Deborah Leigh Anderson (born 16 December 1970) is an English musician, photographer, and

film director A film director or filmmaker is a person who controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfillment of that Goal, vision. The director has a key role ...

. Her early music work was as a vocalist on her father

Jon Anderson Jon Anderson (born John Roy Anderson, 25 October 1944) is a British, and latterly American, singer, songwriter and musician, best known as the former lead singer of the progressive rock band Yes (band), Yes, which he formed in 1968 with bassis ...

's albums. Her 1995 single "

Feel the Sunshine "Feel the Sunshine" is a song by British drum and bass producer Alex Reece featuring vocals by singer Deborah Anderson, who also co-wrote the lyrics. It received critical acclaim and was included on Reece's debut album, ''So Far'', which was rele ...

" was her first song that charted, hitting the UK Dance and

European Hot 100 The European Hot 100 Singles was compiled by ''Billboard'' and ''Music & Media'' magazine from March 1984 until December 2010. The chart was based on national singles sales charts in 17 European countries: Austria, Belgium (two charts separately f ...

. She has also contributed vocals to a number of collaborative works with other recording artists. Her 2009 debut album ''Silence'' accompanied her photography book ''Paperthin'', a work featuring photos of actors and musicians. Her photography work was featured on albums by singer

Pink Pink is a pale tint of red, the color of the Dianthus plumarius, pink flower. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, p ...

, and in ''

Cosmopolitan Cosmopolitan may refer to: Internationalism * World citizen, one who eschews traditional geopolitical divisions derived from national citizenship * Cosmopolitanism, the idea that all of humanity belongs to a single moral community * Cosmopolitan ...

'', ''

Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** '' Vogue Adria'', a fashion magazine for former Yugoslav countries ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ' ...

'' and other magazines. Her second photo book, ''Room 23'', featured her pictures of celebrities in a collaboration with

Sanela Diana Jenkins Sanela Diana Jenkins (born Sanela Dijana Ćatić; 1973) is an entrepreneur and philanthropist who was born and raised in Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina. She currently resides in California. Jenkins fled her ...

. In 2013, Anderson made her directorial debut with ''

Aroused Arousal is the physiological and psychological state of being awoken or of sense organs stimulated to a point of perception. It involves activation of the ascending reticular activating system (ARAS) in the brain, which mediates wakefulness, the ...

'', a documentary film following the lives of 16 adult film actresses. ''Aroused'' was generally well received by critics, who note the film for the vulnerability of its subjects and compared Anderson's stylistic presentation to

Annie Leibovitz Anna-Lou Leibovitz ( ; born October 2, 1949) is an American Portrait photography, portrait photographer best known for her portraits, particularly of celebrities, which often feature subjects in intimate settings and poses. Leibovitz's Polaroid ...

and

Michael Moore Michael Francis Moore is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and author. Moore's work frequently addresses various Social issue, social, political, and economic topics. He first became publicly known for his award-winning debut ...

Early life and family

Deborah Anderson is the daughter of singer

and Jennifer Anderson (née Baker), and sister to singer Jade Anderson. On the 1983

Jon & Vangelis Jon and Vangelis was a music collaboration between British rock singer Jon Anderson (lead vocalist of the progressive rock band Yes) and Greek synthesiser musician Vangelis. The duo released four albums between 1980 and 1991. History In 1974, Va ...

album, ''

Private Collection A private collection is a privately owned collection of works (usually artworks) or valuable items. In a museum or art gallery context, the term signifies that a certain work is not owned by that institution, but is on loan from an individual ...

'', Jon wrote the lyrics and a song named after her titled "Deborah". Deborah's earliest musical work was on projects with her father: including backing vocals on "Song of Seven" in 1980, and on '' Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe (album)'' (1989), the 1993

Latin American Latin Americans (; ) are the citizenship, citizens of Latin American countries (or people with cultural, ancestral or national origins in Latin America). Latin American countries and their Latin American diaspora, diasporas are Metroethnicity, ...

Jon Anderson solo tour, '' Deseo'' (1994), '' Angels Embrace'' (1995) and ''

Toltec The Toltec culture () was a Pre-Columbian era, pre-Columbian Mesoamerican culture that ruled a state centered in Tula (Mesoamerican site), Tula, Hidalgo (state), Hidalgo, Mexico, during the Epiclassic and the early Post-Classic period of Mesoam ...

'' (1996). She was educated at

Roedean School Roedean () is a private boarding school governed by royal charter on the outskirts of Brighton, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1885 by three sisters to educate wealthy daughters and heiresses of aristocracy and industrial elites of the 19t ...

in Brighton. She also worked in

vintage fashion Vintage clothing is clothing that originates from a previous era, as recent as the 1990s. The term ''vintage clothing'' can also be applied in reference to second-hand retail outlets, e.g. in "vintage clothing store". While the concept origina ...

, owning her own store.

Music

1995 saw the release of "

" (Island Records) by

Alex Reece Alex Reece (born Alexander Reece, from England, West London Borough Ealing is a drum and bass musician. He popularized the use of two-step breaks in drum and bass, and was an influence of the jazzstep sound, a mix of drum and bass and jazz. R ...

featuring Deborah Anderson (included on Reece's 1996 album ''So Far''). The

drum & bass Drum and bass (commonly abbreviated as DnB, D&B, or D'n'B) is a genre of electronic dance music characterised by fast breakbeats (typically 165–185 beats per minute) with heavy bass and sub-bass lines, samples, and synthesizers. The genre ...

single made #2 in the

UK Dance Singles Chart The Dance Singles Chart and the Dance Albums Chart are music charts compiled in the United Kingdom by the Official Charts Company from sales of songs in the dance music genre (e.g. house, trance, drum and bass, garage, synth-pop) in record stores ...

in 1995, and #4 on the same chart the following year. It made the

Eurochart Hot 100 The European Hot 100 Singles was compiled by ''Billboard'' and ''Music & Media'' magazine from March 1984 until December 2010. The chart was based on national singles sales charts in 17 European countries: Austria, Belgium (two charts separately f ...

in 1996. This led to Anderson signing to

Mo' Wax Mo' Wax was a British record label founded by James Lavelle in 1992. The label was not co-founded by Tim Goldsworthy, as is often reported. Steve Finan became co-owner shortly after. Mo' Wax came to recognition for being at the forefront of t ...

and her debut solo single, "Lonely Without You", was released in 1997. She has worked as a vocalist on a number of projects, including work with

DJ Krush , better known by his stage name DJ Krush, is a Japanese record producer and DJ. He is known for his atmospheric instrumental production which incorporates sound elements from nature, and extensive use of jazz and soul samples. Early life Ishi ...

("Skin Against Skin" on 1997's ''Milight'', released on Mo' Wax; later used on the TV series '' La Femme Nikita''), Fallen Angels ("Blue Sky" on 1999's ''Part One''),

DJ Shadow Joshua Paul Davis (born June 29, 1972 in San Jose, California, San Jose, California), better known by his stage name DJ Shadow, is an American DJ and record producer. His debut studio album, ''Endtroducing.....,'' was released in 1996. He uses l ...

Zero 7 Zero 7 is an English musical duo consisting of Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker. Both of them began as studio engineers and in 1997 formed the group Zero 7. Their debut album, '' Simple Things'', was released in 2001; their song "Destiny" stayed in ...

, Le Tonne and Tipper (2000s "Dissolve (Out)" single, released on Fuel Records). She appeared and co-wrote three songs on

Télépopmusik Télépopmusik is a French electronic music trio, composed of Fabrice Dumont (bassist of the pop band Autour de Lucie), Stephan Haeri (also known as "2 square" for his solo projects), and Christophe Hetier (also known as "DJ Antipop"). Histor ...

's album ''

Angel Milk ''Angel Milk'' is the second album from French electronic group Télépopmusik, released on June 21, 2005. The album was met with mostly positive reviews from music critics, who praised the record's production and Angela McCluskey's guest vocals ...

'' (

EMI EMI Group Limited (formerly EMI Group plc until 2007; originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At t ...

Music, 2005), including the single " Into Everything". Her debut solo album, ''Silence'', was released in 2009. The album accompanied ''Paperthin'', a

coffee table book A coffee table book, also known as a cocktail table book, is an oversized, usually hard-covered book whose purpose is for display on a table intended for use in an area in which one entertains guests and which can serve to inspire conversation o ...

of her photography.

Photography and filmmaking

She served as art director for The Gansevoort Hotel group. Anderson contributed photography for

's albums: ''

I'm Not Dead ''I'm Not Dead'' is the fourth studio album by American singer and songwriter Pink. It was released on April 4, 2006, through LaFace Records and Jive Records. Following the commercial underperformance of her third studio album ''Try This'' (200 ...

'', ''

Funhouse A funhouse or fun house is an attraction found in amusement parks and funfair midways, equipped with various devices designed to surprise, challenge, or amuse visitors. Unlike thrill rides or dark rides, fun houses are participatory attractio ...

'' and '' The Truth About Love'', and a marketing campaign for

Bebe Stores Bebe Stores, Inc. (stylized in all lowercase) is a women's retail brand that was established in 1976. The brand develops and produces a line of women's apparel, accessories, and perfume fragrances, which it markets under the "Bebe" or "Bebe Spo ...

. Anderson has had her images published in magazines including ''

Elle Elle may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Elle (magazine), ''Elle'' (magazine), a fashion publication ** Elle Style Awards * Elle (India), ''Elle'' (India), the Indian edition * Elle (film), ''Elle'' (film), a 2016 French film * ''Elle: ...

'', '' GQ'', ''

'', ''

Architectural Digest ''Architectural Digest'' (stylized in all caps) is an American monthly magazine founded in 1920. Its principal subjects are interior design and landscaping, rather than pure external architecture. The magazine is published by Condé Nast ...

'', ''

Hello Hello is a salutation or greeting in the English language. It is first attested in writing from 1826. Early uses ''Hello'', with that spelling, was used in publications in the U.S. as early as the 18 October 1826 edition of the '' Norwich Cou ...

'', ''

Harper's Bazaar ''Harper's Bazaar'' (stylized as ''Harper's BAZAAR'') is an American monthly women's fashion magazine. Bazaar has been published in New York City since November 2, 1867, originally as a weekly publication entitled ''Harper's Bazar''."Corporat ...

'', ''

FHM ''FHM'' (For Him Magazine) was a printed British multinational men's lifestyle magazine that was published in several countries. It contained features such as the ''FHM'' 100 Sexiest Women in the World. The final printed issue of British ''F ...

'', ''

Playboy ''Playboy'' (stylized in all caps) is an American men's Lifestyle journalism, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, available both online and in print. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, funded in part by a $ ...

'', ''

'' and '' Vanity Fair''. Based on her first photographic exhibition, "Hollywood Erotique" (Los Angeles, 2004), ''Paperthin'', published in 2008, is a book of her black-and-white photography based on 1930s

erotica Erotica is art, literature or photography that deals substantively with subject matter that is erotic, sexually stimulating or sexually arousing. Some critics regard pornography as a type of erotica, but many consider it to be different. Erot ...

. Models include

Minnie Driver Amelia Fiona Jessica "Minnie" Driver (born 31 January 1970) is a British and American actress and singer. She rose to prominence with her break-out role in the 1995 film ''Circle of Friends (1995 film), Circle of Friends''. She went on to star i ...

, Fergie,

Natasha Henstridge Natasha Tonya Henstridge (born August 15, 1974) is a Canadian actress. In 1995, she rose to prominence with her debut role in the science-fiction horror film ''Species (film), Species'', followed by performances in ''Species II'' and ''Species ...

Sophie Dahl Sophie Dahl (born Sophie Holloway on 15 September 1977) is an English author and former fashion model. Her first novel, ''The Man with the Dancing Eyes'', was published in 2003 followed by ''Playing With the Grown-ups'' in 2007. In 2009, she w ...

and

Tilda Swinton Katherine Matilda Swinton (born 5 November 1960) is a British actress. She is known for playing eccentric and enigmatic characters, often working with auteurs. Her accolades include an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards, and a Volpi Cup, in addit ...

. The book accompanied her debut solo album ''Silence''. Anderson's second book of photography entitled ''Room 23'', published in February 2009, featured

Sharon Stone Sharon Vonne Stone (born March 10, 1958) is an American actress and film producer. Known for primarily playing femmes fatales and women of mystery on film and television, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1990s. She is the ...

George Clooney George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor, filmmaker, and philanthropist. Known for his leading man roles on screen in both blockbuster and independent films, Clooney has received numerous accolades, including two Ac ...

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...

Dennis Hopper Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker, photographer and visual artist. He was considered one of the key figures of New Hollywood. He earned prizes from the Cannes Film Festival and Venice Internatio ...

Cindy Crawford Cynthia Ann Crawford (born February 20, 1966) is an American model. During the 1980s and 1990s, she was among the most popular supermodels and a ubiquitous presence on magazine covers and runways, as well as fashion campaigns. She subsequently ...

Heidi Klum Heidi Klum (; born 1 June 1973) is a German and American model, television personality, producer, and businesswoman. She appeared on the cover of the ''Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue'' in 1998 and was the first German model to become a Vict ...

Norman Reedus Norman Mark Reedus (born January 6, 1970) is an American actor. He made his acting debut in the 1990s, starring in the role of Murphy MacManus in ', followed by supporting roles in successful box office films ''8MM,'' '' Blade II'', and ''Amer ...

Gina Gershon Gina L. Gershon (; born June 10, 1962) is an American actress and singer. She has starred in such films as ''Cocktail'' (1988), ''Red Heat'' (1988), '' Showgirls'' (1995), '' Bound'' (1996), '' Face/Off'' (1997), '' The Insider'' (1999), '' Dem ...

Sting Stimulator of interferon genes (STING), also known as transmembrane protein 173 (TMEM173) and MPYS/MITA/ERIS is a regulator protein that in humans is encoded by the STING1 gene. STING plays an important role in innate immunity. STING induces typ ...

Lindsay Lohan Lindsay Dee Lohan ( ; born July 2, 1986) is an American actress, singer, producer, and businesswoman. Born in New York City and raised on Long Island, Lohan was signed to Ford Models at age three. She appeared as a regular on the soap opera ' ...

Larry King Larry King (born Lawrence Harvey Zeiger; November 19, 1933 – January 23, 2021) was an American TV and radio host presenter, author, and former spokesman. He was a WMBM radio interviewer in the Miami area in the 1950s and 1960s and beginning in ...

and others as models. The book was organised in conjunction with

to support the UCLA Sanela Diana Jenkins International Justice Clinic. Anderson was described by the ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'' as "a photographer whose distinctive sensuality is located somewhere between classic French erotica and

Helmut Newton Helmut Newton (né Neustädter; 31 October 192023 January 2004) was a German-Australian photographer. The ''The New York Times, New York Times'' described him as a "prolific, widely imitated fashion photographer whose provocative, erotically ch ...

". Anderson's first feature documentary film ''

'' featured interviews with 16 female pornographic performers, and was released in cinemas in the U.S. in the summer of 2013 and internationally in January 2014. Sixteen actresses were involved:

Jesse Jane Cynthia Ann Howell (July 16, 1980 – January 24, 2024), known professionally as Jesse Jane, was an American pornographic film actress. She became one of the few adult film performers of the 2000s to make the transition into mainstream film an ...

, Belladonna, Katsuni, Allie Haze,

Kayden Kross Kayden Kross (born 1985) is an American pornographic actress and director. She is a member of the AVN and XRCO Halls of Fame. Early life Kross grew up in the foothills between Sacramento and Placerville in a strict, religious household. She h ...

April O'Neil April O'Neil is a fictional Character (arts), character from the ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' comics. She is the first human ally of the Ninja Turtles. April made her first appearance in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Mirage Studios), Mir ...

Francesca Lé The ''AVN'' (''Adult Video News'') Hall of Fame has honored people for their work in the adult entertainment industry since 1995.Lisa Ann Lisa Ann Corpora (born May 9, 1972), known professionally as Lisa Ann, is a retired American pornographic film actress and radio personality. She has also worked as a director and talent agent. She parodied former Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin ...

, Brooklyn Lee,

Alexis Texas Alexis Texas (born May 25, 1985) is an American pornographic actress. In 2020, Texas was characterized as one of "the most popular porn performers", based on her Instagram following of around 6 million followers. She was inducted into the ...

, Asphyxia Noir, Teagan Presley, Ash Hollywood,

Tanya Tate Tanya Tate (born 31 March 1979) is an English glamour model, writer, international cosplayer, and pornographic actress. In 2023, she was inducted into the XRCO Hall of Fame. Career After beginning her porn career in 2009,Misty Stone Misty Stone is an American pornographic actress and nude model. She was the '' Penthouse'' Pet of the Month for December 2014. Career According to ''The Root'', Stone is known as the "Halle Berry of the porn industry" because of her crossover ...

. ''Aroused'' accompanied a photography book of the same name. ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' compared the film's cinematic style to an advertisement for

Victoria's Secret Victoria's Secret is an American lingerie, clothing and beauty products, beauty retailer. Founded in 1977 by a Stanford graduate student and his wife, Roy Raymond, Roy and Gaye Raymond, the company's five lingerie stores were sold to Les Wexner i ...

, and wrote it would have been better as a television series similar to a combination of ''

Taxicab Confessions ''Taxicab Confessions'' is a television series of hidden camera documentaries that aired on HBO from 1995 through 2006. When passengers enter the cab, they are recorded with several small cameras hidden in the taxi. The producer prompts passen ...

'' and ''

Red Shoe Diaries ''Red Shoe Diaries'' is an American erotic drama anthology series that aired on Showtime from 1992 to 1997, and was distributed by Playboy Entertainment, but as of 2025, Paramount Global Content Distribution overseas. It is a spin-off of the t ...

''. Anderson was inspired to work on ''Aroused'', after previously photographing an adult industry actress for a magazine shoot. She wanted to draw attention to a

double standard A double standard is the application of different sets of principles for situations that are, in principle, the same. It is often used to describe treatment whereby one group is given more latitude than another. A double standard arises when two ...

in society regarding consumption of pornography while simultaneously stigmatizing the actresses that perform in the adult industry. She stated her attempt was to humanize and provide dignity to the actresses. Anderson cast the actresses in the film in order to showcase, "the most successful women in the adult film industry". ''Aroused'' was compared by the ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...

'' to the documentary '' After Porn Ends'' with a more optimistic feel to it. ''

Screen Daily ''Screen International'' is a British film magazine covering the international film business. It is published by Media Business Insight, a British B2B media company which also owned '' Broadcast''. The magazine is primarily aimed at those involv ...

'' and ''

BroadwayWorld BroadwayWorld is a theatre news website based in New York City, New York. Launched in 2003, the site covers Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional, and international theater productions, with sections devoted to particular countries, cities, or regi ...

'' commented favorably on the vulnerability of the subjects. Film critics compared the documentary's style to

and the film '' Naked Ambition: An R Rated Look at an X Rated Industry''. A review of the film in the ''

'' was critical, writing that it was only recommended for fans of

, Katsuni and

Misty Stone Misty Stone is an American pornographic actress and nude model. She was the '' Penthouse'' Pet of the Month for December 2014. Career According to ''The Root'', Stone is known as the "Halle Berry of the porn industry" because of her crossover ...

. ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first Alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, ...

'' found the subject more appropriate for a photography book. ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...

'' and ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'' criticized ''Aroused'' for its lack of depth. The ''

New York Daily News The ''Daily News'' is an American newspaper based in Jersey City, New Jersey. It was founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson in New York City as the ''Illustrated Daily News''. It was the first U.S. daily printed in Tabloid (newspaper format ...

'' criticized Anderson for self-promotion. In 2015, Anderson was one of the first clients for a new photographers' agency launched by

Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, businesswoman, and actress. One of the List of music artists by net worth, wealthiest musicians in the world, List of awards and nominations received by Rihanna, her vario ...

called The Dog Ate My Homework. Her documentary film "Women of the White Buffalo" was released in 2022.

Filmography

Discography

Publications

* * *

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Anderson, Deborah 1970 births Place of birth missing (living people) 20th-century English women singers 20th-century English singers 21st-century English women singers 21st-century English singers 21st-century English photographers English emigrants to the United States 21st-century American women photographers 21st-century American photographers English photographers English women photographers English women film directors Living people People educated at Roedean School, East Sussex

Early life and family

Music

Photography and filmmaking

Filmography

Discography

Publications

Awards and nominations

See also

References

External links