Diemazz

Bat For Lashes
Background information
Also known as	Natasha Khan
Origin	Brighton, England
Genre(s)	Indie Alternative
Label(s)	She Bear Records, Parlophone, Manimal Vinyl
Notable instrument(s)
Vocals, piano, harpsichord, autoharp, bass

Live Band Line-up
Former members
Abi Fry Caroline Weeks Ben Christophers Katherine Mann Alex Thomas Lizzy Carey

Bat For Lashes is the pseudonym of English musician Natasha Khan (born 25 October 1979), a Brighton-based songwriter.

Background

Natasha was born to a Pakistani father and English mother on october 25th 1979. Khan graduated in music and visual arts;^[1] while at university her experimental work was influenced by artists such as Steve Reich and Susan Hiller, and she produced multi-media work centred on sound installations, animations and performance. She went on to work as a nursery school teacher, and it was during this period that she began writing the material for her first album. "Whenever I'm writing music it's a very visual place in my mind," said Khan. "It has a location full of characters and colours and landscapes, so those two things really complement each other, and they help the other one to blossom and support the other. They are like brother and sister."^[2]

Her debut single, "The Wizard", was released digitally through Drowned in Sound records and on seven inch through Khan's own imprint, She Bear Records. She then signed to the record label Echo, alongside Feeder and former Moloko singer Róisín Murphy, and released her debut album, "Fur and Gold", on 11 September 2006. In 2007 Bat for Lashes parted company with Echo and signed to Parlophone records. Fur and Gold was re-released with the addition of bonus material. The LP version of this record was released by American indie label, Manimal Vinyl.

Bat For Lashes' music has been likened to the work of Björk, PJ Harvey, Tori Amos, Kate Bush and Fiona Apple.

In 2007, Bat For Lashes appeared at Glastonbury and toured the USA.^[3] On 17 July the album "Fur and Gold" was announced as one of the albums nominated for the 2007 Mercury Prize, losing out to Klaxons' "Myths of the Near Future" despite being a favourite of British media to win the award^[4].

Also in 2007, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) awarded her with the ASCAP Vanguard Award and chose her to perform at ASCAP's prestigious "ASCAP Presents..." showcase at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas.

She was one of the nominees for 'Best British Breakthrough Act' and 'Best British Female' at the Brit Awards 2008.

Thom Yorke and M.I.A. have previously complimented her work.^[5][2] Radiohead's 2008 tour featured several shows with Bat For Lashes as their opening act.^[2]

Bat For Lashes is confirmed to be appearing on Manimal Vinyl's tribute record to The Cure covering "A Forest".

On May 29th 2008 Natasha Khan announced the new Bat For Lashes live line-up in advance of her support slot on the Radiohead 2008 tour. The Blue Dreams will be her backing band and consist of Caroline Weeks (a member of the "Fur and Gold" band line-up), Ben Christophers, Katherine Mann (aka Quinta) and Alex Thomas^[6].

Discography

Albums

• 2006: Fur and Gold
• 2009: Two Suns

Singles

• 2006
  • "Trophy"
  • "The Wizard"
• 2007
  • "Prescilla"
  • "What's a Girl to Do?"
• 2008
  • "What's a Girl to Do?" [Remix 12"] (featuring Scroobius Pip and Plaid)

Other contributions

• Acoustic 07 (2007, V2 Records) - "Trophy"
• The Saturday Sessions: The Dermot O'Leary Show (2007, EMI) - "I'm On Fire"
• Chillout Sessions XI (2008, Ministry of Sound) - "What's a Girl to Do?"
• Radio 1's Live Lounge - Volume 3 (2008, BMG) - "Sweet Dreams"

Notes

1. ^ interview with Natasha Khan, arbobo.fr, June 11, 2007.
2. ^ ^{a b c} Interview with Natasha Khan, David Shankbone, Wikinews, September 28, 2007.
3. ^ Bat For Lashes
4. ^ [1] BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Mercury Prize: The nominees
5. ^ Zane Lowe - BBC Radio 1 August 15 2007
6. ^ Bat For Lashes

External links

Wikinews has related news: Bat For Lashes plays the Bowery Ballroom: an Interview with Natasha Khan

• Bat for Lashes official site
• Bat For Lashes at MySpace
• Bat For Lashes at Discogs
• Manimal Vinyl Records site

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