| Lenka | |
|---|---|
Lenka performing at Summer Sonic festival in Tokyo, Japan, 2009 |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Lenka Kripac |
| Also known as | Lenka |
| Born | 19 March 1978 New South Wales, Australia |
| Origin | Sydney, Australia |
| Genres | Pop, indie pop |
| Occupations | Singer, songwriter, actress |
| Instruments | Piano, trumpet |
| Years active | Since 2008 |
| Labels | Sony Music, Epic Records |
| Associated acts | Decoder Ring |
| Website | www.lenkamusic.com |
Lenka (born Lenka Kripac on 19 March 1978)[1] is an Australian singer and songwriter, known for her song "The Show" from her album Lenka, which was in advertisements, including for Old Navy. Previously known in Australia as an actress, she has appeared in Australian television serials and feature films.[2]
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The daughter of a jazz musician father[3] who had immigrated to Australia from Czechoslovakia and an Australian schoolteacher mother, Lenka was born and raised in "the bush",[4] until age seven when her family moved to Sydney, where she received her schooling and music training, and started work as a musician.[4]
In September 2011 Lenka revealed that she was pregnant.[5]
As a teenager Lenka studied acting at the Australian Theatre For Young People,[6] where she trained with actress Cate Blanchett at the school.[7] Lenka starred in the Australian ABC-TV drama series GP as Vesna Kapek in the 1990s. She also hosted Cheez TV and has guest starred in other Australian TV series including as Home And Away, Wild Side, Head Start, and Spellbinder. She appeared in Australian feature films The Dish and Lost Things, as well as in theatre productions.[7]
As Lenka Kripac, she was a member of the Australian electronic-rock crossover band Decoder Ring for two of their albums. She then moved to California in 2007.[4]
After adopting her first name as her sole artistic name, Lenka released her eponymous debut album on 24 September 2008, with "The Show" chosen to be the first single release from the set.[8] The album peaked at number 142 on the US Billboard 200.[9]
Lenka creates paper art type of stop-motion animated music videos for each of her singles with James Gulliver Hancock, a visual artist from Australia.[3] The childlike appearance to all her music videos is done on purpose by the duo.[3] Her vocal stylings are a juxtaposition of pop and layered, complicated influences.
She provided vocals on two tracks ("Addicted" and "Sunrise") on German artist Schiller's album Atemlos, released in Germany on 12 March 2010.
Lenka's live performance and visual image has become synonymous with a native-art, vintage craft style. These works, (known as "Lenka" on stage), are the result of collaborations with James Gulliver Hancock, an Australian visual artist and illustrator. In 2009 they had their first gallery exhibition, which took place at No. 12 Gallery in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. The exhibition included a collection of works revolving around her music including set pieces and original drawings and prints. A manifesto outlining the philosophy behind their collaboration, "We Will Not Grow Old" was written to coincide with the exhibition. Lenka sometimes involves fans in art-making, with events so far in Los Angeles (in collaboration with Poketo), Hong Kong and Malaysia. Lenka has a Bachelor of Fine Arts majoring in sculpture from the College of Fine Arts Sydney (COFA).
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS[10] | AUT[11] | GER [12] |
POL | SUI[13] | UK[14] | USA[9] | |||
| 2008 | Lenka | — | 30 | 35 | 4 | 48 | 58 | 142 | |
| 2011 | Two
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— | — | — | — | 88 | — | 196 | |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUT [17] |
BEL Tip-Fl [18] |
CZE | EU | GER [19] |
JPN | NOR [20] |
SUI [21] |
UK [14] |
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| 2009 | "The Show" | 13 | 4 | 35 | 48 | 23 | 24 | — | 21 | 22 | Lenka |
| "Trouble Is a Friend" | — | — | — | — | 65 | — | 10 | — | — | ||
| 2011 | "Heart Skips a Beat" | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Two |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||
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