Caroline Polachek

Caroline Polachek
Also known as Ramona Lisa
Born June 20, 1985
Origin New York City, United States
Genres Electronic, indie pop
Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter, musician
Years active 2014–present
Labels Columbia Records, Terrible, Pannonica, Mistletone
Website theramonalisa.com
Notable instruments
Synthesizer

Caroline Polachek is a Brooklyn-based songwriter and vocalist for Chairlift. She released her debut solo album, Arcadia under her stage name Ramona Lisa, which was released on April 2014 via Terrible Records.[1]

Career

Chairlift (2005–present)

Polachek formed the band Chairlift together with Aaron Pfenning at the University of Colorado in October 2005. The group was joined by Patrick Wimberly in early 2007, the year the band released their first EP titled "Daylight Savings EP," followed by their debut album Does You Inspire You. Pfenning left the band in 2010 to pursue his solo career, titled Rewards. Polachek and Wimberly went on as a duo to write and produce their 2012 full-length record Something alongside producers Dan Carey and Alan Moulder. In addition, she directed the record's music videos, including "Amanaemoneisa," and "I Belong In Your Arms."

Collaborations (2009–present)

As a solo artist, Polachek has been involved in numerous collaborations. She was featured on Flosstradamus's single "Big Bills" (2009), chillwave band Washed Out's single "You and I" (2010), Holy Ghost!'s "I Know, I Hear" (2010), Sebastian Blanck's "Thunder" (2010), Guards "Trophy Queen (feat. Caroline Polachek)" (2010), Acrylics's "Sparrow Song" (2011), Delorean's "Unhold" (2013), Blood Orange's "Chamakay" (2013), "In The Crew Of Tea Time" by Sébastien Tellier & Caroline Polachek, and SBTRKT's "Look Away" (2014).[2]

In 2010, she joined Jorge Elbrecht of Brooklyn-based Violens to record a "sgin" of Justin Bieber's "Never Let You Go": "We went on YouTube to find a video among the highest ranks of hits, and came across 'Never Let You Go'. We went on to make what we call a 'sgin' (anagram of the word 'sing')—an original song written specifically to synch into someone else's video on mute".[3] Polachek and Elbrecht collaborated again in 2014 on two singles, "I.V. Aided Dreams (feat. Caroline Polachek)" and "Full Mental Erase (feat. Caroline Polachek)".[2] In 2012, she sang with Ice Choir (solo project of Kurt Feldman of The Pains of Being Pure at Heart) on the song "Everything Is Spoilt by Use" and directed/edited it's official video. Polachek was also featured in music videos for "Let Take Me Out" by Class Actress (2007), "Time To Pretend" by MGMT (2009), "So Fine" by Telepathe (2009). In late 2013, Polachek wrote and produced "No Angel", which was featured on Beyoncé's critically acclaimed fifth studio album, Beyoncé.[2][4]

Video and performance scoring (2014–present)

In early 2014, Polachek composed and produced instrumental scores for designers Proenza Schouler and Tess Giberson to be featured on runways and promotional videos.[5] In April 2014, Polachek scored a live performance piece by artists India Menuez and Hayden Dunham at SIGNAL gallery in Brooklyn.[6] In October 2014, Polachek scored "HappyOkay," a ballet performance video directed by Elena Parasco and produced by House of Makers and Last Hour. The performance was choreographed by Peter Lueng of the Dutch National Ballet, the largest dance company in the Netherlands, and performed by New York City Ballet's Harrison Ball, Joseph Gordon, and Megan LeCrone.[7][8]

Ramona Lisa and Arcadia (2013–present)

Polachek began performing sets secretly under the moniker Ramona Lisa in 2013.[9] The name originates from a former pseudonym Polachek used on Facebook.[1] She announced her debut self-produced album as Ramona Lisa, entitled Arcadia in February 2014.[9][10] It's a concept album of love songs interpreted via nature allegories. Polachek describes the album as "pastoral electronic music."[11][12][13]

Polachek began writing the album during an artistic residency at the Villa Medici in Rome, Italy.[14] In an interview with Pitchfork she described how her time in Rome inspired the sounds of Arcadia, stating: "When I was looking out the window in Rome, I wanted this type of electronic music to feel as organic as what I was seeing. I don't think any of the tools that I'm using are particularly new—a lot of the MIDI instruments have been around for 15 years—but the compositions make them sound less electronic, more mysterious."[14] The record was made entirely on Polachek's laptop without instruments or external microphones, except to capture field recordings of the sounds she heard in her surroundings.[15] She sang vocals directly into her computer's built in microphone, making use of hotel closets, quiet airport gates, and spare dressing rooms during Chairlift's world tour.[14] The album artwork was shot by New York photographer Tim Barber.[1]

Discography

Albums

Singles

Production credits

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Shiffman, Allyson (February 26, 2014). "A Voice of Her Own: Caroline Polachek of 'Chairlift' Band on Her Next Efforts". The New York Times. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Listing of the writing, arrangement and performance credits Caroline Polachek has received on Discogs.com, (accessed December 13, 2014).
  3. ↑ "Violens & Chairlift – Never Let You Go". no-conclusion.com. No Conclusion. May 3, 2010. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
  4. ↑ Marchese, David (December 13, 2013). "How Chairlift's Caroline Polachek Landed a Track on 'Beyonce'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
  5. ↑ Widman, Jon (March 12, 2014). "Tess Giberson - Spring 2014". Ravelin.com. Sweden Unltd.
  6. ↑ Press release from the Signal Gallery (NY) on the India Menuez and Hayden Dunham show, (accessed December 10, 2014).
  7. ↑ Baumgardner, Julie (November 19, 2014). "An Art-Ballet Hybrid Video Scored by Chairlift’s Caroline Polachek". T Magazine. New York Times.
  8. ↑ Parasco, Elena. "HappyOkay". Vimeo. Vimeo. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Minsker, Evan (February 18, 2014). "Chairlift's Caroline Polachek Announces Solo LP Arcadia as Ramona Lisa, Shares "Arcadia" Video". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  10. ↑ Brelhan, Tom (February 18, 2014). "Ramona Lisa (Caroline Polachek) – "Arcadia Video"". Stereogum. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Chairlift's Caroline Polachek is Ramona Lisa". Pretty Much Amazing. February 18, 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
  12. ↑ Jonze, Tim (April 10, 2014). "Ramona Lisa: Arcadia review – beguiling side-project from Chairlift singer". The Guardian. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  13. ↑ Dyer, Deidre (April 22, 2014). "Gen F: Ramona Lisa". The Fader. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Fitzmaurice, Larry (March 6, 2014). "Update: Ramona Lisa". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
  15. ↑ Hannah, Andrew (June 18, 2014). "Caroline Polachek of Chairlift and Ramona Lisa: "I don’t want to work things out with anyone, I just wanna do it exactly the way I feel"". thelineofbestfit.com. The Line Of Best Fit.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Hilleary, Mike (September 12, 2014). "Ramona Lisa Releases New EP, 'Dominic'". Under the Radar. Retrieved January 6, 2015.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 McGovern, Kyle (March 7, 2014). "Chairlift's Caroline Polachek Contorts 'Backwards and Upwards' as Ramona Lisa". Spin. Retrieved March 14, 2014.

External links