Amanda MacKinnon Palmer (born April 30, 1976) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, andperformance artist who is the lead vocalist, pianist, and lyricist of the duothe Dresden Dolls.[3] She performs as a solo artist and was also a member of the duoEvelyn Evelyn and the lead singer and songwriter of Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra.[4] She has gained acult fanbase and was one of the first musical artists to popularize the use ofcrowdfunding websites.[5]
Amanda MacKinnon Palmer was born in theMount Sinai Hospital inNew York City,[6] and grew up inLexington, Massachusetts.[7] Her father was a physicist and her mother was a computer programmer.[8] Her parents divorced when she was one year old, and as a child she rarely saw her father.[9] Palmer has described her parents as "middle-upper class".[10]
She attendedLexington High School, where she was involved in the drama department,[11] and later attendedWesleyan University[12][8] where she studied theater and was a member of theEclectic Society.[13] In 1999, Palmer founded the Shadowbox Collective, a performance group devoted tostreet theatre and putting on theatrical shows (such as the 2002 play,Hotel Blanc,[14] which she directed).
Palmer performing with the Dresden Dolls at Kings Arms Tavern inAuckland, New Zealand, September 2006
At a Halloween party in 2000, Palmer met the drummerBrian Viglione and afterwards they formed the Dresden Dolls. In an effort to expand the performance experience and interactivity, Palmer began invitingLexington High School students to perform drama pieces at the Dresden Dolls' live shows. This evolved to the Dirty Business Brigade, a troupe of seasoned and new artists, performing at many gigs.[16]
In 2006,The Dresden Dolls Companion[17] was published, with words, music and artwork by Amanda Palmer.[17] In it she has written a history of the albumThe Dresden Dolls and of the duo, as well as a partial autobiography. The book also contains the lyrics,sheet music, and notes on each song in the album, all written by Palmer, as well as a DVD with a 20-minute interview of Amanda about making the book.[citation needed]
Palmer conceived the musical/productionThe Onion Cellar, based on a short story fromThe Tin Drum byGünter Grass. From December 9, 2006, through January 13, 2007, the Dresden Dolls performed the piece in conjunction with theAmerican Repertory Theater at the Zero Arrow Theatre inCambridge, Massachusetts. While Palmer was openly frustrated with the direction of the show, fan and critical reviews were very positive.[18]
Though the Dresden Dolls broke up in 2008, Palmer and Viglione have continued to collaborate, and have had several minor reunions under the band name in 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017, and 2018.[21] In 2022, the Dresden Dolls reunited, and started work on a new album. In 2023, they toured the US.[22][23]
2007–2010:Who Killed Amanda Palmer,Evelyn Evelyn, and theatrical work
In July 2007, Palmer played three sold-out shows (in Boston, Hoboken, and NYC) in a new "with band" format. Her backing band was Boston alternative rock groupAberdeen City, who also opened along with Dixie Dirt. In August 2007, Palmer traveled to perform in theSpiegeltent and other venues at theEdinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland, and also performed onBBC Two'sThe Edinburgh Show. She collaborated with Australian theater company the Danger Ensemble; both again appeared at the Spiegeltent in Melbourne and at other venues around Australia in December 2007.
In September 2007, Palmer collaborated withJason Webley to launch the new projectEvelyn Evelyn with the EPElephant Elephant. In the project, the duo playconjoined twin sisters named Eva and Lyn, and through their music tell their fictional backstory.
In July 2008, the Dresden Dolls released a second book, theVirginia Companion, a follow-up toThe Dresden Dolls Companion, featuring the music and lyrics from theYes, Virginia...(2006) andNo, Virginia... (2008) albums, produced by Sean Slade and Paul Kolderie.[24]
In June 2008, Palmer established her solo career with two well-received performances with theBoston Pops.[25][26]
Her first solo studio album,Who Killed Amanda Palmer, was released on September 16, 2008.Ben Folds produced and also played on the album.[27][28] The title is a play on an expression used by fans duringTwin Peaks' original run, "Who killedLaura Palmer?" A companion book of photos of Palmer looking as if she were murdered was released in July 2009. TitledWho Killed Amanda Palmer a Collection of Photographic Evidence, it featured photography byKyle Cassidy and stories byNeil Gaiman, as well as lyrics from the album.[29]
In late 2008, she toured Europe with Jason Webley,Zoë Keating and The Danger Ensemble, performing songs mostly from her debut solo album. She did most of the shows with a broken foot she had sustained inBelfast,Northern Ireland when a car ran over her foot as she stepped out into a street.[30] In April 2009, she played at theCoachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.[31]
In 2010, Palmer returned to theA.R.T. for a two-month run ofCabaret, starring as the Emcee.[33] The same year the Dresden Dolls reunited for a United States tour starting on Halloween in New York City and ending in San Francisco on New Year's Eve.[34] On March 30, 2010, Palmer and Webley released their debutself-titled album as Evelyn Evelyn. This was accompanied by a worldwide tour and graphic novel based on the story of the sisters.[35]
Palmer began using the ukulele during a concert as a goof, but soon it became a regular part of her repertoire. Later, she recorded a full album with ukulele accompaniment:Amanda Palmer Performs the Popular Hits of Radiohead on Her Magical Ukulele.[36][37][38]
On April 20, 2012, Palmer announced on her blog that she launched a new album pre-order onKickstarter. The Kickstarter project was ultimately supported by 24,883 backers for a total of $1,192,793[39] — at the time, the most funds ever raised for a musical project on Kickstarter. A widely reported and commented upon controversy emerged from the related tour when Palmer blogged asking for "semi-professional" local musicians (fans who were already planning on attending various stops on the tour) to volunteer to play a couple of songs with her and her band, the Grand Theft Orchestra, during their live shows for "exposure, fun, beer and hugs" instead of money.[40][41][42][43][44][45][46]
After outcry from various music unions and professional musicians, Palmer responded publicly and changed her policy to one of paying local musicians cash.[47][48] The album,Theatre Is Evil, was recorded with the Grand Theft Orchestra, produced byJohn Congleton, and released in September 2012. On November 9, 2012, Palmer released the music video for "Do it With a Rockstar" onThe Flaming Lips' website. The video was co-created and directed byWayne Coyne, the singer ofthe Flaming Lips.[49] Subsequent videos were released for "The Killing Type" and "The Bed Song".
On March 3, 2015, Amanda began soliciting financial support on the crowdfunding platformPatreon.[55]Palmer spoke at the 2015Hay Festival about the prospect of reconciling art and motherhood. The talk was recorded for theBBC Radio 4 seriesFour Thought and broadcast on June 21, 2015.[56] Also in 2015, she served as a judge for The 14th Annual Independent Music Awards. During the first months of 2016, she released the completely Patreon-funded song "Machete", and aDavid Bowie tribute EP, entitledStrung Out In Heaven: A Bowie String Quartet Tribute.[55][57] Palmer collaborated with her father, Jack Palmer, to record an album entitledYou Got Me Singing.[58] They performed concerts in July 2016 in support of the album.[59]
Amanda Palmer collaborated withLegendary Pink Dots frontmanEdward Ka-Spel to record an album,I Can Spin a Rainbow. The duo toured in May and June 2017 in support of the album, backed by Legendary Pink Dots' former violin player Patrick Q. Wright.[60]
2019–present:There Will Be No Intermission and podcast
On March 8, 2019, Palmer released her third solo studio album and first in seven years,There Will Be No Intermission. The album was promoted by an extensive world tour that was filmed for her patrons on Patreon.
In fall 2020, Palmer launched a podcast calledThe Art of Asking Everything.[61] On October 31, 2020, Palmer and Viglione performed "Science Fiction/Double Feature" to open theWisconsin Democrats Livestream fundraiser that reunited some originalRocky Horror Picture Show cast members to act out the show with additional stars and singers.[62]
For more than a decade, Palmer lived in an independent artists' cooperative named the Cloud Club inBoston, Massachusetts.[63]
Palmer has practiced yoga and meditation. In 2008, she wrote an article titled "Melody vs. Meditation" for theBuddhist publicationShambhala Sun (now known as 'Lion's Roar'), which described the struggle between songwriting and being able to clear the mind to meditate.[64]
Palmer has said that she is bisexual,[65] tellingafterellen.com in 2007: "I'm bisexual, but it's not the sort of thing I spent a lot of time thinking about."[66] She has spoken about her open relationships,[67] and has commented on feminist issues.[68]
Palmer has said that she once worked as a stripper under the name Berlin.[69] She wrote the song "Berlin" about this experience.[70]
Palmer has had three abortions, and her song "Voicemail for Jill" is about these experiences.[71][72]
Palmer, then 33, and the British authorNeil Gaiman, then 49, confirmed their engagement in 2010.[73] The couple married in a private ceremony in January 2011.[74] The wedding took place in the parlor of the writersAyelet Waldman andMichael Chabon.[75] The two had anopen marriage,[67] and encouraged one another to have affairs, including with fans of their work.[76] Palmer and Gaiman have a son, born in 2015.[77]
In November 2022, Palmer and Gaiman announced in a joint statement that they would divorce.[78][79]
In January 2025, aVulture article implicated Palmer as being complicit in the alleged sexual abuse by Gaiman of at least two women. When one, a former nanny, filed a police report in New Zealand, she said an officer told her that Palmer's cooperation was essential for the case; Palmer declined to speak with police.[76] In February 2025, she was sued for alleged human trafficking, conspiracy to commit human trafficking, and negligence which was filed as a multi-state filing due to difficulty in determining her actual current state of residency.[80][81] Palmer denied the allegations made against her.[82]
^Eichler, Jeremy (June 20, 2008)."All dolled up at the Pops – Palmer brings the edge but the fest needs more".The Boston Globe.Archived from the original on June 27, 2008. RetrievedJune 7, 2008.Last night in Symphony Hall, Amanda Palmer brought some spark and much-needed edge to the Boston Pops' EdgeFest. On her own terms, Palmer, in strong gravelly voice, gave a richly satisfying performance that had this crowd roaring far more than most in Symphony Hall. But even she couldn't overcome the deeper tensions that make the EdgeFest a strained format.
^"Dresden Doll Preps Solo Debut".spin.com music for life. spin.com. April 25, 2007. Archived fromthe original on December 13, 2007. RetrievedDecember 8, 2007.The Dresden Dolls' Amanda Palmer chats with SPIN.com about her forthcoming solo effort.
^Palmer, Amanda (April 1, 2007)."here to dispel".Speculation: Solo Album Title. The Dresden Dolls. Archived fromthe original on September 15, 2018. RetrievedDecember 8, 2007... i am recording the solo album....in nashville, at ben folds' studio, with ben, who is producing the record and playing on it.
^Artsy, Avishay."Neutral Milk Hotel Album Transformed For Stage: NPR".NPR.Archived from the original on November 19, 2010. RetrievedDecember 27, 2010.'I watch people proselytize this record all over the world, and it's like this secret brotherhood of awesome music that's never had any kind of big mainstream publicity,' Palmer says. 'It's just this sacred record that people connect through.'
^A.C. Lee; photo by Marco Sanchez (August 9, 2013)."Celebrating Steampunk, the Old Updated for Today".The New York Times. p. C27.ISSN0362-4331. RetrievedAugust 12, 2013.Around the corner, at the bandshell in Damrosch Park, you can catch Amanda Palmer & the Grand Theft Orchestra,...
^nyctaper (August 11, 2013)."Amanda Palmer: August 9, 2013 Damrosch Park Lincoln Center". RetrievedAugust 12, 2013.On the final weekend of Lincoln Center's "Out Of Doors" Summer concert series, Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra brought their "punk cabaret" for a free show in a public park ...
^"Best Twitter Feed".Contests.thephoenix.com. Vol. LXXVI, no. 16. The Phoenix Media/Communications Group. April 13, 2012. p. 24. Archived fromthe original on February 4, 2013. RetrievedApril 15, 2012.
^Spinner Staff; photo by Sarah Komar, WireImage (July 15, 2007)."Women Who Rock Right Now: No. 6". spinner.com. Archived fromthe original on May 8, 2013. RetrievedDecember 8, 2007.Who: Amanda Palmer Birthplace: Lexington, Mass. Sound: Cabaret punk Palmer – one-half of Boston's Brechtian punk cabaret duo the Dresden Dolls – ain't no damsel in distress. The former street artist chokeholds her demons, teetering between sinister screeches and whimsical whispers of alcohol, self-mutilation and sexual exploration, while discordantly pummeling the piano – stocking-clad legs akimbo – in a sultry, sinful self-deprecation exorcism.
^Christopher Muther (November 1, 2006)."Boston's Stylish 25".The Boston Globe. RetrievedDecember 8, 2007.Dresden Dolls lead singer Amanda Palmer, quite literally, has a rockstar wardrobe.
^Mike Errico (December 2006)."Hottest Women of...Rock!".Blender.com. Archived fromthe original on February 10, 2007. RetrievedDecember 8, 2007.Amanda Palmer – The pianist and singer of Brechtian Boston duo Dresden Dolls mashes up punk rock and cabaret, sings about transsexuals and explores the elaborate deceptions that alcoholics commit daily.
^Half Jack."Amanda Palmer". bestuff.com. Archived fromthe original on January 5, 2008. RetrievedDecember 8, 2007.In the 2005 WFNX /Boston Phoenix Best Music Poll, Palmer won Best Female Vocalist.
^"The Dresden Dolls". ThoughtWorthy Media, Inc. Archived fromthe original on September 27, 2007. RetrievedDecember 7, 2007.In the 2005 WFNX/Boston Phoenix Best Music Poll The Dresden Dolls won Best Local Act and Best Local Album. Amanda Palmer also won Best Female Vocalist.
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