St. Vincent

St. Vincent

St. Vincent is the stage name of Annie Clark, a singer, songwriter and guitarist from Tulsa, United States, born in 1982. She is known for art pop, electronic, indie pop, indie rock and rock, and is also described as a multi-instrumentalist. Clark begins playing guitar at 12 and grows up in Dallas, Texas, where she attends Lake Highlands High School and graduates in 2001. She then studies at Berklee College of Music but leaves after three years.

Clark works as tour manager for her uncle’s band Tuck & Patti as a teenager. She later joins The Polyphonic Spree, and also plays with Sufjan Stevens’ touring band. While at Berklee in 2003, she releases an EP with fellow students titled Ratsliveonnoevilstar. In 2006, she joins Stevens’ touring band and brings with her the tour EP Paris Is Burning, which includes three tracks and a cover of Jackson Browne’s “These Days”.

Her debut album, Marry Me, is released in 2007 on Beggars Banquet Records. The album title comes from a line in the television series Arrested Development, and the record includes contributions from drummer Brian Teasley, Mike Garson and horn player Louis Schwadron. In 2008, she receives nominations for three PLUG Independent Music Awards and wins Female Artist of the Year. Her second album, Actor, is released in 2009 on 4AD and is written entirely by Clark, with production by Clark and John Congleton. Her third album, Strange Mercy, is recorded in Seattle in a studio provided by Death Cab for Cutie drummer Jason McGerr and is released on 4AD in 2011, reaching number 19 on the Billboard 200.

Clark’s labels include Big Deal Music and Nail Polish Manifesto Music. She is also associated with Record Club.