Charlyn Marie "Chan" Marshall ( ; born January 21, 1972), better known by her stage name Cat Power, is an American singer- songwriter,

musician A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who wri ...

and model. Cat Power was originally the name of her first band, but has become her stage name as a solo artist. Born in Atlanta, Marshall was raised throughout the southern United States, and began performing in local bands in Atlanta in the early 1990s. After opening for Liz Phair in 1993, she worked with

Steve Shelley Steven Jay Shelley (born June 23, 1962) is an American drummer. He is best known as the longtime drummer of the alternative rock band Sonic Youth, for whom he played from 1985 until their 2011 disbandment. Biography Shelley was born in Midland, ...

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 the b ...

and Tim Foljahn of Two Dollar Guitar, with whom she recorded her first two albums, ''

Dear Sir ''Dear Sir'' is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Chan Marshall, also known as Cat Power, released in October 1995 on Runt Records. Recorded in New York City in December 1994 during studio sessions with Tim Foljahn and Stev ...

'' (1995) and ''

Myra Lee ''Myra Lee'' is the second album by Cat Power, the stage name and eponymous band of American singer-songwriter Chan Marshall. It was released in 1996 on the Smells Like Records label. The album was named after Marshall's mother. Recording The ...

'' (1996), on the same day in 1994. In 1996, she signed with Matador Records, and released a third album of new material with Shelley and Foljahn, ''

What Would the Community Think ''What Would the Community Think'' is the third album by Cat Power, the stage name and eponymous band of American singer-songwriter Chan Marshall. Recorded at Easley Studios in Memphis, Tennessee, the album was released in 1996 on Matador Record ...

''. Following this, she released the critically acclaimed '' Moon Pix'' (1998), recorded with members of Dirty Three, and '' The Covers Record'' (2000), a collection of sparsely arranged cover songs. After a brief hiatus she released '' You Are Free'' (2003), featuring guest musicians

Dave Grohl David Eric Grohl (born January 14, 1969) is an American musician. He is the founder of the rock band Foo Fighters, in which he is the lead singer, guitarist, and principal songwriter. Prior to forming Foo Fighters, he was the drummer of gru ...

and

Eddie Vedder Eddie Jerome Vedder (born Edward Louis Severson III; December 23, 1964) is an American singer, musician, and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and one of four guitarists of the rock band Pearl Jam. He also appeared as a guest vocalist i ...

, followed by the soul-influenced '' The Greatest'' (2006), recorded with numerous Memphis studio musicians. A second album of cover tracks, '' Jukebox'', was released in 2008. In 2012 she released the self-produced '' Sun'', which debuted at number 10 on the Billboard 200, the highest-charting album of her career to date. Critics have noted the constant evolution of Cat Power's sound, with a mix of punk, folk and

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...

on her earliest albums, and elements of soul and other genres more prevalent in her later material.

Early life

Charlyn Marie Marshall was born January 21, 1972, in Atlanta, Georgia, the second child of Charlie Marshall, a

musician and pianist, and Myra Lee Marshall ( Russell). She has one older sister, Miranda ("Mandy"). Her parents divorced in 1979 and remarried shortly thereafter. Her mother remarried and had a son, Lenny, and the family traveled around often because of her stepfather's profession. Marshall attended ten different schools throughout the Southern U.S. in Greensboro;

Bartlett Bartlett may refer to: Places *Bartlett Bay, Canada, Arctic waterway * Wharerata, New Zealand, also known as Bartletts United States * Bartlett, Illinois ** Bartlett station, a commuter railroad station * Bartlett, Iowa Bartlett is an uninc ...

and Memphis and throughout Georgia and South Carolina. At times she was left in the care of her grandmother. She was not allowed to buy records when she was growing up, but she listened to her stepfather's record collection, which included artists Otis Redding,

Creedence Clearwater Revival Creedence Clearwater Revival, also referred to as Creedence and CCR, was an American rock band formed in El Cerrito, California. The band initially consisted of lead vocalist, lead guitarist, and primary songwriter John Fogerty; his brother, ...

and The Rolling Stones, as well as her parents' records, which included Black Flag,

Sister Sledge Sister Sledge is an American musical vocal group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Formed in 1971, the group consisted of sisters Debbie, Joni, Kim, and Kathy Sledge. The siblings achieved international success at the height of the disco era. ...

, and Barry White. In sixth grade, she adopted the nickname Chan (pronounced "Shawn"), which she would later use professionally. When she was 13, she listened to the Smiths, the Cure and

Siouxsie and the Banshees Siouxsie and the Banshees were a British rock band formed in London in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bass guitarist Steven Severin. They have been widely influential, both over their contemporaries and with later acts. ''Q'' magazine in ...

. She had to save up to buy cassettes and the first one she got was a record by the Misfits. At age 16, Marshall dropped out of high school and became estranged from her mother, having no further contact with her until she was 24. Religion was a large part of Marshall's upbringing; her father was a Jehovah's Witness, though she attended

Southern Baptist The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination, and the largest Protestant and second-largest Christian denomination in the United States. The word ...

churches with her grandmother, where she began singing while learning hymns.

Career

1992–1995: Beginnings

Marshall's first instrument was a 1950s Silvertone guitar, which she taught herself to play. While working in a pizzeria, she began playing music in Atlanta in the late-1980s with Glen Thrasher, Marc Moore, Damon Moore and Fletcher Liegerot, who would get together for

jam session A jam session is a relatively informal musical event, process, or activity where musicians, typically instrumentalists, play improvised solos and vamp over tunes, drones, songs, and chord progressions. To "jam" is to improvise music without exte ...

s in a basement. The group were booked for a show and had to come up with a name quickly; after seeing a man wearing a

Caterpillar Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Sym ...

trucker cap A trucker hat, mesh cap or netback cap is a type of baseball cap. It is also sometimes known as a "gimme s in 'give me'cap" or a "feed cap" because this style of hat originated during the 1970s as a promotional give-away from U.S. feed or farmi ...

that read: "Cat Diesel Power", Marshall chose Cat Power as the name of the band. While in Atlanta, Marshall played her first live shows as support to her friends' bands, including Magic Bone and

Opal Foxx Quartet Opal is a hydrated amorphous form of silica (SiO2·''n''H2O); its water content may range from 3 to 21% by weight, but is usually between 6 and 10%. Due to its amorphous property, it is classified as a mineraloid, unlike crystalline forms of ...

. In a 2007 interview, she explained that the music itself was more experimental and that playing shows was often an opportunity for her and her friends "to get drunk and take drugs". A number of her local peers became entrenched in

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 brow ...

use. After the death of her boyfriend, and the subsequent loss of her best friend to

AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...

, Marshall relocated to New York City in 1992 with Glen Thrasher. A new boyfriend helped her get a job in a restaurant. Thrasher introduced her to New York's free jazz and

experimental music Experimental music is a general label for any music or music genre that pushes existing boundaries and genre definitions. Experimental compositional practice is defined broadly by exploratory sensibilities radically opposed to, and questioning of, ...

scene. After attending a concert by Anthony Braxton, she gave her first New York show of improvisational music at a warehouse in Brooklyn. One of her shows during this period was as the support act to Man or Astro-man? and consisted of her playing a two-string guitar and singing the word "no" for 15 minutes. Around this time, she met the band God Is My Co-Pilot, who assisted with the release of her first single, " Headlights", in a limited run of 500 copies on their Making of Americans label. Marshall recorded simultaneously her first two albums ''

'' and ''

'' in December 1994 in a small basement studio near Mott Street in New York City, with guitarist Tim Foljahn and

drummer Steve Shelley; Marshall and Shelley had initially met after she played a show opening for Liz Phair in 1993. A total of 20 songs were recorded in a single day by the trio, all of which were split into two records, making up ''Dear Sir'' and ''Myra Lee'', released respectively in October 1995 and March 1996. Although ''Dear Sir'' is considered Marshall's debut album, it is more the length of an EP.

1996–2003: Early Matador releases

In 1996, Marshall signed to Matador Records and in September released her third album, ''

'', which she recorded in Memphis, Tennessee, in February 1996. The album was produced by Shelley and again featured Shelley and Foljahn as backing musicians, and spawned a single and music video, "

Nude as the News "Nude as the News" is a song by the American singer/songwriter Cat Power (a.k.a. Chan Marshall). It is the fourth song on her 1996 album, ''What Would the Community Think''. It was released as a single, and a music video shot entirely in black and ...

" about the abortion she had at the age of 20. Critics cited the album as evidence of her maturation as a singer and songwriter from the "dense and cathartic" material of her first two releases. After the release of ''What Would the Community Think'', Marshall took a trip to South Africa, after which she left New York City and moved to Portland, Oregon, where she found temporary employment as a babysitter. In the spring of 1997, Marshall relocated with her then-boyfriend, musician Bill Callahan, to a rural

farmhouse FarmHouse (FH) is a social Fraternities and sororities in North America, fraternity founded at the University of Missouri on April 15, 1905. It became a national organization in 1921. Today FarmHouse has 33 active chapters and four associate ch ...

Prosperity, South Carolina Prosperity is a town in Newberry County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 1,180 at the 2010 census. History Before being named Prosperity, the area was called Frog Level due to its low-lying location and large numbers of frogs li ...

. After experiencing a hypnogogic nightmare while alone in the farmhouse, Marshall wrote six new songs that would go on to make up the bulk of her following album, '' Moon Pix'' (1998), which she recorded at Sing Sing Studios in Melbourne, Australia, with backing musicians Mick Turner and Jim White of the Australian band Dirty Three. ''Moon Pix'' was well received by critics, and along with an accompanying music video for the song " Cross Bones Style", helped her gain further recognition. ''Rolling Stone'' would later describe it as her 'breakthrough' record. In 1999 where Marshall performed in a series of shows where she provided musical accompaniment to the

silent movie ''Silent Movie'' is a 1976 American satirical comedy film co-written, directed by and starring Mel Brooks, released by 20th Century Fox in the summer of 1976. The ensemble cast includes Dom DeLuise, Marty Feldman, Bernadette Peters, and Sid Cae ...

'' The Passion of Joan of Arc''. The shows combined original material and covers, some of which would be released on Marshall's fifth album, '' The Covers Record'' in 2000. The songs were recorded during two sessions in the summer of 1998 and fall of 1999. Additionally, she performed eleven covers during a

Peel session John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...

broadcast on June 18, 2000, that included own interpretations of Bob Dylan's "

Hard Times in New York Town Hard may refer to: * Hardness, resistance of physical materials to deformation or fracture * Hard water, water with high mineral content Arts and entertainment * ''Hard'' (TV series), a French TV series * Hard (band), a Hungarian hard rock supe ...

" and

Oasis In ecology, an oasis (; ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environment'ksar''with its surrounding feeding source, the palm grove, within a relational and circulatory nomadic system.” The location of oases has been of critical imp ...

's " Wonderwall". Her contract with Matador for 2000's ''The Covers Album'' reportedly consisted of a Post-it note signed by herself and the company's founder. During the early-2000s, Marshall was embraced by the fashion industry for her "neo grunge" look, and seen as a muse by designers

Marc Jacobs Marc Jacobs (born April 9, 1963) is an American fashion designer. He is the head designer for his own fashion label, Marc Jacobs, and formerly Marc by Marc Jacobs, a diffusion line, which was produced for approximately 15 years, before it was d ...

and Nicolas Ghesquière. In 2001 she modeled in ''

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

magazine A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...

s fall fashion issue and was photographed by her friends

Mark Borthwick Mark Borthwick is a British photographer now living in Brooklyn, New York. His photos are often minimal and crisp, yet somewhat 'blown-out' in terms of colour saturation. He has contributed to many publications, including ''Vogue'', ''George'', ...

and

Katja Rahlwes Katja Rahlwes (born 1967, Frankfurt, Germany) is a German fashion photographer, based in Paris. Biography Katja Rahlwes left Germany at the age of 16 for London and then moved to Paris in 1988 to study fashion design at Studio Berçot, Paris. ...

, who featured her in ''Purple'' magazine alongside Catherine Deneuve. In February 2003, Marshall released '' You Are Free'', her first album of original material in five years. The album, which featured guest musicians such as

, and Warren Ellis, became the first charting Cat Power album, reaching 105 on the Billboard 200. A music video directed by Brett Vapnek was released for the song " He War". Marshall toured extensively through 2003 and 2004, playing shows in Europe, Brazil, the U.S. and Australia. During this period, Marshall's live performances had become erratic and unpredictable, and a 2003 '' The New Yorker'' article suggested: "It is foolhardy to describe a Cat Power event as a concert," citing "rambling confessions" and " alkingto a friend's baby from the stage." Marshall later attributed this period to a drinking problem. Around the time of the release of ''You Are Free'', Marshall purchased a house in South Beach, Miami.

2004–2011: Mainstream success

In October 2004, Matador released the DVD film ''

Speaking for Trees ''Speaking for Trees: A Film by Mark Borthwick'' is a DVD/CD package by the American singer-songwriter Cat Power (a.k.a. Chan Marshall), released on October 26, 2004. Content The DVD features footage of Cat Power singing and playing electric ...

'', which featured a continuous, nearly two-hour static shot of Marshall performing with her guitar in a woodland. The set was accompanied by an audio CD containing the 18-minute song "Willie Deadwilder", featuring M. Ward also on guitar. Cat power tola

On January 22, 2006, Marshall released her seventh album, '' The Greatest'', a Southern soul-influenced album of new material featuring veteran Memphis studio musicians, including

Mabon "Teenie" Hodges Mabon Lewis "Teenie" Hodges (November 16, 1945 – June 22, 2014) was an American musician known for his work as a rhythm and lead guitarist and songwriter on many of Al Green's soul hits, and those of other artists such as Ann Peebles and Syl J ...

, Leroy Hodges, David Smith, and Steve Potts. The album debuted at 34 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and critics noted its relatively "polished and accessible" sound, predicting it was "going to gain her a lot of new fans." ''The Greatest'' met with critical acclaim, and won the 2006 Shortlist Music Prize, making Marshall the first woman to win the honor. It was also named the number 6 best album of 2006 by ''Rolling Stone'' Magazine. Simultaneously, Marshall collaborated with several other musicians on different projects, including Mick Collins on a recording of Ludwig Rellstab's poem "Auf Dem Strom" for the film ''Wayne County Ramblin''; a duet with singer-model Karen Elson on an English cover of

Serge Gainsbourg Serge Gainsbourg (; born Lucien Ginsburg; 2 April 1928 – 2 March 1991) was a French musician, singer-songwriter, actor, author and filmmaker. Regarded as one of the most important figures in French pop, he was renowned for often provoca ...

's " Je t'aime... moi non plus" for the tribute album ''Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited'' (2007); lead vocals on the Ensemble track "Disown, Delete"; and a reworked version of "Revelations" with Yoko Ono for Ono's 2007 album '' Yes, I'm a Witch''. In the fall of 2006, Marshall became a celebrity spokesperson for a line of jewelry from

Chanel Chanel ( , ) is a French high-end luxury fashion house founded in 1910 by Coco Chanel in Paris. Chanel specializes in women's ready-to-wear, luxury goods, and accessories and licenses its name and branding to Luxottica for eyewear. Chanel is ...

, after being seen by Karl Lagerfeld smoking a cigarette outside the

Mercer Hotel The Mercer Hotel, located at the corner of Mercer and Prince Streets in SoHo, Manhattan, New York City, was the second acquisition in the luxury collection of André Balazs hotels. It offers 75 guest rooms on six floors of a Romanesque revival bui ...

in New York. Lagerfeld chose Cat Power for the soundtrack to his spring 2007 fashion show. He also photographed Marshall for a ''Purple'' feature. In 2007, Marshall contributed songs to the soundtrack of Ethan Hawke's film '' The Hottest State'', recording with Jesse Harris and Terry Manning, and the Academy Award-winning film '' Juno''. The same year, she made her feature film debut acting in '' My Blueberry Nights'' opposite

Jude Law David Jude Heyworth Law (born 29 December 1972) is an English actor. He received a British Academy Film Award, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards, two Tony Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards. In 2007, he received an Honorary Césa ...

, appearing in a small role. She also appeared in the role of a postal worker in Doug Aitken's

MoMA Moma may refer to: People * Moma Clarke (1869–1958), British journalist * Moma Marković (1912–1992), Serbian politician * Momčilo Rajin (born 1954), Serbian art and music critic, theorist and historian, artist and publisher Places ; Ang ...

installation ''Sleepwalkers'', which followed the nocturnal lives of five city dwellers. Also in 2007, she featured on

Faithless Faithless are an English band that formed in 1995, with its core members being Rollo, Sister Bliss and Maxi Jazz. Their first album, '' Reverence'', was released in 1996 and their most recent, ''All Blessed'', in 2020. They have sold millions ...

' album track ''A Kind of Peace''. Catpower ATP

In January 2008, Marshall released her second covers album, '' Jukebox''. Recorded with her recently assembled "Dirty Delta Blues Band", which consisted of Judah Bauer from the

Blues Explosion The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion was an American three-piece rock band from New York City, formed in 1991. The group consisted of Judah Bauer on guitar, backing vocals, harmonica and occasional lead vocals, Russell Simins on drums and Jon Spenc ...

Gregg Foreman Gregg Foreman (born October 5, 1972) is an American musician and DJ born in Philadelphia. Foreman gained recognition originally as the front man of The Delta 72, a band that created a frenetic and honest style channeling post-punk rock sensibilit ...

of The Delta 72, Erik Paparazzi of Lizard Music and Jim White of Dirty Three, the album featured the original song "Song to Bobby", Marshall's tribute to Bob Dylan, and a reworking of the '' Moon Pix'' song "Metal Heart". She also collaborated with

Beck Beck David Hansen (born Bek David Campbell; July 8, 1970) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to fame in the early 1990s with his Experimental music, experimental and Lo-fi music, lo-fi style, and became ...

and producer

Danger Mouse Danger Mouse may refer (or appear in) to: * ''Danger Mouse'' (1981 TV series), a 1981 British animated television series * ''Danger Mouse'' (2015 TV series), a 2015 reboot of the British animated television series * Danger Mouse (musician) (born ...

on the album '' Modern Guilt'' (2008): She contributed backing vocals to two tracks, "Orphans" and "Walls". The album was released in July of that year. In September 2008, Marshall and members of the Dirty Delta Blues (Erik Paparazzi and Gregg Foreman) recorded their version of David Bowie's " Space Oddity" for a Lincoln car commercial. In 2013, Cat Power's version of " Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" was used in Apple's Christmas commercial "Misunderstood". In December 2008, she released '' Dark End of the Street'', an EP consisting of songs left over from the ''Jukebox'' sessions. In 2009, she provided backing vocals on Marianne Faithfull's cover of "Hold On, Hold On" by Neko Case on the 2009 album '' Easy Come Easy Go.'' In 2011, she also featured as guest vocalist on "Tonight You Belong to Me" on

's ''

Ukulele Songs ''Ukulele Songs'' is the second solo studio album by American singer and Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder. It was released on May 31, 2011. The album is composed of original songs and new arrangements of several standards. Cover art The cover ar ...

''.

2012–2018: ''Sun'' and ''Wanderer''

In February 2012, Marshall cancelled a scheduled appearance in Tel Aviv, Israel, citing "much confusion" and that she felt "sick in her spirit." She had faced calls to boycott the country over its conflict with

Palestine __NOTOC__ Palestine may refer to: * State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia * Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia * Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...

. Two months later, she cancelled her appearance at the Coachella Music Festival, claiming that she "didn't think it was fair to play Coachella while my new album is not yet finished," also hinting that her forthcoming record is "almost done" and will see release later in 2012. Marshall's ninth studio album, '' Sun'', was released in September 2012, after releasing the lead single "Ruin" as a free download the previous June. The album features prominent

electronica Electronica is both a broad group of electronic-based music styles intended for listening rather than strictly for dancing and a music scene that started in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the term is mostly used to r ...

elements and arrangements, which Marshall incorporated into the "really slow guitar-based songs" she had originally written. In a review published on September 4, 2012, on Consequence of Sound, ''Sun'' was praised as a unique album and received a four-

star A star is an astronomical object comprising a luminous spheroid of plasma (physics), plasma held together by its gravity. The List of nearest stars and brown dwarfs, nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked ...

rating. In summation, reviewer Sarah Grant wrote that Marshall's 2012 release is "a passionate pop album of electronic music filtered through a singer-songwriter's soul." The album debuted at a career chart-high of No. 10 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart, selling over 23,000 copies on its opening week. In July 2015, it was announced that Marshall would be providing narration for the documentary '' Janis: Little Girl Blue'' directed by Amy J. Berg, which revolves around the life of

Janis Joplin Janis Lyn Joplin (January 19, 1943 – October 4, 1970) was an American singer and musician. One of the most successful and widely known Rock music, rock stars of her era, she was noted for her powerful mezzo-soprano vocals and "electric" stage ...

and premiered at the 2015 Venice Film Festival. On television, Marshall starred on '' China, IL'', in the hourlong musical special "

Magical Pet "Magical Pet" (also known as "China, IL: The Musical") is the tenth episode of the third season of ''China, IL''. The 44-minute-long episode features ten songs written and arranged by creator Brad Neely. Several producers wrote the episode, includi ...

". Marshall performs three original songs written by creator Brad Neely. APENationalVicPark020618-61 (28867859738)

On July 28, 2017, Marshall announced on Instagram that her tenth studio album was "ready to go", although she did not disclose its title or expected release date. On March 20, 2018, it was announced that Marshall would perform a ''Moon Pix'' 20th anniversary concert at

Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architec ...

, which occurred from May 25 to June 16 and featured album collaborators Jim White and Mick Turner. On July 18, 2018, Marshall announced her 10th studio album, '' Wanderer'', and shared the title track as an introduction to the album. She released two more singles, " Woman" featuring Lana Del Rey on August 15 and a cover of

Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...

's " Stay" on September 18, before the album was released on October 5, 2018, through Domino Recording Company. It was her first to not be released on Matador Records since 1996. According to Marshall, Matador were not happy with the recordings for ''Wanderer'', they wanted her to rerecord it and make it sound more commercial. She embarked on a world tour in promotion of the album in September. Power embarked on a US arena tour in August 2021 supporting

Alanis Morissette Alanis Nadine Morissette ( ; born June 1, 1974) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her emotive mezzo-soprano voice and confessional songwriting, Morissette began her career in Canada in the early 1990s with tw ...

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 produc ...

. She was a last-minute addition to the lineup, after original opening act Liz Phair canceled her appearances. Power contributed four new songs to the soundtrack of the 2021 film '' Flag Day''. Her eleventh studio album, '' Covers'', was released on January 14, 2022, and will be supported by a US tour.

Personal life

In 2005, Marshall entered a relationship with actor Giovanni Ribisi, and resided with Ribisi and his daughter in Los Angeles. They also had a rental house in Malibu where she had a studio. Following the release of ''The Greatest'', Marshall canceled her impending spring 2006 tour, and used the hiatus to recover from mental health issues. As part of her recovery, she was admitted to the psychiatric ward at Mount Sinai Medical Center & Miami Heart Institute, leaving after a week. Marshall gave a first person account of her breakdown in an interview for the November 2006 issue of ''

Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...

.'' In June 2012, it was reported that Marshall had ended her relationship with Ribisi, and the completion of her upcoming record had coincided with their breakup: "I cut my hair off three days fter the breakup got on a plane to France, and finished the shit." Shortly after the release of ''Sun'', Marshall began having trouble breathing and was hospitalized multiple times, though doctors were unable to diagnose her. "I thought I was dying," she recounted. "They told me they were going to put me in a

coma A coma is a deep state of prolonged unconsciousness in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light, or sound, lacks a normal wake-sleep cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. Coma patients exhi ...

to save my lungs. My friend came to visit and told me I'd made the ''Billboard'' Top 10 and all I could think was: 'I don't want to die.'" Marshall was subsequently diagnosed with hereditary angioedema, an immune disorder that causes sporadic swelling of the face and throat due to C1 esterase inhibitor deficiency. In September 2012, she stated she had been hospitalized due to the condition over eight times, which led her to cancel her European tour. In April 2015, Marshall announced that she had recently given birth to a son, but did not name the child's father.

Artistry

Musical style

Marshall's releases as Cat Power have frequently been noted by critics for their somber, blues-influenced instrumentation and melancholy lyrics, leading ''

LA Weekly ''LA Weekly'' is a free weekly alternative newspaper in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1978 by Jay Levin, who served as president and editor until 1991. Voice Media Group sold the paper in late 2017 to Semanal Media LLC, whose paren ...

'' to dub her the "queen of sadcore". Marshall, however, claims her music is often misinterpreted, and that many of her songs are "not sad, uttriumphant." She has recounted blues, old soul music, British rock 'n' roll, as well as hymns and gospel music as being integral influences on her. Cat Power's early releases have been described as blending elements of punk, folk, and blues, while her later releases (post-2000) began to incorporate more sophisticated arrangements and production. ''The Greatest'' (2006), Marshall's seventh release, was heavily soul-influenced and incorporated R&B elements; the Memphis Rhythm Band provided backing instrumentation on the album. Unlike her previous releases, which featured sparse guitar and piano arrangements, ''The Greatest'' was described by Marshall biographer Sarah Goodman as her first "full-blown studio record with sophisticated production and senior players backing arshallup."

Performances

Marshall's live shows have been known for their unpolished and often erratic nature, with songs beginning and ending abruptly or blending into one another without clear transitions. She has also cut short performances without explanation. On some occasions this has been attributed to stage fright and the influence of alcohol. Marshall spoke openly about suffering from severe bouts of stage fright, specifically in her early career, and admitted that her stage fright stemmed from issues regarding depression, alcoholism, and substance abuse. By 2006, she had found new collaborators and had stopped drinking. Marshall's performance style became more enthusiastic and professional; a review in ''Salon'' noted that she was "delivering onstage", and called ''The Greatest'' "polished and sweetly upbeat".

Philanthropy

A live version of the gospel song " Amazing Grace"—culled from a performance with the Dirty Delta Blues band—was released on the charity compilation ''

Dark Was the Night Dark Was the Night may refer to: * ''Dark Was the Night'' (album), a 2009 compilation album * ''Dark Was the Night'' (2014 film), an American thriller film * ''Dark Was the Night'' (2018 film), an American drama film * "Dark Was the Night" (''Grey' ...

''. Released by independent British label 4AD on February 17, 2009, the set benefited the

Red Hot Organization Red Hot Organization (RHO) is a not-for-profit, 501(c) 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture. Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilati ...

, an international charity dedicated to raising funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS. She also appeared in a

PETA Peta or PETA may refer to: Acronym * Pembela Tanah Air, a militia established by the occupying Japanese in Indonesia in 1943 * People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, an American animal rights organization * People Eating Tasty Animals, an ...

ad, encouraging people to spay and neuter their pets. On December 25, 2011, Marshall released a reworking of the ''

'' track "King Rides By" for download from her official website, with all proceeds from sales of the track being donated to The Festival of Children Foundation and The

Ali Forney Center The Ali Forney Center (AFC), based in New York City, is the largest LGBT community center helping LGBTQ homeless youth in the United States. The AFC both manages and develops transitional housing for its clients. AFC helps approximately 2,000 y ...

. A music video directed by Giovanni Ribisi and featuring Filipino boxer and politician Manny Pacquiao was released to promote the song.

Discography

Studio albums *''

'' (1995) *''

'' (1996) *''

'' (1996) *'' Moon Pix'' (1998) *'' The Covers Record'' (2000) *'' You Are Free'' (2003) *'' The Greatest'' (2006) *'' Jukebox'' (2008) *'' Sun'' (2012) *'' Wanderer'' (2018) *'' Covers'' (2022)

Filmography

Awards and nominations

* Won: Shortlist Music Prize for ''The Greatest'' * Nominated: Best International Female Solo Artist, 2007 BRIT Awards * Nominated: Best Art Vinyl for '' Jukebox'' * Nominated: Best International Female Solo Artist, 2013 BRIT Awards * Nominated: Best Cinematography for "Where Is My Love?", 2007 Antville Music Video Awards * Nominated: Comeback of the Year, 2018 ''Rober Awards Music Prize'' * Nominated: Best Foreign Solo Act, ''Wanderer'' Best Foreign Album, 2019 Sweden GAFFA Awards * Nominated: Best Pop Video - International for "Go Up", 2017 UK Music Video Awards

References

Sources

* * *

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cat Power 1972 births American alternative rock musicians American women singer-songwriters American women rock singers Living people Alternative rock singers Alternative rock guitarists Alternative rock pianists Guitarists from Georgia (U.S. state) Winners of the Shortlist Music Prize Musicians from Atlanta People from Prosperity, South Carolina 21st-century American women guitarists 21st-century American guitarists 20th-century American women guitarists 20th-century American guitarists 21st-century American women pianists 21st-century American pianists 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American women singers 20th-century American pianists 20th-century American singers 21st-century American singers Singer-songwriters from South Carolina Singer-songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state)