Malinda Kathleen Reese

Last updated

Malinda Kathleen Reese
Malinda Kathleen Reese (cropped).png
Reese in 2018
Personal information
Born (1994-06-27) June 27, 1994 (age 30) [1] [2]
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Education Vassar College [3]
Occupations
  • Singer-songwriter
  • YouTuber
  • Instrumentalist
  • Actress
  • TikToker
YouTube information
Also known asMALINDA
Channels MALINDA
Twisted Translations
Years active2014–2022, 2024 (Twisted Translations)
2018–present (MALINDA)
Subscribers1.65 Million (MALINDA) [4]
1.22 Million (Twisted Translations) [5]
Total views
  • 244 Million (Twisted Translations) [5]
  • 250 Million (MALINDA) [4]
YouTube Silver Play Button 2.svg100,000 subscribers2014 (Twisted Translations) 2019 (MALINDA)
YouTube Gold Play Button 2.svg1,000,000 subscribers2019 (Twisted Translations) 2022 (MALINDA)
Musical career
Genres Pop, Folk
Years active2016–present
Last updated: February 2, 2024

Malinda Kathleen Reese (born June 27, 1994) is an American internet personality, singer-songwriter and stage actress. [6] She is best known for her Irish music covers on Tiktok (2 Million+ Followers), as well as Twisted Translations on YouTube, in which she previously created songs and performances from song lyrics and other texts that have been translated through multiple languages and back into English using Google Translate; in that guise, she has over one million subscribers. [5] Currently, she releases original music and vlogs on her main channel, MALINDA. Her debut is a 2018 EP, Love Letter. In addition, she has performed in numerous theatre plays in the Washington, D.C., area, including playing Girl in the musical Once , for which she won a Helen Hayes Award in 2020. [7]

Contents

Early life and education

Reese was born and raised in Washington, D.C. [8] She is the only child of Mary Hall Surface, a teacher and playwright, and Kevin Reese, an actor. [9] [10] She recalls spending much of her youth backstage during theater performances, and spending time in costume shops. As a teenager, she went to Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan and Broadway Artists Alliance in New York City. [8] [10]

She learned to play the Irish flute at the age of thirteen, having been "drawn" to the instrument from a young age. [6] She is also able to play guitar, ukulele, electric piano, cajón, bodhrán and classical flute. [6]

Reese attended Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C., and later Vassar College, New York where she initially studied cognitive science, [10] before switching to Drama, in which she majored, [8] and Religion, in which she minored. She also studied drama in London in 2014. [11]

Career

YouTube

Twisted Translations

Twisted Translations (formerly Google Translate Sings and Translator Fails) is Reese's initial YouTube channel, in which she translates song lyrics and other texts through Google Translate from English through other languages and back into English to create a parody of the song or text. [11] [3]

She came up with the idea of Twisted Translations while she was a student at Vassar College. After watching a video of "Let It Go" sung in various languages, she noticed that the Spanish translation wasn't exact. Her college friends began using Google Translate to create humorous alternatives to famous works of literature, inspiring Reese to do the same with song lyrics. [10] Her first translation video was uploaded on February 10, 2014, and quickly went viral, amassing one million views within a week. [12] On February 14, she announced on YouTube that she would create more translation videos. Other Twisted Translations songs include songs from Mulan , [13] "One Day I'll Fly Away" from Moulin Rouge! , [10] and "Hello" by Adele. [14] [15] In February 2024 she announced that she would be moving on from the channel after 10 years, having felt the project was "complete." [16]

MALINDA channel

In 2018, she launched another YouTube channel, MALINDA, which contains vlogs, [17] song covers, and comedic songs, as well as her original songs. [8] In March 2019, the channel surpassed 100,000 subscribers. [4]

Music

Reese at Atlas Performing Arts Center, Washington DC, February 2020 Malinda Kathleen Reese.jpg
Reese at Atlas Performing Arts Center, Washington DC, February 2020

In 2018, Reese launched her singing career. Her debut EP, Love Letter, was released on September 14, 2018. [8] [18]

On May 15, 2020, she released the single "More With You", which involved a collaboration of more than 50 musicians from 17 countries. [19]

In 2021, she produced a cover of Wellerman as part of the ‘ShantyTok’ trend on TikTok. She had previously created a shanty-style song about puffins on her YouTube channel, featuring user-submitted lyrics. [20]

On July 16, 2021, she released her second EP, The Folks I Love, a collection of Folk-style cover versions. [21]

On October 22, 2021, she released her third EP, Sea To Sky, a collection of four more folk covers. [22]

In early 2022, she embarked on a Folks I Love Tour. [23]

In a video in October 2022, she announced her debut album would be released in spring of 2023.[ citation needed ]

On April 28, 2023, she released her debut album, It's All True. It is accompanied by a visual album, premiering on April 30, 2023. [24] In May 2023, she announced the "It's All True" tour, which she embarked on in September 2023, covering 27 cities in 16 states. [25]

Singing in empty churches

In 2018, during a trip to Montefrío, Spain, she sang "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" impromptu in Iglesia de la Incarnación when it was empty, so the sound resonated. [17] [26] Footage of the singing was uploaded to YouTube and went viral, to Reese's surprise. It was shared by Spanish news outlets and artists, including Alejandro Sanz. [27]

In 2019, she sang "How Can I Keep from Singing?" in Washington National Cathedral while empty. [28] [29]

Acting

Reese frequently performed as a child actor at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. [8]

In 2017, Reese played the titular character in Ella Enchanted, a stage musical adapted from the book of the same name. [30] [31] The play was directed by her mother, Mary Hall Surface. [32] DC Theatre Scene praised Reese's performance, calling it "truly enchanting". [33]

In 2019, she starred as "Girl" in the stage production Once at the Olney Theatre Center. [10] [34] She received positive reviews. DC Metro Theatre Arts called her and Gregory Maheu, who portrayed "Guy", "standouts" and commented they "bring depth to both their solos and duets" [35] while Washington Post said she was "effectively direct". [36] Her performance won her a Helen Hayes Award for Best Actress in a Musical [7] [37] and a BroadwayWorld Washington, DC Awards for Best Actress in a Musical - Large Professional Theatre. [38]

In May 2023, when "It's All True"[ citation needed ] was released, Instead of traditional music videos, Malinda directed and starred in a visual album, a story about personal death, rebirth, mental health, dealing with the tragedies of the world, queer love and finding community. Starring Kyana Fanene[ citation needed ] as the role "Girlfriend" and Reese played the role of "Herself" and "soul".[ citation needed ]

Personal life

In October 2022, Reese came out as bisexual in a video entitled "I have some things to tell you". [39] She said she was inspired to come out publicly, after having previously been a "quiet queer", through her involvement with Irish music, which she saw as "music of the oppressed". [39]

Theatre

YearTitleRoleLocation
2016The Second Shepherd’s PlaySheep/EnsembleElizabethan Theatre, Folger Shakespeare Library,

Washington D.C. [37]

2017Ella EnchantedEllaAdventure Theatre, Glen Echo, Maryland [37] [30]
2017 Back to Methuselah: As Far as Thought Can Reach EcrasiaUndercroft Theatre, Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church, Washington DC. [37]
2017Drumming with DishesChildLab Theatre at Convergence, Arlington, Virginia [40]

Atlas Performing Arts Center, Washington, D.C. [37]

2018 The Skin of Our Teeth Gladys Source Theatre, Washington, D.C. [37]
2019 Once Girl Olney Theatre Center, Olney, Maryland. [37]
2021Andrew A. Isen Cabaret SeriesHerselfOlney Theatre Center, Olney, Maryland [41]

Discography

EPs

Album

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mya (singer)</span> American singer and actress (born 1979)

Mya Marie Harrison, known professionally as Mýa, is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer, and actress. Classified as a "triple threat entertainer," she was born in Washington D.C. and studied ballet, jazz, and tap dance as a child. Her career began in television as a dance posse member, performing on BET's Teen Summit. She signed with record executive A. Haqq Islam's University Records, an imprint of Interscope Records to release her eponymous debut studio album (1998), which lyrically explored romance and coming-of-age scenarios. Met with critical and commercial success, the album was led by her first single, "It's All About Me", which peaked within the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100. Her collaborative singles — "Girls Dem Sugar", "Ghetto Supastar ", and "Take Me There" — were also met with commercial success.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kathleen Hanna</span> American musician and feminist activist (born 1968)

Kathleen Hanna is an American singer, musician and pioneer of the feminist punk riot grrrl movement, and punk zine writer. In the early-to-mid-1990s, she was the lead singer of feminist punk band Bikini Kill, and then fronted the electronic rock band Le Tigre in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Since 2010, she has recorded as The Julie Ruin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Idina Menzel</span> American actress (born 1971)

Idina Kim Menzel is an American actress and singer. Particularly known for her work in musicals on Broadway, she has been nicknamed the "Queen of Broadway" for her commanding stage presence, powerful mezzo-soprano, and reputation as one of the most influential stage actors of her generation. Having achieved mainstream success across stage, screen, and music, her accolades include an American Music Award, a Billboard Music Award, a Daytime Emmy Award, and a Tony Award, as well as nominations for three Drama League Awards, and four Drama Desk Awards. In 2019, Menzel received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and was named a Disney Legend in 2022. Menzel received a honorary doctorate from University of Pennsylvania in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shoshana Bean</span> American actress and singer-songwriter (born 1977)

Shoshana E. Bean is a Tony-nominated American singer, songwriter, and stage actress. She has appeared in numerous musicals, performing in major Off-Broadway and Broadway theatres, including in the original production of Hairspray.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sara Bareilles</span> American musician (born 1979)

Sara Beth Bareilles is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She has sold over three million albums and over 15 million singles in the United States. Bareilles has earned various accolades, including two Grammy Awards, as well as nominations for three Primetime Emmy Awards and three Tony Awards. In 2012, VH1 named her one of the Top 100 Greatest Women in Music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laura Marano</span> American actress and singer

Laura Marie Marano is an American actress and singer. She is known for her role in the Disney Channel series Austin & Ally as Ally Dawson. Marano was one of the five original classmates in Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?. She starred in Without a Trace for three seasons and Back to You. Marano starred in the indie film A Sort of Homecoming, the Disney Channel Original Movie Bad Hair Day, the fifth installment of the A Cinderella Story film series A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish, the Netflix original movie The Perfect Date, and the Netflix interactive romcom Choose Love.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kat Graham</span> American actress and singer

Katerina Alexandre Hartford Graham is an American actress, singer, dancer, and activist. She played Bonnie Bennett on The CW supernatural drama series The Vampire Diaries (2009–2017). Her film credits include The Parent Trap (1998), 17 Again (2009), The Roommate (2011), Honey 2 (2011), Addicted (2014), and All Eyez on Me (2017). In music, Graham has released two extended plays and four studio albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rebecca Black</span> American YouTuber and singer

Rebecca Renee Black is an American singer, songwriter, and YouTuber. She gained extensive media coverage when the music video for her 2011 debut single "Friday" went viral on YouTube and various social media sites. The song had a polarizing reaction as while it peaked at number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100, it was also panned by audiences and music critics, many of whom considered it "among the worst songs ever made". In 2013, Black released a follow up single "Saturday" to similar commercial success and marginally improved reception. Her debut studio album Let Her Burn—preceded by two extended plays—was released in February 2023 to generally favorable reviews.

Mary Hall Surface is an American playwright and director of theater, working primarily in the Washington, D.C. area. Surface's work has focused primarily on youth and family content. Surface has received accolades from critics for the inventive use of costumes and music mixed with classic storytelling, often with origins in folk tales. She has earned one Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Direction of a Resident Musical - out of eight nominations. In addition, soundtrack of her musical The Odyssey of Telémaca, co-written with composer David Maddox, won the 2004 Parents' Choice Gold Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meg Myers</span> American musician (born 1986)

Janice Sue Meghan Myers, known professionally as Meg Myers, is an American singer-songwriter. Originally from Tennessee, Myers moved to Los Angeles to pursue music and met Doctor Rosen Rosen, who signed her to his production company. In 2012, Myers released her first EP, Daughter in the Choir. Later that year, she signed to Atlantic Records, with which she released the Make a Shadow EP (2014) and her debut album, Sorry (2015). She later departed Atlantic for 300 Entertainment and released Take Me to the Disco, her second album, in 2018. Her third album TZIA was released in 2023 on Sumerian Records.

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

Victoria Loren Kelly is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress. She first gained recognition after posting videos on YouTube as a teenager, and made it through to Hollywood week on the ninth season of American Idol in 2010. Thereafter, she independently released her self-produced debut EP in 2012, Handmade Songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peppermint (entertainer)</span> American actress, singer, and drag queen

Peppermint, or Miss Peppermint, is an American actress, singer, songwriter, television personality, drag queen, and activist. She is best known from the nightlife scene and, in 2017, as the runner-up on the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. In 2018, Peppermint made her debut in The Go-Go's-inspired musical Head Over Heels as Pythio, becoming Broadway's first out trans woman to originate a lead role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emma Blackery</span> British musician (born 1991)

Emma Louise Blackery is an English singer-songwriter, YouTuber and author. Active since 2012, Blackery has garnered over a million subscribers on her YouTube channel and released two studio albums and six EPs. She has toured with Busted, and headlined tours for her debut studio album Villains, released on her RWG Records label in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alessia Cara</span> Canadian singer and songwriter (born 1996)

Alessia Caracciolo, known professionally as Alessia Cara, is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She began posting covers of songs on YouTube at age 13. After uploading acoustic covers of songs such as "Love Yourself" and "Sweater Weather" online, she signed with EP Entertainment and Def Jam Recordings in 2014 and released her debut single, "Here", the following year. It peaked at number 19 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart and was a sleeper hit in the US, peaking at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ari Lennox</span> American R&B singer-songwriter (born 1991)

Courtney Shanade Salter, known professionally as Ari Lennox, is an American R&B singer-songwriter from Washington, D.C. She signed with J. Cole's Dreamville Records, an imprint of Interscope Records as the former label's first female artist in 2015. She started gaining recognition after the release of her second extended play (EP) and major label debut, Pho (2016). That same year, she made an uncredited guest appearance on Cole's song "Change". Her debut studio album, Shea Butter Baby (2019), was met with critical praise and lukewarm commercial response.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dodie</span> English singer and songwriter (born 1995)

Dorothy Miranda Clark, known mononymously as Dodie, is an English singer, songwriter, author and YouTuber. Dodie began her career uploading original songs and covers to YouTube. As of August 2023, her main channel has over 196 videos, over 2.01 million subscribers and over 431.66 million views, and her second channel has over 203 videos, over 882k subscribers and over 100.46 million views.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bülow (singer)</span> Canadian singer

Megan Bülow, known professionally as Bülow, is a German-Canadian pop singer who had success with her debut EP Damaged Vol. 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Faouzia</span> Moroccan-Canadian singer and musician

Faouzia Ouihya, known mononymously as Faouzia, is a Moroccan-Canadian singer-songwriter and musician. Born in Morocco, she moved with her family to Canada at a young age. During that time she learned how to play various instruments, and began composing her first songs. She released several singles and collaborated with many musicians on vocals and songwriting prior to releasing her debut extended play (EP), Stripped, in August 2020. In 2023, she was nominated and was one of the recipients of the Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards.

Tierra Umi Wilson, known mononymously as Umi, is an American singer and songwriter. Born in Seattle, Washington, she attended the University of Southern California, but dropped out in 2019 in order to pursue music. She is best known for her 2018 song "Remember Me", which has over 140 million streams on Spotify. She also accompanied Conan Gray as an opening act on his Comfort Crowd Tour in 2019.

<i>Friends in the Corner</i> 2021 EP by Foxes

Friends in the Corner is the second extended play (EP) by English singer and songwriter Foxes. It was released on 1 April 2021 through PIAS Recordings. The EP was preceded by numerous singles, including "Love Not Loving You", "Woman", "Friends in the Corner", "Hollywood" and "Kathleen" which were released throughout 2020 and 2021.

References

  1. ↑ Reese, Malinda Kathleen (June 27, 2021). "MALINDA on Twitter: 27 is already filled with beauty, connection, complexity and joy. Thank you for the birthday wishes, friends". Twitter . Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  2. ↑ Richman, Simmy (November 16, 2014). "Mind your language: Song lyrics literally lost in translation". The Independent. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  3. 1 2 Matthews, Cate (November 2, 2014). "'Let It Go' According To Google Translate Is A Hilarious Mess (VIDEO)". Huffington Post . Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 "MALINDA's YouTube stats". Socialblade . Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 "Translator Fails's YouTube stats". Social Blade . Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 "Customer Spotlight: Malinda Kathleen Reese". Sweetwater . December 25, 2019.
  7. 1 2 Floyd, Thomas (September 26, 2020). "As D.C. theater honors the best of 2019, actors long for a return to the stage". Washington Post . Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "MALINDA". Submithub.com. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  9. ↑ "I wrote a song with my parents in quarantine". YouTube . April 24, 2020.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Himes, Geoffrey (February 7, 2019). "A locally grown YouTube star returns to the stage in Olney's 'Once'". Washington Post . Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  11. 1 2 Richman, Simmy (November 16, 2014). "Mind your language: Song lyrics literally lost in translation". The Independent . Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Malinda Kathleen Reese '16: Singing a New Tune". Vassar Info. Vassar College. July 29, 2015. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  13. ↑ Kennard, Koster (October 4, 2016). "UTubers: Mulan gets Google translated". Deseret News . Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  14. ↑ Locker, Melissa (February 19, 2016). "Google's Translation of Adele's 'Hello' Is Gloriously Weird". Time . Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  15. ↑ "How Not to Use Google Translate". Learning English. VOA News. April 19, 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  16. ↑ Reese, Malinda Kathleen (February 10, 2024). 10 Years of Google Translate Sings (or whatever it's called) (Videotape). Retrieved May 1, 2024– via youtube.com.
  17. 1 2 Megan, Briggs (December 17, 2018). "Hear What It Sounds Like to Sing in a Church With Perfect Acoustics". Church Leaders. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Love Letter". Genius . Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  19. ↑ "More With You". YouTube . May 15, 2020. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  20. ↑ Hendler, Micah. "Meet The Wellermen Taking TikTok Sea Shanties To The Top Of The Charts". Forbes . Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  21. ↑ "The Folks I Love". Genius . Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  22. ↑ "Sea to Sky - EP by MALINDA". Genius. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  23. ↑ "I'M GOING ON TOUR". youtube.com. February 28, 2022.
  24. ↑ "I made a movie. It's going to be in theatres". YouTube . March 29, 2023. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  25. 1 2 Diaz, Lucy; Milk, Audrey; Leonard, Miri (September 28, 2023). "It's All True: Malinda makes waves, mixes styles" . Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  26. ↑ Macdonald, Kyle (August 10, 2020). "Vocalist sings an ancient hymn in an empty Pantheon-style church, with awe-inspiring 6-second acoustic". Classic FM . Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  27. ↑ "El Ave cantado en una iglesia vacía que pone los pelos de punta [in Spanish]". La Voz de Asturias. November 24, 2018. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  28. ↑ Hugue, Juston (January 24, 2020). "Woman Sings 'How Can I Keep From Singing' In An Empty Church And It's Hauntingly Beautiful". Godupdates.com. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
  29. ↑ "Girl Singing Gospel Song In Cathedral Will Cover You In Chills". Faithpot.com. April 16, 2019. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
  30. 1 2 Quattlebaum, Mary (February 7, 2017). "'Enchanted' novel comes to life in a new musical". Washington Post . Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  31. ↑ Minter Jackson, Debbie (February 9, 2017). "Exciting. Electric. Enchanting. Ella Enchanted at Adventure Theatre MTC (review)". dctheatrescene.com. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  32. ↑ Press, Allie (February 6, 2017). "Review: 'Ella Enchanted' at Adventure Theatre". DC Metro Theatre Arts. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  33. ↑ Jackson, Debbie Minter (February 9, 2017). "Exciting. Electric. Enchanting. Ella Enchanted at Adventure Theatre MTC (review)". DC Theatre Scene. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  34. ↑ Abramson, Andra (February 10, 2019). "Review: 'Once' at Olney Theatre Center". DC Metro Theatre Arts. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  35. ↑ Abramson, Andra (February 11, 2019). "Review: 'Once' at Olney Theatre Center". DC Metro Theater Arts. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  36. ↑ Pressley, Nelson (February 13, 2019). "Review | The musical 'Once' sounds fit as a fiddle at Olney Theatre". Washington Post. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  37. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Malinda Kathleen Reese". Abouttheartists.com. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  38. ↑ BWW News Desk (January 17, 2020). "Winners Announced For 2019 BroadwayWorld Washington, DC Awards". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  39. 1 2 Reese, Malinda Kathleen (October 4, 2022). I have some things to tell you. YouTube.
  40. ↑ Aymar, E.A (October 10, 2017). "Review: 'Drumming with Dishes' at Arts on the Horizon". DC Metro Theatre Arts. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  41. ↑ Rabinowitz, Chloe (June 9, 2021). "Olney Outdoors Full Schedule Released Featuring Over 50 Events and 100+ Artists". Broadway World. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
  42. ↑ "Love Letter - EP". music.apple.com.
  43. ↑ "The Folks I Love - EP". music.apple.com.
  44. ↑ "Sea to Sky - EP". music.apple.com.
  45. ↑ "It's All True". music.apple.com.
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.