Jehnny Beth

Camille Berthomier (born 24 December 1984), known professionally as Jehnny Beth, is a French musician, singer-songwriter and actress best known as half of a French lo-fi duo John & Jehn and front woman of the English rock band Savages.[1]

Jehnny Beth
Jehnny Beth in 2016
Background information
Birth nameCamille Berthomier
Also known as
  • Camille Berthomier de Poitiers
  • Camouille Berthomouille
Born (1984-12-24) 24 December 1984
Poitiers, France
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician, singer-songwriter, actress
InstrumentsVocals, guitar, keyboards
Years active2004–present
LabelsPop Noire, Matador
Associated acts

Early life

Berthomier was born in Poitiers, Vienne, France to Catholic theater-director parents. Describing them, she said they, "[...]were keen to impress the importance of academic study on her and her sister[...]".[2][3] She had her first music instructors, a pair of jazz musicians, to learn piano and sing at the age of around 8. Her theatrical and musical career started in an early age by playing the title role in Henrik Ibsen’s Peer Gynt and performing her first piano recital at 10.[4][5] She was trained in dramatic arts at the conservatoire de Poitiers.[6]

In late 2006, she moved to London with fellow John & Jehn member, Nicolas Congé (aka Johnny Hostile) to pursue their career as a duo.

Career

Film roles

Berthomier played the lead role in the 2005 mystery/suspense French film À travers la forêt directed by Jean-Paul Civeyrac[7]. She also played a role as Mary–Jane in a 2009 horror French film Sodium Babies.[8]

John and Jehn
Main article: John & Jehn

Berthomier met fellow musician Nicolas Congé and formed John & Jehn in France in 2006. They released two albums in which their self-titled debut album was critically acclaimed.[9] The band also includes Savages' founding member Gemma Thompson on keyboards and guitar.

Savages
Main article: Savages (band)

Originally formed in 2011 by Thompson and bassist Ayse Hassan, Berthomier becoming the vocalist of the band after Hostile turned down Thompson's request to front the band. The band gained commercial success when their debut album, Silence Yourself, peaked no. 19 on the UK albums chart. As of 2016, they released two albums which were nominated for the Mercury Prize, in 2013 and 2016 respectively.[10][11]

Solo

In 2015, Berthomier took part of the "David Bowie Is ..." exhibition by performing live some of Bowie's hits, including "Space Oddity" and "The Man Who Sold the World".[12]

On 27 June 2016, Berthomier performed live solo to open for PJ Harvey at the Eden Project in Cornwall, England.[13]

Earlier in 2017, when Savages were taking a break after their 2016 tour for the release of their second album, Adore Life, she revealed a collaboration with Primal Scream front man Bobby Gillespie for her upcoming solo works.[14]

On 12 June 2020,[15] Berthomier released her first solo album – or "personal" album as she refers to it – To Love Is to Live featuring collaborations from Joe Talbot (whom she would also feature on the track Ne Touche Pas Moi on his bands third album, 'Ultra Mono'), Romy Madley Croft and produced in part, by Atticus Ross. The Forty-Five called it "a wide-ranging sonic exploration of love, sex, lust, and desire."

Collaborations

In June 2015, Danish electronic music producer and multi-instrumentalist Trentemøller shared a new track from his fourth album, Fixion, titled "River in Me", in collaboration with Berthomieras. She also featured in the song "Complicated" from the same album.[16] Trentemøller has described Berthomier's voice as "intense and unique" which made him linked up with Berthomier to take part on his album.[17]

In November 2015, it was revealed that Berthomier and the Strokes front man Julian Casablancas had recorded a duet of Sort Sol and Lydia Lunch's "Boy/Girl".[18] The music video for the cover was published on 4 December 2015 while the 7" version was released on 18 December 2015. Berthomier said, "Sort Sol are cult in Denmark, and today are very influential in the Copenhagen scene (Iceage etc.) … I would be pleased to make their name known better."[19]

On 13 March 2017, Berthomier joined the xx onstage to perform "Infinity" together at O2 Academy Brixton, London.[20]

On 23 March 2017, Berthomier was announced to be the featured artist for "We Got the Power", Gorillaz's second single from album Humanz. The song also included former Oasis member Noel Gallagher in backing vocals.[21] On 5 May 2017, they performed the song live on The Graham Norton Show.[22]

Personal life

Berthomier has been in a relationship with Johnny Hostile since 2006. She is bisexual, stating that "I’ve been a bisexual since a very young age."[23] She also runs her own Beats 1 radio programme, Start Making Sense, which premiered on 12 April 2016.[24]

References
  1. Ashley Simpson (17 October 2013). "John and Jehn Become Savages". W Magazine. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  2. "Savages talk about love on the London band's terms as 'Adore Life' set to land". Los Angeles Times. 15 January 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  3. "Cover Story: Savages". Pitchfork. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  4. "Fierce Creatures: Savages interview". Dazed. 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  5. "Savages' Jehnny Beth talks about Adore Life and her songwriting process". The Verge. 29 January 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  6. "Mini live report Kilbi day 3". Food and Fuzz (in French). 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  7. "Through the Forest (À travers la forêt)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  8. "Film Review: Sodium Babies (2009)". Horrors News. 13 July 2011. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  9. "John & Jehn – Time for the Devil". Female First. 10 April 2010. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  10. "Mercury Prize 2013: List of nominees in full". The Independent. 11 September 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  11. "Mercury Prize 2016: David Bowie gets posthumous nomination". BBC. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  12. "Savages talk to Alex Wisgard about finding the positivity buried in the noise of their defiant second album Adore Life". 19 January 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  13. "Jehnny Beth". Jehnnybeth.tumblr.com. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  14. "Savages' Jehnny Beth announces solo show, shares studio photos with Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie". Nme.com. 17 January 2017. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  15. Trendell, Andrew (12 June 2020). "Jehnny Beth – 'To Love Is To Live' review: Savages singer's solo debut pulses with power and sensitivity". Nme.com. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  16. "Trentemøller – "Complicated" (Feat. Jehnny Beth) Video". Stereogum. 9 December 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  17. "Trentemøller links up with Savages' Jehnny Berthomier for new song "River in Me"". The Line of Best Fit. 24 June 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  18. "Julian Casablancas & Jehnny Beth Collaboration Is A Danish Punk Cover Out Next Month". Stereogum. 25 November 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  19. "Julian Casablancas and Savages' Jehnny Beth Cover Sort Sol and Lydia Lunch's "Boy/Girl"". Pitchfork. 4 December 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  20. "Watch The xx and Savages' Jehnny Beth perform 'Infinity' together". Nme.com. 14 March 2017. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  21. "Damon Albarn Enlists Oasis' Noel Gallagher and Savages' Jehnny Beth for New Song "We Got the Power": Listen". Pitchfork. 23 March 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  22. "Watch Gorillaz perform on The Graham Norton Show with Noel Gallagher and Jehnny Beth". Nme.com. 6 May 2017. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  23. "I am B in LGBT". Tumblr. 22 June 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  24. "Savages' Jehnny Beth Announces Beats 1 Show, Talks About Friendship With PJ Harvey". Pitchfork. 11 April 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
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