Spider (musician)

Last updated

Spider
Birth nameJennifer Osakpolor Irabor
Born1999or2000(age 24–25)
Tallaght, Ireland
Origin London, England
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician
Member of

Jennifer Osakpolor Irabor (born 1999or2000), known professionally as Spider, is an Irish musician. Born in Tallaght, she moved to London aged 18 to study at BIMM University; after being railroaded by male producers into releasing synth-pop under the name Jenn, she paused making music for a couple of years as a result of disillusionment, and subsequently released alt-pop under the name Spider. She is a member of Loud LDN.

Contents

Life and career

Early life

Jennifer Osakpolor Irabor [1] was born in 1999or2000 [2] in Tallaght to a Luas driver and a teacher, and has a brother. She grew up in a strict Nigerian Catholic household, [2] and attended a Catholic school. [3] Her parents played Nigerian gospel music and chart hits; [2] the first pop album she bought was a Gwen Stefani CD, which she happened upon while she and her father were buying groceries. [2] She spent a period acting, though quit aged twelve, before going through phases of writing, YouTube, and graphic design. [4] After being banned from attending concerts, she found Twitter and Tumblr communities, [5] and spent time operating multiple Stan Twitter accounts, [4] including jointly running a 5 Seconds of Summer stan account along with two other women from London. [6]

"I remember being so gassed about Halsey because she was half Black. It was the most white-passing, like, crumbs, but I was like, thank god! [...] In my head, I thought there didn’t seem to be a lot of us in the scene, so that really motivated me to be there as a Black woman and make that type of music. I remember going into my dad’s room at 1am, like, ‘I think I’m gonna make alternative music because there’s not enough Black women in it’."

Irabor talking to Dork in July 2023 [7]

Around this time, she discovered alternative artists such as Bring Me the Horizon, [7] Halsey, and Lorde; [2] after hearing Halsey's Badlands, she decided to pursue making alternative music, on the grounds that there were not enough Black women making music of this genre. [6] She began writing original compositions aged sixteen, [2] after seeing success from Black Irish artists Soulé and Hare Squead, [5] and after her father bought her a cheap Argos keyboard and a friend gave her lessons; her early efforts were attempts at aping her favourite artists. Aged 18, she moved to London in order to study at BIMM University, and began releasing synth-pop under the name Jenn; [2] at the time, male producers were unwilling to allow her sound to diversify beyond R&B, [5] and she left the music industry disillusioned for just under two years. [4]

Career

By the time of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, she was severely depressed, and lockdown forced her to confront her feelings; [5] reenergised, she resumed production, [7] adopting the stage name Spider after spiders began appearing in her room on the grounds that they were a sign to resume being creative. [2] One of the first tracks she released after returning to making music was "Water Sign", [4] a track partly inspired by Olokun, an androgynous Nigerian deity. [8] The track went viral online in spite of blogs declining coverage; by April 2023, the track had been liked over 160,000 times on TikTok. [6]

Her follow-up, [9] "I'm Fine! I'm Good! I'm Perfect", was written following an emotional breakdown on her twenty first birthday; [8] a music video for the song was released, which was inspired by staples of teenage pop culture such as house parties, Tumblr, and Skins. A TikTok video used to promote the single became very popular with people of colour before receiving large amounts of negative comments and then deleted by TikTok, prompting Irabor to upload a video accusing TikTok's reporting system of being used against marginalised communities. [6] She then released an EP, "C.O.A.", which stood for "Coming of Age"; intended as an authentic representation of Black teenage life, the album included "Water Sign", "I'm Fine! I'm Good! I'm Perfect", and focus track "U Get High/I Get Nothing", [10] which was written about her experiences of poor treatment by a partner. [5] She then joined Loud LDN, [11] a collective of London-based women and genderqueer musicians founded in May 2022. [12]

Shortly after taking a break from TikTok, she entered into a session with Earl Saga, who she had met via industry connections she had made following the success of "Water Sign". After taking the view that music should be used to make radical statements, she wrote "America's Next Top Model", [6] a belligerent response to those who had attempted to shut her down, which she released in February 2023; [13] a music video for the song was released, in which Irabor dances while ignoring white men screaming at her. [13] A subsequent single, "Growing Into It", [14] detailed her contempt for her friends' clout-chasing ex-boyfriends, [6] and in April 2023, she released the EP Hell or High Water, [15] which included "America's Next Top Model" and "Growing Into It". [16] She then supported Blackpink on their Born Pink World Tour. [17] In November 2023, she released the single "Straight Out the Oven", a song which queried her desires to be conventionally attractive and for toxic men to validate her, and announced a third EP, An Object of Desire, which contained her take on her experience of objectification, desire, and intimacy as a young adult who had grown up in a Catholic environment. [3] She released a further single, "Daisy Chain", a track about having her personal space invaded, [18] followed by An Object of Desire in February 2024. [19]

Artistry

In an April 2022 interview with Notion, Irabor noted that Spider was predominantly inspired by Lorde, Halsey, and Taylor Swift, specifically citing Swift's way with words, and noted that she gravitated towards artists with thriving online communities. [4] For Hell or High Water, she compiled her sound by analysing what she making notes on songs she liked, such as the bassline from Charli XCX's "Vroom Vroom" and the guitar from Grimes' "Flesh Without Blood"; [6] the notes for the music video for "America's Next Top Model" were nineteen pages long. [6] In February 2024, The Irish Times wrote that much of her current influence was coming from women-fronted 1990s rock and alternative bands such as Veruca Salt and Hole, with further inspiration taken from Wet Leg, Gus Dapperton, and Momma. [2] In addition, Tara Joshi of The Guardian described Hell or High Water as "throb[bing] with dissonant punk energy". [20] In April 2023, NME described her works as "alt-pop". [6]

Irabor is noted for having a confident on-stage persona; during her performance at the 2023 The Great Escape Festival, she called out her audience several times for responding unenthusiastically, [7] while during one performance as part of DIY's "Hello 2024" series at The Old Blue Last in London, she used one track to call for the audience to name their "shitty exes" and ended by telling the audience "to tell bigots to go fuck themselves". [21] In July 2023, Dork attributed her brashness to going viral during the pandemic, and therefore not having to perform live until later, which meant she had longer to develop confidence in being herself on stage. [7] For her debut headline show, at Camden Assembly, she recruited fellow Black alternative musicians Safesp8ce and Bukky to perform on the bill, so as to make the gig a celebration of Black alternative music. [22]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halsey (singer)</span> American singer (born 1994)

Ashley Nicolette Frangipane, known professionally as Halsey, is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. Noted for her distinctive singing voice, she has received several awards including three Billboard Music Awards, a Billboard Women in Music Award, an American Music Award and nominations for three Grammy Awards. She was included on Time's annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loren Gray</span> American social media personality (born 2002)

Loren Gray Beech is an American singer-songwriter and media personality. Gray rose to prominence in 2015 on the video sharing app, Musical.ly. In 2018, she released her debut single "My Story" under Virgin Records, who she was signed to until February 2021, when she became an independent artist.

mxmtoon American singer-songwriter and YouTuber (born 2000)

Maia, known professionally as mxmtoon, is an American singer-songwriter and YouTuber. Her music is characterized by emotionally transparent, confessional lyrics and often employs the ukulele. She released her first EP, Plum Blossom, in 2018; her debut album, The Masquerade, was released in September 2019. This was followed by the twin EPs Dawn and Dusk in 2020, and second studio album Rising, which was released on May 20, 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Remi Wolf</span> American recording artist

Remi Francis Wolf is an American singer and songwriter from Palo Alto, California. As a senior in high school, she appeared as a contestant on American Idol in 2014. After completing her undergraduate music studies in 2018, she made her solo debut with the self-released extended play You're a Dog! in October 2019. Wolf subsequently released her second EP and major-label debut, I'm Allergic to Dogs!, on Island Records and Virgin EMI Records in June 2020, followed by her debut studio album, Juno, in October 2021. She released her second album, Big Ideas, on July 12, 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lizzy McAlpine</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1999)

Elizabeth Catherine McAlpine is an American singer-songwriter. Born and raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia, McAlpine began gaining recognition by posting original songs and covers online on the platforms SoundCloud and YouTube.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PinkPantheress</span> English singer (born 2001)

Victoria Beverley Walker, known professionally as PinkPantheress, is an English singer, songwriter, and record producer. Her songs, which are frequently short in length and include samples of music from the 1990s and 2000s, span a number of genres, including bedroom pop, drum and bass, alt-pop, and 2-step garage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachel Chinouriri</span> English singer-songwriter (born 1998)

Rachel Chinouriri is an English singer-songwriter. After posting numerous songs on SoundCloud, she began releasing music on major streaming platforms in 2018. She released her debut extended play (EP), Mama's Boy, in 2019 to critical acclaim. One of the songs from the EP, "So My Darling", received attention on TikTok when it became a popular audio to use. Chinouriri was signed to Parlophone, with whom she released her debut mini-album, Four° In Winter, in 2021. Her work Give Me A Reason was nominated for the Best Contemporary Song Ivor Novello Award. She then released her second EP, Better Off Without, in 2022. She released her debut album, What a Devastating Turn of Events, in May 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">So Good (Halsey song)</span> 2022 single by Halsey

"So Good" is a song by American singer-songwriter Halsey. It was released as a single through Capitol Records on June 9, 2022. The song was written by Halsey, Sarah Aarons and Sammy Witte. It was produced by Tobias Karlsson with additional production by Witte and Max Martin. Two days after the song was released, Halsey performed it live for the first time at the 2022 Governors Ball Music Festival.

Isimeme "Naomi" Udu, better known as Hemlocke Springs, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. She first gained attention in 2022, when her song "Girlfriend" achieved viral popularity on TikTok. She released her debut extended play, Going...Going...Gone!, on September 29, 2023.

Claire Chicha, is a French-Korean-American singer-songwriter, known by her stage name Spill Tab. An alternative pop musician, she has been noted by music media outlets for her lo-fi vocals and sound.

Christine Nicole Chlapecka is an American singer, TikTok personality, and left-wing activist. She is best known as a key figure in "#BimboTok", a TikTok subculture centered on reclaiming the bimbo stereotype and aesthetic in a queer, feminist, and leftist context.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caity Baser</span> English singer

Caity Baser is a British singer-songwriter from Southampton, England, but based in Brighton, England. She has had four entries on the UK Singles Chart; "X & Y", which charted at No. 91, "Pretty Boys", which peaked at number 26, "Feels This Good", a Sigala feature which also featured Mae Muller and Stefflon Don, which peaked at number 93 and "Dance Around It" with Joel Corry, which peaked at number 61. She is also a member of Loud LDN.

Eleanor Charlotte Siobhan Dixon is an English musician. She is a member of Loud LDN, and is noted for her use of unorthodox instrumentation, such as mugs, stationery, and kitchen equipment.

Maisie Harriet Brand Bourke, known professionally as Maisi, is a British musician and social media personality from south-east London. She co-founded Loud LDN, a collective of women and non-binary musicians, has released several singles, and appeared on TikTok with her attempts to address her boyfriend's restrictive eating. Her mother is Jo Brand.

<i>Going...Going...Gone!</i> 2023 EP by Hemlocke Springs

Going...Going...Gone! is the debut extended play by American singer and songwriter Hemlocke Springs, which was released by Good Luck Have Fun Records and distributed by AWAL on September 29, 2023. It featured seven original songs with frequent collaborator Burns served as the executive producer for the extended play.

Lucy Tun is an English musician. She has released music under her own name and under the name LCYTN, and is a member of ESEA Music and Loud LDN.

Hannah Grae is a Welsh rock musician from Port Talbot. Several of her works have gone viral online, and she released a mini-album, Hell Is a Teenage Girl, in April 2023. She is a member of Loud LDN.

Sophie Brown, known professionally as ratbag, is a New Zealand musician and multimedia artist. Active since 2021, her music draws influence from grunge, shoegaze, punk, and pop, and often features surreal horror-inspired visuals centered on a fictional cartoon band of monsters, which she depicts in various artistic mediums. After building a following on TikTok, Brown released her debut EP, Why Aren't You Laughing?, in December 2023.

Nadia Ahmed, known professionally as Nxdia, is an Egyptian alt-pop musician. Born in Heliopolis in Egypt, they moved to Manchester aged eight, and began producing their own music after taking a course taught by Everything Everything. Ahmed released "IDC" and then the EP In the Flesh, and then the single "She Likes a Boy", which charted at No. 74 on the UK Singles Sales Chart. A member of Loud LDN, Ahmed's music makes regular use of Arabic and vocal runs.

Daniella Landy Lubasu, known professionally as DellaXOZ, is an English singer. Born in Bolton, she began experimenting with Soundtrap at 12 years old as an outlet for her emotions, before diversifying into GarageBand. She has released two EPs: The Della Variant (2022) and Dellairium (2024). She is a member of Loud LDN.

References

  1. "Irabor Jennifer Osakpolor". ASCAP . Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Spider: 'I want to be the biggest rock star in the world'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  3. 1 2 "Listen to SPIDER's fun new "over-the-top cheerleader rock song"". Kerrang!. 24 November 2023. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Cassidy, Isabelle (8 April 2022). "SPIDER: Coming of Age and Throwing Out The Rule Book". Notion. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "SPIDER's anthemic "U GET HIGH / I GET NOTHING" unpicks the desire for validation". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Chaudhry, Aliya (18 April 2023). "SPIDER is shaping alt-pop in her own delightfully surreal image". NME. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Firth, Abigail (13 July 2023). "Spider: "I was really into alternative music; I would listen to Bring Me The Horizon and shit"". Dork. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  8. 1 2 "New music for 2022: here are the rising artists to check out this year". The Face. 7 January 2022. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  9. "The 1883 Brightest Light Playlist". 1883 Magazine. 17 September 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  10. Ackroyd, Stephen (25 March 2022). "Newcomer SPIDER has arrived with a debut mixtape 'C.O.A'". Dork. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  11. "DIY, March 2023 by DIY Magazine – Issuu". issuu.com. 6 March 2023. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  12. Wilson, Sophie (19 December 2022). ""We're taking over the scene": meet Loud LDN, dance music's most vibrant new collective". NME. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  13. 1 2 "Song You Need: SPIDER refuses to accept the status quo on "America's Next Top Model"". The FADER. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  14. Brayden, Kate. "Dublin artist SPIDER shares raw new single 'Growing Into It'". Hotpress. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  15. "SPIDER – Hell Or High Water". DIY. 26 April 2023. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  16. "Spider details new EP 'Hell or High Water'". DIY. 4 April 2023. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  17. Dunworth, Liberty (1 June 2023). "BLACKPINK announce more support acts for London BST Hyde Park show". NME. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  18. "SPIDER releases new track, 'daisy chain' • WithGuitars". www.withguitars.com. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  19. "SPIDER drops new EP 'an object of desire'". DIY. 26 February 2024. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  20. Joshi, Tara (27 May 2023). "One to watch: Spider". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  21. "Shelf Lives, Spider and more kick off DIY's Hello 2024 series in raucous style". DIY. 11 January 2024. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  22. "SPIDER: "I want there to be more Black women in alternative music……". Kerrang!. 18 June 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.