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Amber Coffman

Amber Dawn Coffman (born June 15, 1984) is an American singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles, California, formerly based in Brooklyn, New York. She was formerly a guitarist for Sleeping People, and was later a guitarist and vocalist for the indie rock band Dirty Projectors. She released her debut studio album as a solo artist, City of No Reply in June 2017.[2]

Amber Coffman
Coffman in 2008
Coffman in 2008
Background information
Birth nameAmber Dawn Coffman
Born (1984-06-15) June 15, 1984 (age 40)
Austin, Texas, U.S.
GenresIndie rock, art pop, R&B,[1] experimental
OccupationSinger-songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active2005–present
LabelsColumbia Records
Formerly ofDirty Projectors, Sleeping People

Early life

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Coffman grew up in Ohio, Texas, and California and attended 11 different schools.[3] She had an early love of the women in R&B in the 1990s, and became interested in rock as a teenager.[3]

Music career

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As a teenager living in San Diego, Coffman worked at a grocery store as a day job and was a guitarist in an instrumental math rock band called Sleeping People.[3][4]

 
Coffman performing with Dirty Projectors. Sydney Opera House, 2013

Dirty Projectors

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Coffman moved to New York[4] at 22 and joined Dirty Projectors on guitar and vocals,[3] beginning with the band's 2006 tour for Rise Above.[5] She continued with the band through Bitte Orca (2009), the Björk collaboration Mount Wittenberg Orca (2010, inspired by Coffman sighting a family of Orcas off the coast of California),[6] Swing Lo Magellan (2012) and the EP About to Die (2012).

Dee Lockett, in New York Magazine, said Coffman's "soft, silky voice stood out on the band’s biggest songs, like 'Stillness Is the Move'" from Bitte Orca.[7] Describing Coffman's influence on the band's sound, Erik Adams wrote in the A.V. Club:

Amber Coffman made the avant-garde almost mistakable for Top 40. Coffman’s melismatic lead on "Stillness Is The Move" was a breakout moment for the Brooklyn band, and in harmony with Angel Deradoorian and Haley Dekle, she formed a vocal powerhouse that could either provide a radio-friendly counterpoint to David Longstreth's Arthur Russell-esque bleats or urge songs like "Useful Chamber" and "Gun Has No Trigger" deeper into alien territory.[8]

Solo work

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Main article: City of No Reply

While in the band, Coffman also continued to create her own demos.[3] She began writing an album in 2011[9] and released City of No Reply, her first solo album, on June 2, 2017.[2]

Other collaborations

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Coffman has also collaborated with electronic artist Rusko on the 2010 track "Hold On"[10] and with Diplo of Major Lazer on the 2012 track "Get Free".[11] In 2013, she was featured on hip hop artist J. Cole's song "She Knows" from his album Born Sinner.[12] In 2012, she collaborated on "No Regrets" with Snoop Lion and T.I.[13] She also collaborated with rapper Riff Raff on a song called "Cool It Down" on his Neon Icon album. She sang on Frank Ocean's song "Nikes",[3] the lead single from his album Blonde.[14]

Discography

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Sleeping People

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Dirty Projectors

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Solo

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Album

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Singles

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  • "All to Myself" (2016)
  • "No Coffee" (2017)
  • "Nobody Knows" (2017)
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Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
BEL (Vl)
[15] 		BEL (Wa)
[16] 		DEN
[17] 		FRA
[18] 		NL
[19] 		UK
[20]
"Hold On"[10]
(Rusko featuring Amber Coffman) 		2010 71 88 — — — 96 O.M.G.!
"Get Free"
(Major Lazer featuring Amber Coffman) 		2012 3 17 29 59 7 56 Free the Universe
"No Regrets"
(Snoop Lion featuring T.I. & Amber Coffman) 		2012 — — — — — — Reincarnated
"She Knows"
(J. Cole featuring Amber Coffman & Cults) 		2013 — — — — — 68 Born Sinner
"—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart.

References

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  1. ^ Connor, Reed (5 June 2017). "Amber Coffman: City of No Reply". spectrumculture.com. Spectrum Culture. Retrieved 9 August 2022. "Dark Night" grafts a smooth R&B rhythm over growling, sinister synths that threaten derailment at any moment.
  2. ^ a b Blisten, Jon. "Hear Dirty Projectors' Amber Coffman Make Ethereal Solo Debut". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Snapes, Laura (2017-06-02). "Amber Coffman on life after Dirty Projectors: 'Being on my own was pretty heavy'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-06-02.
  4. ^ a b Varga, George (October 30, 2009). "Timing fortuitous for Dirty Projectors' Coffman". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved 2017-06-04.
  5. ^ Comaratta, Len (2012-07-09). "Interview: Amber Coffman (of Dirty Projectors)". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 2017-06-04.
  6. ^ Society, National Geographic. "Björk and Dirty Projectors Release Mount Wittenberg Orca -- National Geographic". National Geographic. Archived from the original on July 5, 2010. Retrieved 2017-06-07.
  7. ^ Lockett, Dee (June 2, 2017). "Amber Coffman on Her Debut Solo Album and Life After Dirty Projectors". Vulture. New York Magazine. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  8. ^ Adams, Erik (2017-06-02). "Amber Coffman, Gucci Mane, and more in this week's music reviews". A.V. Club. Retrieved 2017-06-04.
  9. ^ Anderson, Stacey (May 1, 2017). "Amber Coffman on Why Her Solo Debut Is More Than a Breakup Album". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
  10. ^ a b Larry, Fitzmaurice (26 April 2010). "Rusko: "Hold On" [ft. Amber Coffman]". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  11. ^ Laura, Snapes (15 April 2012). "Download Major Lazer's Collaboration With Amber Coffman of Dirty Projectors: "Get Free"". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  12. ^ Blanco, Alvin Aqua (13 November 2013). "J. Cole ft. Amber Coffman – "She Knows"". Hip Hop Wired. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  13. ^ Singh, Amrit (26 April 2013). "Snoop Lion – "No Regrets" (Feat. T.I. & Amber Coffman)". Stereogum. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  14. ^ Young, Alex (2016-08-20). "Frank Ocean shares new single "Nikes" and lavish, nudity-filled video — watch". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 2017-06-04.
  15. ^ "Amber Coffman - Belgium (Flanders) Charts". ultratop.be/nl/ Hung Medien.
  16. ^ "Amber Coffman - Belgium (Wallonia) Charts". ultratop.be/fr/ Hung Medien.
  17. ^ "Major Lazer - Danish Charts". lescharts.com/ Hung Medien.
  18. ^ "Major Lazer - French Charts". lescharts.com/ Hung Medien.
  19. ^ "Major Lazer - Dutch Charts". dutchcharts.nl/ Hung Medien.
  20. ^ Peak positions in the United Kingdom:
  21. ^ a b "British certifications – Amber Coffman". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 24, 2024. Type Amber Coffman in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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