Misplaced Pages

KT Tunstall

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Uh oh Uh Oh Again (talk | contribs) at 19:58, 9 April 2013 (Undid revision 549564512 by 78.150.28.18 (talk)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Revision as of 19:58, 9 April 2013 by Uh oh Uh Oh Again (talk | contribs) (Undid revision 549564512 by 78.150.28.18 (talk))(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)

KT Tunstall
Tunstall at the Showbox SoDo in Seattle 2 November 2010Tunstall at the Showbox SoDo in Seattle
2 November 2010
Background information
Birth nameKate Victoria Tunstall
Born (1975-06-23) 23 June 1975 (age 49)
St Andrews, Fife, Scotland
GenresAlternative rock, folk, Indie Pop, blues, country blues
Instrument(s)Guitar, drums, flute, piano, vocals
Years active2000–present
LabelsRelentless
Websitewww.kttunstall.com
Musical artist

Kate Victoria "KT" Tunstall is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. She broke into the public eye with a 2004 live solo performance of her song "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" on Later... with Jools Holland. She has enjoyed commercial and critical success since, picking up three nominations before winning a BRIT Award, and a Grammy Award nomination. She is also the recipient of an Ivor Novello Award. Tunstall has a contralto vocal range.

She has released five albums internationally: Eye to the Telescope (2004), KT Tunstall's Acoustic Extravaganza (2006), Drastic Fantastic (2007), Tiger Suit (2010) and on 10 June 2013, she will release Invisible Empire // Crescent Moon. She has also appeared in an episode (S1E04) of the comedy series This is Jinsy on Sky Atlantic.

Early life

Kate has a half-Chinese, half-Scottish mother and an Irish father. She was 18 days old when she was adopted by a family in St Andrews, Fife. Kate never met her biological father. Her adoptive father was employed as a physics lecturer at the University of St Andrews, and her adoptive mother was a school teacher. Tunstall's family also includes an older brother named Joe and a younger brother named Daniel. Her parents had no interest in music and owned no records—the only tape her father owned was a comedy recording by mathematician and musical satirist Tom Lehrer.

Tunstall grew up in St Andrews, a town in Fife, attending Lawhead Primary, then Madras College in St. Andrews, and the High School of Dundee but she spent her last year of high school in New England at the Kent School, a selective prep school in Kent, Connecticut.

"After school, having learned the piano, flute, and guitar, she left her native St Andrews to take up a scholarship at Kent School in Connecticut, New England, where she formed her first band, The Happy Campers."

She spent time busking on Church Street in Burlington, Vermont, and at a commune in rural Vermont. Tunstall studied at Madras College in St Andrews, Kent School in Connecticut, and at Royal Holloway, University of London. She has said: "...My earliest memories are Californian...", attributed to a sabbatical that her father took at UCLA in 1979.

Music career

Career beginnings

Tunstall performing performing at the Cardiff University Students' Union, October 2005.

Throughout Tunstall's 20s, she played in indie music bands including Elia Drew and Tomoko. She focused on songwriting, as well as performing with members of the fledgling Fence Collective. KT Tunstall had lived with Gordon Anderson, (The Beta Band, and The Aliens), whom the song "Funnyman", on the album Drastic Fantastic, is about. She toured with the Klezmer band Oi Va Voi, and stayed with them while they were making their album, Laughter Through Tears.

British label Relentless Records heard about Tunstall through their scouts and quickly put forward an independent offer. However, Tunstall had decided to sign with a US major, and initially passed up the offer. That deal did not work out and so she eventually decided to go with Relentless.

Although he recognised the potential in the quality of her voice and songs, at this point Relentless co-founder Shabs Jobanputra's assessment was that she "wasn't ready yet" and so together with her manager, Jobanputra discussed "the process of how we saw her happening and how we would work, why we thought the songs were great, why we thought she was great, and why it could really work if we took enough time." After the signing, a lot of time was spent developing certain songs and honing her live performance before she was ready for release.

Eye to the Telescope (2004–2006)

Tunstall performing at the Isle of Wight Festival 2008.

Her début album, Eye to the Telescope, was released in late 2004. Tunstall's style of music varies from folk to pop. In Edinburgh and St Andrews, she played in a band called Red Light Stylus, which was regarded as one of the better bands to emerge from the limited Fife scene.

Tunstall's first appearance of note was a solo performance of her blues song "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" on Later... with Jools Holland. The performance was notable as she had only 24 hours to prepare after scheduled performer Nas cancelled. Her performance caught the eye of many viewers, although she had previously performed it on French television only some weeks before, upstaging more established acts such as The Cure, Embrace, and The Futureheads; she then went on to top the post-show poll on the website for that episode.

Shortly after the Later appearance, Eye to the Telescope was re-released and shot up the British charts, eventually peaking at No. 3 (on its first release it had entered at #73); it was nominated for the 2005 Mercury Music Prize. It was released in the U.S. on 7 February 2006.

"Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" was one of the most successful singles and most radio-played songs of 2005 in the United Kingdom. On the UK Singles Charts, the single made number twenty-eight on the charts and on the US Billboard Hot 100, charted at number twenty. The next release from the album in the United Kingdom was "Other Side of the World" whilst "Suddenly I See" was released in the United States and used in the opening credits of the film The Devil Wears Prada. Further singles released from the album were "Under the Weather" and "Another Place to Fall" which were also successful.

Tunstall's North American break came when American Idol contestant Katharine McPhee contacted her asking to use "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" as her choice for a Billboard-themed week. At the time, the song was No. 79 on the Billboard charts. Tunstall had not been shy with her opinions regarding shows like Idol saying "The major problem I have is that it's completely controlled... they're told what to say. They're told how to sing." She chose to license the song as she felt that "no one on that show told Katharine McPhee to sing my song because no one knew it". Tunstall's belief was correct—the song was suggested to McPhee by Billboard columnist and author Fred Bronson. The song immediately jumped to No. 23 on the Billboard charts the week following McPhee's performance. She has later said "My status as a musician in America is pretty much cemented by Katharine McPhee, which is really interesting and funny for me because I've never been polite about how I feel about shows like that."

Acoustic Extravaganza (2006–2007)

Tunstall performing at the 2005 Summer Sundae in Leicester, 2005

Tunstall released a new acoustic album in May 2006, KT Tunstall's Acoustic Extravaganza, which was first only available via mail order from her website. The album was re-released in stores worldwide in October 2006.

Tunstall sang with Scottish band Travis on their 2007 album The Boy with No Name, on the track "Under the Moonlight", a song written by Susie Hug (late of Katydids).

Drastic Fantastic (2007–2008)

Tunstall performing at AIR Studios, London 2008

Tunstall's second album, Drastic Fantastic, premièred on 3 September 2007 in Scotland, followed a week later on 10 September 2007 with the London release for Britain and 18 September 2007, in the US. In its first week, Drastic Fantastic reached No. 1 on the Scottish Album Charts, No. 3 on the British Charts, and No. 9 in the American Charts. The album's lead single, "Hold On", was released in the UK in August 2007, débuting at No. 34 there before peaking at #21. The song was also very successful in certain European nations peaking at No. 19 in Italy, No. 19 in Norway, No. 26 in Switzerland and No. 39 in Ireland. The album's second single, "Saving My Face", was released in December 2007. The song did not make the UK Top 40 Singles Charts, but however did managed to peak at No. 50 on the UK Singles Charts, managing 3 weeks on the UK Charts. Despite missing the UK Top 40, the song made the Top 40 in Italy, making No. 23 and in Switzerland peaking at #93. The album's third single and final worldwide single, "If Only", was released in March 2008, becoming the second single from the album not to make the UK Top 40, it managed No. 45 in audition.

In the United States, "Hold On" was moderately successful, charting at number ninety-five on the US Billboard Pop Chart and number twenty-seven on the US Billboard Adult Top 40. However, on the main Hot 100 charts, it stalled, failing to make impact inside the Top 100, causing it to chart at number one-hundred and four on the US Billboard Hot 100. As for Drastic Fantasic, it became one of her best charting albums to date, charting at number three on the UK Album Charts, topping the Scottish Album Charts and making the top ten of the US Billboard 200 album charts, charting at number nine. Further singles released from Drastic Fantasic were "Saving My Face" and "If Only" which were moderately successful, charting at number fifty and forty-five on the UK Singles Charts respectively.

Tunstall commented that the photograph for the album cover was influenced by the rock star Suzi Quatro.

On 5 October 2007, the U.S. discount department store chain Target, in association with NBC, released a special KT Tunstall Christmas EP on CD. Sounds of the Season: The KT Tunstall Holiday Collection contains six exclusive tracks:

On 10 December 2007, it was released in Europe through Relentless Records as a digital download only, under the title Have Yourself A Very KT Christmas.

In 2008, KT Tunstall recorded a song for the album Songs for Survival, in support of the indigenous rights organisation Survival International. In a video for Survival International, she speaks of music as being a force for good, and about what she has learned about tribal people on this project. She also discusses various issues concerning our culture of consumption and greed, our relation to the earth and the importance of indigenous rights in the world today.

Tunstall also worked with Suzanne Vega on her 2007 album Beauty & Crime, singing backup on songs "Zephyr and I" and "Frank and Ava". It was revealed in the booklet by Vega that the two had never met during the process of making the album.

Tiger Suit (2009–2011)

Tunstall in 2007.

On 11 February 2010, the Daily Record reported that Tunstall had recorded her new album in Berlin's Hansa Studios. Located near the former site of the Berlin Wall, the studio was used to make legendary albums including David Bowie's "Heroes" and U2's Achtung Baby. Tunstall said, "I had an amazing three weeks recording in Hansa in Berlin in January and am finishing it all off in London." The album, titled Tiger Suit, was released in the United Kingdom on 27 September 2010 and in the United States on 5 October 2010.

She stated down the line from a promo stop in Minneapolis that she doesn't write on tour, "so it was essential that I took time out" from her previous album Drastic Fantastic. She had started her time off by travelling through the Arctic, South America and India, so she had locked into a very primal, indigenous spirit by the time it came to recording.

Tunstall said that the album's title is inspired by a recurring dream she had, before discovering that 2010 is the Chinese Year of the Tiger. The dream is about her, seeing a tiger in her garden and goes outside to stroke it. She returns indoors and is seized by the fear that she could have been killed. Over the years, it has occurred to her that the reason the tiger responds so passively is that she herself is disguised as a tiger, wearing a tiger suit. She said that while writing and recording the album, she found a new sound she called "Nature techno", which mixes organic instrumentation with electronic and dance textures, much like Björk has been doing since 1993. At a media showcase in London, KT Tunstall offered an unusual description of the songs from her forthcoming third album: "Like Eddie Cochran working with Leftfield".

The album's first single was "Fade Like a Shadow" in the United States and "(Still a) Weirdo" in the United Kingdom. These lead singles were released before the album.

Invisible Empire // Crescent Moon (2012–Present)

On March 20, 2013, KT announced on her Facebook page that her fifth album would be titled "Invisible Empire // Crescent Moon". and would be released June 10, 2013.

Live performances

Tunstall performing at the 2005 Glastonbury Festival with her Gibson Dove guitar

Tunstall is known for her live performances, in which she combines use of an Akai E2 Headrush loop pedal, which she affectionately calls "Wee Bastard", with a full four-piece backing band (Luke Bullen on drums, Arnulf Lindner on bass, Sam Lewis on lead guitar and Kenny Dickenson on keyboards, trumpet, percussion and various other instruments), as well as her two backup singers (Cat Sforza and Ami Richardson)

Similar to her initial début on music show Later... with Jools Holland, Tunstall first débuted in the United States performing on various talk shows, although it was not until The Ellen DeGeneres Show that she was interviewed. Since her talk show days, she has performed at numerous large concerts such as the Hogmanay Edinburgh Concert in 2005, the American leg of Live Earth in 2007, and the Nobel Peace Prize Concert also in 2007. Tunstall said prior to the Hogmanay performance that "This is the gig of a lifetime... This Hogmanay party is probably the best-known and best-loved in the world, and I've been here a few times over the years dreaming of being the one entertaining the crowds. Until we're on that stage I won't believe we're allowed on it."

Awards and nominations

In Tunstall's breakthrough year, 2005, she received a nomination for the Mercury Music Prize, which eventually went to Antony and the Johnsons; and was awarded Best Track for her composition and performance of "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" by Q magazine.

In January the following year, 2006, she received three BRIT nominations – British Live Act, British Breakthrough Act, and British Female Solo Artist – eventually gaining the award for British Female Solo Artist, remarking that she wished to share it with fellow nominee Kate Bush. Later the same month she was given a European Border Breakers Award, which recognises the top-selling European Union artists outside their home country. Also, in 2006 she won the Ivor Novello Best Song Musically and Lyrically for "Suddenly I See", along with Scottish Style Awards "Most Stylish Band or Musician".

She gained more nominations in 2007 and 2008: a 2007 Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" (eventually going to Christina Aguilera for "Ain't No Other Man"), and another BRIT nomination for British Female Solo Artist – the same accolade she had won in 2006.

Personal life

Although her first name is Kate, she chooses to go by KT as her first name, saying " just makes me think of a buxom lass baking bread for her man working in the fields. I have no problem with that, but it's just not really how I pictured being a rock star." Also, Tunstall spells her first name KT (as opposed to Katie) to differentiate herself from fellow singer Katie Melua.

In 2003 Tunstall began dating Luke Bullen, the drummer in her band. On Christmas Day, 2007, Bullen proposed to her at her parents' home in St Andrews, Scotland, and the couple were married on 6 September 2008 at the Flodigarry Country House Hotel on the Isle of Skye in Scotland.

Tunstall sparked some controversy in 2005 when she publicly criticised singer/songwriter Dido, stating that the artist "can't fucking sing" after several fans compared the two musically. Tunstall later apologised, stating that she did not want to be involved in a public feud. Later, she denied rumours or assumptions concerning her sexual orientation and said the rainbow-patterned braces on her début record cover were not intended as a statement of identity or politics as she was unaware of the symbolism at the time.

In April 2007, Tunstall underwent surgery to correct an undersized kidney, a problem caused by a childhood infection.

In 2007 Tunstall gave her backing to climate change campaign Global Cool.

In September 2008 Tunstall joined the Disko Bay Cape Farewell expedition to the West Coast of Greenland. Cape Farewell is a British based arts organisation that brings artists, scientists and communicators together to instigate a cultural response to climate change.

In 2010, Tunstall publicly disowned her birth-stepfather, David Orr, because of Orr's decision to run as a British National Party candidate in the general election for Livingston. Orr is the husband of Tunstall's birth mother, Carol Ann Orr, who gave her up for adoption just days after she was born.

In August 2012 she pulled out of a festival appearance following a sudden passing in the family, and subsequently revealed she is mourning her father and thanked fans for their support following the recent death of her dad

In 2013 she divorced her husband Luke Bullen who she had been dating since 2003. It is unknown what caused the split.

Discography

Main article: KT Tunstall discography

Studio albums

Other albums

References

  1. KT Tunstall (11 February 2011). "'Misplaced Pages: Katherine Victoria "Katie" Tunstall – MASSIVE FAIL!'". from Twitter – @KTTunstall. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  2. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2287754/KT-Tunstall-devastated-following-split-husband-just-years.html
  3. Jacqui Swift (24 August 2007). "'I didn't want to be a pop star'". The Sun. Retrieved 30 August 2007.
  4. "Soundstage . KT Tunstall". PBS. 27 July 2006. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  5. Montgomery, James. "KT Tunstall Outdoes The Cure, But Label Still Won't Trust Her". mtv.com. Retrieved 17 December 2009.
  6. Fiona Shepherd (2005-60-11). "KT Tunstall: Live and Proud". The Scotsman. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ Tim Blanks (2005). "KT Tunstall". Interview (magazine). Archived from the original on 1 December 2005. Retrieved 29 August 2007. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  8. Planet Rock Profiles – KT Tunstall
  9. Mark Guarino (2007). "KT Tunstall: Never Going Home". Harp. Retrieved 30 August 2007. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  10. Thomason, Carmel "KT's got one eye on the future", Manchester Evening News, 10 March 2005. Retrieved 24 February 2008]
  11. SoundStage (10 July 2008). Tunstall, KT (10 July 2008). Statement during 10 July 2008 broadcast of SoundStage.
  12. Elia Drew
  13. ^ "Interview With Shabs Jobanputra". HitQuarters. 13 November 2005. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
  14. ^ "KT ecstatic at Brit Award success". BBC News. 16 February 2006. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  15. Barry Didcock (1 May 2005). "Almost Famous: By the end of the summer KT Tunstall will be huge". Sunday Herald. Archived from the original on 1 May 2005. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  16. "KT Tunstall – Black Horse and the Cherry Tree". Chart Stats. 19 March 2005. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  17. "KT Tunstall – Black Horse & The Cherry Tree – Music Charts". Acharts.us. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  18. "KT Tunstall – Under The Weather". Chart Stats. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  19. "KT Tunstall – Another Place To Fall". Chart Stats. 25 March 2006. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |accessed= (help)
  20. ^ Chris Rolls (26 August 2007). "KT Tunstall: Slightly More Esoteric". MP3.com. Retrieved 5 September 2007.
  21. ^ "KT Tunstall: Grey's Music Mainstay". greysanatomyinsider.com. {{cite web}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help)
  22. Fred Bronson (14 March 2008). "He's Just Seen A Face". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 21 March 2008. Retrieved 4 April 2008.
  23. Fergus Sheppard (17 February 2007). "'KT breaks into US market to become an American Idol'". The Sun. Retrieved 3 September 2007.
  24. "KT Tunstall – Drastic Fantastic Home". Kttunstall.com. 27 September 2010. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  25. "KT Tunstall – Hold On – Music Charts". Acharts.us. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  26. "KT Tunstall – Hold On". Chart Stats. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  27. "KT Tunstall – Saving My Face – Music Charts". Acharts.us. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  28. "KT Tunstall – Saving My Face". Chart Stats. 15 December 2007. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  29. "KT Tunstall – If Only". Chart Stats. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  30. ^ "Information Not Found". Billboard.com. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  31. "KT Tunstall – Drastic Fantastic". Chart Stats. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  32. "KT Tunstall – Drastic Fantastic – Music Charts". Acharts.us. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  33. "KT Tunstall – Saving My Face". Chart Stats. 15 December 2007. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  34. "KT Tunstall – If Only". Chart Stats. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  35. "andPOP Interviews KT Tunstall - ANDPOP.com". www.andpop.com. Thornhill, Ontario, Canada: andPOP. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  36. "Songs for Survival". Survival International. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  37. "Will.I.Am. Teams Up With KT Tunstall And Bruce Parry for a New Fundraising Album | AHN". Allheadlinenews.com. 18 September 2008. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  38. Songs for Survival KT Tunstall – Survival International official youtube channel (video)
  39. "KT Tunstall to play gig in aid of Haiti earthquake victims". The Daily Record. 11 February 2010.
  40. "Tiger Suit: Released 27th September". KT Tunstall. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  41. "KT Tunstall to launch new album with series of intimate, free gigs across Scotland". The Daily Record. 10 June 2010.
  42. "Story | KT Tunstall official website". Kttunstall.com. 27 September 2010. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
  43. "KT Tunstall shows off claws on Tiger Suit".
  44. Sexton, Paul. "KT Tunstall Finds New Musical Edge on "Tiger Suit"". ABC News. Retrieved 15 September 2010.
  45. TeamTunstall (4 August 2010). "Twitter / TeamTunstall: You can listen to the UK s". Twitter.com. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  46. "KT Tunstall's Facebook page".
  47. "Nobel Peace Prize Concert 2007". nobelpeaceprize.og. Retrieved 11 December 2007r. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  48. Joan McFadden (5 November 2005). "What KT did next". The Scotsman. Retrieved 6 September 2007.
  49. "Antony and Johnsons win Mercury". BBC News. 15 August 2005. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  50. Edward Black (11 October 2005). "KT Tunstall caps year of success with Q award". The Scotsman. Retrieved 30 August 2007.
  51. JH. "Tunstall Breaks Borders". MTV UK. Retrieved 31 August 2007.
  52. "Tunstall single tops Ivor awards". BBC News. 25 May 2006. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  53. Scottish Style Awards interview stv.tv
  54. "Complete list of 2007 Grammy winners and nominees". Baltimore Sun. 12 February 2007. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  55. "Brit Awards British Female Solo Artist". BRIT Awards. 14 January 2008. Retrieved 14 January 2008.
  56. "TUNSTALL HATES MELUA COMPARISON". contactmusic.com. 24 August 2007. Retrieved 17 September 2007.
  57. ^ PinkNews.co.uk writer (28 February 2006). "KT Tunstall: I'm proud of my lesbian following". pinknews.co.uk. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  58. "KT Tunstall – Diary January 2008".
  59. "KT Tunstall weds her drummer boy on the Isle Of Skye". Daily Mail. London. 9 September 2008.
  60. "Tunstall Apologies to Dido". contactmusic.com. 19 August 2005. Retrieved 30 August 2007.
  61. John Dingwall (17 August 2005). "Mercury Is Still Rising on Red-Hot Rocker KT". The Daily Record. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  62. "KT's lesbian following". Ananova. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  63. Toby McDonald (21 April 2007). "KT Tunstall has kidney operation". The Scotsman. Retrieved 30 August 2007.
  64. "10 years to save the planet". The Sun. UK. 30 January 2007. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
  65. "Cape Farewell - Disko Bay, Arts Council". www.artscouncil.org.uk. London, UK: Arts Council England. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  66. "Scots rocker KT Tunstall's fury at BNP election candidate stepdad". Retrieved 25 April 2010.
  67. "KT Tunstall's stepfather stands as BNP candidate".

External links

Video:

Audio:

KT Tunstall
Discography
Studio albums
Live albums
Other albums
EPs
Singles
Other songs

Template:Persondata

Categories: