Jessy Lanza
Jessy Lanza is a Canadian electronic songwriter, producer, and vocalist from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.[1] She has released three albums, Pull My Hair Back (2013), Oh No (2016) and All the Time (2020), to critical praise on UK label Hyperdub.
Jessy Lanza | |
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![]() Lanza performing in Philadelphia | |
Background information | |
Born | September 3, 1985 |
Origin | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
Genres | Techno-pop, R&B, electronic |
Occupation(s) | DJ, music producer, songwriter, vocalist |
Instruments | Vocals, drum machine, keyboard, synth |
Years active | 2009–present |
Labels | Hyperdub |
Associated acts | Junior Boys, Caribou, DJ Spinn, DJ Taye, Morgan Geist, The Drum, The Galleria |
Website | jessylanza |
Life and career
Lanza grew up playing piano and clarinet before going to Concordia University to study jazz.[2][3][4] Before starting her career as a singer and music producer, she worked as a music teacher.[5]
Lanza was listed as one of the best new artists of 2013 by XLR8R.[6] In a review of her debut album, Pull My Hair Back, she was described by The Guardian as "the latest and possibly greatest of the new ethereal soul girls"[7] and ranked #4 on Resident Advisor's Top 20 Albums of 2013.[8] Pull My Hair Back was co-written and co-produced with Jeremy Greenspan of Junior Boys and released on the UK's Hyperdub record label. The album Pull My Hair Back was a shortlisted nominee for the 2014 Polaris Music Prize.[9]
In 2014, Lanza collaborated with Caribou on his album Our Love. In 2015, she recorded vocals for The Galleria EP Calling Card / Mezzanine. The duo released a single in 2019 titled Stop & Go.
Her second album Oh No was released in 2016, and was shortlisted again for the 2016 Polaris Music Prize.[10]
Her third album All the Time was released in July 2020.
Influences
Lanza possesses a soprano vocal range, similar to Elizabeth Fraser and Aaliyah.[11] As a child, Lanza listened to Janet Jackson and Paula Abdul.[4] The singer said that having a background in studying jazz helped her to have "the ability to hear and lift chord progressions", which led her to an understanding of R&B music that permeates her recent work.[5] Laced with funk, soul, R&B, and haunting high-register vocals, Lanza cites Missy Elliott and Timbaland as early influences on her songwriting.[12] The singer has also cited such artists as Evelyn "Champagne" King and Melba Moore.[13] She also cited Japanese synthpop artists of the 1970s and 1980s, such as Yellow Magic Orchestra members Haruomi Hosono, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Yukihiro Takahashi, as key influences.[14] She has a postmodern approach to writing music, comparing her songs to a mashup of all the pop songs over the last 40 years that she likes.[4]
Discography
Studio albums
- Pull My Hair Back (2013)
- Oh No (2016)
- All the Time (2020)
EPs
- You Never Show Your Love (2015)
Singles
- "Beach Mode" (2013) Ikonika feature
- "Kathy Lee" (2013)
- "Keep Moving" (2013)
- "5785021" (2014)
- "You and Me" (2014)
- "You Never Show Your Love" (2015) (ft. DJ Spinn & Taso)
- "It Means I Love You" (2016)
- "VV Violence" (2016)
- "Oh No" (2016)
- "Lick in Heaven" (2020)
- "Face" (2020)
- “Anyone Around” (2020)
References
- Cox, Jamieson. "Jessy Lanza. Pull My Hair Back (Review)". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
- Ryce, Andrew. "Breaking Through: Jessy Lanza". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
- Bentley, Jason. "KCRW Presents: Jessy Lanza". Npr.org. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
- "Jessy Lanza: The pop writer who isn't a pop star, the cool kid who isn't a hipster". Loudandquiet.com. Retrieved 2020-03-26.
- "The understated, alluring RnB of Jessy Lanza". Loudandquiet.com. Retrieved 2020-03-26.
- "XLR8R's Best of 2013: New Artists". XLR8R. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
- Lester, Paul. "Jessy Lanza". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
- "RA Poll: Top 20 albums of 2013". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
- "Arcade Fire, Drake, Shad make Polaris Music Prize short list". CTV News, July 15, 2014.
- Brophy, Aaron (14 July 2016). "2016 Polaris Music Short List Is Here". Polaris Music Prize. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
- "CD: Jessy Lanza - Oh No | The Arts Desk". Theartsdesk.com. Retrieved 2020-03-26.
- Lindsay, Benjamin. "JESSY LANZA, HAMILTON'S HEROINE". Interview Magazine. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
- "JESSY LANZA". Crack Magazine. Retrieved 2020-03-26.
- Spice, Anton (March 23, 2016). "Jessy Lanza's 6 essential Japanese electronic pop records". Thevinylfactory.com. Retrieved 2020-03-26.