Róisín Murphy Explained

Róisín Murphy
Background:	solo_singer
Birth Name:	Róisín Marie Murphy
Birth Date:	1973 7, df=yes
Birth Place:	Arklow, County Wicklow, Ireland
Spouse:	Sebastiano Properzi
Years Active:	1994–present
Instruments:	Vocals
Past Member Of:	Moloko

Róisín Marie Murphy (in Irish ɾˠoːˈʃiːnʲ/; born 5 July 1973)^[1] is an Irish singer, songwriter and record producer.^[2] She first became known in the 1990s as one half of the pop duo Moloko alongside English musician Mark Brydon. After the breakup of Moloko, she embarked on a solo career and released her debut solo album Ruby Blue (written and produced with experimental musician Matthew Herbert) to critical praise in 2005. Her second solo album, Overpowered, was released in 2007.

After an eight-year hiatuswhich was sporadically interrupted by non-album singles, side projects and guest appearances on other artists' recordsMurphy released her third solo album Hairless Toys in 2015; it was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize and Ireland's Choice Music Prize. The following year, she released her fourth album Take Her Up to Monto. In 2018, she released four 12" releases in collaboration with producer Maurice Fulton. Murphy released her fifth and sixth solo albums, Róisín Machine and Hit Parade in 2020 and 2023, respectively. The albums received critical acclaim.

Early life

Róisín Marie Murphy was born in Arklow, Ireland on 5 July 1973. When she was 12 years old, she and her family moved to England, where they settled in Manchester.^[3] She embraced 1960s fashion from going with her mother, who was an antiques dealer, to car boot sales and charity shops.^[4] After three years of living in Manchester, her parents divorced and both of them moved back to Ireland.^[5] 15-year-old Murphy, however, insisted on remaining alone in England because she did not think that her mother had the strength to continue taking care of her.^[6] She lived with her best friend for a year, until she could receive Housing Benefit and move into a nearby apartment.^[5]

Murphy's school years were difficult as she recalled in 2019: "I never felt it was like being bullied; I always felt I intimidated people, and that was why I got in trouble."^[7] She befriended a group of "weird boys who wore black" and who listened to The Jesus and Mary Chain.^[3] When Murphy attended a Sonic Youth concert with a friend, she was inspired to become a performer. She concealed her singing voice, not wanting other people to know she "sounded like Elaine Paige".^[3] She later joined a post-punk band that split after a handful of performances.^[8] She enrolled in a sixth form college at the age of 17 and later considered going to art school.^[5] At the age of 19, she moved to Sheffield,^[3] ^[9] where she began going to nightclubs and was inspired by the Vivienne Westwood designs she saw at Trash.^[4]

Career

1994–2003: Moloko

Murphy met Mark Brydon in 1994 at a party, using the chat-up line "Do you like my tight sweater? See how it fits my body."^[10] Brydon brought Murphy to his Fon Studios, where he auditioned her voice on tape, and liked Murphy's theatrical delivery. They began dating, and the newly formed Moloko were signed to Echo Records, releasing their debut album Do You Like My Tight Sweater? the following year.^[5] The album was described by Heather Phares of AllMusic as combining elements of trip hop and funk with electronic dance music, using a more humorous approach than some of their contemporaries.^[10] The follow-up I Am Not a Doctor covered similar musical ground,^[10] and a remix by Boris Dlugosch of "Sing It Back" enjoyed international success, and would go on to be featured on more than 110 compilation albums.^[3] In place of paying Dlugosch, Murphy helped write "Never Enough",^[11] which reached number sixteen on the UK Singles Chart in June 2001.^[12]

October 2000 saw the release of Moloko's third album Things to Make and Do, for which they employed more live instrumentation, and more multifaceted arrangements by keyboardist Eddie Stevens.^[13] The album reached number three on the UK Albums Chart, and "The Time Is Now" became their most successful British single, reaching number two.^[12] Murphy and Brydon broke up but were contractually obligated to deliver further albums. After the 2003 release of Statues, Brydon backed out of much of the album's promotion, so Murphy handled most of it herself.^[6]

Although no official statement was issued pertaining to Moloko's future, Murphy told Q magazine in May 2005, "We left it on good terms after a very successful tour. We shook hands, said "see you later", and haven't spoken since. I don't know what Mark thinks of this record or what he's doing. I don't know if we will or we won't reunite. Myself, I don't not want to."

2004–2005: Ruby Blue

See main article: Ruby Blue (album). Murphy began doing solo work while still in Moloko, which included her contributions to the works of other artists including Handsome Boy Modeling School and the aforementioned "Never Enough" collaboration with Boris Dlugosch.

Murphy recorded her first official solo material in 2004 with producer Matthew Herbert, who had previously done remixes for Moloko. She had wanted to work with him again, commenting that "it felt very natural... because Matthew makes things seem quicker and easier."^[14] After the pair had recorded a few songs, Murphy continued working with Herbert, supported by her label Echo Records. When she presented them the album, they found it odd and did not hear any songs that would make successful singles. The A&R division suggested that Murphy make some changes to make it more radio-friendly. Murphy refused, stating that she "wanted it to be as pure as possible." The label later came to support her.

Murphy released her debut album Ruby Blue in June 2005. Prior to this, tracks from the album were made available on three limited edition, vinyl-only releases: Sequins #1, Sequins #2 and Sequins #3 featuring artwork by Simon Henwood, who also directed the two video clips for the album's singles ("If We're in Love" and "Sow into You").^[15] The album samples sounds made by everyday objects and actions, including cosmetics, brass mice, dancing and ornaments.^[16] It mixes the electronic music for which Moloko was known with jazz and pop styles.^[17] Although the album was a commercial failure,^[18] it drew mainly positive reviews; Pitchfork Media called it "perfect, the ultimate combination of human warmth and technological know-how."^[19]

2006–2008: Overpowered

See main article: Overpowered.

In May 2006, Murphy signed with EMI. Her first single for the label, "Overpowered", was released on 2 July 2007. Written by Murphy and Paul Dolby (Seiji) of Bugz in the Attic and mixed by Tom Elmhirst, the single was accompanied by a series of remixes from Seamus Haji, Kris Menace, Hervé and Loose Cannons.^[20] A second single "Let Me Know" (a collaboration with Andy Cato), was released in September and the album, named Overpowered, was released soon after.

In September 2007, Murphy received a pre-nomination for the MTV Europe Music Award for Best Inter Act, but did not make it to the final list.^[21] She performed "Let Me Know" on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross on 5 October 2007.

Murphy sustained an eye injury on 27 October 2007, while on tour in Russia to promote Overpowered. She was forced to cancel several subsequent dates on the tour.^[22]

2009–2014: Hiatus

In the middle of 2008, Murphy started working again with Sejii on a third studio solo album.^[23] In the same year, she recorded a cover of the Bryan Ferry song "Slave to Love" that featured in a campaign for Gucci, and released on the promo-only "Movie Star" single.^[24] Murphy previewed material at the SEone club in London in 2009, performing "Momma's Place" and "Hold up Your Hands", and premiered the single "Orally Fixated" on her Myspace page in November 2009. The song was released later in the month, with The Guardian offering a free download of the song for 48 hours.

From 2010 until early 2013 Murphy's only releases were on other artists' recordings. She contributed vocals to Crookers's album Tons of Friends,^[25] ^[26] David Byrne and Fatboy Slim's project Here Lies Love,^[27] Mason's "Boadicea", Tony Christie's "7 Hills", The Feeling's "Dance for the Lights", an anonymous producer's "Simulation",^[28] "Golden Era" by David Morales,^[29] "Flash of Light" and "Invisions" with Luca C & Brigante, "Look Around You" by Boris Dlugosch, "Alternate State" by Hot Natured, Freeform Five's "Leviathan", and "In My Garden" with Invisible Cities.

The only release under her own name was the single "Simulation", released in August 2012 on the Permanent Vacation label.^[30]

2014–2017: Mi Senti, Hairless Toys, Take Her Up to Monto

See main article: Mi Senti, Hairless Toys and Take Her Up to Monto. In May 2014, Murphy released a six-track Italian language EP Mi Senti, featuring a new composition and previous Italian pop hits.^[31] Her third studio album Hairless Toys followed a year later, to positive reviews.^[32] ^[33]

Her July 2016 album Take Her Up to Monto^[34] was recorded during the same sessions as Hairless Toys, and included long-time collaborator and producer Eddie Stevens.^[35] ^[36] The Monto title is derived from an Irish folk song of the same name, popularised by The Dubliners in the 1960s, which Murphy's father sang to her as a child.^[37] The release was followed by a number of European festival dates and a number of North American shows.^[38]

2018–present: Róisín Machine and Hit Parade

Through 2018 The Vinyl Factory released a series of four 12-inch discs produced by Baltimore house music pioneer Maurice Fulton. Consisting of eight original songs, each around 6 minutes, Murphy directed music videos for the four A-side releases.^[39]

The single "Murphy's Law" was released 4 March 2020.^[40] During the subsequent pandemic quarantine, her home performances for a livestream concert were released as a series of six short films.^[41] ^[42]

Her fifth solo album Róisín Machine was released 2 October 2020.^[43] It includes ten tracks, with singles "Simulation" and "Jealousy" released several years prior, together with more recently produced songs "Incapable", "Narcissus", "Murphy's Law", and "Something More".^[44]

Murphy portrayed the blood witch Mercury in the 2022 Netflix series The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself.^[45] She also took part in Homobloc's charity T-shirt collection initiative which raised funds for LGBTQ+ focused organisations.^[46]

In March 2023 Murphy announced her signing to Ninja Tune with the single "CooCool", which was produced by DJ Koze. Murphy collaborated with artist Beth Frey and photographer Connor Egan on the cover art for "CooCool".^[47] On 17 May 2023, Murphy released the single "The Universe" and announced her sixth solo album Hit Parade, which was released on 8 September 2023 to critical acclaim.^[48] ^[49] ^[50] This was followed in 2024 by the companion Hit Parade Remixed while Murphy continued to tour in support of the release.^[51] ^[52]

Style

Electronic Beats described Murphy as "this adolescent century's true art-pop queen," writing that "her sensuous and ominous output is scattered across various genres and moods." AllMusic described her as "a purveyor of adventurous, omnivorous pop that blended influences as far-flung as disco and hot jazz."^[53] Australian publication OutInPerth called her "Ireland's queen of the avant-garde."^[54] Drowned in Sounds Giuseppe Zevolli wrote that "she's merged pop, house, and disco with an avant-garde sensibility and a stunning, shape-shifting visual output that never ceases to provoke."^[55] Critic Mark Fisher located her music in a glam lineage that includes Roxy Music, Grace Jones, and the New Romantics, noting Murphy's attention to the cultivation of artifice and persona.^[56]

The sound of Moloko's early work drew on electronic and trip hop influences before transitioning to a more organic sound.^[57] According to Elizabeth Vincentelli of The New York Times, "it was only after [Moloko's] breakup that Murphy truly refined her trademark fusion of glossy sheen and playful experimentation." Her diverse solo work has included collaborations with experimental jazz composer Matthew Herbert and electronic producer Eddie Stevens, drawing variously on house music, ballroom culture, and avant-garde electronica.^[53] ^[58] Murphy has a contralto vocal range, which has been described as distinctive, smoky and jazzy.^[59] ^[60] Heather Phares described it as "combin[ining] a wild variety of voices and textures, from impassively chilly to gorgeously lilting to gleefully offbeat."^[61] The first performers that left an impression on her were Kim Gordon from Sonic Youth and Kim Deal from the Pixies. Iggy Pop also inspired her for his "energy - and he's a giver".^[62] She stated that her biggest influences were Siouxsie Sioux, Grace Jones and Björk.^[63] She was also inspired by Italian female singers such as Mina and Patty Pravo for the way they owned the stage when they moved. She described her performances as "a bit like The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and her audiences were said to "dress up to mirror Murphy’s own spectacular fashions."^[64]

Murphy has drawn considerable attention and praise for her eccentric and imaginative fashion style.^[65] Electronic Beats noted "her reputation for sporting avant-garde couture into a place among fashion's elite." According to Jad Salfiti of The Financial Times, "[her] clothes amplify her personality: exhibitionist, playful, eclectic, larger than life.

Personal life

Murphy lives in Ibiza,^[66] ^[67] having previously split her time between London and Ireland.^[68] She previously dated British artist Simon Henwood; they have a daughter together.^[69] Murphy is in a relationship with Italian producer Sebastiano Properzi.^[70] They have a son. Murphy is dyslexic.^[71]

Comments on puberty blockers

In August 2023, Murphy sparked controversy when a Twitter user shared a screenshot from Facebook of Murphy commenting on a post about Irish anti-transgender activist Graham Linehan, in which she made series of comments criticizing the use of puberty blockers for transgender youth.^[72]

In the comments Murphy described puberty blockers as "fucked, absolutely desolate" and trans youth as "little mixed-up kids," adding "Big Pharma laughing all the way to the bank."^[72] ^[73] Her statements were met with significant backlash on social media, including from LGBT+ allies and activists, who accused her of transphobia and misinformation. Commentators noted the disappointment of fans particularly due to her perceived role as a LGBT+ icon.^[74] ^[75] ^[76] In the weeks following the comments, Murphy was removed from a scheduled BBC Radio 6 Music line-up, which had been due to broadcast five hours of her songs, interviews and concert highlights.^[77] The BBC later clarified that the schedule change was not a reaction to Murphy's comments, with a spokesperson commenting "Murphy has been played on 6 Music recently and her Artist Collection remains in rotation.”^[78]

Murphy's initial comments, which have since been deleted, centred on her belief that young people are not equipped to make informed decisions about gender-affirming care, such as puberty blockers. Her sentiments were perceived by many as dismissive of the experiences of transgender youth and potentially harmful.^[76] ^[79]

Murphy later issued an apology on social media, stating that she was "deeply sorry" for any hurt caused by her words.^[73]

Discography

See main article: Róisín Murphy discography.

Solo

Ruby Blue (2005)
Overpowered (2007)
Hairless Toys (2015)
Take Her Up to Monto (2016)
Róisín Machine (2020)
Hit Parade (2023)

With Moloko

Tours