| Hugo | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Chulachak Chakrabongse จุลจักร จักรพงษ์ |
| Born | August 6, 1981 London, England |
| Origin | London, England Thailand New York City, United States |
| Genres | Country, Blues rock, bluegrass |
| Occupations | Singer-songwriter |
| Years active | 2010–present |
| Labels | Roc Nation |
| Website | www.hugoofficial.com/us |
Hugo Chakrabongse Levy (born 6 August 1981), known under the mononym Hugo (Thai name: Chulachak Chakrabongse; จุลจักร จักรพงษ์) is a half-Thai, half-British singer-songwriter. Based in New York City and signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation label, his musical style has been dubbed by Roc Nation as "gangsta-rock". He is best known for his bluegrass cover of Jay-Z's "99 Problems", and his debut album, Old Tyme Religion, was released on May 10, 2011.[1]
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Hugo was born in England, raised in Thailand near the Chao Praya River jungle, and now resides in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of New York City. As a teenager, he released four studio albums with the band Siplor, which had several of its records banned on the radio. After moving to London, he became highly influenced by blues musicians such as Howling Wolf, Son House, Robert Johnson and Skip James as well as more modern musicians and bands such as Guns N' Roses, Nirvana, Dr. Dre, Jeff Buckley, MGMT, Tame Impala, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Devandra Banhart, The Big Pink and Jack White. He achieved recognition when his song "Disappear" was featured on Beyoncé's album I Am... Sasha Fierce, beginning a series of collaborations that led to a record deal with Jay-Z's Roc Nation label in 2010.[2]
Hugo's version of "99 Problems," his first single, was featured in the Natalie Portman/Ashton Kutcher romantic comedy No Strings Attached and in the 2011 remake of Fright Night.
Jon Cornell, Bass - Mark Slutsky, Drums - Chris Lopresto, Keyboards - Jay Barclay, Guitar
Old Tyme Religion