Victoria Legrand

Victoria Legrand

Victoria Legrand performing at Manchester Cathedral, Manchester, in November 2010.
Background information
Born (1981-05-28) May 28, 1981
Paris, France
Genres Dream pop
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, keyboardist
Instruments Vocals, keyboards, guitar, bass
Years active 2004–present
Associated acts Beach House, Grizzly Bear, Air
Website beachhousebaltimore.com

Victoria Garance Alixe Legrand (born May 28, 1981) is a French-born American musician, best known as the vocalist and keyboardist for the dream pop band Beach House.

Life and career

Legrand was born in Paris, France, but was raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She studied drama at Vassar College[1] while also returning to Paris to study acting there at the International Theatre School of Jacques Lecoq.[2] After graduating from Vassar College[1] and becoming "disenchanted with theater school in Paris," she moved back to Philadelphia in 2004.[3] She later met Baltimore-native Alex Scally, and they quickly formed a two-piece band. Legrand often mentions how organically they work together, and how, in Scally, she found her "musical soulmate."[4]

With Scally, Legrand has recorded six studio albums for Beach House in their hometown Baltimore, Maryland, including self-titled debut Beach House, Devotion, Teen Dream, Bloom, Depression Cherry and Thank Your Lucky Stars.

Musicianship

Vocal style

Some music outlets have compared her vocals to those of Nico, Mazzy Star's Hope Sandoval,[5] and 1980s psychedelic rock vocalist Kendra Smith of the band Opal. Musically, she speaks about her love for the Cure, the Cocteau Twins, and Gene Clark,[6] Neil Young, and the films of David Lynch.

Songwriting

Legrand and Scally write music anywhere between eight and 16 hours a day, and strive to create thoughtful music they feel strongly about.[7] Legrand often emphasizes the honesty, thoughtfulness, and authenticity Beach House tries to get across in their music. Legrand laments the references to Beach House as being "wafty, wavy, floaty, dreamy," and insists on the band's loudness and all-encompassing soundscapes they create: "We are a loud band. OK, so it's not abrasive, but it's not soft."[6] Legrand wishes her audiences would focus on the craft of their songwriting. She states, "what you're feeling is the craft, that everything is there with intention," as opposed to the individual sounds that surround "the real meat of it all....There's a lot of great sounds in music, but it's not gonna necessarily make you feel something."[7] She is protective of the identity of the band and cautiously chooses how they expose themselves to their audience.[8]

Personal life

Victoria Legrand is the niece of the French composer Michel Legrand and Christiane Legrand of The Swingle Singers.[9][10]

References

  1. 1 2 "Beach House: An Alumna’s Band Returns to Campus". Vassar College. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  2. ↑ Carew, Anthony. "Beach House - Artist Profile". About. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  3. ↑ Hockey-Smith, Sam. "Beach House: Tidal Pull". The FADER. No. 80 June/July 2012. Andy Cohn. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  4. ↑ O'Connell, Chris (24 March 2010). "Beach House's Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally are not a couple—so stop asking". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  5. ↑ "Beach House - Beach House | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  6. 1 2 Rowe, Sian (19 May 2012). "Beach House and the curse of the big time". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  7. 1 2 Roth, Chloe (27 September 2012). "Beach House's Victoria Legrand Says Justin Bieber's Music Makes Her "Need To Take a Shit"". SF Weekly. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  8. ↑ Gallagher, Natalie (8 October 2012). "Beach House's Victoria Legrand on memory, female empowerment, and social media". City Pages. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  9. ↑ Trucks, Rob (17 July 2008). "Interview: Victoria Legrand of Beach House". Village Voice. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  10. ↑ "Michel Legrand". Fnac (in French). Retrieved 20 May 2016.
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