Class Actress
{{short description|American singer-songwriter}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Class Actress
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Elizabeth Vanessa Harper
| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|27|2010|July|30}}
| origin = Brooklyn, New York, US
| genre = Synthpop
| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter|record producer}}
| years_active = 2009–present
| label = {{hlist|Terrible|Carpark|Casablanca|Republic}}
| website = {{URL|http://classactress.com/}}
}}
Elizabeth Vanessa Harper{{cite web |url=http://repertoire.bmi.com/writer.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&page=1&fromrow=1&torow=25&querytype=WriterID&keyid=901065&keyname=HARPER+ELIZABETH+VANESSA&CAE=444758627&Affiliation=BMI |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161225185749/http://repertoire.bmi.com/writer.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&page=1&fromrow=1&torow=25&querytype=WriterID&keyid=901065&keyname=HARPER+ELIZABETH+VANESSA&CAE=444758627&Affiliation=BMI |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 25, 2016 |title=Songwriter/Composer: Harper Elizabeth Vanessa |publisher=BMI |accessdate=July 9, 2015 }} (born 1982 or 1983),{{cite web |last=Davis |first=Hays |url=http://www.undertheradarmag.com/interviews/remembering_first_concerts/ |title=Remembering First Concerts: Greatest Stories Ever Told |work=Under the Radar |date=July 30, 2010 |accessdate=July 9, 2015 |quote=Class Actress' Elizabeth Harper: Cocteau Twins (Age 13, 1996, Lollapalooza)}} known professionally as Class Actress, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Class Actress was originally conceived as a trio, consisting of Harper, Mark Richardson, and Scott Rosenthal.{{cite web |author=Vanessa |url=http://www.theowlmag.com/features/exclusive-interview-elizabeth-harper-of-class-actress/ |title=EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Elizabeth Harper of Class Actress |publisher=The Owl Mag |date=November 30, 2010 |accessdate=July 9, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711071919/http://www.theowlmag.com/features/exclusive-interview-elizabeth-harper-of-class-actress/ |archive-date=2015-07-11 |url-status=dead }}
History
=Formation and early years=
Harper majored in drama in college and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career as an actress, but she was unable to make it work and soon found herself disillusioned by it. After relocating to Brooklyn, she decided to pursue a career in music instead.{{cite web |last=Baker |first=Brian |url=http://citybeat.com/cincinnati/article-25992-a_class_of_her_own.html |title=A Class of Her Own |work=Cincinnati CityBeat |date=August 15, 2012 |accessdate=July 9, 2015}} She formed Elizabeth Harper & the Matinee, and in 2004, Harper's self-titled debut solo album was released by UK label Angular Recording Corporation.{{cite web |last=Sia |first=Nicole |url=http://www.idolator.com/6206281/class-actress-elizabeth-harper-popping-up |title=Popping Up: Class Actress |publisher=Idolator |date=March 8, 2012 |accessdate=July 9, 2015}}
Harper later contacted Philadelphia-based producer Mark Richardson, who had remixed a song from her debut album.{{cite web |last=Leahey |first=Andrew |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/class-actress-mn0002370478/biography |title=Class Actress {{!}} Biography |publisher=AllMusic |accessdate=July 9, 2015}} She preferred Richardson's version to the original, and the two began recording songs at her house,{{cite web |last=Breihan |first=Tom |url=http://pitchfork.com/features/rising/8597-rising-class-actress/ |title=Rising: Class Actress |work=Pitchfork |date=November 10, 2009 |accessdate=July 9, 2015}} trading Harper's previous guitar-based sound for electronic music, which she had long been interested in exploring. Along with multi-instrumentalist and engineer Scott Rosenthal, Harper and Richardson formed Class Actress—the name being a joke on Harper's original career choice.
=2009–2012: ''Journal of Ardency'' and ''Rapprocher''=
Class Actress released their debut extended play, Journal of Ardency, on February 9, 2010, on Terrible Records, which is run by Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor.{{cite web |last=Deem |first=Anna |url=http://www.popmatters.com/review/126578-class-actress-journal-of-ardency-ep/ |title=Class Actress: Journal of Ardency EP |work=PopMatters |date=June 16, 2010 |accessdate=July 9, 2015}} The New York Times described it as "an alluringly precise recapturing of the winning chill of early '80s electro-pop".{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/24/arts/music/24newyear.html?_r=0 |title=Beyond Popping Corks, the Sounds of the New Year |work=The New York Times |date=December 23, 2010 |accessdate=July 9, 2015}} The EP also drew comparisons to New Order, The Human League, and Depeche Mode, while Harper's vocals were likened to those of Blondie's Debbie Harry and Saint Etienne's Sarah Cracknell.{{cite web |last=Love |first=Joshua |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13847-journal-of-ardency/ |title=Class Actress: Journal of Ardency |work=Pitchfork |date=February 1, 2010 |accessdate=July 9, 2015}}
The trio's debut studio album, Rapprocher, was released on October 18, 2011, by Carpark Records. Harper stated that the title—which means "to come closer" in French{{cite web |last=Breihan |first=Tom |url=http://pitchfork.com/news/42984-class-actress-announce-debut-album/ |title=Class Actress Announce Debut Album |work=Pitchfork |date=June 27, 2011 |accessdate=July 9, 2015}}—was inspired by "a French lover who broke [her] heart".{{cite web |last=Smoak |first=Matt |url=http://www.elle.com/culture/celebrities/news/a7572/a-minute-class-actress-elizabeth-harper-31004/ |title=A Minute With Class Actress' Elizabeth Harper |work=Elle |date=October 18, 2011 |accessdate=July 9, 2015}} The album received generally positive reviews from music critics, obtaining a rating of 69 out of 100 based on 16 critics on review aggregate site Metacritic.{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/rapprocher |title=Reviews for Rapprocher by Class Actress |publisher=Metacritic |accessdate=January 14, 2012}} AllMusic named it one of the best indie pop and rock albums of 2011.{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/blog/post/allmusics-favorite-indie-pop-and-rock-albums-of-2011/ |title=AllMusic's Favorite Indie Pop and Rock Albums of 2011 |publisher=AllMusic |date=December 16, 2011 |accessdate=July 9, 2015}} Rapprocher reached number 21 on Billboard{{'}}s Dance/Electronic Albums chart and number 27 on the Heatseekers Albums chart.{{cite magazine |url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=class actress|chart=Dance/Electronic Albums C}} |title=Class Actress – Chart history: Dance/Electronic Albums |magazine=Billboard |accessdate=July 9, 2015}}{{cite magazine |url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=class actress|chart=Heatseekers Albums}} |title=Class Actress – Chart history: Heatseekers Albums |magazine=Billboard |accessdate=July 9, 2015}} The song "Keep You" was used in an episode of the fifth season of the teen drama television series Gossip Girl.{{cite web |url=http://www.cwtv.com/music/gossip-girl/season-5/episode-519 |title=Gossip Girl Music {{!}} Season 5 – Episode 19 |publisher=The CW |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606130918/http://www.cwtv.com/music/gossip-girl/season-5/episode-519 |archivedate=June 6, 2012 |accessdate=July 17, 2015}}
=2013–2015: ''Movies''=
As a solo artist under the moniker Class Actress, Harper signed to Casablanca Records in 2013.{{cite magazine |last=Hampp |first=Andrew |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop-shop/6583217/class-actress-movies-ep-giorgio-moroder-interview/ |title=Class Actress Announces 'Movies' EP, Talks Collaborating With Giorgio Moroder: Exclusive |magazine=Billboard |date=May 3, 2015 |accessdate=May 3, 2015}} That same year, she moved into a bungalow at The Beverly Hills Hotel in order to write and record songs.{{cite web |url=http://www.republicrecords.com/class-actress-made-some-movies-get-album-news-more-here/#.VZ3Fh7UYF2A |title=Class Actress Made Some 'Movies'… Get Album News & More Here |publisher=Republic Records |date=June 4, 2015 |accessdate=July 9, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304064652/http://www.republicrecords.com/class-actress-made-some-movies-get-album-news-more-here/#.VZ3Fh7UYF2A |archive-date=2016-03-04 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |last=Rowland |first=Sarah |url=http://www.nylon.com/articles/class-actress-movies-interview |title=class actress used the hollywood illusion to make a very real record |work=Nylon |date=June 16, 2015 |accessdate=July 9, 2015}} Class Actress premiered the track "More Than You" on May 20, 2015,{{cite web |last=Muller |first=Marissa G. |url=http://www.thefader.com/2015/05/20/class-actress-more-than-you |title=Class Actress Premieres "More Than You" |work=The Fader |date=May 20, 2015 |accessdate=July 9, 2015}} and on June 2, it was announced that her EP Movies would be released on June 23 via Casablanca and Republic Records. Taking inspiration from "the films of '80s excess, glamor and self-discovery", Harper wanted Movies to tell "a dark story of a woman who explores the glamorous fantasy life of a Hollywood party girl."{{cite web |last=Syme |first=Rachel |url=http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/06/22/class-actress-movies-ep-giorgio-moroder/ |title=Stream the New EP From Class Actress (With an Assist From the Disco Legend Giorgio Moroder) |work=T: The New York Times Style Magazine |date=June 22, 2015 |accessdate=July 9, 2015}} The EP was executive-produced by Giorgio Moroder and Evan Bogart, and features production by Harper herself, Moroder, Neon Indian, and Mess Kid.
=2016–present: New music=
On June 30, 2016, Class Actress premiered a song titled "Glass Ceiling", along with an accompanying music video, through Terrible Records. The track was produced by Mess Kid.{{cite web |url=http://terriblerecords.com/2016/06/world-premiere-class-actress-glass-ceiling/ |title=WORLD PREMIERE: Class Actress, "Glass Ceiling" |publisher=Terrible Records |date=June 30, 2016 |accessdate=July 13, 2017}}
Discography
=Studio albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" style="width:10em;"| Title
! scope="col" style="width:19em;"| Album details ! scope="col"| Notes |
|---|
| scope="row"| Rapprocher
|
| {{Track listing | title1 = Keep You | length1 = 3:14 | title2 = Love Me Like You Used To | length2 = 3:51 | title3 = Weekend | length3 = 4:01 | title4 = Prove Me Wrong | length4 = 3:52 | title5 = Need to Know | length5 = 4:12 | title6 = Limousine | length6 = 4:26 | title7 = All the Saints | note7 = omitted from LP edition | length7 = 4:24 | title8 = Bienvenue | length8 = 2:58 | title9 = Missed | length9 = 4:23 | title10 = Hangin' On | length10 = 3:16 | title11 = Let Me In | length11 = 4:54 }} |
=Extended plays=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" style="width:10em;"| Title
! scope="col" style="width:19em;"| Album details ! scope="col"| Notes |
|---|
| scope="row"| Journal of Ardency
|
| {{Track listing | title1 = Careful What You Say | length1 = 5:12 | title2 = Journal of Ardency | length2 = 3:45 | title3 = Let Me Take You Out | length3 = 3:18 | title4 = Adolescent Heart | length4 = 3:16 | title5 = Someone Real | length5 = 7:32 | title6 = Terminally Chill | length6 = 3:45 }} |
| scope="row"| Movies
|
| {{Track listing | title1 = More Than You | length1 = 4:07 | title2 = The Limit | length2 = 4:08 | title3 = High on Love | length3 = 2:59 | title4 = GFE | length4 = 3:09 | title5 = Love My Darkness | length5 = 4:31 | title6 = Movies | length6 = 4:26 }} |
=Music videos=
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://classactress.com/}}
- {{AllMusic|id=class-actress-mn0002370478}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Class Actress}}
Category:American women singer-songwriters
Category:Record producers from New York (state)
Category:American synth-pop musicians
Category:Year of birth uncertain
Category:Singers from Brooklyn
Category:Republic Records artists
Category:Singers from Los Angeles
Category:American women in electronic music
Category:21st-century American women singers
Category:21st-century American singer-songwriters
Category:Record producers from California
Category:American women record producers