1954]]

Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. A person who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can either be sung a cappella (without accompaniment) or accompanied by musicians and instruments ranging from a single instrumentalist to a full symphony orchestra or big band. Singing is often done in a group of other musicians, such as in a choir of singers with different voice ranges, or in an ensemble with instrumentalists, such as a rock group or baroque ensemble. Nearly anyone who can speak can sing, since in many respects singing is a form of sustained speech.

Singing can be informal and done for pleasure; for example, singing in the shower or karaoke; or it can be very formal, as in the case of singing during a religious ritual such as a Mass or professional singing typically done on stage or in a recording studio. Singing at a high amateur or professional level usually requires instruction, and regular practice. Professional singers usually build their careers around one specific musical genre, such as Classical or rock, and they typically take voice training provided by a voice teacher or vocal coach throughout their career.

The human voice

or cords.]] In its physical aspect, singing has a well-defined technique that depends on the use of the lungs, which act as an air supply, or bellows; on the larynx, which acts as a reed or vibrator; on the chest and head cavities, which have the function of an amplifier, as the tube in a wind instrument; and on the tongue, which together with the palate, teeth, and lips articulate and impose consonants and vowels on the amplified sound. Though these four mechanisms function independently, they are nevertheless coordinated in the establishment of a vocal technique and are made to interact upon one another. During passive breathing, air is inhaled with the diaphragm while exhalation occurs without any effort. Exhalation may be aided by the abdominal, internal intercostal and lower pelvic muscles. Inhalation is aided by use of external intercostals, scalenes and sternocleidomastoid muscles. The pitch is altered with the vocal cords. With the lips closed, this is called humming.

The sound of each individual's singing voice is entirely unique not only because of the actual shape and size of an individual's vocal cords but also due to the size and shape of the rest of that person's body. Humans have vocal folds which can loosen, tighten, or change their thickness, and over which breath can be transferred at varying pressures. The shape of the chest and neck, the position of the tongue, and the tightness of otherwise unrelated muscles can be altered. Any one of these actions results in a change in pitch, volume, timbre, or tone of the sound produced. Sound also resonates within different parts of the body, and an individual's size and bone structure can affect the sound produced by an individual.

Singers can also learn to project sound in certain ways so that it resonates better within their vocal tract. This is known as vocal resonation. Another major influence on vocal sound and production is the function of the larynx which people can manipulate in different ways to produce different sounds. These different kinds of laryngeal function are described as different kinds of vocal registers. The primary method for singers to accomplish this is through the use of the Singer's Formant; which has been shown to match particularly well to the most sensitive part of the ear's frequency range.

Vocal registration

Vocal registration refers to the system of vocal registers within the human voice. A register in the human voice is a particular series of tones, produced in the same vibratory pattern of the vocal folds, and possessing the same quality. Registers originate in laryngeal function. They occur because the vocal folds are capable of producing several different vibratory patterns. Each of these vibratory patterns appears within a particular range of pitches and produces certain characteristic sounds. The term "register" can be somewhat confusing as it encompasses several aspects of the human voice. The term register can be used to refer to any of the following:

A particular part of the vocal range such as the upper, middle, or lower registers.

A resonance area such as chest voice or head voice.

A phonatory process (phonation is the process of producing vocal sound by the vibration of the vocal folds that is in turn modified by the resonance of the vocal tract)

A certain vocal timbre or vocal "colour"

A region of the voice which is defined or delimited by vocal breaks.

In linguistics, a register language is a language which combines tone and vowel phonation into a single phonological system. Within speech pathology the term vocal register has three constituent elements: a certain vibratory pattern of the vocal folds, a certain series of pitches, and a certain type of sound. Speech pathologists identify four vocal registers based on the physiology of laryngeal function: the vocal fry register, the modal register, the falsetto register, and the whistle register. This view is also adopted by many vocal pedagogists.

Chest voice and head voice

Chest voice and head voice are terms used within vocal music. The use of these terms varies widely within vocal pedagogical circles and there is currently no one consistent opinion among vocal music professionals in regards to these terms. Chest voice can be used in relation to a particular part of the vocal range or type of vocal register; a vocal resonance area; or a specific vocal timbre. The terms were later adopted within bel canto, the Italian opera singing method, where chest voice was identified as the lowest and head voice the highest of three vocal registers: the chest, passagio and head registers.

However as knowledge of human physiology has increased over the past two hundred years, so has the understanding of the physical process of singing and vocal production. As a result, many vocal pedagogists, such as Ralph Appelman at Indiana University and William Vennard at the University of Southern California, have redefined or even abandoned the use of the terms chest voice and head voice. However, the use of overly strong chest voice in the higher registers in an attempt to hit higher notes in the chest can lead to forcing. Forcing can lead consequently to vocal deterioration.

Classifying singing voices

In European classical music and opera, voices are treated like musical instruments. Composers who write vocal music must have an understanding of the skills, talents, and vocal properties of singers. Voice classification is the process by which human singing voices are evaluated and are thereby designated into voice types. These qualities include but are not limited to: vocal range, vocal weight, vocal tessitura, vocal timbre, and vocal transition points such as breaks and lifts within the voice. Other considerations are physical characteristics, speech level, scientific testing, and vocal registration. The science behind voice classification developed within European classical music has been slow in adapting to more modern forms of singing. Voice classification is often used within opera to associate possible roles with potential voices. There are currently several different systems in use within classical music including: the German Fach system and the choral music system among many others. No system is universally applied or accepted.

However, most classical music systems acknowledge seven different major voice categories. Women are typically divided into three groups: soprano, mezzo-soprano, and contralto. Men are usually divided into four groups: countertenor, tenor, baritone, and bass. When considering voices of pre-pubescent children an eighth term, treble, can be applied. Within each of these major categories there are several sub-categories that identify specific vocal qualities like coloratura facility and vocal weight to differentiate between voices.

Within contemporary forms of music (sometimes referred to as Contemporary Commercial Music), singers are classified by the style of music they sing, such as jazz, pop, blues, soul, country, folk, and rock styles. There is currently no authoritative voice classification system within non-classical music. Attempts have been made to adopt classical voice type terms to other forms of singing but such attempts have been met with controversy. The development of voice categorizations were made with the understanding that the singer would be using classical vocal technique within a specified range using unamplified (no microphones) vocal production. Since contemporary musicians use different vocal techniques, microphones, and are not forced to fit into a specific vocal role, applying such terms as soprano, tenor, baritone, etc. can be misleading or even inaccurate.

Vocal pedagogy

: Concert, c. 1490]] Vocal pedagogy is the study of the teaching of singing. The art and science of vocal pedagogy has a long history that began in Ancient Greece and continues to develop and change today. Professions that practice the art and science of vocal pedagogy include vocal coaches, choral directors, vocal music educators, opera directors, and other teachers of singing.

Vocal pedagogy concepts are a part of developing proper vocal technique. Typical areas of study include the following:

Human anatomy and physiology as it relates to the physical process of singing

*Vocal health and voice disorders related to singing

*Breathing and air support for singing

*Phonation

* Vocal resonation or Voice projection

*Vocal registration: a particular series of tones, produced in the same vibratory pattern of the vocal folds, and possessing the same quality, which originate in laryngeal function, because each of these vibratory patterns appears within a particular range of pitches and produces certain characteristic sounds.

* Voice classification

Vocal styles: for Classical singers, this includes styles ranging from Lieder to opera; for pop singers, styles can include "belted out" a blues ballads; for jazz singers, styles can include Swing ballads and scatting.

* Techniques used in styles such as sostenuto and legato, range extension, tone quality, vibrato, and coloratura

Vocal technique

Singing when done with proper vocal technique is an integrated and coordinated act that effectively coordinates the physical processes of singing. There are four physical processes involved in producing vocal sound: respiration, phonation, resonation, and articulation. These processes occur in the following sequence: #Breath is taken #Sound is initiated in the larynx #The vocal resonators receive the sound and influence it #The articulators shape the sound into recognizable units Although these four processes are often considered separately when studied, in actual practice they merge into one coordinated function. With an effective singer or speaker, one should rarely be reminded of the process involved as their mind and body are so coordinated that one only perceives the resulting unified function. Many vocal problems result from a lack of coordination within this process.

Since singing is a coordinated act, it is difficult to discuss any of the individual technical areas and processes without relating them to the others. For example, phonation only comes into perspective when it is connected with respiration; the articulators affect resonance; the resonators affect the vocal folds; the vocal folds affect breath control; and so forth. Vocal problems are often a result of a breakdown in one part of this coordinated process which causes voice teachers to frequently focus in intensively on one area of the process with their student until that issue is resolved. However, some areas of the art of singing are so much the result of coordinated functions that it is hard to discuss them under a traditional heading like phonation, resonation, articulation, or respiration.

Once the voice student has become aware of the physical processes that make up the act of singing and of how those processes function, the student begins the task of trying to coordinate them. Inevitably, students and teachers will become more concerned with one area of the technique than another. The various processes may progress at different rates, with a resulting imbalance or lack of coordination. The areas of vocal technique which seem to depend most strongly on the student's ability to coordinate various functions are:

Vibrato

Vibrato is used by singers (and many instrumentalists; for instance, string instruments that are played with a bow can produce vibrato tones) in which a sustained note wavers very quickly and consistently between a higher and a lower pitch, giving the note a slight quaver. Vibrato is the pulse or wave in a sustained tone. Vibrato occurs naturally, and is the result of proper breath support and a relaxed vocal apparatus. Some singers use vibrato as a means of expression. Many successful artists have built a career on deep, rich vibrato.

Vocal music

Vocal music is music performed by one or more singers, with or without instrumental accompaniment, in which singing provides the main focus of the piece. Vocal music is probably the oldest form of music, since it does not require any instrument besides the human voice. All musical cultures have some form of vocal music and there are many long standing singing traditions throughout the world's cultures.

Music which employs singing but does not feature it prominently is generally considered as instrumental music. For example, some blues rock songs may have a simple call-and-response chorus, but the emphasis in the song is on the instrumental melodies and improvisation. Vocal music typically features sung words called lyrics, although there are notable examples of vocal music that are performed using non-linguistic syllables or noises, sometimes as musical onomatopoeia. A short piece of vocal music with lyrics is broadly termed a song.

Genres of vocal music

Ian Gillan performing live with Deep Purple in 2006.]] Vocal music is written in many different forms and styles which are often labeled within a particular genre of music. These genres include: Art music, Popular music, Traditional music, regional and national music, and fusions of those genres. Within these larger genres are many sub-genres. For example, popular music would encompass blues, jazz, country music, easy listening, hip hop, rock music, and several other genres. There may also be a sub-genre within a sub-genre such as vocalese and scat singing in jazz.

Popular and traditional music

In many modern pop musical groups, a lead singer performs the primary vocals or melody of a song, as opposed to a backing singer who sings backup vocals or the harmony of a song. Backing vocalists sing some, but usually not all, parts of the song often singing only in a song's refrain or humming in the background. An exception is five-part gospel a cappella music, where the lead is the highest of the five voices and sings a descant, and not the melody. Some artists may sing both the lead and backing vocals on audio recordings by overlapping recorded vocal tracks.

Popular music includes a range of vocal styles. Hip-hop uses rapping, the rhythmic delivery of rhymes in a rhythmic speech over a beat or without accompaniment. Some types of rapping consist mostly or entirely of speech and chanting, like the Jamaican "toasting". In some types of rapping, the performers may interpolate short sung or half-sung passages. Blues singing is based on the use of the blue notes–notes sung at a slightly lower pitch than that of the major scale for expressive purposes. In heavy metal and hardcore punk subgenres, vocal styles can include techniques such as screams, shouts, and unusual sounds such as the "death growl".

performs in Las Vegas.]]

One difference between live performances in the popular and Classical genres is that whereas Classical performers often sing without amplification in small- to mid-size halls, in popular music, a microphone and PA system (amplifier and speakers) are used in almost all performance venues, even a small coffee house. The use of the microphone has had several impacts on popular music. For one, it facilitated the development of intimate, expressive singing styles such as "crooning" which would not have enough projection and volume if done without a microphone. As well, pop singers who use microphones can do a range of other vocal styles that would not project without amplification, such as making whispering sounds, humming, and mixing half-sung and sung tones. As well, some performers use the microphone's response patterns to create effects, such as bringing the mic very close to the mouth to get an enhanced bass response, or, in the case of hip-hop beatboxers, doing plosive "p" and "b" sounds into the mic to create percussive effects.

While some bands use backup singers who only sing when they are onstage, it is common for backup singers in popular music to have other roles. In many rock and metal bands, the musicians doing backup vocals also play instruments, such as rhythm guitar, electric bass, or drums. In Latin or Afro-Cuban groups, backup singers may play percussion instruments or shakers while singing. In some pop and hip-hop groups and in musical theater, the backup singers may be required to perform elaborately choreographed dance routines while they sing through headset microphones.

Careers in singing

The salaries and working conditions for vocalists vary a great deal. While jobs in other music fields such as music education tend to be based on full-time, salaried positions, singing jobs tend to be based on contracts for individual shows or performances, or for a sequence of shows (e.g., a two-week series of performances of an opera or musical theater show). Since income from singing jobs can be unsteady, singers often supplement their performing income with other singing-related jobs, such as vocal coaching, voice lessons, or as working as a choral director in a church. Due to the large number of aspiring vocalists, it can be very competitive to get jobs in singing. Church choir soloists can make from $30 to $500 per performance (all figures in US dollars). Performers in a community choral group can earn from $200–$3,000 yearly; members of a professional concert choral group can make $80 and up per performance. Singers who perform on radio or TV shows can make $75 and up per show on a local station and $125 and up per national network show (e.g., CBS or NBC). Jazz or pop singers who perform with dance bands or nightclub show groups can make $225 and up per week. Professional opera chorus singers can make from $350–$750 per week. Opera soloists, for which the number of job openings is very limited, can make from $350 to $20,000 per performance for the most elite performers. Classical concert soloists, for which the number of job openings is very limited, have approximate earnings of $350 per performance and up.

Aspiring singers and vocalists must have musical talent and skill, an excellent voice, the ability to work with people, and a sense of showmanship and drama. Additionally, singers need to have the ambition and drive to continually study and improve, However, one much older study of lung capacity compared those with professional vocal training to those without, and failed to back up the claims of increased lung capacity. Singing may positively influence the immune system through the reduction of stress. One study found that both singing and listening to choral music reduces the level of stress hormones and increases immune function. A multinational collaboration to study the connection between singing and health was established in 2009, called Advancing Interdisciplinary Research in Singing (AIRS).

Singing in non-human species

Scholars agree that singing is strongly present in many non-human species. Wide dispersal of singing behavior among very different animal species (like birds, gibbons, whales, and humans) strongly suggests that singing appeared independently in different species. Currently there are about 5400 species of animals that can sing. At least some singing species demonstrate the ability to learn their songs, to improvise and even to compose new melodies. In some animal species singing is a group activity (see, for example, singing in gibbon families), although humans are the only singing species which has the sense of rhythm and can be rhythmically precisely united.

Singing in different natural environments

Joseph Jordania suggested that singing behavior is very unevenly distributed among animal species, living in different environments (on the ground, in the water, in trees). Most of the singing species live on the trees (like many bird species, or gibbons), some live in the water (whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions), and there are no animal species who live on the ground and sing except for humans. This uneven distribution of singing can be crucial for our understanding of the origins of the singing behavior in animals and humans. Jordania explains this fact as the result of the pressure from natural selection. Singing is a very costly behavior, not only because of the energy to produce sounds, but primarily for the security reasons, as all the possible predators can easily learn the whereabouts of a singing animal. Singing species that live on the trees are in a much more favourable situation, as trees allow different species to live according to their body weight. So different animals with different body weight live on different "levels" of the tree branches. For example, a 50 kilo leopard can see and hear the sounds produced by a 15 kilo monkey, but as a lighter monkey can live much higher on the tree branches, it is out of reach of a heavier leopard. Therefore tree living (or arboreal) species feel quite secure to sing or to communicate with a wide range of vocal signals. On the other hand, all the ground living (or terrestrial) animal species, despite the huge weight differences between them (ranging from rabbits to lions and elephants) live on the same "ground level", and maintaining silence is crucially important for them. Even most of the birds, the most ardent singers, stop singing and producing other sounds when they sit on the ground. Therefore, predator threat might be a primary reason why tree living species are generally much noisier than ground living species.

See also: art music

A cappella

Aria

Bel canto

Chanson

Chiaroscuro (music)

Choral music

Fach

Group singing

Human voice

Opera

Overtone singing

Recitative

Singer–songwriter

Sprechgesang

Throat singing

Voice pedagogy

Voice projection

Voice type

Yodeling

Winsingad

See also: popular music

Beat boxing

Belt (music)

Death growl

Humming

Lead vocalist

Rapping

Screaming (music)

Vocoder

References

External links

A Brief History of Singing

Category:Occupations in music *

Name	Trentemøller
Background	non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth name	Anders Trentemøller
Alias	BusinessmanP.O.QRun Jeremy
Born	Vordingborg, Denmark
Origin	Copenhagen, Denmark
Genre	Progressive houseMinimalElectronicaTechnoChillout AmbiencePost Rock
Occupation	Disc jockeyElectronic musician
Years active	1997–present
Label	Poker Flat RecordingsAudiomatique
Url	anderstrentemoller.com

Anders Trentemøller (* 1974 in Vordingborg, Denmark) () is a Danish electronic music producer and multi-instrumentalist based in Copenhagen, Denmark.

History

Born in Vordingborg in the Zealand region of Denmark, Trentemøller started out with a number of single productions. In 2006 he released his debut album, The Last Resort.

In the summer of 2008 Trentemøller started a live tour: 'Trentemøller Live in Concert’. Trentemøller and band (Henrik Vibskov on drums and Mikael Simpson (guitar/bass) performed tracks from the album The Last Resort live on stage, with visuals provided by video director Karim Ghahwagi. The tour included festivals in Glastonbury (UK), Melt (Germany), Lowlands (Netherlands) and Roskilde (Denmark), and was followed by Trentemøller's first concerts in the United States.

His Essential Mix for BBC Radio 1 was voted Essential Mix of the Year by listeners in 2006.

In 2008 he composed the soundtrack for the Danish movie Det Som Ingen Ved (What No One Knows).

The song "Vamp" from The Last Resort is featured in Eastbound & Down: Chapter 2 during a dance scene.

In 2010 he released his second album, Into the Great Wide Yonder.

Discography

Albums

The Last Resort (2006)

Into the Great Wide Yonder (2010)

Compilation albums

The Trentemøller Chronicles (2007)

Harbour Boat Trips 01: Copenhagen (2009)

LateNightTales (2011)

Releases

Trentemøller EP - Naked - 2003

Beta Boy - Out Of Orbit - 2004

Physical Fraction - Audiomatique - 2004

Kink - 3rd Floor - 2005

Polar Shift - Poker Flat - 2005

SerenettiI - Tic Tac Toe - 2005

Sunstroke - Poker Flat - 2005

Nam Nam EP - Poker Flat - 2006

Rykketid - Cassagrande - 2006

Always Something Better - Poker Flat - 2006

The Last Resort (Album) - Poker Flat - 2006

African People - Nam Nam - 2006

Moan - Poker Flat - 2007

Moan (Dub & Instrumental) - Poker Flat - 2007

An Evening With Bobi Bros / 25 Timer - Kickin - 2007

Gamma - Kickin - 2007

Take Me Into Your Skin (Nudisco Edit) - Poker Flat - 2007

The Trentemøller Chronicles (Compilation-Album) - Audiomatique - 2007

Miss You - Audiomatique - 2008

LIve in Concert EP - Roskilde Festival - Poker Flat - 2008

Vamp / Miss You Remixes - Poker Flat - 2008

Rauta EP - Echochord - 2009

Harbour Boat Trips: 01 Copenhagen (Mix-Album) - hfn music - 2009

Sycamore Feeling - In My Room - 2010

Into The Great Wide Yonder (Album) - In My Room - 2010

... Even Though You’re With Another Girl - In My Room - 2010

Remixes

unknown year – Aphex Twin – Windowlicker

1999 – ETA – Ayia Napa

2003 – Filur – You & I

2003 – B & B International – Decorated With Ornaments

2003 – Malou – I Wish

2003 – Laid Back – Beautiful Day

2003 – Djuma Soundsystem (Atilla Engin) – Les Djinns

2004 – Yoshimoto – Du What U Du

2004 – Andy Caldwell – Give a Little

2004 – Pashka – Island Breeze

2004 – The Rhythm Slaves – The Light You Will See

2004 – Aya – Uptown

2005 – Mathias Schaffhauser – Coincidance

2005 – Fred Everything & 20 for 7 – Friday

2005 – Vernis – Bubble Bath

2005 – Varano – Dead End Street

2005 – Pet Shop Boys – Sodom

2005 – Sharon Phillips – Want 2/Need 2

2005 – Unai – Oh You and I

2005 – Martinez – Shadowboxing

2005 – Röyksopp – What Else Is There?

2005 – The Knife – We Share Our Mothers' Health

2006 – Djosos Krost – Chaptor One

2006 – Jokke Ilsoe – Feeling Good

2006 – Moby – Go (2006)

2006 – Trentemøller feat. Richard Davis – Always Something Better

2007 – Trentemøller feat. Ane Trolle – Moan

2008 – Kasper Bjørke – Doesn't Matter

2008 – Supermode – Tell me why

2008 – Modeselektor – The White Flash

2008 – Lulu Rouge – Bless You

2008 – Booka Shade – Outskirts

2009 – Depeche Mode – Wrong

2009 – Franz Ferdinand – No You Girls

2010 – Mew - Beach

2010 - Chimes and Bells - The Mole

External links

Official Trentemøller website (new)

Official Trentemøller Online shop – Official Trentemøller Online shop - Downloads, Vinyls, Merch & CDs

Poker Flat Recordings – Official record label of Trentemøller

Trentemøller on MySpace

on aCharts

Trentemøller – a fansite

Interview (2007)

Higher Frequency interview (2006)

Interview

Old interview

References

Category:Club DJs Category:Living people Category:Danish dance musicians Category:Danish electronic musicians Category:Danish house musicians Category:Remixers Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Name	Nico
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Christa Päffgen
Origin	Cologne, Germany
Born	October 16, 1938
Died	July 18, 1988Ibiza, Spain
Genre	Art rock, folk rock, protopunk, experimental, avant-garde music
Occupation	Composer, singer, fashion model, actress
Years active	1963–1988
Instrument	Vocals, harmonium, harpsichord, piano, tambourine
Voice type	Contralto
Associated acts	The Velvet Underground, John Cale, Lou Reed, Brian Jones, Kevin Ayers, John Cooper Clarke, The Invisible Girls, Blue Orchids, Bob Dylan, Brian Eno

Nico (born Christa Päffgen, 16 October 1938 – 18 July 1988) who was photographing her on a modeling job. He named her this after his ex-boyfriend, filmmaker Nikos Papatakis. She soon moved to Paris and began working for Vogue, Tempo, Vie Nuove, Mascotte Spettacolo, Camera, Elle, and other fashion magazines. She was briefly hired by Coco Chanel. In addition to her native German, she spoke four languages: English, Italian, Spanish, and French.

Before breakthrough

After appearing in several television advertisements, Nico got a small role in Alberto Lattuada's film La Tempesta (1958). She also appeared in Rudolph Maté's For the First Time, with Mario Lanza, later that year.

In 1959 she was invited to the set of Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita, where she attracted the attention of the acclaimed director, who gave her a minor role in the film as herself. By this time, she had moved to New York to take acting classes with Lee Strasberg. 's La Dolce Vita.]] She appears as the cover model on jazz pianist Bill Evans' 1962 album, Moon Beams. After splitting her time between New York and Paris, she got the lead role in Jacques Poitrenaud's Strip-Tease (1963). She recorded the title track, which was written by Serge Gainsbourg but not released until 2001, when it was included in the compilation Le Cinéma de Serge Gainsbourg.

In 1962 Nico gave birth to her son, Christian Aaron "Ari" Päffgen, commonly held to have been fathered by French actor Alain Delon. Delon always denied his paternity. The child was raised mostly by Delon's mother and her husband and eventually was adopted by them, taking their surname, Boulogne.

Beginning of musical career

In 1965 Nico met Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones and recorded her first single, "I'm Not Sayin'"/"The Last Mile", produced by Jimmy Page for Andrew Loog Oldham's Immediate label. Actor Ben Carruthers introduced her to Bob Dylan in Paris that summer. Dylan wrote the song "I'll Keep It with Mine" for her shortly thereafter, which she recorded for her first album, Chelsea Girl, in 1967. The group became the centerpiece of Warhol's Exploding Plastic Inevitable, a multimedia performance featuring music, light, film and dance. Nico sang lead vocals on 3 songs ("Femme Fatale", "All Tomorrow's Parties", "I'll Be Your Mirror") and backing vocal on "Sunday Morning", on the band's debut album, The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967).

Solo career

1960s

Immediately following her musical work with The Velvet Underground, Nico began work as a solo artist. For her debut album, 1967's Chelsea Girl, she recorded songs by Bob Dylan, Tim Hardin and Jackson Browne, among others. Velvet Underground members Lou Reed, John Cale and Sterling Morrison contributed to the album, with Nico, Reed and Cale co-writing one song, "It Was a Pleasure Then." Chelsea Girl is a traditional chamber-folk album, which influenced artists such as Leonard Cohen, with strings and flute arrangements by producer Tom Wilson. Nico was not satisfied with the album and had little say in production matters.

For The Marble Index, released in 1969, Nico wrote the lyrics and music. Accompaniment mainly centered around Nico's harmonium while John Cale added an array of folk and classical instruments, and arranged the album. The harmonium became her signature instrument for the rest of her career. The album combines classical music with a European folk.

1970s

Nico released two more solo albums in the 1970s, Desertshore and The End.... Nico wrote the music, sang, and played the harmonium. Cale produced and played most of the other instruments on both albums. The End... featured Brian Eno on synthesizer. She appeared at the Rainbow Theatre, in London, with Cale, Eno, and Kevin Ayers. The album June 1, 1974 was the result of this concert. Nico performed a version of the Doors' "The End" at this concert, which was the catalyst for The End... later that year.

On 13 December 1974, Nico opened for Tangerine Dream's infamous concert at Reims Cathedral in Reims, France. The promoter had so greatly oversold tickets for the show that members of the audience couldn't move or reach the outside, eventually resulting in some fans urinating inside the cathedral hall. The Roman Catholic Church denounced these actions, ordered the rededication of the cathedral and banned future performances on church property.

Nico and Island Records allegedly had many disputes during this time, and in 1975 the label dropped her from their roster.

1980s

Nico returned to New York in late 1979 where her comeback concert at CBGB in early 1980 was glowingly reviewed in The New York Times. She began playing regularly at the Mudd Club and other venues with Jim Tisdall accompanying her on harp and Gittler guitar. They played together on a sold-out tour of twelve cities in the East and Midwest.

Nico recorded her next studio album, Drama of Exile, in 1981. She was also said to have been a vegetarian, as well as a self-proclaimed nihilist.

Death

On 18 July 1988, while on holiday with her son on the Spanish island of Ibiza, Nico had a minor heart attack while riding a bicycle and hit her head as she fell. A passing taxi driver found her unconscious and had difficulty getting her admitted to local hospitals. She was incorrectly diagnosed as suffering from heat-exposure and died at eight o'clock that evening. X-rays later revealed a severe cerebral hemorrhage as the cause of death.

Nico was buried in her mother's plot in Grunewald Forest Cemetery in Berlin, Germany. A few friends played a tape of "Mütterlein", a song from Desertshore, at her funeral.

Legacy

Nico has influenced many musicians, including Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bauhaus, Stevie Nicks, Patti Smith, Morrissey, Björk, Coil, Jocelyn Pook, Fabienne Shine (who covered "All Tomorrow's Parties"), Dead Can Dance, Marcus Reeves as well as numerous contemporary goth bands.

Late singer-songwriter Elliott Smith cited her as a major inspiration and was said to have listened to The Marble Index for months. Smith performed covers of some of her songs - most notably "Chelsea Girls" and "These Days", both of which he performed live at Satyricon in Portland, Oregon in October 1999.

Two of her songs from Chelsea Girl, "The Fairest of the Seasons" and "These Days", both written by Jackson Browne, are featured in Wes Anderson's film The Royal Tenenbaums.

Shannon Hoon of Blind Melon named his daughter 'Nico Blue' partly after Nico. Blind Melon's album Nico was released after Hoon's death.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch, a movie written by John Cameron Mitchell, mentions Nico as an influential artist in its song, "Midnight Radio". The song is written by Stephen Trask.

Icelandic singer Björk opened concerts on her 1995–1997 Post tour with "Le Petit Chevalier" from Desertshore.

The Cult recorded the song "Nico", which celebrates the life of the singer, on their 2001 album Beyond Good And Evil.

For her 2002 album, Kissin' Time, Marianne Faithfull recorded "Song for Nico", cowritten with Dave Stewart.

Nico was portrayed by Christina Fulton in the 1991 biopic The Doors. She was later portrayed by Meredith Ostrom in the 2006 film, Factory Girl, which chronicles the life of fellow "Warhol Superstar", Edie Sedgwick.

Natasha Khan (Bat for Lashes) has quoted Nico as an influence in particular Desertshore (The opening song on her first album, Fur and Gold, uses the name of the album in its lyrics). During 2007 she would start concerts with "Le Petit Chevalier" from that record.

Singer-songwriter Patrick Wolf has been influenced by Nico, and released cover versions of "Afraid" and "Ari's Song" as b-sides on EPs.

Rock band Anberlin named one of their songs after her: "Dance, Dance Christa Päffgen" on their album "Never Take Friendship Personal". The song also makes reference to her death, and her drug use.

Austin based band Shearwater dedicated their album Palo Santo to the memory of Nico. The opening song ("La Dame Et La Licorne") depicts Nico's death at Ibiza, Spain.

Windsor for the Derby, another Austin-based band, released an instrumental track in 2000 on their Young God Release "Difference and Repetition." A live version of the song can be found on a limited edition 7-inch.

Low, an American indie rock group from Duluth, Minnesota, has a song titled "Those Girls (Song For Nico)". It is included on the box set , released in 2004.

Two Nico tribute concerts took place in Europe in the autumn of 2008 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Nico's birth and the 20th anniversary of her death. On 11 October 2008, John Cale, James Dean Bradfield (of the Manic Street Preachers), Fyfe Dangerfield of the Guillemots and others appeared on stage at the Royal Festival Hall in London. On 17 October 2008 at the Volksbuehne in Berlin, Nico's ex-boyfriend Lutz Ulbrich presented another tribute concert, which featured Marianne Rosenberg, Soap & Skin, Marianne Enzensberger and James Young, the keyboardist from The Faction, Nico's last band. Nico's son, Ari Boulogne (sometimes called Ari Päffgen), made a brief appearance on stage at the close.

The poetry collection Father Silicon (The Poet's Press, 2006) by American poet Joel Allegretti contains "Poem for Nico," which first appeared in the magazine Art/Life Limited Editions.

Discography

Studio albums

{| class="wikitable" |- !Year !Title |- |1967 |The Velvet Underground & Nico |- |1967 |Chelsea Girl |- |1969 |The Marble Index |- |1970 |Desertshore |- |1974 |The End... |- |1981 |Drama of Exile (released in two versions) |- |1985 |Camera Obscura |- |}

Bibliography

Nico: The Life and Lies of an Icon by Richard Witts, (Virgin Books: London, 1992).

Up-tight: the Velvet Underground Story by Victor Bockris and Gerard Malanga (Omnibus Press: London, 1995 reprint).

Songs They Never Play On the Radio by James Young, (Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd: London, 1992).

Nico: Photographies by Antoine Giacomoni, (Dragoon: Paris, 2002).

Nico: Cible mouvante. Chansons, Poèmes, Journal by Nico, Jacques Pauvert and Ari Boulogne, (Pauvert: Paris, 2001).

L'amour n'oublie jamais by Ari Boulogne, (Pauvert: Paris, 2001).

Nico: The End by James Young, 1993.

Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk by Legs McNeil and Gilliamn Mccain, (Grove Press: New York, 1996).

LÜÜL: Ein Musikerleben zwischen Agitation Free, Ashra, Nico, der Neuen Deutschen Welle und den 17 Hippies by Lutz Ulbrich (Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf: Berlin, 2007).

Films and plays

Nico Icon (1995), documentary directed by Susanne Ofteringer

Nico Icon Play by Stella Grundy premièred at Studio Salford on 5 September 2007

Nico. Sphinx aus Eis by Werner Fritsch (2005)

References

External links

Nico Fan Group A public social networking group for Nico fans

Habits of Waste, Pt. 1 Evaluation of Nico's early work

Habits of Waste, Pt. 2 Evaluation of Nico's later work

Nico, the Voice of Disaffected Youth - Audio story from National Public Radio

Nico (BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour audio item)

Femme Fatale: Story of Nico BBC Radio 4 14 September 2009

Category:1938 births Category:1988 deaths Category:Contraltos Category:Female rock singers Category:German female singers Category:German rock singers Category:German film actors Category:German female models Category:German vegetarians Category:The Velvet Underground Category:Warhol Superstars Category:Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute alumni Category:Dark cabaret musicians Category:Cycling road accident victims Category:Reachout International Records recording artists Category:Protopunk musicians Category:Harmonium players Category:Elektra Records artists

Name	Avicii
Background	non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth name	Tim Bergling
Alias	Avicii, Tim Berg, Tom Hangs
Born	September 08, 1989
Origin	Stockholm, Sweden
Genre	House, electro house, progressive house
Occupation	Electronic musician, DJ, record producer
Years active	2008–present
Label	Strike Recordings, Joia Records, Vicious Vinyl, Ministry of Sound Australia
Url

Tim Bergling (born 8 September 1989), known professionally as Avicii, Tim Berg and Tom Hangs, is a Swedish DJ, remixer, and record producer. His single "Bromance" (recorded under the pseudonym Tim Berg) has charted in the top 20 on the national single charts of Belgium, the Netherlands, and his native Sweden. A lyricized version titled "Seek Bromance" was released shortly thereafter, charting on the UK Singles Chart and reaching number one on the international Beatport chart. Other singles include "My Feelings for You", "Street Dancer", and "Tweet It" among others.

Personal background

Avicii was born on 8 September 1989 in Stockholm, Sweden. His birth name is Tim Bergling, while he is known professionally as both Avicii and Tim Berg.

In October 2010, Avicii signed with the European A&R; team with EMI Music Publishing. Based in London and New York, EMI is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the "big four" record companies and a member of the RIAA.

Influences

Avicii's influences include Laidback Luke, Sebastian Ingrosso, Steve Angello, Axwell, Eric Prydz, and Daft Punk.

"I’ve always been into music and growing up with older siblings. I’ve also had loads of different influences when it comes to my music taste. There are loads of other people that have influenced me but I think the biggest inspirations I’ve had aside from my manager has been the Swedish House Mafia guys and Eric Prydz, they were the ones who first got me into house!" Avicii - April 2011

His first big track, "Manman," was released on Pete Tong's label, Bedroom Bedlam, after winning Pete Tong's Fast Trax with 70 percent of the votes.

Touring

In 2010, Avicii embarked on his first world tour, primarily encompassing North America and Western Europe.

In North America, he played at Club Glow in Washington, D.C.; SET and Nikki Beach in Miami; Club Pacha in New York; Electric Zoo Festival at Randall's Island in New York; Ultra Music Festival in Miami; Electric Daisy Carnival at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum; Ruby Skye in San Francisco; Vision Night Club in Chicago; The Guvernment in Toronto; Beta in Waterloo, Ontario; Stages in Kingston, Ontario; Muzique in Montreal; Club Mansion in London, Ontario, Wet Republic's Daylife in Las Vegas and The Edmonton Event Center in Edmonton.

Several of his concerts have been recorded for Sirius XM Radio's Trance and Progressive House channel. On 23 October 2010, in support of his world tour, Avicii presented his work in an exclusive hour-long set on Channel 38 of the Electric Area on Sirius XM Radio.

Discography

Singles

Remixes

References

External links

Interview Avicii - Actualites Electroniques Interview Avicii - Actualites Electroniques

Category:Living people Category:Remixers Category:Swedish house musicians Category:Swedish record producers Category:1989 births Category:FL Studio users