Miki Berenyi | |
|---|---|
 Berenyi on stage in 1994 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Miki Eleonora Berenyi |
| Born | (1967-03-18)18 March 1967 (age 58) Chelsea, London, England |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | |
| Years active | 1987–1998, 2015–present |
| Labels | |
| Member of |
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| Formerly of | Lush |
Miki Eleonora Berenyi (born 18 March 1967)[1] is an English singer,songwriter, andguitarist best known as a member of thealternative rock bandLush and currently a member ofPiroshka and the Miki Berenyi Trio.[2][3]
Berenyi was born inChelsea, London to a Japanese mother,[4] actressYasuko Nagazumi, andHungarian father, Ivan Berenyi. She is also a second cousin of the Japanese singer-songwriterCornelius.[5][6] Her parents divorced when she was young and Berenyi began to divide her time between her mother and father's separate houses. Berenyi mentions in her autobiography that at her father's house, she was subjected tosexual abuse by her paternal grandmother as well as family friends.[7]
At age 14, Berenyi met friend and future bandmateEmma Anderson while both were students atprivate schoolQueen's College. They became interested in music and together published amusicfanzine,Alphabet Soup (which lasted for five issues).[8] Berenyi first played bass with the band the Bugs.[9] In 1987, Berenyi studied English literature atNorth London Polytechnic, where she met drummerChris Acland and singerMeriel Barham. Along with Anderson, they decided to form their own band, originally called the Baby Machines.[10][8] Bassist Steve Rippon joined and they changed their name toLush. When Barham left, "the remaining members of Lush placed ads in local papers looking for Barham's replacement, but they couldn't find the singer they wanted and Berenyi took over the vocals".[8]
From 1987 until 1996, she played with Lush, releasing several albums, singles and music videos and toured extensively through theUK,North America,Japan,Australia and other countries.[8][11] She and Acland also collaborated with members ofCocteau Twins andMoose, releasing one song in 1991 under the nameLillies.[12][13]
Lush officially announced their breakup in February 1998,[8] following Acland's death by suicide in October 1996.
After Lush split, Berenyi appeared onThe Rentals' albumSeven More Minutes (1999). She also contributed vocals to a remix of a Flat 7 track byRobin Guthrie (who also produced Lush's early work) and appeared on Seinking Ships' debut album,Museum Quality Capture, released in 2010.[14][15]
When asked if she missed anything about her time in Lush, Berenyi stated, "I miss the excitement and energy of playing live and the camaraderie of touring—being with the band and crew in a foreign country is like going on holiday with your mates but even more fun because it's free."[16] She also said, "I enjoyed being in the band immensely, I'm glad I did it".[17]
Berenyi later worked for a magazine as a sub-editor[18] and did not perform for many years. She explained: "I was never a proper guitarist—only in the context of Lush. I played the guitar to write songs on and to play live".[16]
Lush, including Berenyi, announced a reunion on 28 September 2015, with formerElastica drummerJustin Welch taking over for Acland.[19] They toured extensively throughout 2016 and released an EP of new material; "Blind Spot" in April of that year.[20][21] Bassist Phil King left the band in October 2016 and as a consequence Lush played their final farewell gig, with Michael Conroy of Modern English on bass at Manchester Academy on 25 November 2016.
In September 2022, Berenyi's memoirFingers Crossed, which included her account of Lush's story, was published by Nine Eight Books.
In September 2018, Berenyi announced that she had formed a new band, Piroshka, a quartet including Berenyi, Justin Welch (Elastica), Michael Conroy (Modern English) and formerMoose member K.J. "Moose" McKillop.[22] Their debut album,Brickbat, was released byBella Union on 15 February 2019.[23] A second album,Love Drips and Gathers, followed on July 23, 2021.
Berenyi and partner McKillop have two children.[24]
Berenyi formed theMiki Berenyi Trio (MB3) with her partner Kevin McKillop, guitarist Oliver Cherer, and a drum machine, initially performing reimagned versions ofLush songs at book signings and instore Q&A sessions, music festivals and literary festivals across the UK.
On May 8, 2024, MB3 released their debut digital single, "Vertigo”, onSimon Raymonde’sBella Union label.[25] Before this, the trio’s only recorded output was the exclusive stream-only track "Fingers Crossed," featured in the audiobook version of Berenyi's critically acclaimed memoirFingers Crossed: How Music Saved Me From Success.[26]
MB3 promoted "Vertigo" with a short 8-date US tour in June 2024, featuring drummersLol Tolhurst (The Cure) andBudgie (Siouxsie & The Banshees) as support. The tour included an appearance at the Schellraiser Festival in Nevada, a live session forKEXP-FM in Seattle and headline shows at theFonda Theatre (Los Angeles), andWebster Hall (New York) where Tolhurst and Budgie joined the band on stage for a version of Lush’s "Baby Talk".[27]
On December 4, 2024, MB3 released the "Covers" EP, a limited edition 10" vinyl featuring fourLush cover versions; ‘Leaves Me Cold,’ ‘Covert,’ ‘Light From A Dead Star,’ and ‘Baby Talk’ - all original compositions by Berenyi[28]
On January 14, 2025, MB3 released a new single, "8th Deadly Sin," and announced the release of their debut album,Tripla.[29] Described as a "richly layered, imaginative and uniquely slanted strain of dream pop,” the album blends euphoric and melancholic elements of guitars and electronica, fronted by Berenyi’s instantly recognisable vocals.
The 9-track album will be released in multiple formats from April 4, 2025, via Bella Union, including a limited edition yellow splatter vinyl with a bonus 7" featuring two non-album tracks, "Touche" and "Last Orders," and a limited edition 11-track CD, only available throughRough Trade in the UK and US.[30]
Tripla’s second single Big I Am, a blistering, acerbic assault on convention was released on February 25, 2025. The track fuses jagged, choppy rhythms, a disco beat and a wall of guitar-crunch psychedelics, as Berenyi skewers the hyper-masculine posturing of today’s social media warriors.[31]
In 2020, Berenyi citedThe Shangri-Las as an influence for their harmonies and lyrics.[32] She has also citedABBA andThe Smiths as influences.
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