Sky Tonia Ferreira (born July 8, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, model, and actress. As a teenager, Ferreira began uploading videos on Myspace of herself singing songs she had written, which led to her discovery by producers Bloodshy & Avant and a recording contract with

Parlophone Parlophone Records Limited (also known as Parlophone Records and Parlophone) is a German–British record label founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch of the label was founded on 8 August 192 ...

in 2009. She released her first

extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.

, '' As If!'', in 2011, which combined elements of

electropop Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a r ...

and

dance music Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement. In terms of performance, the major categories are live dance music and recorded da ...

. Ferreira's second EP ''

Ghost A ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that is believed to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to re ...

'' (2012), however, incorporated pop with more stripped-down song structures and featured collaborations with

Jon Brion Jon Brion is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and composer. He performed with the Excerpts, the Bats, 'Til Tuesday and the Grays before becoming an established producer and film score composer. Brion has ...

and

Shirley Manson Shirley Ann Manson (born 26 August 1966) is a Scottish musician and actress. She is best known as the lead singer of the American alternative rock band Garbage. Manson gained media attention for her forthright style, rebellious attitude, and dis ...

, as well as the critically acclaimed track " Everything Is Embarrassing", which she composed with Dev Hynes. After multiple delays and disputes with her record label, Ferreira's debut

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records c ...

'' Night Time, My Time'' was released in October 2013, preceded by the lead single " You're Not the One", and marked a departure from her former style, incorporating more experimental

indie rock Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the music they produ ...

with

synth-pop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...

elements. The album received critical acclaim. That year, she ventured into the film industry after appearing in Eli Roth's '' The Green Inferno'' and garnered media attention after being arrested for

drug possession The prohibition of drugs through sumptuary legislation or religious law is a common means of attempting to prevent the recreational use of certain intoxicating substances. While some drugs are illegal to possess, many governments regulate th ...

. She was exposed to a mainstream audience as one of

Miley Cyrus Miley Ray Cyrus ( ; born Destiny Hope Cyrus on November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her distinctive raspy voice, her music spans across varied styles and genres, including pop, country, rock, hip hop ...

' main opening acts on her international Bangerz Tour in 2014. While appearing in films and other projects, she released " Downhill Lullaby" and "

Don't Forget ''Don't Forget'' is the debut studio album by American singer Demi Lovato. It was released on September 23, 2008, by Hollywood Records. She started working on the album in September 2007, while filming the Disney Channel original movie '' Ca ...

" as singles from her upcoming second studio album ''

Masochism Sadomasochism ( ) is the giving and receiving of pleasure from acts involving the receipt or infliction of pain or humiliation. Practitioners of sadomasochism may seek sexual pleasure from their acts. While the terms sadist and masochist refer ...

'' in March 2019 and May 2022, respectively. Ferreira's earlier work incorporated elements of

dance-pop Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...

, while her recent projects experiment with acoustic, new wave and primarily

musical styles. Her lyrical content originally incorporated themes of rebellion and teenage romance, and has since evolved to discuss personal insecurities and more mature romantic themes. Outside her work in the entertainment industry, she has modeled for several brands and magazines, including serving as the spokeswoman for the hair care brand

Redken Redken is an American hair care brand owned by L'Oréal Group under the Professional Products division. History The company was founded in 1960 by Jheri Redding and Paula Kent, thus the name, "Red-ken." Redken pioneered the "Scientific Approa ...

in 2014.

Early life

Sky Tonia Ferreira was born on July 8, 1992, in Venice, Los Angeles. Ferreira's heritage is Native American, Brazilian and Portuguese. Ferreira was largely raised by her grandmother, who had been

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...

's personal hairstylist for over 30 years. She commented, saying: "I was raised around him, I always saw him ndhad holidays with him and stuff like that", adding that she was unaware of his fame until she was 13 years old. Ferreira expressed interest in singing as a child and, with Jackson's encouragement, Ferreira's grandmother enrolled her in opera lessons. Ferreira has stated that she was

sexually assaulted Sexual assault is an act in which one intentionally sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will. It is a form of sexual violence, whic ...

in her adolescence twice, firstly involving a neighbor, and secondly in an incident that involved a stranger who had broken into her home. In an interview with ''

Rookie A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year). In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...

'', Ferreira said: "I've never said anything bout this publiclybecause I don't want it to define me, but I feel like it's appropriate to say something ere People feel like it defines you, and it doesn't. It's really unfortunate and disgusting and traumatizing, but it doesn't make you who you are." Ferreira dropped out of high school after completing her sophomore year.

Career

Ferreira began maintaining a Myspace profile where she uploaded demo versions of self-written tracks. Shortly before her 15th birthday, she wrote a letter to producers Bloodshy & Avant requesting that they offer a recording contract to her, which she says happened "kind of right off the bat" after they came across her profile. In 2009, she was signed to

, and began finalizing the debut studio album that she says was first begun when she was 14 years old. In 2010, she ventured into the film and modelling industries after starring in the independent film ''

Putty Hill ''Putty Hill'' is a 2010 American independent drama film directed by Matthew Porterfield, and starring Sky Ferreira, Zoe Vance, and James Siebor. The plot focuses on friends and family who gather to remember a young man in the aftermath of his dea ...

'' and appearing in the magazines ''

Dazed ''Dazed'' (''Dazed & Confused'' until February 2014) is a bi-monthly British style magazine founded in 1991. It covers music, fashion, film, art, and literature. Dazed is published by Dazed Media, an independent media group known for producing ...

'' and ''

Interview An interview is a structured conversation where one participant asks questions, and the other provides answers.Merriam Webster DictionaryInterview Dictionary definition, Retrieved February 16, 2016 In common parlance, the word "interview" ...

''.

2011–2012: ''As If!'' and ''Ghost''

After releasing the tracks "17" and "

One 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...

", the latter having peaked at number 64 on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

, Ferreira announced that her debut studio album would be released on January 11, 2011. Its

lead single A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. Release s ...

" Obsession" peaked at number 37 on the US ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...

Hot Dance Club Songs Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as t ...

chart. These plans never came to fruition, and were substituted for the

extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.

(EP) '' As If!'' and its lead single "

Sex Rules "Sex Rules" is a song by American singer Sky Ferreira from her debut extended play (EP), '' As If!'' (2011). It was released on March 1, 2011, by Capitol Records as the lead single from the EP. The song was written by Ferreira, Greg Kurstin, Bil ...

" that March. A writer for MuuMuse spoke favorably of her "vocal and musical versatility" and commended the project as a "rock solid 5-track collection of next-level crunchy pop cuts." During this time, Ferreira was featured in the advertising campaign for the

Calvin Klein Calvin Richard Klein (born November 19, 1942) is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc., in 1968. In addition to clothing, he also has given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, an ...

"CK One" product line alongside Cassie Ventura. The following year, she was photographed by Ellen von Unwerth for the cover of '' Vs.'', and appeared in the

Adidas Adidas AG (; stylized as adidas since 1949) is a German multinational corporation, founded and headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing and accessories. It is the largest sportswear manufacture ...

"Originals" commercial with rappers

Big Sean Sean Michael Leonard Anderson (born March 25, 1988), known professionally as Big Sean, is an American rapper. Anderson began his music career in 2007 and gained popularity in 2010 with his third mixtape '' Finally Famous Vol. 3: Big''. He then s ...

and

Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...

. In November 2011, Ferreira announced that her debut studio album would be released in 2012, with a lead single planned to precede its release that February. She was later revealed to have been working with

, Greg Kurstin, and

on the project. In early 2012, Ferreira revealed ''Wild at Heart'' as the title of her record, and confirmed "24 Hours" and "Swamp Girl" for its track listing. "Lost in My Bedroom", described by Ferreira as "the most electro pop ongon the album", surfaced online that March. After releasing the music video for the track " Red Lips" in June, she stated that she renamed the record ''I'm Not Alright''. With her debut studio album still unreleased, Ferreira announced that her second extended play ''

'' would be released in October. It respectively peaked at numbers 8 and 71 on the US ''

Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers are "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. The Heatseekers Albums and the Heatseekers Songs charts were introduced by ''Billboard'' in 1991 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new an ...

and Alternative Albums component charts to the ''Billboard'' 200. Its second single " Everything Is Embarrassing" was described by Katherine St. Asaph of

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...

as the track where Ferreira "could well have her breakout moment", complimenting it for beginning with "snappy, crisply sung dance-pop about long-awaited moments" and eventually transitioning into "what should be a buoyant chorus". In her debut television performance, Ferreira performed the track on ''

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon ''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by comedian Jimmy Fallon. About pag ...

'' in January 2013. The previously leaked track "Lost in My Bedroom" was included on ''Ghost'', and was featured on an episode of ABC's ''

Grey's Anatomy ''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series that premiered on March 27, 2005, on ABC as a mid-season replacement. The series focuses on the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they develop into s ...

'' in December.

2013–2014: ''Night Time, My Time'' and support touring

In June 2013, Ferreira starred in the short film ''IRL'' playing Angel, which has been described as "an eye-opening look into the reality of young life in New York". That month, she again renamed her debut studio album ''I Will'', and stated that it would be released "later this summer". She noted that it would be composed of "ten up-tempo songs, all still pretty electronic, although for some reason it comes across more pop-rocky live." It was again renamed '' Night Time, My Time'', and announced to be released on October 29, 2013, by

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of not ...

. Upon its release, it received favorable reviews from

music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...

; at

Metacritic Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...

, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an

average In ordinary language, an average is a single number taken as representative of a list of numbers, usually the sum of the numbers divided by how many numbers are in the list (the arithmetic mean). For example, the average of the numbers 2, 3, 4, 7 ...

score of 79, which indicates "generally favorable reviews", based on 30 reviews. ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'' listed it as the fifth-best debut album of 2013, noting its potent blending of synth-pop elements with a more grunge-inspired

sound. The album was also listed as the 25th best overall album of the year by Complex. The record debuted at number 45 on the US ''Billboard'' 200. " You're Not the One" was released as the lead single from ''Night Time, My Time'' on September 24, 2013. Sky Ferreira St Louis Sept 2013 (2)

In September, Ferreira starred as Kaycee in the independent film '' The Green Inferno''. In the early morning of September 14, she and her boyfriend, DIIV frontman

Zachary Cole Smith Zachary Cole Smith (born November 7, 1984) is an American musician, model and music video director, best known for being the founder, frontman, and principal songwriter of the indie rock band DIIV. He first began playing in bands like Soft Blac ...

, were arrested at a traffic stop in

Saugerties, New York Saugerties () is a town in the northeastern corner of Ulster County, New York. The population was 19,038 at the time of the 2020 Census, a decline from 19,482 in 2010. The village of the same name is located entirely within the town. Part o ...

for

. Ferreira, who was in possession of ecstasy tablets, was arrested on drug possession and

resisting arrest Resisting arrest, or simply resisting, is an illegal act of a suspected criminal either fleeing, threatening, assaulting, or providing a fake ID to a police officer during arrest. In most cases, the person responsible for resisting arrest is crimi ...

; Smith was in possession of

heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a potent opioid mainly used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects. Medical grade diamorphine is used as a pure hydrochloride salt. Various white and bro ...

. She bailed herself out. In October, Ferreira cancelled the final week of her tour with

Vampire Weekend Vampire Weekend is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 2006 and currently signed to Columbia Records. The band was formed by lead vocalist and guitarist Ezra Koenig, multi-instrumentalist Rostam Batmanglij, drummer Chris Tomson ...

after sustaining a hemorrhage to her vocal cords, which she later added was caused by a vocal node that was repeatedly misdiagnosed as laryngitis. In November, Ferreira and

Icona Pop Icona Pop ( ) is a Swedish electropop duo which formed in 2009, with electro house and indie pop music influences. Its two members, Caroline Hjelt (born 8 November 1987) and Aino Jawo (born 7 July 1986), grew up in Stockholm and create what the ...

were announced as the opening acts for

' Bangerz Tour, which began on February 14, 2014. Later that month, she released her third extended play, ''Night Time, My Time: B-Sides Part 1''. In December, Ferreira was announced as the spokeswoman for hair care brand

. She subsequently appeared as a guest vocalist with

Ariel Pink Ariel Marcus Rosenberg ( ; born June 24, 1978), professionally known as Ariel Pink, is an American musician, singer, and songwriter whose work draws heavily from the popular music of the 1960s–1980s. His lo-fi aesthetic and home-recorded alb ...

on his track "My Molly," which was released as a music video on December 23 of that year. On February 20, 2014, during the third performance opening for the Bangerz Tour, Ferreira fell and split open her shin onstage. After completing the performance, Ferreira was taken by ambulance to an

Anaheim Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the 10th-most ...

hospital and treated with 60 stitches. As a result of the injury, she was forced to temporarily pull out of support for the tour, but returned shortly after. On November 20, 2014, while on her North American tour, Ferreira debuted a new track called "Guardian".

2015–present: ''Masochism'' and film roles

On July 16, 2014, Ferreira announced via

Twitter Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...

that she was working on her second album. She described the sound of the album as "more aggressive" and is working with Ariel Rechtshaid and Justin Raisen, with whom she produced ''Night Time, My Time'', as well as

Bobby Gillespie Robert "Bobby" Gillespie (born 22 June 1961) is a Scottish musician, singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the lead singer, founding member, and primary lyricist of the alternative rock band Primal Scream. He was also ...

and Andrew Innes of Scottish band

Primal Scream Primal Scream are a Scottish rock band originally formed in 1982 in Glasgow by Bobby Gillespie (vocals) and Jim Beattie. The band's current lineup consists of Gillespie, Andrew Innes (guitar), Simone Butler (bass), and Darrin Mooney (drums). ...

. Ferreira also expressed the wish to collaborate with Gesaffelstein. She also appeared in the 2016 comedy-drama film '' Elvis & Nixon'', directed by

Liza Johnson Liza Johnson (born December 13, 1970) is an American film director, producer, and writer. Biography Johnson was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, in 1970. She attended Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, graduating with a B.A. in Visual ...

, and '' The Trust'', which stars

Nicolas Cage Nicolas Kim Coppola (born January 7, 1964), known professionally as Nicolas Cage, is an American actor and film producer. Born into the Coppola family, he is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Gui ...

and Elijah Wood, and is directed by Benjamin and

Alex Brewer Alex Brewer, also known as HENSE, is an American contemporary artist, best known for his dynamic, vivid and colorful abstract paintings and monumental wall pieces.

. Ferreira confirmed on April 7, 2015, that her upcoming second studio album will be titled ''

''. On May 12, 2015, the singer announced that she would be releasing a film co-written and directed by her frequent collaborator Grant Singer accompanied by a new single with the album scheduled to be released later in the year. Jimmy Choo revealed on June 4 that Ferreira would be the face of their newest fragrance named Illicit. She collaborated with Primal Scream on the song "Where the Light Gets In", which was released on February 1, 2016, as the lead single from the band's eleventh studio album, '' Chaosmosis''. It was announced on April 25, 2016, that Ferreira would guest-star in the 2017 sequel to

David Lynch David Keith Lynch (born January 20, 1946) is an American filmmaker, visual artist and actor. A recipient of an Academy Honorary Award in 2019, Lynch has received three Academy Award nominations for Best Director, and the César Award for Be ...

's 1990s television series ''

Twin Peaks ''Twin Peaks'' is an American mystery serial drama television series created by Mark Frost and David Lynch. It premiered on ABC on April 8, 1990, and originally ran for two seasons until its cancellation in 1991. The show returned in 2017 ...

''. In October 2016, she was cast in

Jonas Åkerlund Hans Uno Jonas Åkerlund (; born 10 November 1965) is a Swedish film director, screenwriter, music video director, and drummer. His video for Madonna's song " Ray of Light" won a Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Short Form, and a record of fiv ...

's film '' Lords of Chaos'', based on the 1998 book of the same name by Michael Moynihan and Didrik Søderlind. She appeared in ''

Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's Lifestyle magazine, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from H ...

'' in October 2016, with the photoshoot serving as a "visual introduction" to her next album. Ferreira appeared in

Edgar Wright Edgar Howard Wright (born 18 April 1974) is an English filmmaker. He is known for his fast-paced and kinetic, satirical genre films, which feature extensive utilisation of expressive popular music, Steadicam tracking shots, dolly zooms and a ...

's 2017

heist film The heist film or caper film is a subgenre of crime film focused on the planning, execution, and aftermath of a significant robbery. One of the early defining heist films was '' The Asphalt Jungle'' (1950), which ''Film Genre 2000'' wrote "alm ...

Baby Driver ''Baby Driver'' is a 2017 action film written and directed by Edgar Wright. It stars Ansel Elgort as a getaway driver seeking freedom from a life of crime with his girlfriend Debora (Lily James). Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm, Eiza González, Jamie ...

'', portraying the mother of lead character Baby (played by

Ansel Elgort Ansel Elgort (born March 14, 1994) is an American actor and singer. He began his acting career with a supporting role in the horror film '' Carrie'' (2013) and gained wider recognition for starring as a teenage cancer patient in the romantic d ...

). She also contributed a cover of the

Commodores Commodores are an American funk and soul band, which were at their peak in the late 1970s through the mid 1980s. The members of the group met as mostly freshmen at Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) in 1968, and signed with Motown in ...

song " Easy" to the film's soundtrack, produced by

Nigel Godrich Nigel Timothy Godrich (born 28 February 1971) is an English record producer, recording engineer and musician. He is known for his work with the English rock band Radiohead, having produced all their studio albums since '' OK Computer'' (1997) ...

. In 2018, she stated: "I would just like to clarify for some: My silence should not be confused for negligence, I deeply care and put everything I have into my music. Including all of my earnings. I won't put out something that I don't stand by or the bare minimum.” On March 21, 2019, Ferreira announced the single " Downhill Lullaby", which was released on March 27. In July, she debuted a song "Descending" during Pitchfork Music Festival. She collaborated with Charli XCX on her promotional single " Cross You Out" released in August. On December 19, 2021, Ferreira stated that ''Masochism'' would be "actually coming out" in 2022. In March 2022 she released a 18 second-long teaser of ''Masochism''s second single, titled "

", which was then released on May 25.

Musical style

Ferreira is primarily a

singer, also being described as

indie pop Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and s ...

alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from mainstream or commercial ...

, and art pop. Her earlier work incorporated elements of dance-pop and

, most notably seen in tracks from '' As If!'' and ''

''. The latter EP also includes elements of acoustic and new wave. Her lyrical content originally incorporated themes of rebellion and teenage romance; Andrew Unterberger from Popdust opined that "17" plays the girl-gone-wild tale as a near-horror story, clearly meant to shock and upset", while noting that "One" "instead features a robo'd out Sky bemoaning the breakdown of connection in a relationship, and her own inability to feel anything as a result." As her career progressed, Ferreira more frequently experimented with elements of indie rock, which were commonly heard in her first album '' Night Time, My Time''. Ferreira's vocal range has been described as that of a

contralto A contralto () is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range is the lowest female voice type. The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare; similar to the mezzo-soprano, and almost identical to that of a countertenor, typica ...

. Julianne Escobedo Shepberd from ''Rolling Stone'' wrote that Ferreira's "songs are catchy, but they're also thickly glazed with fuzz and synths, evoking influences like

Suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and ...

, Siouxsie Sioux and the

krautrock Krautrock (also called , German for ) is a broad genre of experimental rock that developed in West Germany in the late 1960s and early 1970s among artists who blended elements of psychedelic rock, avant-garde composition, and electronic music, ...

group

Harmonia In Greek mythology, Harmonia (; grc, Ἁρμονία / harmoˈnia/, "harmony", "agreement") is the immortal goddess of harmony and concord. Her Roman counterpart is Concordia. Her Greek opposite is Eris, whose Roman counterpart is Discordi ...

". Karolina Ramos from '' The GW Hatchet'' compared Ferreira to New Zealand recording artist

Lorde Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor (born 7 November 1996), known professionally as Lorde ( ), is a New Zealand singer-songwriter. Taking inspiration from aristocracy for her stage name, she is known for her unconventional musical styles and i ...

, both of whom she felt "tackle contemporary love, desire and insecurity with depth, composure and frankness." She compared her musical style to 1980s

pop music Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom. The terms ''popular music'' and ''pop music'' are often used interchangeably, although the former descri ...

, and noted that "her throaty, sultry vocals call to mind Lana Del Rey, abandoning brightness and vivacity for a colder tone. Still, Ferreira can drop the edge, with gentler tracks like "Sad Dream" showcasing her vocal range and seldom-observed softness." Andrew Unterberger stated that "through a variety of singles, EPs, guest features and live appearances, Sky has proven herself one of the most talented singers, creative songwriters and savvy collaborators currently working in the genre", but blamed "bad marketing, label disputes and her own perfectionism" for the extended delay of ''Night Time, My Time''; he also stated that the repeated renaming of the record itself "should give you some idea of the musical identity issues she's suffered over the years." After establishing a friendship with singer

in 2013, Gregory E. Miller from the ''

New York Post The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is a conservative daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates NYPost.com, the celebrity gossip site PageSix.com, and the entertainment site Decider.com. It was established ...

'' noted that the media and general public would continue "following her every move". Ferreira commented that " iley'sobviously way bigger and all eyes reon her, but I feel like we're kind of going through a similar thing where everyone's trying to say that we're trying to make ourselves objects, but really, everyone else is making it more like that—sensationalizing sex and reading into things. It's nice to have someone that gets it." Ferreira had also generated a minor controversy after appearing topless on the cover for ''Night Time, My Time'', to which she responded "there's nothing about that photo that's pornographic; we came on this earth nude." Ferreira is also a

feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...

, which has influenced her work; she has said "I feel like I'm doing a bad job of being a feminist if I'm not making someone angry."

Influences

Ferreira has cited

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. ...

Fiona Apple Fiona Apple McAfee-Maggart (born September 13, 1977) is an American singer-songwriter. She has released five albums from 1996 to 2020, which have all reached the top 20 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200 chart. Apple has received numerous awards an ...

the Jesus and Mary Chain The Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid. After signing to independent label Creation Records, they re ...

Gwen Stefani Gwen Renée Stefani (; born October 3, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, fashion designer and actress. She is a co-founder, lead vocalist, and the primary songwriter of the band No Doubt, whose singles include " Just a Girl", " Spiderweb ...

Sonic Youth Sonic Youth was an American rock band based in New York City, formed in 1981. Founding members Thurston Moore (guitar, vocals), Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar) and Lee Ranaldo (guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of t ...

Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guilloti ...

, Nancy Sinatra,

Cat Power Charlyn Marie "Chan" Marshall ( ; born January 21, 1972), better known by her stage name Cat Power, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and model. Cat Power was originally the name of her first band, but has become her stage name as a ...

, Blondie, Hole,

Elliott Smith Steven Paul Smith (August 6, 1969 – October 21, 2003), known professionally as Elliott Smith, was an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Smith was born in Omaha, Nebraska, raised primarily in Texas, and lived much of hi ...

Kate Bush Catherine Bush (born 30 July 1958) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer and dancer. In 1978, at the age of 19, she topped the UK Singles Chart for four weeks with her debut single " Wuthering Heights", becoming the first female ...

, My Bloody Valentine,

Carly Simon Carly Elisabeth Simon (born June 25, 1943) is an American singer-songwriter, memoirist, and children's author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records; her 13 Top 40 U.S. hits include " Anticipation" (No. 13), " The Right Th ...

Françoise Hardy Françoise Madeleine Hardy (; born 17 January 1944) is a French former singer and songwriter. Mainly known for singing melancholic sentimental ballads, Hardy has been an important figure in French pop music since her debut, spanning a career o ...

, and the Runaways as musical influences.

Philanthropy

In July 2014, Ferreira performed at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in New York City to benefit the David Lynch Foundation. Ferreira announced that the funds raised would "go towards

Transcendental Meditation Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a form of silent mantra meditation advocated by the Transcendental Meditation movement. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi created the technique in India in the mid-1950s. Advocates of TM claim that the technique promotes ...

(TM) programs for at-risk students; veterans with

PTSD Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental and behavioral disorder that can develop because of exposure to a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, warfare, traffic collisions, child abuse, domestic violence, or other threats on ...

; women who are survivors of domestic violence; American Indians suffering from

diabetes Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ...

; the homeless and incarcerate." Of her own practice she said, "TM sort of saved my life." In support of the

Dakota Access Pipeline protests The Dakota Access Pipeline Protests, also called by the hashtag # NoDAPL, began in April 2016 as a grassroots opposition to the construction of Energy Transfer Partners' Dakota Access Pipeline in the northern United States and ended on Fe ...

, Ferreira performed at a benefit concert titled We Rock with Standing Rock in December 2016.

Awards

{, class=wikitable , - ! Year !! Awards !! Work !! Category !! Result !! Ref. , - , 2012 , rowspan=2, Rober Awards Music Prize , Herself , Most Promising New Vocalist , , , - , rowspan=2, 2014 , "My Molly" , Best Cover Version , , , - ,

Webby Awards The Webby Awards are awards for excellence on the Internet presented annually by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, a judging body composed of over two thousand industry experts and technology innovators. Categories includ ...

, " You're Not the One" , Best Music Video , ,

Discography

* '' Night Time, My Time'' (2013) * ''

'' (TBA)

Filmography

{, class="wikitable sortable" , + Film ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" , Notes , - , 2010 , ''

'' , Jenny , , - , 2011 , ' , Herself ,

Cameo appearance A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly ei ...

, - , 2013 , ''IRL'' , Angel , Short film , - , 2013 , ' , Kaycee , , - , 2016 , ' , The Woman , , - , 2016 , '' Elvis & Nixon'' , Charlotte , , - , 2017 , ''

'' , Baby's mom , , - , 2017 , ''Curious Females'' , Crystal , Short film , - , 2018 , '' Lords of Chaos'' , Ann-Marit , , - , 2018 , '' Rosy'' , Rosy , , - , 2018 , ''

American Woman "American Woman" is a song by Canadian rock band the Guess Who, released January 1970, from the album of the same name. It was later released in March 1970 as a single backed with " No Sugar Tonight", and it reached number one for three weeks ...

'' , Bridget Callahan , , - , 2022 , ''

Reptile Reptiles, as most commonly defined are the animals in the class Reptilia ( ), a paraphyletic grouping comprising all sauropsids except birds. Living reptiles comprise turtles, crocodilians, squamates ( lizards and snakes) and rhynchocephalia ...

'' , , , - , 2022 , ''18 & Over'' , Stacy , , - {, class="wikitable sortable" , + Television ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" , Notes , - , 2017 , ''

'' , Ella , Episode: "Part 9" , - , 2020 , ' , Fiji , Episode: "Ovation"

Tours

;Headlining * Night Time, My Time Tour (2013) ;Supporting *

– Modern Vampires Tour (2013) *

– Bangerz Tour (2014) * Blondie and

Garbage Garbage, trash, rubbish, or refuse is waste material that is discarded by humans, usually due to a perceived lack of utility. The term generally does not encompass bodily waste products, purely liquid or gaseous wastes, or toxic waste produ ...

– Rage and Rapture Tour (2017)

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ferreira, Sky 1992 births 21st-century American actresses 21st-century American singers 21st-century American women singers Actresses from Los Angeles Actresses of Brazilian descent American child singers American contraltos American women pop singers American women rock singers American women singer-songwriters American feminists American film actresses American people of Brazilian descent American people of Portuguese descent American indie pop musicians American indie rock musicians American synth-pop musicians American television actresses Capitol Records artists Feminist musicians Living people Parlophone artists People from Venice, Los Angeles Polydor Records artists Singers from Los Angeles Women Management models American people who self-identify as being of Native American descent Singer-songwriters from California