Eliot Sumner

Eliot Sumner
Eliot Sumner
Background information
Birth name	Eliot Paulina Sumner
Also known as	Coco, I Blame Coco
Born	(1990-07-30) 30 July 1990 Pisa, Tuscany, Italy
Genres	New wave, indie rock, synthpop, reggae fusion
Occupation(s)	Musician, singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, drums, bass guitar, piano, synth
Years active	2005–present
Labels	Island Records, Universal Music Group
Associated acts	Teddybears, Fyfe Dangerfield, Sub Focus, Mew, Miike Snow, Robyn, Fiction Plane, La Roux, Sting
Website	eliotsumner.com

Eliot Paulina Sumner (born 30 July 1990 in Pisa, Tuscany, Italy), also known as Coco, is an English musician. Her debut album was released under the band name I Blame Coco, a name which she has since abandoned. I Blame Coco's debut album, The Constant, was released in the United Kingdom on 8 November 2010. She is the daughter of musician Sting and actress/producer Trudie Styler.

Career

Eliot Sumner began playing music at a young age and writing songs at the age of 15.^[1] Some of her earlier demos include "I Blame Coco", "Look The Other Way", "Darkstar", "Never Be", "Voice in My Head", "Avion", and "No Smile" (A song which would later appear on her album, The Constant), many of which were imbued with a heavy reggae influence and elements of pop punk. The song "I Blame Coco", which was co-written with Mr Hudson, was released independently as a 7" single in 2007. The band includes Jonny Mott – Keyboards, Alexis Nunez – Drums, Jonas Jalhay – Guitar and Rory Andrew – Bass.

At age 17, Eliot signed a multi-record deal with Island Records.^[2][3] Eliot spent six months writing and recording her debut album The Constant in Sweden with one of her two producers, Klas Åhlund.^[1] According to his manager, Christian Wåhlberg, Åhlund had been keen to work with Eliot because he saw the "punk rocker" in her.^[4] The electropop sound of her debut album was influenced by Island president Darcus Beese, with Wåhlberg saying that if Eliot had signed to a different label then the music she created with Åhlund would have sounded differently.^[4] I Blame Coco's debut single for Island, "Caesar", featuring Robyn, was released in February 2010.^[3] Eliot released her follow-up single entitled "Self Machine" on 12 July 2010.^[5]

Eliot has worked with Fyfe Dangerfield performing "Only Love Can Break Your Heart",^[6] Miike Snow, and Sub Focus performing "Splash". She has also performed with Pete Doherty of The Libertines, Mr Hudson and Plan B.

In April 2010, I Blame Coco supported Mercury Prize nominee La Roux on their UK tour. Throughout Summer 2010, I Blame Coco played several music festivals including Glastonbury, Leeds/Reading, Latitude, Secret Garden Party, Benicassim, Wireless, Isle of Wight, Lovebox and Jalouse Rocks. October and November 2010 the band had their very first headline UK and European tour. The UK tour was supported by Kyla La Grange.

Since 2012, Sumner has been working on her second album. In February 2012, the band appeared at London's Hoxton Bar & Kitchen also in New York City at Piano's Bar & Night Club to showcase some of their new material, which exhibits a more laidback and mature sound. She announced that she would be writing the rest of the songs for her second album. In an interview in October 2013, Sting said that Coco's new album would be out in Spring 2014.^[7] Later, in April 2014, Coco said in an interview that she would be releasing music under her own name henceforth.^[8] She released an EP, Information, on 5 August 2014, and an album will follow in 2015.

In November 2014, Eliot Sumner supported Lykke Li on an international run of dates of Europe and The United Kingdom.

Other work

Eliot worked with Clint Mansell on the soundtrack for the 2013 film Filth, contributing a cover of the Radiohead song "Creep". Eliot provided guest vocals on the track "End of The Road" from the 2008 Sway DaSafo album, The Signature LP. In April 2010, she provided vocals and appeared in the Sub Focus' single "Splash",^[9] from his 2010 self-titled début album, Sub Focus. Eliots vocals can also be heard on the Miike Snow track 'Animal'. Eliot also appeared on Trentemøller 2011 album Reworked/Remixed - track title " ... Even Though You're with Another Girl [I Blame Coco Version]" Aside from music, Eliot also had a small role in the 2007 film Stardust Eliot ventured into modelling and featured in Burberry Spring/Summer 2008 advertising campaign. Sumner also Deejays in her spare time.

Personal life

Eliot Sumner is the daughter of musician Sting and actress/producer Trudie Styler. Eliot has five siblings. Her half-brother Joseph Sumner (born 1976) is the lead singer of the band Fiction Plane. Her half-sister is actress Fuschia Katherine "Kate" Sumner (born 1982). Sister Brigitte Michael "Mickey" Sumner (born 1984) is a filmmaker, artist and actress; Jake Sumner (born 1985) is a film director, and youngest brother Giacomo Luke Sumner (born 1995) is a student. Eliot lost her sense of smell after a brain injury in 2009^[10] and is obsessed with buying broken keyboards.^[11]

Sumner was educated at Bryanston School in Dorset and then the Fine Arts College, a 6th form college in Belsize Park, north London.^[12]

Discography

Studio albums

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions
		UK	AUT [13]	BEL (VL) [14]	BEL (WA) [15]	FRA [16]	POL [17]	SWI [18]	GER
The Constant	Released: 8 November 2010 Label: Island Records Formats: CD, digital download	86	58	82	88	41	36	72	31

Singles

As lead artist

Title	Year	Peak chart positions				Album
		UK	BEL (VL) [14]	BEL (WA) [15]	GER
"Caesar" (featuring Robyn)	2010	—	—	—	—	The Constant
"Selfmachine"		64	53	93	56
"Quicker"		—	91	—	—
"In Spirit Golden"		—	—	—	—
"Turn Your Back on Love"	2011	—	—	—	—
"Information"	2014	—	—	—	—	Information - EP

As featured artist

Title	Year	Peak chart positions		Album
		UK	UK Dance
"Animal" (with Miike Snow)	2009	98	—	Miike Snow
"Splash" (with Sub Focus)	2010	41	7	Sub Focus

Music videos

Year	Title	Director
2010	"Caesar"	Hope Audikana[19]
	"Only Love Can Break Your Heart"	Tom & Tabitha[20]
	"Splash"	Nick Frew[21]
	"Self Machine"	Alex Smith[22]
	"Quicker"	China Moo-Young[23]
	"In Spirit Golden"	Hope Audikana[24]

Year	Title	Director
2014	"Information"	Eliot Lee Hazel[25]

Awards and Nominations

Virgin Media Music Awards

Year	Recipient	Award	Result
2010	"I Blame Coco"	Best Newcomer	style="background: #FDD; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="no table-no2"|Nominated

References

External links

• Official website
• I Blame Coco on Myspace

I Blame Coco Studio albums The Constant Singles "Caesar" "Selfmachine" Featured singles "Splash" Other singles "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" Related Articles Sting Trudie Styler