Brandon Flowers

Brandon Flowers is a singer, keyboardist and songwriter from Henderson, United States, born in 1981. He is best known as a member of The Killers, the American rock band with which he performs as vocalist and keyboardist. He is also associated with Subversion.

Early musical influences and first band

Flowers grows up listening to artists including The Smiths, Morrissey, The Beatles, The Cure and Queen, introduced to much of that music by his older brother Shane. After hearing David Bowie’s “Changes” on the radio after his first college class, he decides he wants to work in music.

He begins his career in the Las Vegas band Blush Response, where he discovers that he can sing. He later leaves the group after refusing to move with the other members to Los Angeles.

The Killers

After leaving Blush Response, Flowers responds to an advertisement placed by guitarist David Keuning. Following a series of short-term bass and drum players, Ronnie Vannucci and Mark Stoermer join, forming the line-up that remains together. The Killers release Hot Fuss in 2004, after touring with Morrissey in multiple sold-out shows, followed by Sam’s Town in 2006, Sawdust in 2007 and Day & Age in 2008.

Solo career

Flowers announces his first solo album, Flamingo, in 2010. It is produced by Daniel Lanois, Brendan O’Brien and Stuart Price. A bonus-track edition adds “The Clock Was Tickin’”, “Jacksonville”, “I Came Here To Get Over You” and “Right Behind You”.

His second solo album, The Desired Effect, is released in 2015 and reaches number one on the UK Albums Chart, making it his second consecutive solo album to do so. The record receives strong critical notices, is ranked as his highest-scoring album on Metacritic, and is named Album of the Year by The Sun and The San Francisco Examiner. Singles from the album include “Can’t Deny My Love”, “Still Want You”, “Lonely Town” and “I Can Change”. Tracks from the album also appear on best-of-2015 lists from publications including SPIN, NPR and Mashable, and USA Today places it among the top five albums of 2015 so far.

Collaborations and live work

Flowers performs with U2, New Order, Pet Shop Boys, Bruce Springsteen and other artists he admires. His solo tour for The Desired Effect covers Europe and North America.