Elly Jackson
Encyclopedia
Eleanor Kate "Elly" Jackson (born 12 March 1988) is an English singer-songwriter and the lead singer of the electropop duo La Roux
. She is well known for her red hair and androgynous
style.
on 12 March 1988. She is the daughter of Trudie Goodwin
and Kit Jackson, who are both actors, and has a sister named Jessica. She is also the great granddaughter of Anthony Bernard
who founded the London Chamber Orchestra in 1921 and became the first musical director of the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford upon Avon. She attended Pimlico School
, Sydenham High School and Royal Russell School
.
Elly Jackson's first interest in music revolved around folk music
. She was particularly interested in Carole King
and Nick Drake
whom she discovered in her parents' record collection. Jackson's early musical material consisted of folk ditties informed by Joni Mitchell
. Her taste in music changed during her mid-teens when she became involved in the rave
scene. She lists Gerry Rafferty
, David Bowie
, Depeche Mode
, Erasure
, Madonna
, Prince
and The Knife
as her influences. Jackson is unhappy with what she perceives as a "normality" fashion trend among a majority of today's musical acts. Her androgynous clothing and hair style, which has been compared to the 1980s group A Flock of Seagulls
, is being imitated. Jackson strongly opposes stylists who try to change her appearance to a more classically feminine look. Jackson does not feel that social networking
will help musicians' careers in the long run because it makes them too accessible at the expense of mystery and intrigue.
Jackson herself is often incorrectly referred to as "La Roux", when in reality she is only one half of the group. This is largely because Ben Langmaid, the other half of La Roux, most often does not appear in interviews, music videos and live performances.
" was released on 15 December 2008. Their second single, "In for the Kill
", which was released on 16 March 2009, reached number two on the UK Singles Chart
. Their third single "Bulletproof" was released on 21 June 2009 and reached number one on the UK Singles Chart and later number eight on the Billboard Hot 100
in the United States
. These songs are all featured on La Roux's debut album La Roux
.
's platinum- selling new album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, which was released on November 22, 2010. Jackson contributed vocals to West's debut album with Jay-Z
, Watch the Throne
, on the track "That's My Bitch." which was released 9 August 2011.
In addition to her appearance on Kanye West's album in 2010, Jackson performed on Chromeo
's third album Business Casual
, providing chorus vocals for the track "Hot Mess".
La Roux
La Roux are an English electropop duo made up of singer, keyboardist, co-writer and co-producer Eleanor Kate Jackson, and co-writer and co-producer Ben Langmaid. Jackson describes their relationship as "very much a half and half sharing situation... not like a singer producer outfit", but also...
. She is well known for her red hair and androgynous
Androgyny
Androgyny is a term derived from the Greek words ανήρ, stem ανδρ- and γυνή , referring to the combination of masculine and feminine characteristics...
style.
Biography
Jackson was born in South LondonSouth London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
on 12 March 1988. She is the daughter of Trudie Goodwin
Trudie Goodwin
Trudie Goodwin is an English actress best known for playing Sergeant June Ackland in the high-profile British television police drama The Bill from 1984 to 2007. On September 7th, 2011 it was announced that Goodwin is to join the long-running soap Emmerdale...
and Kit Jackson, who are both actors, and has a sister named Jessica. She is also the great granddaughter of Anthony Bernard
Anthony Bernard
Anthony Bernard was an English conductor, organist, pianist and composer.-Early life:He was born Alan Charles Butler, the son of a Thames lighterman and changed his name by deed poll in 1919 according to the National Archives....
who founded the London Chamber Orchestra in 1921 and became the first musical director of the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford upon Avon. She attended Pimlico School
Pimlico School
Pimlico Academy is a secondary school in the Pimlico area of Westminster, London. The school is a specialist Arts College.-Architecture:The previous school building was designed by John Bancroft of the Greater London Council's architecture department and was built in 1967-70...
, Sydenham High School and Royal Russell School
Royal Russell School
Royal Russell School is an independent school in Coombe Lane, Croydon, south London. The Royal Russell School is a co-educational day and boarding school. The motto of the school is "Non sibi sed omnibus" meaning "Not for self but for all". The School is a member of the Headmasters' and...
.
Elly Jackson's first interest in music revolved around folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
. She was particularly interested in Carole King
Carole King
Carole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
and Nick Drake
Nick Drake
Nicholas Rodney "Nick" Drake was an English singer-songwriter and musician. Though he is best known for his sombre guitar based songs, Drake was also proficient at piano, clarinet and saxophone...
whom she discovered in her parents' record collection. Jackson's early musical material consisted of folk ditties informed by Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
. Her taste in music changed during her mid-teens when she became involved in the rave
Rave
Rave, rave dance, and rave party are parties that originated mostly from acid house parties, which featured fast-paced electronic music and light shows. At these parties people dance and socialize to dance music played by disc jockeys and occasionally live performers...
scene. She lists Gerry Rafferty
Gerry Rafferty
Gerald "Gerry" Rafferty was a Scottish singer songwriter best known for his solo hits "Baker Street", "Right Down the Line", "Days Gone Down", "Night Owl", "Get It Right Next Time", and with the band Stealers Wheel, "Stuck in the Middle with You". Rafferty was born into a working-class family in...
, David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
, Erasure
Erasure
Erasure are an English synthpop duo, consisting of songwriter and keyboardist Vince Clarke and singer Andy Bell. Erasure entered the music scene in 1985 with their debut single "Who Needs Love Like That"...
, Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
and The Knife
The Knife
The Knife are a Swedish electronic music duo from Gothenburg, formed in 1999. The group consists of siblings Karin Dreijer Andersson and Olof Dreijer, who together also run their own record company, Rabid Records. They first received international attention after their song "Heartbeats", covered by...
as her influences. Jackson is unhappy with what she perceives as a "normality" fashion trend among a majority of today's musical acts. Her androgynous clothing and hair style, which has been compared to the 1980s group A Flock of Seagulls
A Flock of Seagulls
A Flock of Seagulls are an English New Wave band originally formed by brothers Michael "Mike" Score and Alister "Ali" James Score , with Frank Maudsley , Michael Kuby , H.J...
, is being imitated. Jackson strongly opposes stylists who try to change her appearance to a more classically feminine look. Jackson does not feel that social networking
Social network service
A social networking service is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people, who, for example, share interests and/or activities. A social network service consists of a representation of each user , his/her social...
will help musicians' careers in the long run because it makes them too accessible at the expense of mystery and intrigue.
Jackson herself is often incorrectly referred to as "La Roux", when in reality she is only one half of the group. This is largely because Ben Langmaid, the other half of La Roux, most often does not appear in interviews, music videos and live performances.
La Roux
La Roux's debut single "QuicksandQuicksand (La Roux song)
"Quicksand" is a song by English electropop duo La Roux from their self-titled debut album, La Roux. Written and produced by Elly Jackson and Ben Langmaid, the song was released as the album's lead single on 15 December 2008 by Kitsuné Music. It peaked at number 153 on the UK Singles Chart upon...
" was released on 15 December 2008. Their second single, "In for the Kill
In for the Kill (La Roux song)
"In for the Kill" is a song by English electropop duo La Roux from their eponymous debut album, La Roux . Released as the album's second single in the United Kingdom on 16 March 2009, it was the duo's breakthrough single, peaking at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Dubstep producers Skream and...
", which was released on 16 March 2009, reached number two on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. Their third single "Bulletproof" was released on 21 June 2009 and reached number one on the UK Singles Chart and later number eight on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. These songs are all featured on La Roux's debut album La Roux
La Roux (album)
La Roux is the eponymous debut album by English electropop duo La Roux. Released in the United Kingdom on 29 June 2009 by Polydor Records, the album includes the hit singles "In for the Kill" and "Bulletproof", which peaked at numbers two and one on the UK Singles Chart, respectively...
.
Collaborations
In 2010, Jackson added vocals to Kanye WestKanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
's platinum- selling new album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, which was released on November 22, 2010. Jackson contributed vocals to West's debut album with Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
, Watch the Throne
Watch the Throne
Watch the Throne is a collaborative studio album by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West, released on August 8, 2011, by Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam Recordings. Recording sessions for the album took place at various recording locations and began in November 2010. It was...
, on the track "That's My Bitch." which was released 9 August 2011.
In addition to her appearance on Kanye West's album in 2010, Jackson performed on Chromeo
Chromeo
Chromeo is an electrofunk duo formed in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in 2004.-History:Chromeo is composed of P-Thugg on keyboards, synthesizers, and talk box, and Dave 1 on guitar and lead vocals...
's third album Business Casual
Business Casual (Chromeo album)
-Deluxe Version:The Deluxe Version on iTunes features the first 10 songs of the standard album, a new track with a few remixes of "Night by Night" and "Don't Turn the Lights On," two music videos of "Don't Turn the Lights On" and "Night By Night," and a digital booklet.The Deluxe Album was released...
, providing chorus vocals for the track "Hot Mess".