Angel Olsen | |
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 Olsen performing live atRockefeller inOslo, Norway, 2020 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Angelina Marie Carroll[1][2] |
| Born | (1987-01-22)January 22, 1987 (age 38) St. Louis,Missouri, U.S. |
| Origin | Chicago,Illinois, U.S. |
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| Years active | 2009–present |
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Angel Olsen (bornAngelina Marie Carroll; January 22, 1987) is an American singer-songwriter fromSt. Louis,Missouri[8][9] who lives inAsheville, North Carolina.[10]
To date, Olsen has released six studio albums:Half Way Home (2012),Burn Your Fire for No Witness (2014),My Woman (2016),All Mirrors (2019),Whole New Mess (2020), andBig Time (2022).
Angel Olsen was born on January 22, 1987, inSt. Louis,Missouri. At age three, Olsen was adopted by afoster family that had cared for her since shortly after her birth. The difference in years between her and her parents left an impression. "Because there are so many decades of difference between us, I became more interested in what their childhood was like," she says of her parents, both of whom died in 2021.[11] "I fantasized about what it was like to be young in the ’30s and ’50s, more so than other kids my age."[10] Olsen explained that "my mother just has this capacity for children."[10]
Despite early adolescent aspirations to be a "pop star", her interests later shifted in high school. Olsen became more introverted, regularly attendingpunk rock andnoise music shows at theLemp Neighborhood Arts Center and the Creepy Crawl as well asChristian rock shows throughout the city.[12] She began learning the piano and guitar and writing her own music.[10][13] At the age of 16, she joined a local band called Good Fight, self-described as "a meeting of earlyNo Doubt and punk rock."[14] Two years after graduating fromTower Grove Christian Academy, Olsen moved toChicago.[12]
She befriendedcountry rock singer-songwriterBonnie “Prince” Billy, who invited her to go on tour as his backing vocalist.[15]
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Olsen released her debutEP,Strange Cacti in 2011,[16] and her debutstudio album,Half Way Home, in 2012.[17] on Bathetic Records. In addition to her work withBonnie "Prince" Billy and the Cairo Gang, Olsen has collaborated with a number of other notable figures of American indie rock, includingTim Kinsella ofCap'n Jazz,LeRoy Bach ofWilco andCass McCombs.[18] Her collaboration with Kinsella and Bach, as well as with Chicago poet Marvin Tate, resulted in the albumTim Kinsella Sings the Songs of Marvin Tate by Leroy Bach Featuring Angel Olsen which the group released onIndianapolis labelJoyful Noise Recordings on December 3, 2013.[18]
Olsen signed arecording contract withJagjaguwar,[19] ahead of her first full-band record,Burn Your Fire for No Witness,[20] which was released on February 17, 2014.[21][22] The closing track of the album, "Windows", was featured in the final episode in the first season of theNetflix original series13 Reasons Why in 2017.
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Olsen's thirdstudio album,My Woman, was released on September 2, 2016.[23][24] In a review forConsequence of Sound, critic Ciara Dolan described the album as a "startling record of unimpeachable strength and honesty",[25] whilePitchfork's Jenn Pelly described it as "her best record yet".[26]
Olsen's fourth studio album,All Mirrors, was released on October 4, 2019, to critical acclaim. Laura Snapes ofPitchfork described the album as "breathtaking", and a "strong wind" that blows in and "leaves you undone",[27] while Alexis Petridis ofThe Guardian described it as "challenging and intriguing", and Luke Saunders ofHappy Mag described it as a change of "theatric transcendency",[28] when compared to her previous releases.
In 2019, British producerMark Ronson featured Olsen on his fifth studio albumLate Night Feelings, which also featuredMiley Cyrus andCamila Cabello.[15]
On August 28, 2020, Olsen released her fifth studio albumWhole New Mess through Jagjaguwar.[29] The album features tracks fromAll Mirrors arranged in a more intimate style.
On March 30, 2021, Olsen announced a special editionbox set titledSongs of the Lark and Other Far Memories, which contains her previous two studio albumsAll Mirrors andWhole New Mess alongsidedemos, re-workings, remixes and covers to close this chapter of her career, released via Jagjaguwar. It was announced with thelead single "It's Every Season [Whole New Mess]" and is due for release on May 7, 2021.[30] In 2020, Olsen released several remixes of popular releases. On April 9, 2020, Olsen released a remix of "All Mirrors" from her studio albumAll Mirrors Produced by Chromatics' Johnny Jewel.[31] On June 3, 2020, Olsen released a remix of "New Love Cassette" from her studio albumAll Mirrors produced byMark Ronson with whom she collaborated with on Ronson's song "True Blue".[32]
In 2020, Olsen worked on acover of "Mr. Lonely", originally byBobby Vinton, for the filmKajillionaire directed byMiranda July. Olsen collaborated with film composerEmile Mosseri on the cover which was released on September 16, 2020, and was included in the soundtrack.[33] On May 20, 2021, Olsen released a single withSharon Van Etten, "Like I Used To", which was produced byJohn Congleton. Olsen and Van Etten appear in themusic video with their hair styled in similar shag haircuts.[34]
On August 20, 2021, Olsen released her fourth extended play,Aisles, consisting of five cover versions of popular songs from the 1980s.[35]Pitchfork writer Evan Rytlewski described it as "an unusual departure for a songwriter who's always staked everything on her conviction".[36]
In 2021 she also received theLibera Awards as Best Folk/Bluegrass Record 2021 for her albumWhole New Mess (Jagjaguwar) by theAmerican Association of Independent Music (A2IM).[37]
Olsen's sixth studio album,Big Time, was released on June 3, 2022.[11] The album was preceded by the lead single "All the Good Times", and followed by a second single, the title track "Big Time". On April 14, 2023, Olsen released her fifth EP,Forever Means, containing four previously unreleased tracks originally recorded forBig Time.
Pitchfork has likened her albumAll Mirrors to acts such asthe Cure,Cocteau Twins andSiouxsie and the Banshees, saying that she has created a darkdream-pop dealing with anxiety.[38] Olsen plays a vintageGibson S-1 guitar from 1979.[39]
On April 16, 2021, Olsen stated she wasgay.[40] In 2022, Olsen revealed that her relationship with partner Beau Thibodeaux had ended, and that she had dated long-time friend and musicianMeg Duffy for a few months in 2020.[41][42] In a 2022 interview, Olsen stated she now identifies aspansexual,[42] and in August 2023 celebrated one year with boyfriend and singer-songwriterMaxim Ludwig. Ludwig co-directed the lyric video for Olsen's song "Nothing's Free",[43] additionally serving as a support act on her 2023 North American tour.[44] In 2024, Olsen and Ludwig married.[45]
Studio albums
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Libera Awards | Up and Comer Artist Award | Burn Your Fire for No Witness | Won | [46] |
| 2016 | The Daily Californian Art Awards | Best Non-Billboard Song | “Shut Up Kiss Me” | Nominated | [47] |
| 2017 | Libera Awards | Album of the Year | My Woman | Won | [48] |
| Best Live Act | Herself | Nominated | [49] | ||
| Video of the Year | “Shut Up Kiss Me” | Nominated | [49] | ||
| Video of the Year (Fan Vote) | Nominated | [49] | |||
| AIM Awards | Independent Breakthrough of the Year | Herself | Nominated | [50] | |
| 2020 | Libera Awards | Album of the Year | All Mirrors | Nominated | [51] |
| Best Alternative Rock Album | Nominated | [51] | |||
| 2021 | Best Folk/Bluegrass Album | Whole New Mess | Nominated | [52] | |
| 2022 | Video of the Year | "Like I Used To"(withSharon Van Etten) | Nominated | [53] | |
| 2023 | Best American Roots Record | Big Time | Pending | [54] | |
| Best Sync Usage | "Go Home" | Pending |
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