Fabiana Palladino

{{Infobox musical artist

| image = FabianaPalRTEast050424 (2 of 14) (53635444770) (cropped).jpg

| alt =

| caption = Palladino in 2024

| birth_name = Fabiana Elizabeth Palladino

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1987}}

| birth_place =

| origin =

| genre = {{Flatlist|

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| occupation =

| instrument = {{Flatlist|

Vocals
piano
keyboard

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| years_active = 2007–present

| label = {{Flatlist|

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| website = {{url|https://www.fabianapalladino.com}}

}}

Fabiana Elizabeth Palladino (born 1987) is an English singer-songwriter and instrumentalist. She began her career uploading demos to Myspace and Soundcloud, releasing an EP and her debut single "For You" (2014) via Double Denim Records, and as a session and touring musician. Discovered by Jai Paul and signed to his label the Paul Institute, through which she released the singles "Mystery" (2017) and "Shimmer" (2018), her self-titled debut album was released in 2024.

Early life and education

Palladino was born in central London, the daughter of Welsh musician Pino Palladino and former backing singer Marilyn (née Roberts).{{Cite news |issn=0312-6315 |oclc=226369741 |lang=en-AU |newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald|accessdate=2024-04-07 |date=2024-04-04 |first=Robert |last=Moran |title=Fabiana Palladino on her debut album and working with Jai Paul|url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/music/her-father-s-a-legend-her-mentor-s-an-enigma-and-she-s-just-made-the-year-s-best-debut-20240401-p5fgjp.html}}{{paywall}} Despite her family's "richly musical household" and playing piano and drums from a young age, she did not intend to pursue music professionally.{{Cite web|url=https://crackmagazine.net/article/profiles/slow-burn-fabiana-palladino/|title=Slow Burn: Fabiana Palladino|work=Crack|first=Safi|last=Bugel|date=8 February 2024|accessdate=15 March 2025}} Palladino joined Groove Academy in her teens.{{Cite web|url=https://www.grooveacademy.biz/alumni|title=Alumni|work=Groove Academy|accessdate=15 March 2025}} She began her studies in English at Goldsmiths, University of London before switching to the Music Theory course.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/fabiana-palladino/fabiana-palladino-the-best-of-whats-next|title=Fabiana Palladino: The Best of What's Next|work=Paste Magazine|first=Matt|last=Mitchell|date=11 December 2024|accessdate=15 March 2025}}

Career

During university in 2007, Palladino began uploading music demos to Myspace, starting with an untitled song about anxiety.{{Cite web|website=The Line of Best Fit|accessdate=2024-04-07|date=2024-04-02|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/features/interviews/fabiana-palladino-right-on-time|title=Fabiana Palladino: "I don't write my best songs in the depths of despair – I have to process things"|first=Alan |last=Pedder}} She self-released an EP titled Long Nights of War in December 2011.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/tomrobinson/2012/03/tracklisting-sunday-04032012.shtml|title=Tracklisting. Sunday 04/03/2012|work=BBC Introducing Mixtape|accessdate=15 March 2025}} It was via Myspace she connected with fellow musicians Ghostpoet and Sampha. She collaborated with Ghostpoet on one of his first singles "Survive It" (2011).{{Cite web|url=https://www.musiclikedirt.com/2012/04/24/fabiana-palladino/|title=Fabiana Palladino|work=Music Like Dirt|date=24 April 2012|accessdate=15 March 2025}} Sampha produced and Ghostpoet contributed to Palladino's 2014 single "For You", her first release under Double Denim Records.{{Cite web|url=https://diymag.com/news/fabiana-palladino-unveils-debut-track-for-you|title=Fabiana Palladino unveils debut track 'For You'|work=DIY|date=13 August 2014|accessdate=15 March 2025}} This was followed by another single "Young Thing" in 2015.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2015/10/06/fabiana-palladino-young-thing|title=Love Songs Don't Come Sweeter Than Fabiana Palladino's "Young Thing"|work=The Fader|first=Aimee|last=Cliff|date=6 October 2015|accessdate=15 March 2025}} Palladino met Laura Groves through Timmaz Zolleyn, performing live with their band Nautic, and Jessie Ware through her brother and then-boyfriend, who toured in Ware's band. Palladino was invited to music sessions for Ware as well as for Sbtrkt and The Maccabees.{{cite web|last=Cattermole|first=Liam|title=Fresh Face: Fabiana Palladino |url=https://notion.online/fresh-face-fabiana-palladino/|website=Notion|date=1 March 2024|access-date=8 December 2024}}

Jai Paul discovered Palladino on SoundCloud while she was working in the Old Vic box office and subsequently signed her to his and his brother's new label the Paul Institute,{{Cite web|url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/40888/1/paul-institute-jai-ak-fabiana-palladino-ruthven-hira-reinen-interview|title=Meet the artists of the Paul Institute|work=Dazed|first=Selim|last=Bulut|date=3 August 2018|accessdate=15 March 2025}} through which Palladino released one of the label's inaugural singles "Mystery" in 2017. "Shimmer" followed in 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2017/11/16/jai-paul-ak-paul-institute-new-singles-ruthven/|title=Listen to new singles by Paul Institute’s Ruthven and Fabiana Palladino, featuring vocals and production by Jai Paul and A.K. Paul|work=The Fader|first=Ben|last=Dandridge-Lemco|date=16 November 2017|accessdate=8 December 2024}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/41830/1/fabiana-palladino-paul-institute-robyn-interview|title=Fabiana Palladino's sci-fi pop fantasy|work=Dazed|first=Nikesh|last=Shukla|date=16 October 2018|accessdate=8 December 2024}} Palladino began working on an EP, but decided to make it a full album instead when she signed an album deal with the Paul Institute and XL Recordings. In the interim, she penned the song "Waiting" to feature on the Paul Institute's Summer 2020 EP.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2093673/the-paul-institute-summer-2020/music/|title=Stream The Paul Institute's Summer 2020 EP|work=Stereogum|first=Chris|last=Deville|date=18 September 2020|accessdate=15 March 2025}}

In 2023, Palladino and her brother Rocco Palladino performed in Paul's band at his Coachella debut.{{Cite web|url=https://glidemagazine.com/290314/jai-paul-announces-four-rare-shows-following-coachella-debut/|title=Jai Paul Announces Four Rare Shows Following Coachella Debut|work=Glide Magazine|date=17 April 2023|accessdate=15 March 2025}} Paul featured on her single "I Care" later that year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2241830/fabiana-palladino-jai-paul-i-care/music/|title=Fabiana Palladino & Jai Paul – "I Care"|work=Stereogum|first=Tom|last=Breihan|date=7 November 2023|accessdate=15 March 2025}}

Accompanied by the singles "Stay With Me Through the Night" and "I Can't Dream Anymore", Palladino's self-titled debut album was released in 2024 to critical acclaim.{{Cite news |issn=1756-3224 |oclc=60623878 |language=en-GB |newspaper=The Guardian |accessdate=2024-04-06 |date=2024-04-04 |author-link=Alexis Petridis |last=Petridis |first=Alexis |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/apr/04/fabiana-palladino-fabiana-palladino-album-review |title=Fabiana Palladino: Fabiana Palladino review – sublime 80s pop innovation meets 21st-century chaos}} The album comprises tracks originally intended for the aforementioned EP, as well as tracks written during the COVID-19 lockdown when Palladino moved back into her parents' home after a breakup, musing on the isolation of the time.{{Cite web|url=https://theface.com/music/fabiana-palladino-synthpop-rnb-100--performing-loneliness|title=Fabiana Palladino makes loneliness worth listening to|work=The Face|first=Jade|last=Wickes|date=24 May 2024|accessdate=15 March 2025}} The single "Drunk" followed later in the year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/fabiana-palladino-returns-with-new-single-drunk|title=Fabiana Palladino returns with new single, "Drunk"|work=The Line of Best Fit|author=Tyler Damara Kelly|date=29 October 2024|accessdate=15 March 2025}} Also in 2024, she had her first headline concert dates as a solo artist{{Cite web|url=https://whynow.co.uk/read/fabiana-palladino-at-village-underground-review-alternative-pops-slow-burning-star-steps-into-the-spotlight|title=Fabiana Palladino at Village Underground review - Alternative pop's slow burning star steps into the spotlight|work=WhyNow|first=Teddy|last=Coward|date=29 May 2024|accessdate=15 March 2025}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thecut.com/article/fabiana-palladino-musician-interview-2024-album-debut.html|title=Fabiana Palladino Is a Diva-in-Training|work=The Cut|first=Cat|last=Zhang|date=22 November 2024|accessdate=8 December 2024}}{{paywall}} and performed at the Great Escape Festival and BST Hyde Park.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001yz12|title=Live From The Great Escape Festival with performances from Wunderhorse & Fabiana Palladino|work=BBC Radio 6|first=Huw|last=Stephens|date=16 May 2024|accessdate=15 March 2025}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/elmiene-sekou-fabiana-palladino-and-more-to-join-sza-at-bst-hyde-park|title=Elmiene, Sekou, Fabiana Palladino and more to join SZA at BST Hyde Park|work=The Line of Best Fit|author=Tyler Damara Kelly|date=30 May 2024|accessdate=15 March 2025}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.concertarchives.org/bands/fabiana-palladino|title=Fabiana Palladino Concert History|work=Concert Archives|accessdate=15 March 2025}}

Artistry

When she was a child, her parents would play soul and Motown, including Aretha Franklin and Donny Hathaway, while Palladino had an interest in mainstream pop acts such as Spice Girls and Craig David and was introduced to R&B through her cousins. Through a university friend, she discovered and became inspired Kate Bush's album Hounds of Love (1985), as well as David Bowie and Peter Gabriel. Sonically, Palladino draws upon eras including the 1970s,{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/apr/06/one-to-watch-fabiana-palladino|title=One to watch: Fabiana Palladino|work=The Guardian|first=Shaad|last=D'Souza|date=6 April 2024|accessdate=8 December 2024}} the 1980s, and the 2000s. Other artists she has named as influences include Brandy and Janet Jackson. She also references literature, such as His Dark Materials on her 2017 single "Mystery". Her 2020 single "Waiting" took inspiration from Joe Jackson, Squeeze, early Police, and Prince.