Natalia Keery-Fisher

Natalia Keery-Fisher
Sinclair performing at The Bootleg Theater in February 2014.
Background information
Birth name Natalia Noemi Keery-Fisher
Also known as
  • Teddy Sinclair
  • Natalia Kills
  • Verbalicious[1]
  • Verse
  • Natalia Noemi Cappuccini[2]
Born (1986-08-15) 15 August 1986
Bradford, West Yorkshire, England
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • drums
  • guitar
Years active 1995–present
Labels
Associated acts
Website cruelyouthxo.com

Natalia Noemi Keery-Fisher (born 15 August 1986), professionally known as Teddy Sinclair or, previously, Natalia Kills[5][6][7], Natalia Cappucini and Verbalicious is an English actress and singer.

As Natalia Kills, Sinclair released the studio albums Perfectionist (2011) and Trouble (2013). In 2014, she married boyfriend Willy Moon, who is also a singer. In 2015 the couple were featured as judges on the second season of the New Zealand version of The X Factor, but after the season's first live show they were fired after their scathing remarks towards a contestant were deemed unacceptable by broadcaster TV3. As of July 2015, she now goes by and performs under her legal name Teddy Sinclair.[8] In 2016, she started a three piece girl band, Cruel Youth.

Life and career

1986–2010: Early life and career beginnings

Sinclair was born Natalia Noemi Keery-Fisher in Bradford, West Yorkshire, to a British father of Afro-Jamaican heritage and a Uruguayan mother,[9] and attended Bradford Girls' Grammar School. Her family left Bradford when she was a child and she spent her early years travelling between England, Jamaica and Spain.[10]

She ran away from home when she was 14 and shifted her focus away from acting.[5][11][12][13][14] She has described her teenage years as "degenerate," stating that she tried to set her ex-boyfriend's house on fire while both were in it. She had frequent legal trouble and periodically experienced suicidal depression.[11][15] She was also briefly involved with a religious cult.[16]

She began pursuing a music career and had a significant breakthrough as "Candy Rapper" in 2003, when she won a BBC Radio 1 MC Battle in Leeds.[5] She signed to the UK record company Adventures in Music and released her first single "Don't Play Nice" under the name Verbalicious in February 2005. Sinclair told W that her childhood nickname from her mother was "Verbal" because she talked and sang a lot. She adopted the name and variations of it as her stage name at some points during her career.[17]

In 2007, while writing music for films,[18] she posted Womannequin, a demo she produced and wrote under the name Natalia Cappuccini, to MySpace. The EP received 2 million plays on the website, and she reached the top of the unsigned artists chart.[17] During this time, using the name Verse, she also co-wrote and appeared on "They Talk Shit About Me" by French recording artist M. Pokora and met Guillaume Doubet, who would go on to direct many of her videos, in Paris. Sinclair moved to Los Angeles in 2008. Arriving without money or a place to live, Sinclair "lived out of these motels, bumming around, trying to work with or make songs with anyone who would have me for a couple of hours in the studio". At the time she says she did awful things adding "I was just trying to survive and I was too young to know better."[19] While in L.A., a DJ introduced her to will.i.am after hearing her demo and learning that she did not have a record deal.[20][21] In January 2009, will.i.am signed her to his record label, will.i.am Music Group.[18] "We had a really good creative chemistry," she said in a 2011 Billboard interview.[22]

2010–14: Perfectionist, Trouble and marriage

Performing as Natalia Kills at the Neidklub in Hamburg in 2010.
Performing as Natalia Kills at the House of Blues in Cleveland in 2011.

Sinclair adopted the stage name Natalia Kills from the interjection "you killed it!",[23] after her record company advised her that her legal name, "Natalia Cappuccini", was "indescribable."[18] Kills released her debut album Perfectionist in Germany in April 2011 following the release of her first single, "Mirrors", which hit the German Top 10. The album was described as a concept album by Sinclair, claiming that everybody is a perfectionist.[24] The album was accompanied by four singles, "Mirrors", "Wonderland", "Free" and "Kill My Boyfriend". Through 2010 and 2011 Sinclair opened for Kelis, Robyn, Kesha, Katy Perry and the Black Eyed Peas over various tours.[17][23][25] Sinclair was featured in LMFAO's single, "Champagne Showers," and in Junior Caldera's single "Lights Out (Go Crazy)".[26]

On 14 September 2012, Sinclair unveiled the video for "Controversy" to start promotion of her second studio album, Trouble. The album was centered on her troubled childhood.[27] Sinclair attended an after-party for the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, held on 25 August 2013 in Brooklyn, New York City, where she performed various songs from Trouble. Two days later, "Outta Time" was released as the album's second promotional recording free of charge in a Polydor Records newsletter,[28] coinciding with the US release of Trouble.[29] Trouble was officially released on 3 September 2013 as a digital download in the United States and Canada.[30]

Sinclair was married to Willy Moon on 23 May, in New York City.[31]

2015–present: The X Factor, collaborations and Cruel Youth

Sinclair and husband Willy Moon were featured as judges and mentors on season 2 of the New Zealand version of The X Factor. They were the mentors of the Boys and Groups categories respectively. During the first live show, in a highly publicized scandal, the two made scathing remarks towards contestant Joe Irvine.[32] Sinclair described Irvine as a doppelganger over his alleged copying of Moon's hairstyle and dress sense, deeming him a "laughing stock", overtly "cheesy" and "disgusting",[33] while Moon compared Irvine to the fictional killer Norman Bates. The comments led to widespread condemnation on social media, including a petition to have Sinclair fired from the show, which reportedly received over 70,000 signatures within 24 hours.[34] The show's sponsors, franchise owner and judges Melanie Blatt and Stan Walker also voiced disapproval of the incident, and Moon and Sinclair were both fired from the show the next day.[35] Sinclair was replaced by Natalie Bassingthwaighte, a former judge on the Australian version of the show, while Moon was replaced by Shelton Woolright.

After departing The X Factor, it was revealed in the media that Sinclair had been dropped by her record label, Cherrytree Records, shortly before appearing on the show.[36][37] Sinclair confirmed to Billboard that she was no longer with Cherrytree Records, but that she was still with Interscope Records at the time, but was later released by them as well.[38]

In early 2016, Sinclair started a band, Cruel Youth, with (her husband) Moon. Their first song, "Mr. Watson", was released on Soundcloud in February, followed by "Diamond Days" in April, which was also released on ITunes. Their third single, "Hatefuck", was released in early September, along with the release of their debut EP, +30mg, on 16 September.

Style and influences

Sinclair has mentioned Kate Bush and Alanis Morissette as her most important musical influences, describing them as emotional artists "who write honestly about their opinions and experiences."[39] The singer also stated she considered Gwen Stefani, who is a musical and stylistic inspiration, as her "hero",[40] adding that Prince, Vanity 6, and Freddie Mercury have already inspired her during live performances.[23] Sinclair explores music that is both confessional and bold when looking for inspiration, she reveals: "I don't listen to music to let go, I listen to dive in", listing Hole, Marilyn Manson, and Eminem among her favorite artists and bands with whom she grew up.[41] According to Jon O'Brien of AllMusic, Sinclair gradually composed a musical tone incorporating "the theatrical dance-pop of Lady Gaga, 1940s film noir, and the electro-gloom of Depeche Mode."[42] She also reported that she has always been a pop music fan, especially in evoking contemporary "new age" artists as Adele, Lana Del Rey, Marina and the Diamonds,[43] Ivy Levan and Lorde.[44]

Sinclair claims to be influenced by her own experiences. She is also inspired by cinema when composing songs. In this regard, she said during an interview for MKR Magazine:

I'm a huge fan of Stanley Kubrick, Tarantino, Gaspar Noé. I love anything that's beautiful and disturbing and horrifying and gorgeous at the same time. I do get inspired, definitely. I don't listen to a lot of music except my own, but I definitely like music a lot.[19]

Awards and Nominations

YearAwardsWorkCategoryResult
2011 Eska Music Awards Herself International New Face Won
2013 MP3 Music Awards "Saturday Night" The BFV Award Won
2014 "Trouble" The MIC Award Nominated
2017 Grammy Awards "Kiss It Better" Best R&B Song (as songwriter) Nominated

Discography

Studio albums

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1995 New Voices Pearl Episode: "The Treasure of Zavimbi"
2002–04 All About Me Sima Main cast
2003 Casualty Samina Khan Episode: "Stuck in the Middle with You"
2003 Coronation Street Laura Mangen 2 episodes
2004 Doctors Hazel Perry Episode: "A Decisive Moment"
2004 Blue Murder Anisa Khan Episode: "Fragile Relations"
2005 No Angels Sujata Series 2, episode 7
2006 Silent Witness Kelly Wetherby Episode: "Supernova: Part 1"
2006 Tripping Over Julie 2 episodes
2007 Cape Wrath Kerry Episode: "Pilot"
2015 The X Factor (New Zealand) Judge Series 2; 1 episode
Radio
Year Title Role Notes
2003 One Thousand Days, One Thousand Nights Jyoti Afternoon Play
2003 Tarnished Wings Jen Afternoon Play
2003 The Archers Amy Franks[45] Main cast
Web
Year Title Role Notes
2010 Love, Kills xx Herself Web series; 10 episodes

References

  1. "Zombies in Wonderland: The Curious Case of Natalia Kills". Vertigo Shtick. 6 April 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
  2. Challand, Christine (26 February 2006). "The Borchester Babes". The Mail on Sunday. p. 32. Natalia Keery-Fisher in Ambridge: Natalia, who has recently changed her stage name to Natalia Cappucini, ...
  3. O'Brien, John. "Natalia Kills". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  4. Villagomez, Andrew (11 March 2013). "LISTEN: Natalia Kills' 'Problem'". Out. Here Media. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 Clayton, Emma (7 April 2006). "Natalia's rapping delight". Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  6. "Natalia Keery-Fisher". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  7. Kletnoy, Sergio (15 August 2013). "MC@Play: Natalia Kills". Marie Claire. Retrieved 15 November 2013. Slenske, Michael (July 2011). "Five Minutes with Natalia Kills". W. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  8. Natalia Kills changes her name to Teddy Sinclair, Digital Spy; accessed 14 August 2015.
  9. Belz, Leigh (1 December 2010). "Natalia Kills on Her Album Perfectionist and Lady Gaga". Teen Vogue. Condé Nast Publications. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  10. Lipshutz, Jason (8 August 2013). "Natalia Kills Gets Real on 'Trouble' Album: 'I Wanted To Confront Who I Am Head-On'". Billboard. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  11. 1 2 Stoeffel, Kat (31 October 2012). "Natalia Kills Wants to Watch You Watch Her Do 'Horrible Things'". New York. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  12. Caterinella, Alex (20 November 2013). "How To Be a Popstar With Natalia Kills". Style Icon. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  13. Fairfax NZ News (22 November 2013). "Natalia Kills has a guilty mind". Stuff New Zealand. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  14. Corner, Lewis (7 August 2013). "Natalia Kills interview: 'I thought I would be dead by now'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  15. Swaggerblog Staff (Fall 2013). "Exclusive: Natalia Kills Wears The Best In Fall Fashion, Causes "Trouble" With Her Sophomore Album". Swagger New York. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  16. Breslin, Yale (11 September 2013). "Natalia Kills: Bad Girl. Big Trouble". Life + Times. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  17. 1 2 3 Slenske, Michael (15 August 2011). "Five Minutes With Natalia Kills: Editors' Blog". Wmagazine.com. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  18. 1 2 3 "Natalia Kills: Interview". Gigwise. 15 September 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  19. 1 2 Chunks, Rebecca (Fall 2013). "Exclusive Interview: Natalia Kills". MKR Magazine. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  20. Shoonmaker, Vaughn (16 November 2010). "Natalia Kills Hooks Up With Will.i.am For 'Dark Pop' Debut". MTV. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  21. "Interview with...Natalia Kills!". MuuMuse. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  22. Chapman, Alex (13 July 2011). "Natalia Kills on Will.i.am, Bill Clinton, Her 'F—k You Pop'". Billboard. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  23. 1 2 3 "Natalia Kills Interview". MVRemix. 9 May 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  24. "Natalia Kills – Music Interview". Digital Spy. 20 April 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  25. "Ke$ha Confirms Special Guests LMFAO For 'Get Sleazy' UK Tour & Tickets – Stereoboard UK". Stereoboard.com. 13 May 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  26. "iTunes – Music – Lights Out (Go Crazy) [feat. Natalia Kills & Far East Movement] – Single by Junior Caldera". Itunes.apple.com. 13 March 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  27. Lansky, Sam (3 September 2013). "Natalia Kills' 'Trouble': Album Review". Idolator.
  28. "Natalia Kills". Polydor/Universal Music. 27 August 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  29. "iTunes – Music – Outta Time – Single by Natalia Kills". iTunes Store. Apple Inc. 3 September 2013. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  30. "Trouble: Amazon.ca: Music". Amazon.ca. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  31. "EXCLUSIVE: Natalia Kills Announces Marriage to Willy Moon + Exclusive Photos". bbook.com. 13 May 2014.
  32. "Pressure on TV3 after X Factor judges Willy Moon and Natalia Kills humiliate contestant on live TV". New Zealand Herald. 16 March 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  33. Downes, Siobhan (16 March 2015). "X Factor: Bullying outcry over Natalia Kills attack". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  34. "X Factor judges Natalia Kills, Willy Moon sacked". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  35. Beswick, Angela (16 March 2015). "Natalia Kills, Willy Moon fired from X Factor NZ". TV3. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  36. "Axed X Factor judge Natalia Kills no longer has a record deal". New Zealand Herald. 19 March 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  37. Team, News (18 March 2015). "Natalia Kills already dropped from her label prior to 'X Factor' sacking". NME. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  38. Lipshutz, Jason (19 March 2015). "Natalia Kills Speaks To Billboard: 'Sometimes TV Producers Plan Drama For Ratings'". Billboard. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  39. Pamela (14 August 2011). "Exclusive Interview: Natalia Kills Speaks to GTS". Girlstalkinsmack.com.
  40. "Twitter / NataliaKills: @gagas_lil_hobo Gwen Stefani". Twitter.com. 17 April 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  41. "Natalia Kills – Homepage". Mataliakills.com. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  42. O'Brien, John. "Natalia Kills | Biography". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  43. "Natalia Kills – interview (effect music tour)". YouTube. 6 April 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  44. "Bootleg Theater // Miriam Bryant, Ivy Levan, Natalia Kills on Vimeo". Vimeo.com. 20 February 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  45. BBC Press Office (1 August 2003). "New vicar in The Archers". Retrieved 15 January 2017.
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