Brooke Candy

Brooke Candy for Wonderland Magazine
Brooke Candy
Birth name Brooke Dyan Candy
Born (1989-07-20) July 20, 1989
Oxnard, California, U.S.
Genres Hip hop, Rap, Pop
Occupation(s) Rapper
Labels RCA
Website brookecandyofficial.com

Brooke Candy (born July 20, 1989) is an American rapper and singer. She is best known for co-starring in the music video for Grimes' single "Genesis".[1][2] She independently released videos for her songs "Das Me", "Everybody Does" and "I Wanna Fuck Right Now" before collaborating with photographer Steven Klein and stylist Nicola Formichetti on her eighth video, "Opulence". Candy signed with RCA in February 2014.[3]

Candy's father is the CFO of Hustler magazine and CEO of Hustler Casino, and Candy herself has been employed by Hustler as a mannequin stylist. Her industry ties helped her snag an internship with reality star and stylist Rachel Zoe. Before becoming a pop singer, Candy worked in a strip-club called Seventh Veil for eight months. Although she has been approached by four major record labels, she has not signed a recording contract. Best known for sporting metallic bikinis and pink cornrows, Candy has been compared to Gwen Stefani, Lady Gaga, and Nicki Minaj. Candy cites transhumanism and superhero-culture as the inspiration for her metallic costumes.

Early life and career

Brooke Candy was born in Oxnard, California. She grew up in the Los Angeles suburb of Agoura Hills[4] and is of Italian and Jewish descent.[5][6][7] Her parents divorced when she was eight. Her mother was a pediatric nurse while her father was CFO of Hustler magazine.[8] Candy has talked about the stark difference between her two parents’ lives: "[The Hustler offices were] so gaudy and amazing. I'd eat ice cream and watch TV and just go from that to being with my mom, who had nothing. It was strange... It's this whole idea of duality that I'm just obsessed with.”[8] She also lived out of her car for a period, working as an exotic dancer at the Seventh Veil adult club in Hollywood.[4]

While working as an intern for Rachel Zoe, Candy contacted Larry Flynt, seeking work as a photographer for Hustler.[4] Flynt eventually employed her as a mannequin stylist for Hustler store fronts. Candy described the job as "dress[ing] the mannequins slutty."[4]

Music career

During 2012 and 2013, Candy independently released her first three videos for her songs; "Das Me", "Everybody Does", and "I Wanna **** Right Now" on YouTube.[4] The videos had more than a million views by early 2013.[4] In August 2012, she co-starred in the music video for Grimes' single "Genesis".[4] Candy's first major label recording took place when she appeared on the track "Cloud Aura" on Charli XCX's debut album True Romance.[9] Candy was introduced to Charli by Azealia Banks when Candy hosted Banks' Mermaid Ball in Los Angeles.[10]

She eventually signed with RCA Records in February, 2014.[3] "Opulence", co-written with Sia and produced by Diplo, was her first single for the label.[11] For the song's video, she collaborated with stylist Nicola Formichetti and Steven Klein.[11] The video explores the theme of "freaks," a concept that was conceived by Candy and Formichetti at a drag bar in Tokyo.[11] It features transgender woman, drag queens, and gay men who are friends with Candy.[11] “We’re all freaks and outcasts, and this was meant to empower them,” Candy said.[11] Formichetti, Candy and Klein worked on a V Mag shoot that led to Steven Klein directing "Opulence".[12]

"Opulence" was the title track of her first EP, which was released in May 2014.[13]

Her debut album is currently being produced by label-mate Sia amongst others. Sia, who is an executive producer and an songwriter on the album, discovered Candy on Instagram and reached out to her, believing “that I was the only person who could really support [Candy] in becoming who [she is] on a grander stage or platform.”.[8] So far, Sia has written at least one song --“Living Out Loud”—for Candy.[8]

"Rubber Band Stacks" , the first single from her album, was released on August 13, 2015 followed by its music video on August 18. The song is featured on the Madden NFL 16 video game. On January 29 Brooke Candy released the second single from her upcoming album: Happy Days. On February 4, 2016 its video was premiered on NylonMagazine.com and then uploaded on Youtube.

Artistry

Candy is known for her extreme fashion style, most notably her long cornrows and metallic bikini costumes.[4] Sia described Candy as a “feminista glam alien.” [14] Vogue profiled Candy in July, 2014, saying "For all her shape-shifting, perhaps it’s helpful to think of Brooke Candy as a tabula rasa whose videos, concerts, and everyday appearances each necessitate a different character. Together, they make her a fashion plate palimpsest." [15]

Candy's fashion has been described as a distinctive stripper-meets-Tumblr aesthetic.[16] She often collaborates with fashion designer Seth Pratt.[17] Following trends in stan culture, Candy has nicknamed her fanbase #FagMob.[18]

Vice blogger Ali Carman asked Candy, in an interview, if she was offended that her internet persona was considered fake. Candy replied: "My persona is a reality to me, you know. Like I would never rap and act hood if it wasn't actually my mentality and I wouldn't perform in a super-sexual way if being a stripper wasn't the way I made money."[19] MTV called Candy's look "super hardcore", a "breath of fresh, fearless air", and a prayer answered by the pop goddesses.[20] Calling her the "Freaky Princess", The Guardian journalist Michael Cragg agreed with the stripper-turned-rapper's alias, comparing her to Xena, the Warrior Princess.[21] Musically, Candy's work has been recognized for its twerk-able nature, springy beats, and cyberpunk.[10]

Candy also hosts a blog dedicated to photography.[19]

Personal life

Candy is openly pansexual,[22][23] and revealed Lil' Kim as an inspiration for her rapping technique and irreverent image.[19] She also expresses strong feministic ideals.[19] Her father is the CFO of Hustler magazine and CEO of Hustler Casino.[4] Candy has the name "Gotti" tattooed on the inside of her forearm in honor of John Gotti, after whom she has also named her puppy.[20] She is an adamant and vocal proponent of the legalization of sex work and legality of recreational use of marijuana.[4]

Candy's image is highly sexualized, "They told me not to make something so sexual" she told New York writer Christopher Glazek, recalling a conversation she had with her record executives about the music video for her song "I Wanna Fuck Right Now",[4] whose refrain is: "I wanna fuck right now / I wanna fuck right now now".[4]

Discography

Studio Albums

Title Details
TBA

Extended plays

Title Details
Opulence

Singles

Title Year Album
"Opulence"[25] 2014 Opulence
"Rubber Band Stacks"[26] 2015 TBA
"Happy Days"[27][28] 2016

Guest appearances

Title Year Other artist(s) Album
"Cloud Aura"[29] 2012 Charli XCX True Romance
"Theme Music" Count Mack
"Take Me Away"[30] 2015 Bleachers, Rachel Antonoff Terrible Thrills, Vol. 2

Music videos

List of music videos, showing year released and directors
Title Year Director(s) Ref.
"Das Me" 2012 Brooke Candy and Matthew Boman [31]
"Everybody Does" 2013 Renata Raksha [32]
"I Wanna Fuck Right Now" @Spaghetto [18]
"Pussy Make the Rules" Filmmaker and Meredith Danluck
"Dumb" Chris Murdoch
"Opulence" 2014 Steven Klein [33]
"Rubber Band Stacks" 2015 Ssion
"Happy Days" 2016 Renata Raksha

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Ref.
1998 Dennis the Menace Strikes Again! Girl at diving board [34]
2011 Bloodrape Baby K [35]

References

  1. ↑ "Director's Cut: Grimes "Genesis"". Pitchfork Media. 2012-08-27. Retrieved 2012-09-02.
  2. ↑ "Grimes - Genesis". YouTube.com. 2012-08-22. Retrieved 2012-09-02.
  3. 1 2 "Dynamic Rapper / Singer Brooke Candy Signs with RCA Records". RCA Records. 18 February 2014. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Glazek, Christopher (17 March 2013). "The Rise of the Rapping, Stripping, Snake-Charming Brooke Candy". Vulture. New York Media, LLC. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  5. ↑ "BLOODY GUTS: is candy your real last name? what is your...". tumblr.com.
  6. ↑ Sophie Hoyle. "No Homo: Brooke Candy and the New Wave of Queer Hip-Hop". academia.edu.
  7. ↑ "Brooke Candy: ‘I Don’t Do Well With Barriers’ - DIY". DIY.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "The Chosen Ones". PaperMag. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  9. ↑ Eanett, Lindsey (28 November 2012). "Charli XCX, Brooke Candy and... Honey Boo-Boo?". BlackBook. VIBE. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  10. 1 2 Myers, Owen (October 2012). "Video Premiere: Brooke Candy "Das Me"". Dazed & Confused. Waddell Limited. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Zarella, Katherine K. (28 April 2014). "Backed by Nicola Formichetti’s Diesel Power, Brooke Candy Shoots for Stardom". Style.com. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  12. ↑ "Candy Land".
  13. ↑ "Brooke Candy To Release Opulence EP On May 6th". RCA Records. 2014-04-28. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  14. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/20/magazine/sia-furler-the-socially-phobic-pop-star.html?_r=0
  15. ↑ |title=Why Brooke Candy Is Poised to Become Fashion’s Latest Pop Muse |url=http://www.vogue.com/946467/brooke-candy-fashion-pop-music-muse/
  16. ↑ "Exclusive Gallery: L.A. Rapper Brooke Candy Unwrapped". Bullett Media. 2012-07-26. Retrieved 2012-09-02.
  17. ↑ "BROOKE CANDY". Alispelleschi.com.
  18. 1 2 Cantor, Paul. "Brooke Candy 'I Wanna F*ck Right Now' Video". The Boom Box. AOL. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  19. 1 2 3 4 Carman, Ali. "Stalking Heads: Brooke Candy". Vice. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  20. 1 2 Catarinella, Alex (19 February 2013). "Brooke Candy: These Are A Few Of Her Favorite Things". MTV: It Girls. Viacom. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  21. ↑ Cragg, Michael (11 February 2013). "New music: Brooke Candy - I Wanna Fuck Right Now". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  22. ↑ Pursley, Angelica. "The Interview: Brooke Candy". HungerTV. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
  23. ↑ Hattie Collins. "Gay rap, the unthinkable becomes reality | Music". The Guardian. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  24. ↑ https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/opulence-ep/id871225498
  25. ↑ https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/opulence-single/id849829947
  26. ↑ http://www.idolator.com/7602319/brooke-candy-butt-naked-rubber-band-stacks-cover
  27. ↑ http://www.idolator.com/7621402/brooke-candy-announces-new-single-happy-days
  28. ↑ http://www.directlyrics.com/new-music-brooke-candy-happy-days-full-audio-review-news.html
  29. ↑ https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/true-romance/id620473750
  30. ↑ "Bleachers: Terrible Thrill, Vol. 2 - Music on Google Play". Google Play. 25 September 2015. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  31. ↑ "BROOKE CANDY "DAS ME" OFFICIAL VIDEO". Bloodyguts.tumblr.com. 2012-10-16. Retrieved 2012-12-04.
  32. ↑ "BROOKE CANDY "EVERYBODY DOES" OFFICIAL VIDEO". YouTube. 3 January 2013. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  33. ↑ "Opulence". YouTube. 2015-04-27. Retrieved 2014-11-14.
  34. ↑ "Brooke Candy - IMDb". IMDB. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  35. ↑ "Bloodrape (2011)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 10 August 2013.

External links

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