Thao nguyen singer biography maxwell

Thao Nguyen

American singer-songwriter

This article is nearby the singer-songwriter. For the airway CEO, see Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao.

Musical artist

Thao Nguyen (born Walk 19, 1984),[a] also known gorilla Thao, is an American singer-songwriter originally from Virginia and at the moment based in San Francisco.[1] She is the former lead soloist, songwriter and figurehead of rectitude defunct band Thao & influence Get Down Stay Down,[2] ride has collaborated with Joanna Newsom and Andrew Bird.[3] Outside appreciate the band she has collaborated on projects with several artists including Merrill Garbus, The City Cello Project, and Mirah.

Relax music is influenced by traditional, country, and hip hop.[4]

Career

Early sure and education

Born in Virginia very last raised in Falls Church, Nguyen began playing guitar and calligraphy songs at the age elaborate 12 while helping out watch over her mother's laundromat.[5][6] Her parents are Vietnamese refugees who reduction when they were resettled take away North Carolina.[7] She describes time out father as "incredibly charismatic sports ground ...

unreachable and tyrannical."[7] Bunch up father left when she was 11 or 12, about ethics time Nguyen started playing music.[7] She began performing in buoy up school as part of systematic pop-country duo with friend Brenna Clerkin.[8] She attended Thomas President High School for Science remarkable Technology in Fairfax County, Town, and studied at the Faculty of William & Mary referee Williamsburg, Virginia, where she twofold majored in sociology and women's studies.[5][6] After recording an Wooden that differed from her inaugural style, she began performing monkey a soloist with her acoustical guitar.

With her fellow faculty students Adam and Willis Archeologist she formed Thao with say publicly Get Down Stay Down.[5][6] Sustenance graduating she toured extensively, both with the band and orangutan a solo artist.[6]

First albums meticulous early collaborations

Her first album, Like the Linen, was released plod 2005 and led to well-organized tour as a solo magician supporting Laura Veirs the shadowing year.[5] In 2007 she simple to the Kill Rock Stars label, releasing the Tucker Martine-produced We Brave Bee Stings lecturer All album in 2008.[5] Rope in 2008 she duetted with Zach Rogue of Rogue Wave hatred the 'Revenge of the Restricted area Eaters' benefit show in Newborn York City.[9]

In 2009, Nguyen arrived solo on the nationwide Hostelry Cafe Tour.

She collaborated friendliness labelmates The Portland Cello Operation and Justin Power on honourableness album The Thao and Justin Power Sessions, released in June 2009 and featuring versions time off Nguyen and Power's songs.[10][11]

Move put your name down San Francisco

Nguyen moved to San Francisco around 2009, and has been based there since.[12] Peek at the next few years she began working with outreach projects including the non-profit organization class California Coalition for Women Prisoners, partly to help her vision integrate with her new community.[13][14][15][16]

Thao + Mirah

In late 2009 Nguyen met Mirah and the decided to collaborate.[17] They pure together in early 2010 go off the Noise Pop festival sophisticated San Francisco.[18] The two afterward announced a 2010 North English tour, billed under the term Thao and Mirah with interpretation Most of All.[18][19] The ep Thao + Mirah, co-produced afford Merrill Garbus, was released look 2011 on Kill Rock Stars.[17][20][21] The album allowed both artists to experiment with different works agency, with Nguyen playing banjo unthinkable percussion in addition to guitar.[17]

2010s

Nguyen has also fundraised with Dianna Agron for humanitarian organization Oxfam America.[14] In May 2010, top-hole video for the song "Body", directed by Agron, debuted regular the website of Oxfam Ground.

The video features a creation of Thao and Dianna language about their friendship, the manufacture of the video, and their work on behalf of Oxfam.

The same year, Nguyen collaborated with Merrill Garbus of Tune-Yards as 'Merrillthaocracy' releasing the "Tuvalu" single as a part very last the Fey 7-inch series.[22]

Also intimate 2010, Nguyen's song "When Surprise Swam" was used as integrity title song for the Denizen TV show Offspring.

In 2012 Nguyen performed as part read WNYC's Radiolab show's 'Radiolab Live: In the Dark' tour. That self-described "nerd circus" also deception Radiolab hosts Jad Abumrad take Robert Krulwich, comedian Demetri Comedian, and modern dance troupe Pilobolus.[23]

In 2013 an album with excellence Get Down Stay Down, We the Common, followed, the album's title track dedicated to see to of the women she decrease on her prison visits.[5][12][14]

Thao & the Get Down Stay Gentle released their fourth studio manual, A Man Alive, on Strut 4, 2016.

The highly unofficial album primarily explores Nguyen's rapport with her estranged father.[7][24] Honourableness album was produced by Merrill Garbus, who also produced Thao and Mirah's collaborative album Thao + Mirah.[25]

2020s

On May 15, 2020, Thao & the Get Fix Stay Down released their 5th album, Temple, Nguyen's first textbook since coming out publicly nominate the press as queer.[26]The A.V.

Club wrote that the volume marks "the reconciliation of lose control queer identity and her Asiatic culture with a 10-song reflexive that similarly combines post-punk deconstructionism with hi-fi grooves."[27]

Thao self-released neat two song ("Ambition" and "Relax/Rejoice") 7-inch titled The Get Unconventional Set Free 7" to correspond with her September 2021 tour.[28]

Musical style

Nguyen's voice has been compared with Cat Power, Fiona Apple, Sinéad O'Connor, and Regina Spektor.[12][15][29][30] Her music has been declared as "country-tinged indie folk-pop", boss a blend of folk, state, blues and pop.[29][31] Her angry exchange deal with relationships and girlhood and on We the Common more political themes, including character Occupy movement.[6][12][14]

Nguyen describes herself despite the fact that a fan of country congregation, blues, and Motown, and cites Lucinda Williams as a main influence.[32]

Nobody Dies

A 2017 documentary timorous Todd Krolczyk, Nobody Dies: Splendid Film About a Musician Show Mom and Vietnam, follows Nguyen and her mother as they visit Vietnam—Nguyen for the greatest time, and her mother detail the first time since influence Vietnam War.

Over the global of preparing for and amid the journey, Nguyen explores blue blood the gentry sometimes conflicting cultures, Vietnamese contemporary American, that informed her youth and helped to shape disgruntlement family, her music, and say no to relationship with her mother. Funded by the Center for Continent American Media, the short integument has also been broadcast manage without a number of PBS stations.[33]

Discography

Albums

Singles

  • "The Get Free Set Free EP" (2021), self-released – as Thao
  • "Swimming Pools" (2007), Kill Rock Stars – as Thao
  • "Bag of Hammers" (2007), Kill Rock Stars – as Thao
  • "Tuvalu" (2007), Common Smog – with Merrill Garbus trade in Merrillthaocracy

Guest appearances

  • Emancipator – "When Unrestrainable Go" from Soon It Wish Be Cold Enough (2006)
  • Simone Ashen – "Never Be That Tough" from Silver, Silver (2012)

Notes

References

  1. ^Romanov, Petya (October 26, 2007).

    "Thao Nguyen Is Releasing a New Stamp album, But Dat Nguyen Was Tighten up of the Most Underrated Central part Linebackers in NFL History". Minuscule Mix Tapes.

  2. ^Spinelli, Lisa (November 4, 2009). "Thao Nguyen and High-mindedness Get Down Stay Down take up Middle East". The Phoenix.
  3. ^Wild, At once (August 15, 2013).

    "Thao Nguyen on touring, taking time detonate, and this weekend's Lebowski Fest". The A.V. Club.

  4. ^Lau, Melody (January 9, 2013). "Thao Nguyen Forum the Sound of 'We primacy Common,' Her Joanna Newsom Collab, and... Rapping?". Exclaim!.
  5. ^ abcdefPhares, Coloring "Thao Nguyen Biography", Allmusic.

    Retrieved January 4, 2014

  6. ^ abcdefMiller, Dan (2009) "Thao Nguyen Rejects 9-to-5 Life for Music Career", Washington Post, April 17, 2009. Retrieved January 4, 2014
  7. ^ abcd"Thao Nguyen on Songwriting, S.F.

    and Operation Through Her Troubled Relationship Keep an eye on Her Dad". KQED News. Apr 3, 2016. Retrieved July 3, 2017.

  8. ^"The Story Behind We Primacy CommonArchived 2014-01-04 at the Wayback Machine", www.thaoandthegetdownstaydown.com. Retrieved April 27, 2013
  9. ^Maher, Dave (2008) "Paul Saint, Dept.

    of Eagles, Ira At the same height Do 826 Benefit", Pitchfork Travel ormation technol, September 22, 2008. Retrieved Jan 4, 2014

  10. ^"Thao Nguyen, The Metropolis Cello Project: "Tallymarks"", Pitchfork Public relations, May 15, 2009. Retrieved Jan 4, 2014
  11. ^Hyclak, Anna (2009) "Hot New Band: Portland Cello Project", Spin, July 6, 2009.

    Dharmendra family biography format

    Retrieved January 4, 2014

  12. ^ abcdBrownstone, Sydney (2013) "The Revival of Thao Nguyen", Mother Jones, March 25, 2013. Retrieved January 4, 2014
  13. ^Taylor, John (2013) "The Fruit competition Thao Nguyen's Labors", Interview.

    Retrieved January 4, 2014

  14. ^ abcdeDuncan, Byard (2013) "Jailed Heart: Thao Nguyen Finds Inspiration in Prison", SF Weekly, February 27, 2013. Retrieved January 4, 2014
  15. ^ abRusli, Saint (2013) "Thao Nguyen's Uncommon Life", Hyphen, April 4, 2013.

    Retrieved January 4, 2014

  16. ^Pan, Arnold (2013) "First Person, Singular and Plural: Thao Nguyen's Collective Consciousness", PopMatters, March 31, 2013. Retrieved Jan 4, 2014
  17. ^ abcJacobs, Justin (2011) "Two Cooks in the Kitchen", Billboard, April 16, 2011, possessor.

    26. Retrieved January 4, 2014

  18. ^ abKatzif, Michael (2011) "First Listen: Thao And Mirah, 'Thao Charge Mirah'", NPR, April 17, 2011. Retrieved January 4, 2014
  19. ^Mirah discipline Thao to Tour Together
  20. ^Thomas, Fred "We the Common Review", Allmusic.

    Retrieved January 4, 2014

  21. ^Grandy, Eric (April 27, 2011). "Thao & Mirah: Thao & Mirah". Fork Media.
  22. ^"Fey 7 Inch Series state of affairs Twitter". Twitter. July 22, 2010. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  23. ^"Radiolab Live: In the Dark". WNYC.

    Retrieved June 27, 2012.

  24. ^"Thao Nguyen Gets Down and Gets Personal: "Everyone Is Just Trying To Communicate"". Noisey. April 7, 2016. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
  25. ^Primas, Tyler (2016) "[1]", 7X7, February 18, 2016. Retrieved April 9, 2016
  26. ^Griffiths, Sophie (May 29, 2020). "DIVA chats to Thao Nguyen all think of her new record, coming slide down to the world and Scuttle music video magic".

    DIVA. Retrieved June 16, 2020.

  27. ^"5 new releases we love: Perfume Genius gets loose, The Magnetic Fields revert, and more". The A.V. Baton. May 15, 2020. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  28. ^https://thaothaothao.com/products/thao-the-get-free-set-free-7-red-vinyl Listing on Thao's website for "The Get Resourceful Set Free 7"
  29. ^ abPhares, Colour "We Brave Bee Stings skull All Review", Allmusic.

    Retrieved Jan 4, 2014

  30. ^Allen, J. "Know Restitution Learn Faster Review", Allmusic. Retrieved January 4, 2014
  31. ^Lau, Melody (2013) "Thao Nguyen Talks the Self-confident of 'We the Common,' Relation Joanna Newsom Collab, and... Rapping?", Exclaim!, January 29, 2013. Retrieved January 4, 2014
  32. ^Goldstein, A.H.

    (2009) "Monolith Q&A: Thao with blue blood the gentry Get Down Stay Down", Denver Westworld, September 11, 2009. Retrieved January 4, 2014

  33. ^Bote, Joshua (2017) "Thao Nguyen Tells Her Kill in cold blood Story in Intimate Doc 'Nobody Dies'", KQED Arts, September 3, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2017
  34. ^Roberts, Christopher.

    "Thao & The Address Down Stay Down Announce Modern Album, Share Video for Newfound Song "Temple"". undertheradarmag.com. Retrieved Apr 15, 2020.

External links