screaming animal sounds and noises to the songs "Gemini Syringes", "I Can Be A Frog" and "Watching the Planets" on The Flaming Lips' album Embryonic . In 2011, she contributed vocals on the song "Pinky's Dream" on the David Lynch debut album Crazy Clown Time . In 2012, she collaborated with experimental rock group Swans on the song "Song for a Warrior" on their album The Seer . She also lends vocals to the song "GO!" on Santigold's 2012 album Master of My Make-Believe .

On the collaboration project with N.A.S.A. on The Spirit of Apollo , she appears on the track "Strange Enough", together with Ol' Dirty Bastard and Fatlip. Karen O has also collaborated with James Iha on his second solo LP, Look to the Sky , in 2012. In 2014, her cover of "A Marshmallow World" was featured in Target's holiday commercials. [40] In 2015, her cover of Animotion's "Obsession" was used as the opening theme for the Starz miniseries Flesh and Bone . On May 5, 2015, a song by Karen O in tribute to Nellie Bly was used as part of a Google doodle commemorating Bly's 151st birthday. [41] The same year, Microsoft approached Karen O to pen a theme song for Square Enix's game Rise of the Tomb Raider , which resulted in the song "I Shall Rise". [42]

Artistry and public image

Karen O is known for her energetic live performances and singing style. [5] Her vocals have been described as "ethereal" and "yelping" at times. [43] [44] Rolling Stone's journalist Rob Sheffield noted that Karen O "sings [...] like a mix of Sam Cooke and Siouxsie Sioux". [45] She is also noted for her unique fashion style, often wearing outfits made by her friend, fashion designer Christian Joy. [46] In 2007, she was placed at number three on Spinner's "Women Who Rock Right Now" list. [47] In 2023, Rolling Stone placed her at number 184 on their "200 Greatest Singers of All Time" list. [45]

Personal life

Karen O has dated Spike Jonze and Liars lead singer Angus Andrew, the latter of whom was the subject of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' song "Maps". [48] In December 2011, she married director Barnaby Clay. [49] Their son was born in August 2015. [50]

During a tour for the 2003 Livid Festival in Australia, at a sideshow at The Metro in Sydney, Karen O accidentally danced off the stage and was reluctantly taken to hospital. A few days later, at the Sydney leg of the Livid Festival, she appeared in a wheelchair pushed onstage by Angus Andrew. [51]

Discography

Solo albums

With Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Awards and nominations

With the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Karen O has received a Shockwave NME Award, [52] two UK Music Video Awards, [53] and nominations for five Grammy Awards, [54] [55] [56] [57] two Libera Awards, [58] seven MTV Video Music Awards, [59] [60] [61] and the Shortlist Music Prize. [62] Below is a list of her solo accolades.

AwardYearCategoryWorkResultRef.
Academy Awards 2013 Best Original Song "The Moon Song"Nominated [63]
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards 2009 Best Original Score Where the Wild Things Are Nominated [64]
Critics' Choice Movie Awards 2010 Best Score Where the Wild Things Are Nominated [65]
Best Song "All Is Love"Nominated
GAFFA Awards 2006Best Foreign Female ActN/aNominated [66]
Golden Globe Awards 2010 Best Original Score Where the Wild Things Are Nominated [67]
Grammy Awards 2010 Best Song Written for Visual Media "All Is Love"Nominated [68]
2015 "The Moon Song"Nominated
2020 Best Rock Performance "Woman"Nominated
Satellite Awards 2009 Best Original Score Where the Wild Things Are Nominated [69]
Shockwave NME Awards 2010 Hottest WomanN/aWon [70]

Notes

    References

    1. ↑ Marks, Craig (February 25, 2009). "Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Stayin' Alive". Spin . Archived from the original on May 20, 2020. Retrieved November 22, 2010. On a wintry evening in late November [2008], Karen O celebrated her 30th birthday by ...
    2. ↑ Martoccio, Angie (October 20, 2022). "Karen O and Michelle Zauner on Smashing Expectations and the Power of 'No'". Rolling Stone.
    3. ↑
      Karen O: Actually, I was born in Seoul. Zauner: You were born in Seoul, that's right! Your Wikipedia used to say Busan. Karen O: Does it still say that? Zauner: Yeah, it still says that. Karen O: We changed it two years ago. I guess they went back— Zauner: Busan really wants to claim you [laughs].

      —  Rolling Stone, Karen O and Michelle Zauner on Smashing Expectations and the Power of ‘No’

    4. ↑ Chi, Minnie (July 18, 2003). "Half Korean, 100% Rock Star". Asia Pacific Arts. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved April 26, 2008.
    5. 1 2 Sheffield, Rob (April 7, 2006). "Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Goth, Nerd, Slut". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on November 21, 2007. Retrieved November 24, 2007.
    6. ↑ Catucci, Nick (March 29, 2009). "The Yeah Yeah Yeahs Return With New Album 'It's Blitz!'". New York Magazine. New York. Archived from the original on September 21, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2010.
    7. ↑ Goodman, Lizzy (March 29, 2013). "Get Yer Yeah Yeah Yeahs Out". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331.
    8. ↑ Ukiomogbe, Juliana (June 10, 2021). ""You Have to See It to Be It": Michelle Zauner and Karen O in Conversation". Interview Magazine.
    9. ↑ La Gorce, Tammy. "Success Stories In New Jersey Rock: The Un-Springsteen" Archived December 1, 2008, at the Wayback Machine , The New York Times , November 16, 2003. Accessed January 2, 2008. "All of which is fine by Ms. O, 24, an Englewood native who still lives in Bergen County but declined to say where. Any rock star who struts around in outfits made specifically for her by the designer Christian Joy can expect some of that, she said."
    10. ↑ Kleimann, James. "Englewood Native's Band First in History to Perform on Empire State Building; Indie darlings the Yeah Yeah Yeahs filmed the music video "Despair" in April on top of the famous building." Archived June 15, 2018, at the Wayback Machine , Englewood-Englewood Cliffs Patch, June 26, 2013. Accessed June 14, 2018. "Karen O, the stage name of Karen Lee Orzolek, a Dwight Englewood grad, kept the filming a secret for logistical and creative reasons, she told the Times."
    11. ↑ "The Things They Say 13802". contactmusic.com . October 20, 2009. Archived from the original on November 2, 2009. Retrieved November 22, 2010.
    12. ↑
    13. ↑ Michele Lu (July 28, 2006). "Fans star in Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Cheated Hearts" video with help from Final Cut editor Stephen Berger". Internet Video Magazine. Archived from the original on December 3, 2008. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
    14. ↑ "New Release: Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Cheated Hearts"". Video Static. August 4, 2006. Archived from the original on October 9, 2008. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
    15. ↑ "Liars – We Fenced Other Gardens With The Bones Of Your Own". Discogs. May 27, 2004. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
    16. ↑ Katie Zerwas (July 15, 2004). "Liars: We Fenced Other Gardens With The Bones Of Your Own". PopMatters . Archived from the original on October 8, 2008. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
    17. ↑ "Foetus: "Blessed Evening"". foetus.org. Archived from the original on December 10, 2008. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
    18. ↑ "Karen (Dem)O". Stereogum . December 11, 2006. Archived from the original on October 15, 2008. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
    19. ↑ "The Story Behind The Karen O Demo". Stereogum. December 11, 2006. Archived from the original on May 16, 2008. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
    20. ↑ "completely surrounded by no trees: 12/01/2006 – 01/01/2007". Youngliars.blogspot.com. Archived from the original on September 24, 2013. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
    21. ↑ "Blogger". www2.blogger.com. Archived from the original on September 15, 2013. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
    22. ↑ "Yeah Yeah Yeahs discuss demo leak". NME. December 14, 2006. Archived from the original on October 8, 2017. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
    23. ↑ David Knight (March 6, 2008). "Tiny Masters of Today's Hologram World by Kids With Canes Inc". PromoNews. Archived from the original on January 3, 2009. Retrieved August 26, 2008.
    24. ↑ Gordon, Jeremy (June 25, 2014). "Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Karen O Announces First Solo Record, Crush Songs". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on October 8, 2017. Retrieved October 8, 2017.
    25. ↑ Karen O is releasing her first vintage solo album Archived November 29, 2014, at the Wayback Machine June 27, 2014
    26. ↑ Goble, Corban (February 10, 2015). "Karen O Streams Live Album Live From Crush Palace". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on October 8, 2017. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
    27. ↑ "Live from Crush Palace by Karen O". iTunes Store (US). Archived from the original on October 10, 2017. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
    28. ↑ Thomas, Helen (January 11, 2018). "Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Karen O returns for Korean soap opera inspired track with Michael Kiwanuka". NME. Archived from the original on January 26, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
    29. ↑ "Karen O and Danger Mouse Made an Album. It Only Took 11 Years". New York Times. March 6, 2019. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
    30. ↑ "An Encounter with Lux Prima – the Art of Collaboration". YouTube . May 23, 2019. Archived from the original on January 27, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
    31. ↑ Rambarran, Shara (2021). Virtual Music: Sound, Music, and Image in the Digital Era. New York: Bloomsbury (published April 8, 2021). ISBN   9781501336379.
    32. ↑ "New Karen O – "Highway 61 Revisited"". Stereogum. Archived from the original on July 5, 2008. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
    33. ↑ Kasia Galazka (November 20, 2007). "Karen O is Where the Wild Things Are". Paste Magazine . Archived from the original on November 23, 2007. Retrieved November 20, 2007.
    34. ↑ "Karen O's 'Where The Wild Things Are' song replaces Miley Cyrus in Grammys". NME. December 11, 2009. Archived from the original on December 14, 2009. Retrieved December 12, 2009.
    35. ↑ Minsker, Evan (August 10, 2013). "Karen O Also Has a Song in Spike Jonze's Film Her". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on January 18, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
    36. ↑ "Karen O & Spike Jonze's Oscar-Nominated 'Moon Song': 'Her' Track Spotlighted in New Featurette". Billboard. February 11, 2014. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
    37. ↑ Tom Breihan (May 27, 2011). "Trent Reznor and Karen O Cover Led Zeppelin". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on May 30, 2011. Retrieved May 29, 2011.
    38. ↑ "Karen O debuts side project with Brooklyn show". NME . July 22, 2008. Archived from the original on July 8, 2022. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
    39. ↑ Brandon (July 18, 2008). "Karen O Makes Native Korean Rock". Stereogum . Archived from the original on March 4, 2010. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
    40. ↑ "Karen O Covers 'A Marshmallow World' for Target's Holiday Ads: Listen". Radio.com. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
    41. ↑ "Nellie Bly's 151st Birthday". www.google.com. Archived from the original on November 21, 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
    42. ↑ "Hear Karen O's Haunting New Song in 'Tomb Raider' Video Game Trailer". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 2, 2016. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
    43. ↑ Mikael Wood (September 29, 2009). "Album review: Karen O and the Kids' 'Where the Wild Things Are'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on February 7, 2011. Retrieved July 7, 2011. ... ethereal vocals over charmingly ramshackle folk-pop arrangements ...
    44. ↑ Margaret Wappler (April 18, 2009). "Yeah Yeah Yeahs will blitz the main stage Sunday". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 23, 2010. Retrieved July 7, 2011. ... singer Karen O yelps her mandate over slabs of marbled synths ...
    45. 1 2 "The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time". Rolling Stone . January 1, 2023. Archived from the original on February 8, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2023. As a ... kid who grew up idolizing Sam Cooke, Karen sings classics like "Maps" like a mix of Sam and Siouxsie.
    46. ↑ Bernard, Christopher (November 16, 2022). "How to Dress a Rock Star". The New York Times . Archived from the original on November 22, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
    47. ↑ "Women Who Rock Right Now: No. 3". Spinner . July 15, 2007. Archived from the original on May 24, 2011. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
    48. ↑ "Karen O: 'I'm Married!'". Rolling Stone. December 9, 2011. Archived from the original on October 8, 2017. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
    49. ↑ Hudson, Alex (December 9, 2011). "Karen O Announces Marriage to Director Barnaby Clay". Exclaim! . Archived from the original on November 25, 2014. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
    50. ↑ "Karen O Welcomes Baby Son, Shares Adorable First Photo!". Us Weekly . September 28, 2015. Archived from the original on October 31, 2015. Retrieved October 28, 2015.
    51. ↑ "Boys with the hoods clean up". The Sydney Morning Herald. October 13, 2003. Archived from the original on October 8, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
    52. ↑ NME (February 28, 2003). "2003". NME . Archived from the original on January 13, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
    53. ↑ "UK Music Video Awards 2013 - all of last night's winners!". Promonews. October 29, 2013. Archived from the original on December 29, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
    54. ↑ "46th Annual GRAMMY Awards". Grammy Awards . Archived from the original on September 1, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
    55. ↑ "49th Annual GRAMMY Awards". Grammy Awards . Archived from the original on September 4, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
    56. ↑ "52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards". Grammy Awards . Archived from the original on May 29, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
    57. ↑ Lee, Taila (November 15, 2022). "2023 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Complete Winners & Nominees List". Grammy Awards . Archived from the original on November 16, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
    58. ↑ Garcia, Thania; Okusanya, Emanuel (June 16, 2023). "Wet Leg, Sudan Archives and More Win Big at 2023 A2IM Libera Awards". Variety . Retrieved January 20, 2026.
    59. ↑ "2004 MTV Video Music Awards Winners". Billboard . August 30, 2004. Archived from the original on August 11, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
    60. ↑ "2009 MTV Video Music Award winners". MTV. Archived from the original on October 27, 2009. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
    61. ↑ McGovern, Kyle (August 26, 2013). "MTV VMA 2013 Winners List: Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, Pink, and More". Spin . Archived from the original on May 25, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
    62. ↑ Moss, Corey (October 6, 2003). "Irish Singer Damien Rice Wins Shortlist Music Prize". MTV. Archived from the original on January 5, 2009. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
    63. ↑ "The 86th Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. March 2, 2014. Archived from the original on December 30, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
    64. ↑ Knegt, Peter (December 16, 2009). ""Wild Things" and "Air" lead Chicago Critics' nominations". IndieWire . Archived from the original on February 20, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
    65. ↑ Kilday, Gregg (December 14, 2009). "'Basterds,' 'Nine' lead Critics' Choice noms". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on December 29, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
    66. ↑ "GAFFA-prisen 1991–2006 – se vinderne". Archived from the original on January 14, 2015. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
    67. ↑ "Golden Globes 2010 winners: 'Avatar' wins best picture, drama". Entertainment Weekly . January 17, 2010. Archived from the original on October 9, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
    68. ↑ "Karen O". Grammy Awards . Archived from the original on November 23, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
    69. ↑ "2009". International Press Academy. Archived from the original on January 17, 2026. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
    70. ↑ Fujllerton, Jamie (February 24, 2010). "Shockwaves NME Awards 2010: all the winners". NME . Archived from the original on November 27, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
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