Alex Winston

Alex Winston

One of Alex Winston's promotional pictures from a shoot in Brooklyn by Shervin Lainez
Background information
Birth name Alexandra Leigh Winston
Born (1987-09-28) 28 September 1987
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, United States
Genres Pop
Occupation(s) Musician
Instruments Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active 2007 - present
Labels Heavy Roc Music
Island Records
V2/CoOp
Rat Rizzo Records

Alexandra Leigh Winston is an American indie pop rock singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.[1]

Biography

Winston grew up just outside Detroit. Classically trained as an opera singer—and a self-taught guitarist, songwriter, and pianist—Winston decided to pursue a career in music after graduating from high school.[2] "I started bands at a pretty young age and played with my friends back in Detroit," Winston stated in a 2013 interview. "I've always known that I wanted to do this. It was all I was ever interested in doing." Rather than attend college, 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]

She has scheduled a 2015 Summer Tour to coincide with the "An Intimate Night With Neon Trees" Tour on various dates. She will run with the Neon Trees from June 6th through June 26th finishing up in Council Bluffs, IA at the Stir Cove at Harrah's Casino, before heading to a solo concert at the New York, NY Mercury Lounge.[18][19][20]

Discography

EPs

Albums

Singles

Other songs

References

  1. ↑ Ozzi, Dan. "Alex Winston Should Be Famous". Fall, 2013. Vice. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  2. ↑ Werthman, Christine. "The Great Pretender Role-playing with Alex Winston". March 21, 2012. CMJ. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  3. 1 2 Interview Music Staff. "ALEX WINSTON, THE MOTOR CITY INGÉNUE". Spring, 2011. Interview. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  4. ↑ Hodgson, Jaimie. "Alex Winston - The Blood In The Quirky Solo Cred-Pop Stone". August 17, 2010. NME. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  5. ↑ Lester, Paul. "New Band of the Day: Alex Winston". August 23, 2010. The Guardian. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  6. ↑ Cragg, Michael. "New music: Alex Winston - Sister Wife". January 12, 2011. The Guardian. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  7. ↑ Hammp, Andrew. "Scouting Report: Alt-Pop Singer Alex Winston". October 25, 2013. Billboard. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  8. ↑ Ford, Susan. "Alex Winston Announces Rescheduled Tour Dates". June 25, 2011. Glasgow Music. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  9. ↑ "Alex Winston at AllMusic". 2013. AllMusic. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  10. ↑ "Choice Notes [Hyundai ix20] (4:04)". S013. LastFM. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  11. ↑ "TJ Maxx Advert Spring 2011". Spring 2011. YouTube. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  12. ↑ Paul (Staff). "Google Chrome – Julie Deane". September 11, 2012. TV Ad Music. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  13. ↑ "Gotye world domination extends to London". November 4, 2011. Australian Times. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  14. ↑ "Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros". August 30, 2011. 02 Shepherd's Bush Empire. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  15. ↑ "Alex Winston, Chromeo, Wolfgang added to V Festival line–up". June 15, 2011. NME. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  16. ↑ "Hear Alex Winston's Fire Breathing "101 Vultures"". September 13, 2013. Spin. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  17. ↑ Williott, Carl. "Alex Winston's "101 Vultures"". September 13, 2013. Idolator. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  18. ↑ "Alex Winston". Retrieved May 6, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Fame Is Dead". Retrieved May 6, 2015.
  20. ↑ "Neon Trees 2015 An Intimate Night With Neon Trees Tour Schedule". May 6, 2015. Retrieved May 6, 2015.

External links

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