Beth Hirsch

Beth Hirsch (born October 18, 1967) is a singer-songwriter from Tampa, Florida. Hirsch is best known for her collaboration with Air on their album Moon Safari. Her first solo album, Early Days, was released in 2000, followed by Titles & Idols in 2001. After a series of collaborations with artists including Pale 3, Jakatta, and D*Note, Hirsch released her third solo album Wholehearted, in 2007, and her fourth solo album, L.I.F.E., on October 26, 2020. Her EP After L.I.F.E. was released on December 13, 2021.
Early Life
Beth Susan Hirsch was born and raised in Tampa, Florida. Her mother, Gail Hirsch, was a first grade teacher, and her father, Lester "Les" Hirsch, Jr., was a stockbroker and former chairman of the Tampa Sports Authority.
As a child and adolescent, she displayed an affinity for acting and performing, which she honed through local theater productions. After graduating high school, she moved to Boston to pursue a B.F.A. in acting and theater at the Boston University College of Fine Arts. After college, Hirsch worked for a Shakespearean Workshop in London. She then lived in New York City for two years to pursue theater work.
Career
In November 1991, Hirsch moved to Paris to work as an au pair, where she became involved in the local bohemian artist community. It was in Paris where she discovered her own singing talent. She began her solo recording career with the EP Miner's Son, released in 1998. The EP was heard by Hirsch's neighbor, Nicolas Godin, and his musical partner in Air, Jean-Benoît Dunckel, with whom she collaborated on their Moon Safari album, co-writing and providing vocals on "All I Need" and "You Make It Easy". She toured with Air throughout Europe and the US before settling in London. Her second EP, P-Town Rubies, was released in 1999 on British independent label Dorado, which was followed by a UK tour with Terry Callier. Her collaboration with Wasis Diop, "Everything (Is Never Quite Enough)", from his 1998 Toxu album, appeared on the soundtrack of the remade The Thomas Crown Affair.
Hirsch's debut solo album, Early Days, was released in August 2000, with "Life Is Mine" taken from it as a single. The album received a three-star review from Allmusic.
Her second album, the Black Dog (Ken Downie) and Custom Blue-produced Titles & Idols, was released in 2001 to generally positive reviews."Titles & Idols Review", AllMusic.
Her third album, the self-released Wholehearted (2007), received a four-star review from AllMusic.
Her fourth album, L.I.F.E. (Love Is For Everyone) was released in 2020 by Last Man Music.
Hirsch is a member of ASCAP and GEMA performance rights organizations.
Personal life
Hirsch currently lives in Portugal.
Discography
Albums
Early Days (2000, !K7)
Titles & Idols (2001, !K7)
Wholehearted (2007, Electric Bee)
Love Is For Everyone L.I.F.E 2.0 (2020, Last Man Music)
Singles and EPs
"Miner's Son" (1998, Artefact)
P-Town Rubies EP (1999, Dorado)
"Life Is Mine" (2000, !K7)
"Nest Sensation" (2001, !K7)
"Indelibly You" (2008, Electric Bee)
"Something to Tell"/"So Many Things" (2010, Ho-Hum)
"Confusion" (2012, Venus Recordings) (as AlfaBeth)
"Let Him Go And Go To God" (2014, Venus Recordings) (as AlfaBeth)
"Love Is For Everyone" (2014, Self-Raising Records)
"Summer" (2015, Venus Recording) (as AlfaBeth)
"Allison Something" (2020, Last Man Music)
After L.I.F.E. EP (2021, Last Man Music)
Collaborations
D*Note - D*Note (1997).
Wasis Diop - Toxu (1998). Vocals on "Everything (...Is Never Quite Enough)"
Air - Moon Safari (1998). Vocals on "All I Need", "You Make It Easy".
Marc Collin - Les Kidnappeurs soundtrack (1998). Vocals on "Main Theme".
Pale 3 - The Princess and the Warrior soundtrack (2000). Vocals on "The Tunnel".
Fred Avril - "That Horse Must Be Starving" (2002). Vocals on "Helium Life Boat".
Jakatta - Visions (2002). Vocals on "One Fine Day", "Home Away from You".
Pale 3 - Crash (Music from and Inspired by the Film) (2005). Vocals on "Arrival".
D*Note - Laguna (2006). Vocals on "Everybody Loves the Sunshine", "Wichita Lineman", "At Last I'm Free", "How Long", "Guinevere", "Edit and the Kingpin", "Then Along Came You", and "Being Alive".
Various Artists - Café del Mar, vol.15 (2008). Vocals on "Under My Star", with Gelka.
Billy Rivera - "21 Grief Street" (2011). Vocals on "Cold Corner".
Rosita Kess - Northern Sky (2011). Vocals on "Northern Sky".
Karmacoda - Eternal (2011). Vocals on "Love Will Turn Your Head Around".
Solar Bears - Supermigration (2013). Vocals on "Our Future Is Underground".
Bright Light Bright Light - "Make Me Believe In Hope (Blueprints Version)" (2013). Vocals on "Grace".
The Willow - "In The Meanwhile" (2013). Vocals on "So Many Things".
Karmacoda - "Love And Fate" (2015). Vocals on "All For Love", "We Don't Have A Lot Of Time" and "Message".
Cross & Quinn - "Cold Sky Blue" (2016). Vocals on "Cold Sky Blue".
Sanxero - "Right Where You Are" (2016)(single). Vocals.
Sleep Party People - "Lingering" (2017). Vocals on "We Are There Together".
Lauren Canyon - "Lauren Canyon" (2017). Vocals on "Prom Queen".
Grey Tropical - "Path Of Magic" (2017)(single). Vocals.
Sanxero - "A Getaway" (2018)(single). Vocals.
Eliot - "Let The Sun Rise" (2018)(single). Vocals.
Session Victim - "Needledrop" (2020). Vocals on "Made Me Fly".
References
External links
Discogs page
Talent profile of Beth Hirsch on SlateCast.com
March 2010 Beth Hirsch interview
1967 births
Living people
Musicians from Tampa, Florida
Writers from Tampa, Florida
21st-century American women singers
21st-century American singers
Jewish American musicians
Jewish singers
American expatriates in Portugal