Alex Winston
Alex Winston | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Alexandra Leigh Winston |
Born | Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, United States | 28 September 1987
Genres | Pop, Indie |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instruments | Vocals, guitar, piano |
Years active | 2007 - present |
Labels |
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Alexandra Leigh Winston (born September 28, 1987) is an American indie pop rock singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.[1]
Biography[]
Alex Winston grew up just outside Detroit. She is classically trained as an opera singer, and a self-taught guitarist, songwriter, and pianist.[2] Winston moved to New York City in 2010, where she began performing as both a solo artist and with bands.[3]
Working with the production duo The Knocks,[3][4] Winston released her first EP, The Basement Covers, on independent label Heavy Roc Music later that year. Recorded in GarageBand, the EP received significant attention, particularly in the UK, where Winston was often compared to Kate Bush, Joanna Newsom, and PJ Harvey. In reviewing the record, The Guardian noted that "there hasn't really been a breakthrough US female from what you might call the alternative/Pitchfork camp, but Alex Winston stands a better chance than most."[5]
Two singles, "Choice Notes" (2010) and "Locomotive" (2011) were released and a music video was made for the latter. These two songs would later appear on the Sister Wife EP, released in February 2011.[6] In 2011, Winston signed with Island Records,[7][8] and subsequently re-released The Sister Wife EP as well as a collection of Sister Wife remixes. Winston's debut album, King Con, came out on V2 Cooperative Music, a Universal imprint. The album was produced by Charlie Hugall (Florence and the Machine, Ed Sheeran, Crystal Fighters), Bjorn Yttling (Lykke Li), and The Knocks.[9]
"Choice Notes" was used as the music bed for a European and UK advertisement for the Hyundai ix20[10] and in an ad for TJ Maxx.[11] Winston's 2011 track, "Velvet Elvis" was used as the background music to the Google Chrome advert entitled Julie Deane.[12] She has performed extensively in the US and in Europe, where she supported Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and Gotye, among others. She has also played at UK festivals including Bestival, VFest, and the Underage Festival.[13][14][15]
Winston released the single "101 Vultures" on her own Rat Rizzo Records imprint in September 2013.[16][17]
In 2015, Winston released The Day I Died EP on 300 Entertainment.[18]
On September 29, 2017, it was announced via Twitter that Winston had embarked on a new pop project entitled Post Precious with Max Hershenow of MS MR.[19] The duo released their Crown EP on July 13, 2018.[20]
Winston released the single, "Tourist," her first solo music in three years, on August 7, 2018.[21]
Discography[]
EPs[]
- By the Roots (Pratdal, 2007)
- The Basement Covers EP (Heavy Roc Music, 2010)
- Sister Wife (Heavy Roc Music, 2011; Island Records, 2011)
- Sister Wife (The Remixes) (Island Records, 2011)
- Velvet Elvis (Heavy Roc Music, 2011)
- The Day I Died (300 Entertainment, 2015)
Albums[]
- King Con (V2/Cooperative Music, 2012)
Singles[]
- "Choice Notes" (2010)
- "Animal Baby" (2010)
- "Velvet Elvis" (2011)
- "Sister Wife" (2011)
- "Locomotive" (2011)
- "101 Vultures" (2013)
- "Careless" (2014)
- "We Got Nothing" (2015)
- "The Day I Died" (2015)
- "Tourist" (2018)
- “Miss U 1000000” (2019)
- “Wash” (2019)
Other songs[]
- "Pet Sematary" (2010)
- "Medicine" (2011)
- "Pretend It's Love" (The Postelles featuring Alex Winston) (2013)
References[]
- ^ Ozzi, Dan. "Alex Winston Should Be Famous". Noisey.vice.com. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- ^ Werthman, Christine. "The Great Pretender Role-playing with Alex Winston". March 21, 2012. CMJ. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Interview Music Staff. "ALEX WINSTON, THE MOTOR CITY INGÉNUE". Spring, 2011. Interview. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- ^ Hodgson, Jaimie. "Alex Winston - The Blood In The Quirky Solo Cred-Pop Stone". August 17, 2010. NME. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- ^ Lester, Paul. "New Band of the Day: Alex Winston". August 23, 2010. The Guardian. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- ^ Cragg, Michael. "New music: Alex Winston - Sister Wife". January 12, 2011. The Guardian. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- ^ Hammp, Andrew. "Scouting Report: Alt-Pop Singer Alex Winston". October 25, 2013. Billboard. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- ^ Ford, Susan. "Alex Winston Announces Rescheduled Tour Dates". June 25, 2011. Glasgow Music. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- ^ "Alex Winston at AllMusic". 2013. AllMusic. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- ^ "Choice Notes [Hyundai ix20] (4:04)". S013. LastFM. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- ^ "TJ Maxx Advert Spring 2011". Spring 2011. YouTube. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- ^ Paul (Staff). "Google Chrome – Julie Deane". September 11, 2012. TV Ad Music. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- ^ "Gotye world domination extends to London". November 4, 2011. Australian Times. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- ^ "Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros". August 30, 2011. 02 Shepherd's Bush Empire. Archived from the original on 21 January 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- ^ "Alex Winston, Chromeo, Wolfgang added to V Festival line–up". June 15, 2011. NME. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- ^ "Hear Alex Winston's Fire Breathing "101 Vultures"". September 13, 2013. Spin. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- ^ Williott, Carl. "Alex Winston's "101 Vultures"". September 13, 2013. Idolator. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- ^ Ozzi, Dan (June 8, 2015). "Listen to Alex Winston's Rebirth on 'The Day I Died' EP". Vice.com.
- ^ Precious, Post (2017-09-29). "We're here! Stay tuned. Thanks to @onestowatch for featuring us (in bio, x @catielaffoon)pic.twitter.com/bfxrScyKDk". @postprecious. Retrieved 2017-10-16.
- ^ "The 405 meets Post Precious". Thefourohfive.com.
- ^ Ozzi, Dan (August 6, 2018). "Alex Winston's "Tourist" Is a Pretty Savage Takedown of an Ex". Vice.com.
External links[]
- Living people
- Island Records artists
- 1987 births
- 21st-century American women singers
- 21st-century American singers
- 21st-century American guitarists
- 21st-century multi-instrumentalists
- American women guitarists
- American multi-instrumentalists
- People from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
- Singers from Michigan
- Guitarists from Michigan
- Songwriters from Michigan
- American women pop singers
- American women singer-songwriters
- American singer-songwriters
- 21st-century American women guitarists