Tori Palma MUSC 1040 Danzig - Singer-songwriter, Pianist and Poet

Among other female artists of the late 90’s, such as Britney Spears or

Christina Aguilera, arose a much more raspy, raw, and jazzy female voice, Fiona

Apple. Her smoky voice, deep lyrics, followed by her gospel-tinged accompaniment of the made her unlike any other sound on the scene and she quickly became recognized. Her first Tidal, recorded when she was only 18, sold over 3 million copies. Her quirkiness, originality, and “what you see is what you get” attitude made her an interesting asset to the music scene.

She was born in in 1977. Her father being an actor and her mother a performer, she was introduced to the entertainment industry from an early age. They split when Fiona was only four years of age. She then spent most of her life in Manhattan with her mother and older sister. Faced with several hardships through out her life, she was forced into psychotherapy. As an outlet, Fiona began writing poetry from a very young age and started playing piano at age 8. Around age

11 she began combining her music and lyrics. In discovering her style, she would often find sheet music around her mother’s house and play songs that she had never heard before and then go and buy the album to find out if her interpretation of the music was close to the recorded version. She was influenced by Maya Angelou and found inspiration from her as a person and her works. At the age of 16 she moved to

L.A. to reside with her father and recorded a three-song demo. The tape was passed around and eventually landed Fiona a record contract in 1996. Fiona released her first album Tidal and her first Criminal. The music video to the song was a shock to viewers as it insinuated a sexual energy as the video features her sulking in various states of undress and the lyrics suggest guilt for using sexuality to get something. She later received an award for Best New

Artist at the 1997 music awards. The singer, only 20 years old, accepted the award with an outspoken and somewhat rebellious approach. She began by citing Maya

Angelou and then reached out to the youth with her view on the celebrity industry,

“this world is bullshit and you shouldn’t model your life to what you think we think is cool.” Her bold statement earned her a reputation as a person whose actions were unpredictable and uncontrollable. Some admired her daring attitude, while others felt she was an uneducated young adult. Fiona maintained this attitude through out her early music career.

In 1999 Fiona released her second album When the Pawn…, which is actually only a small part of the 90 word poem she used for the title. The album didn’t reach as much recognition as Tidal but while her voice, still mesmerizing with the accompaniment of the piano, it introduced a new, more experimental Fiona. When the Pawn… is reviewed by some as more upbeat or rock and roll, which was much different than her somber, jazz album Tidal. The album still sold a half million copies and “continued to cement Apple’s reputation as a stellar craftsperson.”

In 2005 Fiona released the album Extraordinary Machine. The release didn’t come easy though. It was set to release in 2003 but it was said to not have potential for hit singles by her Sony Music bosses. Fiona’s fans fought for the album’s release and songs slowly leaked online. In 2005 songs were re-recorded and the official album was released in October by . described, the slow- paced track Extraordinary “as a -esque blend of and

Vaudeville.” New York Times described the album as an “oddball gem… a fine counterbalance to a pop moment full of monolithic, self-righteous sincerity." Once again, her album went gold.

Fiona’s fourth album “The Idler Wheel…” named after a poem she wrote, debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, her highest debut yet, selling 72,000 copies in its first week. The album earned a nomination at the 2013 Grammy

Awards for Best Alternative Album. Fiona secretly began working on the album, which is described as distinct and different from her earlier work. Some argue that it is difficult to understand and connect with, but her fans wouldn’t expect anything less from the misunderstood singer-songwriter, pianist and poet.

Fiona Apple’s unique style makes her an influential American musician. Her originality makes her fan’s eager for more. Unlike other female musicians in the late

90’s, she offered a classic yet new sound to the scene. Her lyrics are profound and people can connect with her music on a much deeper level. She’s come far and has managed to stay on top.

References:

http://www.biography.com/people/fiona-apple-20857299#synopsis

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/fiona-apple

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVetgxs7gO4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pjIf5smBTs

http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/482560/justin-bieber-kenny- chesney-fiona-apple-lead-billboard-200-debuts

http://web.archive.org/web/20090114110638/http://www.rollingstone.co m/artists/fionaapple/articles/story/5936930/fiona_apple_ripe_for_return