Imogen Heap

Imogen Heap is a British singer-songwriter and electronic artist from Harold Wood, United Kingdom. She is active across alternative rock, art pop, electronic, electropop, indie pop and indietronica, and she releases music on Megaphonic Records.

Early life and training

Born in 1977, Heap grows up playing music from an early age and starts writing her own songs by the age of 11. From 15, she studies at the BRIT School of Performing Arts & Technology in Croydon, South London. While there, she records three tracks for the school’s annual CD between 1994 and 1995, including “Aliens”, which becomes the title track of the later release.

She is introduced to Nik Kershaw through his manager Mickey Modern, and the pair record four demos that are passed to Rondor Music. A few months later, Heap signs her first record contract at 18 to the independent label Almo Sounds.

Early releases and collaborations

In 1996, Heap works with the experimental pop band Acacia, which includes her later collaborator Guy Sigsworth and is fronted by Alexander Nilere. She does not join the group as a full member, but appears as a guest vocalist and contributes to several Acacia tracks in 1997. One Acacia song, “Maddening Shroud”, is later covered by Frou Frou.

Heap makes her live debut at the 1996 Prince’s Trust Concert in Hyde Park, London, where she performs four songs backed by friends from Acacia between sets by The Who and Eric Clapton.

Solo albums

Heap’s debut album, I Megaphone, is released internationally in 1998 on Almo Sounds. The title is an anagram of her name. The album features collaborations with Guy Sigsworth and Dave Stewart, and it later receives a re-release in Japan in 2002. After her UK and US label arrangements end, the album becomes hard to find and is not reprinted until 2006.

At the same time as the Japanese re-release, Heap is working again with Guy Sigsworth, and the two form the electro-pop duo Frou Frou.

Her second solo album, Speak For Yourself, is written, produced and mixed by Heap herself. Before its release, she uses her website as a running update on the process and invites listeners to help shape the lyrics for “Daylight Robbery”. She also funds the recording by remortgaging her flat and sets up her own label, Megaphonic Records, after difficulties with previous label arrangements.

Speak For Yourself is led by “Goodnight And Go” and “Hide And Seek”. “Goodnight And Go” appears on the second season of The O.C., while “Hide And Seek” is used in the season two finale and becomes a charting digital download. The album is released in the UK on Megaphonic Records and later licensed to RCA Victor for release in North America.

Heap’s 2009 album Ellipse includes “Canvas”, “Aha!” and “Half Life”. It is a North American chart success and earns her two Grammy nominations as well as the Best Engineered Album (Non-Classical) award.

Frou Frou and other projects

With Guy Sigsworth, Heap forms Frou Frou, an electro-pop duo. The project releases the album Details and the singles “Breathe In”, “It’s Good To Be In Love” and “Must Be Dreaming”. Frou Frou are also asked to record “Holding Out for a Hero” for the soundtrack to Shrek 2, and “Let Go” appears in Garden State.

Heap also works under the name Frink Frink. Across her career, she collaborates with a wide range of artists including Joshua Radin, Jeff Beck, Temposhark, LHB, Way Out West, Jon Bon Jovi, Mich Gerber, Sean Lennon, Urban Species, Blue October, Jon Hopkins and Acacia. She also produces a track for Nik Kershaw.

Soundtracks and media work

Heap’s music appears in television and film soundtracks, including The O.C., CSI and other series. She records a cover of “Spooky” for Just Like Heaven, writes “Can’t Take It In” for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and contributes to the second Six Feet Under soundtrack with a 50-second track used at the end of an episode in the fourth season.