Mr Little Jeans

Last updated

Mr Little Jeans
Birth nameMonica Linn Birkenes
Born Grimstad, Norway
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active2010–present
Labels
Website mrlittlejeans.com

Monica Linn Birkenes, better known by her stage name Mr Little Jeans, is a Norwegian singer-songwriter living in Los Angeles, California. [1] She has released two studio albums: Pocketknife, in 2014 and Better Days in 2022. [2]

Contents

The pseudonym Mr Little Jeans is inspired by Kumar Pallana's character in Wes Anderson's film Rushmore . [3]

Early life

Birkenes grew up in rural Grimstad, Norway, the daughter of a shipbuilder and a secretary. [3] In her youth, she performed in town plays and musical events, as well as church choirs and retirement homes. [4] At age 18, she moved to London to study drama, while serving tables to make ends meet. [4]

Music career

After signing to independent label Neon Gold, Birkenes released her first single, "Rescue Song", in 2010. [2] The Guardian compared her sound at the time to Lykke Li, Robyn, and Annie. [5] Later that year, she put out her first EP, titled Angel [2] Birkenes grew in popularity with her 2011 cover of Arcade Fire's "The Suburbs". [6] She often collaborates with Los Angeles producer Tim Anderson, who was instrumental in creating her debut album, Pocketknife. [7] The record was released on Harvest Records on 25 March 2014. [8]

Discography

Studio albums

TitleDetailsPeak chart positions
AUS
[9]
US
Heat

[10]
Pocketknife4033
Better Days
  • Released: 3 June 2022

Extended plays

TitleEP detailsPeak chart positions
US
Electronic


[10]
Angel
Good Mistake
  • Released: 18 February 2014 [12]
  • Label: Harvest
  • Format: digital download
17
F E V E R S
  • Released: 21 October 2016
  • Label: Nettwerk
  • Format: digital download

Singles

TitleYearAlbum
"Angel"2010Angel
"Rescue Song"Pocketknife
"The Suburbs"2011
"Runaway"2012
"Oh Sailor"
(featuring the Silverlake Conservatory of Music Youth Chorale)
2013
"Good Mistake"2014
"Dear Santa"Non-album singles
"Single Ladies"2015
"Waking Up"F E V E R S
"Fool 4 You"
"Stitches"2016
"Forgetter"2018Non-album singles
"Unfollow"

Guest appearances

TitleYearOther artist(s)Album
"Back to the Start"2013 Iron Man 3 soundtrack

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robyn</span> Swedish singer (born 1979)

Robin Miriam Carlsson, known as Robyn, is a Swedish pop singer, songwriter, record producer, and DJ. Her 1995 debut album Robyn Is Here produced two Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles: "Do You Know " and "Show Me Love". Her second and third albums, My Truth (1999) and Don't Stop the Music (2002), were released in Sweden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stevie Nicks</span> American singer and songwriter (born 1948)

Stephanie Lynn Nicks is an American singer, songwriter, and producer known for her work with the band Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bonnie Tyler</span> Welsh singer (born 1951)

Gaynor Sullivan, known professionally as Bonnie Tyler, is a Welsh singer who is known for her distinctive husky voice. Tyler came to prominence with the release of her 1977 album The World Starts Tonight and its singles "Lost in France" and "More Than a Lover". Her 1977 single "It's a Heartache" reached number four on the UK Singles Chart, and number three on the US Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jarvis Cocker</span> English musician and broadcaster

Jarvis Branson Cocker is an English musician and radio presenter. As the founder, frontman, lyricist and only consistent member of the band Pulp, he became a figurehead of the Britpop genre of the mid-1990s. Following Pulp's hiatus, Cocker has pursued a solo career, and for seven years he presented the BBC Radio 6 Music show Jarvis Cocker's Sunday Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arcade Fire</span> Canadian indie rock band

Arcade Fire is a Canadian indie rock band from Montréal, Quebec, consisting of husband and wife Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, alongside Richard Reed Parry, Tim Kingsbury and Jeremy Gara. The band's current touring line-up also includes former core member Sarah Neufeld and multi-instrumentalists Paul Beaubrun, Dan Boeckner and Eric Heigle. Each of the band's studio albums features contributions from composer and violinist Owen Pallett.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uffie</span> American-French singer, songwriter, rapper, DJ and fashion designer

Anna-Catherine Hartley, known professionally as Uffie, is an American-French singer, songwriter, rapper, DJ, and fashion designer formerly signed to French electronic music record label Ed Banger Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laura Marling</span> British folk singer-songwriter (born 1990)

Laura Beatrice Marling is a British folk singer-songwriter. She won the Brit Award for Best British Female Solo Artist at the 2011 Brit Awards and was nominated for the same award at the 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018 Brit Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lorde</span> New Zealand singer and songwriter (born 1996)

Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor, known professionally as Lorde, is a New Zealand singer and songwriter. She is known for her unconventional style of pop music, and introspective songwriting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zara Larsson</span> Swedish singer and songwriter (born 1997)

Zara Maria Larsson is a Swedish singer and songwriter. She first rose to prominence in 2008 after winning the second season of Talang, the Swedish version of the Got Talent format. She later attained international recognition with singles including "Lush Life" (2015), "Never Forget You" (2015), "Girls Like" (2016) with Tinie Tempah, "This One's for You" with David Guetta, "Ain't My Fault" (2016), "Symphony" (2017) with Clean Bandit, "Ruin My Life" (2018) and "On My Love" (2023) with David Guetta.

<i>Sex Dreams and Denim Jeans</i> 2010 studio album by Uffie

Sex Dreams and Denim Jeans is the debut studio album by French-American singer Uffie. It was released on June 14, 2010, by Ed Banger Records and Because Music. Produced by Feadz, J-Mat, Mr. Oizo, Mirwais and Sebastian, the album features guest appearances by Pharrell Williams and Mattie Safer of The Rapture, includes an "adaptation" of The Velvet Underground's "Rock & Roll" and a cover of Siouxsie and the Banshees' "Hong Kong Garden", which Uffie cited as one of her favorite songs.

<i>The Suburbs</i> 2010 studio album by Arcade Fire

The Suburbs is the third studio album by Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire, released on August 2, 2010. Coinciding with its announcement, the band released a limited edition 12-inch single containing the title track and "Month of May". The album debuted at No. 1 on the Irish Albums Chart, the UK Albums Chart, the US Billboard 200 chart, and the Canadian Albums Chart. It won Album of the Year at the 2011 Grammy Awards, Best International Album at the 2011 BRIT Awards, Album of the Year at the 2011 Juno Awards, and the 2011 Polaris Music Prize for best Canadian album. Two weeks after winning Grammy's Album of the Year, the album jumped from No. 52 to No. 12 on the Billboard 200, the album's highest ranking since August 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jenny Hval</span> Norwegian musician, novelist

Jenny Hval is a Norwegian singer-songwriter, record producer, and novelist. She has released eight solo albums, two under the alias Rockettothesky and six under her own name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ella Henderson</span> English singer and songwriter (born 1996)

Gabriella Michelle "Ella" Henderson is an English singer and songwriter. She competed in the ninth series of The X Factor UK in 2012, being the eighth contestant eliminated despite being a strong favourite to win. She signed with Syco Music shortly after, and released her debut studio album, Chapter One (2014), which reached number one in the UK. The album spawned the chart-topping single "Ghost", as well as the top 20 singles "Glow" and "Yours". Henderson went on a four-year hiatus in 2015. Her second studio album, Everything I Didn't Say, was released in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessy Lanza</span> Musical artist

Jessy Lanza is a Canadian electronic songwriter, producer, and vocalist from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. She has released four albums, Pull My Hair Back (2013), Oh No (2016), All the Time (2020) and Love Hallucination (2023) to critical praise on UK label Hyperdub.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meghan Trainor</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1993)

Meghan Elizabeth Trainor is an American singer-songwriter and television personality. She rose to prominence after signing with Epic Records in 2014 and releasing her debut single "All About That Bass", which reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and sold 11 million copies worldwide. Trainor has released five studio albums with the label and has received various accolades, including the 2016 Grammy Award for Best New Artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aurora (singer)</span> Norwegian singer (born 1996)

Aurora Aksnes, known mononymously as Aurora, is a Norwegian singer, songwriter and record producer. Born in Stavanger and raised in the towns of Høle and Os, she began writing her first songs and learning dance at the age of six. After some of her songs were uploaded online and became popular in Norway, she signed a recording contract with Petroleum Records, Decca and Glassnote Records in 2014. Aurora gained recognition with her debut extended play (EP), Running with the Wolves (2015), which contained the sleeper hit "Runaway". Later that year, she provided the backing track for the John Lewis Christmas advert, singing a cover of the Oasis song "Half the World Away".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aron Forbes</span> American musician, songwriter, and producer

Aron Forbes is an American guitarist, producer, and songwriter, known for his collaborations with Halsey, Banks, Billie Eilish, Donna Missal, One Direction, Olivia Rodrigo, Vérité, alongside others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erika de Casier</span> Danish singer

Erika de Casier is a Portugal-born Danish singer, songwriter, and record producer. She began her career performing as half of the R&B duo Saint Cava. After the duo disbanded, she independently released her debut studio album, Essentials, in 2019. She signed to British record label 4AD in 2020 and released her second studio album, Sensational, in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kat Frankie</span> Musical artist

Kathryn Mellander, who performs as Kat Frankie is an Australian-born singer-songwriter and guitarist. She relocated to Berlin in December 2004 and has issued four solo studio albums, Pocketknife, The Dance of a Stranger Heart, Please Don’t Give Me What I Want and Bad Behaviour.

Marisa Anderson is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer based in Portland, Oregon. She is primarily known for playing the guitar, mixing American primitive guitar with various genres from throughout the United States and the rest of the world, and for her largely improvised compositions. She has released 10 albums under her own name since 2006, as well as several others with the bands the Dolly Ranchers and Evolutionary Jass Band.

References

  1. "Bio". mrlittlejeansmusic.com. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 "Mr Little Jeans". Discogs. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Mr. Little Jeans". Last.fm. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Mr Little Jeans: Pocketknife" . Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  5. Lester, Paul. "New band of the day – No 906: Mr Little Jeans". the Guardian. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  6. "Mr. Little Jeans - The Suburbs (Arcade Fire Cover)" . Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  7. "Pocketknife - Mr. Little Jeans | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  8. "Album Review: Mr Little Jeans - Pocketknife" . Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  9. "DISCOGRAPHY MR. LITTLE JEANS". eMedia Jungen. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  10. 1 2 "Mr Little Jeans – Awards". AllMusic . Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  11. Kelly, Katie (18 March 2014). "Stream Mr. Little Jeans' Debut Album "Pocketknife"". Complex. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  12. NK (18 February 2014). "Make a "Good Mistake" and Hear Mr. Little Jeans' New Song". Earbuddy. Retrieved 31 March 2020.