Kathryn Calder

{{about|the Canadian indie rock musician|the American statistician|Kate Calder|the New Zealand cross-country skier|Katherine Calder}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Kathryn Calder

| image = Kathryn Calder cropped.jpg

| caption = Kathryn Calder at a solo show in 2011

| image_size =

| background = solo_singer

| birth_name =

| alias =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|6|17}}{{Cite web |url=http://according2g.com/2010/06/the-new-pornographers-live-at-terminal-5/ |title=The New Pornographers live at Terminal 5 |access-date=1 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110827014111/http://according2g.com/2010/06/the-new-pornographers-live-at-terminal-5/ |archive-date=27 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/michael-bialas/kathryn-calder_b_1029804.html |title=Guitar Heroine: Kathryn Calder Living the Bright and Vivid Dream |date=25 October 2011 |first=Michael |last=Bialas |access-date=30 October 2021 |work=The Huffington Post}}

| origin = Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

| instrument = Vocals, keyboard, accordion, guitar

| genre =

| occupation =

| years_active = 2003–present

| label = Mint, Matador, Last Gang,
File Under:Music

| current_member_of = The New Pornographers, Frontperson

| past_member_of = Immaculate Machine

| website =

}}

Kathryn Jane Calder (born June 17, 1982) is a Canadian indie rock musician, who performs as a solo artist, and is a member of the bands The New Pornographers and Frontperson. She is a former member of Immaculate Machine. Calder started with The New Pornographers by filling in for Neko Case for live performances and was made a permanent member in 2006.{{cite news|last=Devlin|first=Mike|title=The New Pornographers Together again|url=http://www.timescolonist.com/entertainment/music/Pornographers%20Together%20again/2960667/story.html|access-date=6 July 2010|date=28 April 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100603043537/http://www.timescolonist.com/entertainment/music/Pornographers%20Together%20again/2960667/story.html|archive-date=3 June 2010}}

Biography

Calder is the niece of fellow The New Pornographers member Carl Newman.{{cite web|last=Douglas|first=Rachel|title=Immaculate Machine's Kathryn Calder pulls double duty with 'New Pornographers'|url=http://blog.cleveland.com/rockin/2007/11/its_a_family_thing_for_the_new_1.html|work=ClevelandLive.com|date=14 November 2007|access-date=23 June 2010}} Calder explained in a 2007 interview: "My mom was adopted as a baby and about ten years ago she found her birth family and Carl is in her birth family. At that time I was a teenager and playing in a band and didn't really know I had that family ... so that's how I met Carl."

She was a member of Immaculate Machine from 2003 to 2011, releasing three albums and an EP with that band.{{cite web |url=http://exclaim.ca/News/immaculate_machine_call_it_day |title=Immaculate Machine Call It a Day |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120108184427/http://exclaim.ca/News/immaculate_machine_call_it_day |archive-date=8 January 2012 |work=Exclaim! |date=11 February 2011 |first=Josiah |last=Hughes}}

Her first solo album, Are You My Mother?, was released on August 3, 2010 (Canada) and August 10, 2010 (United States), with a digital release date of June 28, 2010.{{cite web |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120729123714/http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/generalarticlesynopsfullart.aspx?csid1=144&csid2=844&fid1=46789 |archive-date=29 July 2012 |url=http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/generalarticlesynopsfullart.aspx?csid1=144&csid2=844&fid1=46789 |title=Kathryn Calder Takes a Break from New Pornographers, Immaculate Machine to Release Solo Debut |work=Exclaim! |date=26 May 2010 |first=Josiah |last=Hughes}}{{cite web|title=Are You My Mother? digital album now available!|url=http://fileundermusic.com/label/2010/07/05/are-you-my-mother-digital-album-now-available/|work=File Under: Music|access-date=6 July 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161124092935/http://fileundermusic.com/label/2010/07/05/are-you-my-mother-digital-album-now-available/|archive-date=24 November 2016}} The album was named after the children's book with the same name. It was recorded when Calder was caring for her sick mother, and the project was put on hold when her mother died of Lou Gehrig's disease.{{cite news|last=Marchand|first=Francois|title=For Kathryn Calder, home is where your mom is|url=https://vancouversun.com/entertainment/Kathryn+Calder+home+where+your/3352006/story.html|access-date=5 August 2010|newspaper=The Vancouver Sun|date=3 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100805055021/http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/Kathryn+Calder+home+where+your/3352006/story.html|archive-date=2010-08-05|url-status=dead}} The New Pornographers' 2010 release Together is dedicated to the memory of Calder's mother.

Calder released her second album, Bright and Vivid on October 25, 2011.{{cite web|last=Usinger|first=Mike|title=Kathryn Calder is an unlikely indie pop star|url=https://www.straight.com/article-403527/vancouver/unlikely-indie-pop-star?page=0%2C1|work=Georgia Straight|date=13 July 2011|access-date=14 July 2011}}{{cite web|last=Adams|first=Gregory|title=Kathryn Calder Returns with 'Bright and Vivid,' Premieres New Track|url=http://exclaim.ca/News/kathryn_calder_returns_with_bright_vivid_premieres_new_track|work=Exclaim!|date=18 August 2011}} Superchunk drummer Jon Wurster, Jesse Zubot and Ford Pier are some of the guests on the album. The album was named as a longlisted nominee for the 2012 Polaris Music Prize on June 14, 2012.{{cite web |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/1211442--polaris-prize-long-list-includes-lots-of-toronto-bands?bn=1 |title=Polaris Prize long list includes lots of Toronto bands |work=Toronto Star |date=14 June 2012 |first=Raju |last=Mudhar |access-date=30 October 2021}}

In July 2012, Calder accepted an offer for a documentary about her life, called A Matter of Time. It was produced by the Yellow Bird Project and released in 2016. The movie touches on how she met Newman and her mother's death from ALS, as well as including some live performances from The New Pornographers, Immaculate Machine, and Kathryn herself as a solo artist.{{cite news |url=http://www.timescolonist.com/entertainment/music/film-chronicles-death-of-a-loved-one-1.2298399 |title=Film chronicles death of a loved one|newspaper=Times Colonist |date=10 July 2016 |first=Mike |last=Devlin |access-date=11 July 2016}}

Calder donated her vocal talent to the end credits song from the film, A Dog Named Gucci, in the song One Voice, which also features the talents of Norah Jones, Aimee Mann, Susanna Hoffs, Lydia Loveless, Neko Case, and Brian May. It was produced by Dean Falcone, who also wrote the film's score. One Voice was released on Record Store Day, April 16, 2016, with profits from the sale of the single going to benefit animal charities.{{Cite web|url=http://dvdandblu-rayreleasereport.blogspot.com/2016/03/filmmaker-gorman-bechards-dog-named.html|title= Filmmaker Gorman Bechard's A Dog Named Gucci To Make Its DVD Debut On Apr. 19|last=Tribbey|first=Ralph|date=19 March 2016|website=DVD & Blu-Ray Release Report|access-date=12 April 2016}}

In 2018, Calder formed the band Frontperson alongside Mark Andrew Hamilton of the band Woodpigeon, releasing the album Frontrunner that year.Eric R. Danton, [https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/frontperson/frontperson-frontrunner-review/ "Frontperson: Frontrunner"]. Paste, September 18, 2018. Parade, the duo's second album as Frontperson, was released in April 2022.Mark Redfern, [https://www.undertheradarmag.com/news/frontperson_share_video_for_new_song_ostalgie_fuer_c._bischoff "Frontperson Share Video for New Song 'Ostalgie (Für C. Bischoff){{'"}}]. Under the Radar, March 15, 2022.

In 2019 Calder became the artist in residence for the City of Victoria.{{Cite web|url=https://www.victoria.ca/EN/meta/news/news-archives/2019-news/kathryn-calder-is-victoria-s-new-artist-in-residence.html|title=MEET & GREET: Kathryn Calder, Victoria's new Artist in Residence|date=12 July 2019|website=City of Victoria |access-date=26 September 2019 |archive-date=26 September 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190926210424/https://www.victoria.ca/EN/meta/news/news-archives/2019-news/kathryn-calder-is-victoria-s-new-artist-in-residence.html}}

She is married to record producer Colin Stewart.Alan Ranta, [https://exclaim.ca/music/article/frontperson_parade_kathryn_calder_woodpigeon_album_review "Kathryn Calder and Woodpigeon Are an Immaculate Machine on Frontperson's 'Parade{{'"}}]. Exclaim!, April 29, 2022.