- Nellie McKay
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For the African American literature scholar, see Nellie Y. McKay.
Nellie McKay 
Nellie McKay at the Farm Sanctuary 25th Anniversary Gala in New York City on May 14, 2011Background information Birth name Nell Marie McKay Born April 13, 1982
London, EnglandOrigin Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA Genres Rock, pop, jazz, reggae Occupations Singer-songwriter, Actor Instruments vocals, piano, ukulele, cello, xylophone, glockenspiel Years active 2002–present Labels Columbia Records 2002-2006
Vanguard Records2006-2009
Verve Records2009-presentWebsite nelliemckay.com Nellie McKay (born Nell Marie McKay), is an American singer-songwriter, actor, and former stand-up comedienne, noted for her critically acclaimed albums, and for her Broadway debut in The Threepenny Opera (2006), for which she won a Theatre World Award. Her music has showcased different genres, from jazz to rap and disco to funk.
Contents
Early life
Nellie McKay was born in London[1] to writer-director Malcolm McKay and actress Robin Pappas. While growing up, she lived with her mother in Harlem, Olympia, WA, and rural Pennsylvania.[2]
McKay studied jazz voice at the Manhattan School of Music, but did not graduate.
Her performances at various New York City music venues, including the Sidewalk Cafe and Joe's Pub, drew attention from record labels.[1] She signed with Columbia Records.
Career
Nellie McKay at the Farm Sanctuary 25th Anniversary Gala in New York City
2004–2006
Get Away from Me
The recording sessions for McKay's debut album Get Away from Me took place in August 2003 with Geoff Emerick as producer. Emerick was known for working as The Beatles' engineer on such albums as Revolver and Abbey Road.[3] The title is a play on Norah Jones' Come Away with Me.[2] McKay is said to be the first woman to release a double album as her first release. Originally, her contract with Columbia called for 13 songs, but McKay aggressively lobbied her label for a double album, including bottles of wine, a PowerPoint slideshow, and a mock photo of her threatening Emerick with a gun. (Allmusic).
Get Away from Me was released in February 2004. Jon Pareles of The New York Times called the album "a tour de force from a sly, articulate musician who sounds comfortable in any era."[4] The album was included on several "Best of 2004" lists.[5]
McKay was one of the major breakout artists from the 2004 SXSW Festival and was a finalist in the 2004 Shortlist Music Prize. She toured amphitheaters across the northern United States in July 2004 as an opening act on the first half of the Au Naturale tour co-headlined by Alanis Morissette and Barenaked Ladies.
Rumor Has It...
McKay wrote and recorded several songs for the motion picture Rumor Has It.... The songs were released on the iTunes Store on 27 December 2005.
Pretty Little Head
Pretty Little Head was released in the United States on 31 October 2006 on McKay's own label, Hungry Mouse, and was marketed by SpinART Records.[6] The album was divided into two discs and included a 44-page color booklet. The album included the intended 23 tracks as originally planned. Release of the album in other countries, including Canada, was delayed until 21 November 2006.
After SpinART declared bankruptcy in 2007, Pretty Little Head was released by Sony.
The Threepenny Opera
McKay made her Broadway debut as Polly Peachum in the Roundabout Theatre Company's limited-run production of The Threepenny Opera, co-starring with Alan Cumming, Jim Dale, Cyndi Lauper, and Brian Charles Rooney. The role earned her a Theatre World Award for Outstanding Debut Performance.[7]
2007–present
Obligatory Villagers
McKay's third full-length studio release debuted on 25 September 2007. With both of her previous albums lasting over 60 minutes and spanning two discs each, Obligatory Villagers, with only nine tracks (ten if purchased from iTunes), totalling just about 30 minutes was her shortest release to date.[8] The album was produced on Nellie's own label, Hungry Mouse, and released by Vanguard Records.
The album was recorded at Red Rock Recording Studio, in the Pocono Mountains, where Nellie went to high school. She chose the studio because many of her heroes and teachers record there, and used many of them on the recording.
Normal as Blueberry Pie - A Tribute to Doris Day
On October 13, 2009, she released her fourth studio album, Normal as Blueberry Pie - A Tribute to Doris Day on Verve Records. The album contains twelve covers of songs made famous by Day, as well as one original tune. Barnes and Noble booksellers feature an exclusive edition, packaged with the bonus track "I Want To Be Happy." iTunes also features an exclusive edition with a different bonus track, "I'll Never Smile Again."
Home Sweet Mobile Home
On September 28, 2010, Nellie and Verve Records released her fifth album. Home Sweet Mobile Home includes original tracks. It was produced by Nellie and her mother, Robin Pappas, with artistic input from David Byrne.
Other work
On 1 February 2007, McKay joined Laurie Anderson, Joan Osborne, Suzanne Vega and the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra for Four Scored, a single performance of reworked songs at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.[9]
McKay played the role of Ciara in P.S. I Love You, a 2007 film directed by Richard LaGravenese and starring Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler.
She has written two Christmas-themed songs, "A Christmas Dirge" and "Take Me Away," both of which are available on her web site.
McKay is featured in the song "How Are You?" on David Byrne and Fatboy Slim's collaborative concept album Here Lies Love. The album, which also features such vocalists as Cyndi Lauper, Santigold, Roisin Murphy, Natalie Merchant, and Tori Amos, chronicles the life of Imelda Marcos, the widow of former Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos. The album was released on April 6, 2010.
Nellie, along with violinist Philippe Quint, starred in and contributed music to an independent film called Downtown Express, directed by David Grubin.[10]
Her musical show "I Want to Live!" is based on the life of murderess Barbara Graham, who also inspired a 1958 film with the same name.[11]
Political views
McKay is a vocal feminist, and wrote a satirical song relating to feminist issues called "Mother of Pearl".[12] McKay also "is a proud member of PETA" (album notes); her song "Columbia Is Bleeding" dealt with the issue of Columbia University's cruelty to animals. She also wrote a 2004 song ("John John") about her feelings in favor of political candidate Ralph Nader.[13]
She has performed at events for the progressive radio station WBAI, Planned Parenthood, Farm Sanctuary,[14] and the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages, among many groups.
McKay was one of several musicians to write a song in support of Georgia death row inmate Troy Davis.[15]
Discography
Albums
- 2004: Get Away from Me
- 2006: Pretty Little Head
- 2007: Obligatory Villagers
- 2009: Normal as Blueberry Pie - A Tribute to Doris Day
- 2010: Home Sweet Mobile Home
Soundtracks and covers
- 2005: Rumor Has It... : "Pasadena Girl", "Face of a Faith"
- 2005: Monster-in-Law : "Won't U Please B Nice"
- 2005: Weeds : "David"
- 2007: P.S. I Love You : ""P.S. I Love You"
- 2010: Terrible Thrills, Vol. 1
- 2010: Downtown Express
- 2010: Boardwalk Empire : "Wild Romantic Blues"
Collaborations and other appearances
- 2005: "If I Needed Someone" off the album This Bird Has Flown - A 40th Anniversary Tribute to the Beatles' Rubber Soul
- 2010: "How Are You?" off the album Here Lies Love by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim
Other songs
- "The In Crowd"
- "John-John"
- "Teresa"
- "Late Again"
- "A Christmas Dirge"
- "Take Me Away"
- "The Cavendish"[16]
Filmography
Year Title Role 2007 P.S. I Love You Ciara Reilly 2010 Downtown Express Ramona Notes
References
- ^ a b Gay, Jason (May 18, 2003). "Whoa, Nellie". The New York Observer. http://www.observer.com/node/47544.
- ^ a b Tannenbaum, Rob (April 4, 2004). "Her Life Is a Cabaret". New York magazine. http://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/music/features/n_10015/.
- ^ Hurwitz, Matt (September 1, 2004). "Recording Nellie McKay's Get Away From Me with Geoff Emerick". Mix Magazine. http://mixonline.com/mag/audio_singersongwriter_nellie_mckay/.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (February 8, 2004). "Flying Hitlers and Pepsi's Super Bowl Fumble". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/08/arts/music-playlist-flying-hitlers-and-pepsi-s-super-bowl-fumble.html?pagewanted=all.
- ^ "Metacritic: Best Albums of 2004". http://apps.metacritic.com/music/bests/2004.shtml.
- ^ Van Gelder, Lawrence (6 October 2006). "Arts, Briefly". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/06/arts/06arts.html?ref=arts. Retrieved 20 May 2010.
- ^ "Theatre World Awards Recipients". http://www.theatreworldawards.org/award.html.
- ^ Obligatory Villagers : Nellie McKay : Review : Rolling Stone
- ^ The Brooklyn Paper: ‘Four-Scored’: Laurie Anderson joins the Philharmonic at BAM
- ^ Tsioulcas, Anastasia and Tom Huizenga (June 8, 2011). "Classic And Indie Rock Collide On The Big Screen in 'Downtown Express'". NPR. http://www.npr.org/blogs/deceptivecadence/2011/06/08/137059196/classical-and-indie-rock-collide-on-the-big-screen-in-downtown-express.
- ^ Holden, Stephen (March 24, 2011). "Bringing Out the Bad Girl for Some Tough Times". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/25/arts/music/nellie-mckays-take-on-a-bad-girl-at-feinsteins-review.html.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (December 17, 2007). "A Multi-Voiced Warbler With an Electric Ukulele". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/17/arts/music/17nell.html.
- ^ "NPR: All Songs Considered: Political Songs & Satire". NPR. http://www.npr.org/programs/asc/archives/political_satire04/.
- ^ Heyman, Marshall (May 16, 2011). "Saving Pigs, Not Eating Them". The Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703509104576325691869964676.html.
- ^ Powers, Ann (September 21, 2011). "Songs For Troy Davis: Why Musicians Take On Death Row". NPR. http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2011/09/20/140645651/songs-for-troy-davis-why-musicians-take-on-death-row.
- ^ http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89287187
External links
Categories:- Actors from New York
- American female singers
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- American jazz singers
- American pianists
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- American people of Scottish descent
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