Artist
LP
Huntington, United States • b. 1981
LP is a musician from Huntington, United States, active since 1981. Their discography on Gatefold includes 11 records.
11
Albums tracked
17
In collections
1981
Since
Biography
Los Angeles-based indie rocker, "LP" (born Laura Pergolizzi), whose artist page can be seen at https://www.last.fm/music/LP and www.iamlp.com.
The Arc of LP
The pivots — what forced LP to reinvent.
The Indie-Rock Wilderness
Before the whistle-hooks and the massive pop production, LP was fronting a raw, post-grunge outfit in New York and working with Cracker's David Lowery. The 2001 debut Heart-Shaped Scar is full of gritty, beer-soaked bar-rock guitars and raw vocal strain that sounds closer to Janis Joplin than modern pop. This was LP trying to fit into the tail end of the alternative rock boom, working with Koch Records and playing sweaty clubs with a basic four-piece band setup.
The Behind-the-Scenes Pivot
After Suburban Sprawl & Alcohol got buried by label apathy in 2004, LP stepped back from the microphone to write hits for other people. RedOne brought LP into the studio to co-write 'Cheers (Drink to That)' for Rihanna, which became a global smash and proved LP had a genius ear for pop hooks. Writing for Heidi Montag and Chantal Kreviazuk paid the bills, but it also forced LP to master the art of the three-minute pop structure, a skill that redefined the next decade of solo work.
The Warner Whistle Breakthrough
Signing with Warner Bros. for Forever for Now in 2014 brought in big-budget producers, but the real breakthrough was a complete accident. During a session, LP started whistling a melody to pass the time, and producer Rob Cavallo told them to do it right into the microphone. That whistle became the signature element of 'Into the Wild,' landing a massive Citibank commercial sync and establishing the dramatic, ukulele-driven chamber-pop template that finally made LP a star.
Influences
- Roy Orbison — LP has cited Orbison's operatic, tragic vocal style as a massive blueprint for handling high-register drama. You hear it on 'Lost on You' where the vocal climbs to a desperate, trembling peak over simple, dark acoustic chords. It's the same lonely, soaring heartbreak trick Orbison used on 'Crying'.
- Jeff Buckley — LP spent years obsessing over Buckley's vocal elasticity and his live-wire version of 'Hallelujah' on Grace. That influence is all over 'Halo' from the live session EP, where LP mimics Buckley's tactic of holding long, vibrato-heavy notes until they sound like they're going to break. It's that raw, theatrical vulnerability that defines both of their vocal styles.
- Chrissie Hynde — LP's tough, swaggering stage presence and distinct vocal vibrato owe a massive debt to The Pretenders. LP has covered 'Brass in Pocket' live and routinely talks about Hynde's ability to sound completely indestructible and incredibly fragile at the exact same time. You hear that cool, detached delivery on 'Muddy Waters' before the big vocal blowout hits.
- Robert Plant — The howling, blues-infused shrieks at the top of LP's register are modeled directly on Led Zeppelin's frontman. LP frequently covers 'Babe I'm Gonna Leave You' live to show off those exact vocal gymnastics. You hear that heavy-rock wail cut through the indie-pop production on tracks like 'No Witness'.
- Leonard Cohen — LP's songwriting frequently aims for the dark, secular-religious imagery that Cohen perfected throughout his career. LP has covered 'Chelsea Hotel No. 2' and used that same intimate, conversational storytelling style to anchor the massive, soaring choruses of 'Churches'. It's the art of using small, gritty details to set up a massive vocal payoff.
Discography
Their records — most-collected first.
Around the web
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