Karin Dreijer Andersson

49
Karin Dreijer Andersson bigraphy, stories - Swedish musician

Karin Dreijer Andersson : biography

7 April 1975 –

Karin Elisabeth Dreijer Andersson (born 7 April 1975), also known by her stage name Fever Ray, is the lead vocalist of the electronic music duo The Knife, formed with her brother Olof Dreijer. Andersson was previously the vocalist and guitarist of the alternative rock band Honey Is Cool. Andersson released her debut solo album under the name Fever Ray in 2009.

Her vocal style is notable for both shrill and deep tones, and also the use of multitracked vocals, with different uses of pitch-shifting technology on each track, creating an intricate and mysterious effect. Visually, Andersson employs the use of masks, face and body paint, intricate costumes, and other theatrical elements in photo shoots, videos and live performances, during which she often performs behind a gauze screen that partially obscures her from view.

Discography

Albums

  • Fever Ray (2009)
  • Live in Luleå (2009)

Singles

  • "If I Had a Heart" (2008)
  • "When I Grow Up" (2009)
  • "Triangle Walks" (2009)
  • "Seven" (2009)
  • "Stranger Than Kindness" (2009)
  • "Keep the Streets Empty for Me" (2009)
  • "Mercy Street" (2010)

Collaborations

Year Song Album Artist
2000 "Wasted" Fake or Real? Robot
2001 "Axe Man" Citizen Bird Silverbullit
"Lost in the City Nights" Hit That City Yvonne
2005 "What Else Is There?" The Understanding Röyksopp
2008 "Slow" Vantage Point dEUS
2009 "This Must Be It" Junior Röyksopp
"Tricky Tricky"

Personal life

Andersson was born on 7 April 1975 in Nacka, Sweden. While both Karin and Olof are hesitant to give interviews, Karin takes part in them more frequently than her brother. On the occasions they do consent to interviews, they often stick to topics concerning their music, influences and public image, avoiding talking about their personal lives. Andersson is married to Kent Peter Kristian Andersson and has two children, though the first names of her children are not publicly known, to protect the privacy of her family. Her favourite television show is Miami Vice.

Solo work

While The Knife was on hiatus, Andersson released her self-titled solo debut album Fever Ray digitally on 12 January 2009 and physically on 18 March 2009 via Rabid Records, preceded by its lead single "If I Had a Heart", released digitally on 15 December 2008.

In 2009, Andersson composed the soundtrack to Dirty Diaries, a collection of feminist pornographic short films. In a review of the collection, Swedish newspaper Smålandsposten described the soundtrack as appropriate to the film, though repetitive.

Andersson performed as Fever Ray at the 2010 Coachella Festival and received positive reviews. In September of the same year, she performed at Electric Picnic in Ireland and at Bestival in England.

Contrary to a statement from the film’s director, Andersson did not make a cameo appareance in the 2011 film Red Riding Hood. However, the soundtrack features the exclusive track "The Wolf", which Andersson co-wrote with her band members, as well as "Keep the Streets Empty for Me".

Andersson wrote the music for the theatrical adaptation of Ingmar Bergman’s 1968 horror film Hour of the Wolf, which premiered at Stockholm’s Royal Dramatic Theatre on 12 March 2011. One of these tracks, "No Face", appeared in demo form on the 2012 compilation album We Are the Works in Progress, organised by Blonde Redhead to benefit victims of the 2011 Japanese tsunami.

Collaborations

In 2005, Andersson supplied vocals on the track "What Else Is There?" by Röyksopp on the album The Understanding. She also appeared in the video for that single, but not as the vocalist, who was portrayed by a model. In 2008, Andersson provided vocals for the dEUS song "Slow" from the band’s Vantage Point album. Andersson was featured on the tracks "This Must Be It" and "Tricky Tricky" again by Röyksopp, appearing on their 2009 album Junior.