B-13 Peer Review: Artist Of The Month [ One To Watch]

Kimbra on stage at the 2011 Moomba Festival.

 

Biography

Early years

Kimbra Johnson was born in Hamilton, New Zealand and remained there for the majority of her childhood. She attended Hillcrest High School, rising to prominence as a musician after competing in the national schools' competition Rockquest for three years running, where she was awarded second place in 2004 at age 14. Her upbringing was not particularly influenced by music, but at the age of 10 Kimbra began writing songs.

Kimbra's father, Ken, was the head doctor at the University of Waikato's student health centre and her mother was a nurse. Ken bought Kimbra a guitar when she was 12 years old, and "after a few years of lessons, she was on stage, performing with her guitar tutor (she was never taught to sing)".

Kimbra made her first music video on the New Zealand children's TV show [What Now]. The video was titled "Smile".

 

Career beginnings

Early public performances by Kimbra included singing at the Waikato Times Gold Cup race meeting in 2000 as a ten year-old, and the national anthem at age twelve before 27,000 people at the Auckland vs Waikato NPC rugby final.

After winning the Juice TV award for best breakthrough music video for her second single "Simply on My Lips" in 2007, Kimbra, then aged seventeen, came to the attention of ex-Independiente Records boss Mark Richardson and his newly-formed management company/independent label Forum 5 in Melbourne, Victoria, whom she signed with and relocated to Australia to begin work on her debut record.

Vows (2010–present)

Kimbra's first single "Settle Down" was released in 2010 with the music video directed by Guy Franklin. Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton featured the track on his website citing "If you like Nina Simone, Florence & The Machine and/or Bjork, then we think you will enjoy Kimbra - her music reminds us of all those fierce ladies!"



On 10 December 2010, the Australian 'indietronica' group Miami Horror released their single, "I Look to You" featuring Kimbra's vocals. Kimbra also stars in the music video, which features wide-angle and kaleidoscope shots of her in face paint and dresses walking through golden fields.

On 7 June 2011 Kimbra signed to Warner Bros. Records New Zealand for distribution in New Zealand and Australia, as well as a worldwide deal for all other territories with Warner Bros. Records in the US.
Kimbra's debut album Vows was released on 29 August in New Zealand and 2 September in Australia. In its first week of release the album charted at #3 in New Zealand and #5 in Australia. In its second week of release the album rose to a peak of #4 on the ARIA Charts. Notable Australian producer 'M-Phazes' produced Kimbra's track 'Call me' and lent additional hand to many of the other tracks on the 'Vows' album.



Kimbra is featured in the single "Somebody That I Used to Know" by the Australian artist Gotye. The single was a commercial success charting nationally and internationally. The song reached #1 in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, Canada, and the United States. The single has currently been certified 8x Platinum (560,000+ units sold) in Australia.

The success of the collaboration resulted in Kimbra's singles "Settle Down", "Cameo Lover" and "Good Intent" to chart within the Australian Top 100 Singles Chart.


She has won the Critics' Choice Prize at the 2011 New Zealand Music Awards and Best Female Artist and Best Song (for "Somebody That I Used to Know") at the ARIA Music Awards of 2011.
The US release of Vows will feature a few new tracks not available on the Australian/New Zealand version of the album.

On 19 January, "Good Intent" was played on a episode of ABC's drama Grey's Anatomy. This same song also features in the popular video game, The Sims 3: Pets. Also in January, Kimbra won the "One to Watch" award at the 2012 Rolling Stone Awards.

Recently, Kimbra has collaborated with Mark Foster (of Foster the People) and DJ A-Trak on the track "Warrior". The track was released on 2 April.

On 14 April 2012 she performed "Somebody That I Used to Know" with Gotye on SNL. On 18 April 2012, the track peaked at number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The result made her the first New Zealand act to top any US chart since OMC managed to top the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 chart with "How Bizarre" in 1997