Beth Jeans Houghton

Beth Jeans Houghton (a.k.a.  Du Blonde) (born 3 January 1990) is a Newcastle upon Tyne-born multi-disciplinary musician, composer, artist, animator and video director.  Her influences range from psychedelic rock, punk, blues, 1960s garage rock and soul.  She works as an artist under her birth name, Beth Jeans Houghton, working with photography, illustration, animation, video and sculpture.  She has directed and animated music videos for multiple artists including the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ezra Furman, and Laura Marling's band LUMP.  She writes, performs, and produces music under the name Du Blonde. 

Biography
Beth Jeans Houghton was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.  Houghton started writing songs in their teens.  At sixteen they left school and bought themselves a Fender Stratocaster, which they taught themselves to play. 

Houghton first appeared in front of an audience in 2006; her debut release, titled EP (a limited-edition 7-inch), was on Bird Records in 2008.  She signed then with Static Caravan Recordings, which released the single "Golden"/"Nightswimmer", produced by Adem, and her second EP, Hot Toast, Vol.  1 (produced by Mike Lindsay of the band Tunng), both of which earned acclaim from the UK press.  Houghton signed in early 2011 with Mute Records, releasing her debut long-player, 'Yours truly, cellophane nose' in early 2012.  The album was recorded with Ben Hillier whose previous production credits include Blur, Depeche Mode and Elbow. 

The album Yours Truly, Cellophane Nose by Beth Jeans Houghton & The Hooves of Destiny was released on 6 February 2012 and reached number 83 in the UK Albums Chart. 

Houghton and the Hooves of Destiny toured the UK and Europe extensively during 2011 and 2012, appearing at multiple festivals including Glastonbury, The Great Escape, Latitude and Bestival.  In April 2012, the band performed on Later... with Jools Holland alongside Paul Weller and Willis Earl Beal. 

After touring 'Welcome Back To Milk', Houghton began work on issue 1 of her comic books series 'Butt Hurt', focusing on bringing to life her vivid dreams and uncomfortable social situations.  Having been a lifelong sufferer of anxiety, Houghton's work often touches upon discomfort, using humour to help ease her symptoms and dispel stigma surrounding mental health. 

During November 2016, Houghton directed and illustrated the animated music video for "Sick Love" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.  Houghton had previously dated the band's singer Anthony Kiedis.  The video was released on 4 December 2016. 

On 27 March 2018, Houghton's music video for Ezra Furman's 'Suck The Blood From My Wound' was released via the Bella Union label.  Houghton Directed, illustrated and animated the clip. 

On 20 November 2018, LUMP released the video for their single 'May I Be The Light', also directed, illustrated and animated by Houghton. 

Du Blonde
During 2014, Houghton began writing and recording music under the name Du Blonde. 

Welcome Back To Milk, the debut album for Houghton as Du Blonde, recorded in London and Los Angeles with producer Jim Sclavunos, was released on 19 May 2015 by Mute Records.  It garnered favourable reviews, with 75/100 rating at Metacritic. 

Du Blonde's second album, 'Lung Bread For Daddy' was released on 22 February 2019 via Moshi Moshi.  The album is the first to be produced by Houghton, taking a journey into relationships and mental health of the musician. 

Personal life
In 2013 Houghton suffered from anxiety.  Of their practice of Transcendental Meditation, begun at this time, they said, "To now know confidently I can deal with my anxiety is such a good place to be."  Houghton is non-binary and transgender. 

Artists supported
Adem
Bon Iver
Bowerbirds
Cornershop
Euros Childs
Fionn Regan
Future Islands
Garbage 
Gary Numan
Imogen Heap
King Creosote
Mumford & Sons
Mystery Jets
Phosphorescent
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Scott Matthews
St. Vincent
Stephen Fretwell
Tinariwen
Tunng

Discography

Albums
Yours Truly, Cellophane Nose (2012) no.  83 UK
Welcome Back To Milk (2015, as Du Blonde)
Lung Bread for Daddy (2019, as Du Blonde)

EPs
EP – June 2008
Hot Toast Vol 1 – September 2009

Singles
"Golden / Nightswimmer" – Static Caravan, 2009
"Dodecahedron" – Mute, 2011
"Sweet Tooth Bird" – Mute, 2012
"Atlas" – Mute, 2012

References

External links
Beth Jeans Houghton website

Category:1990 births
Category:Living people
Category:Musicians from Newcastle upon Tyne
Category:Mute Records artists
Category:Transcendental Meditation practitioners
Category:British folk-pop singers
Category:21st-century British singers
Category:Non-binary musicians
Category:LGBT musicians from England
Category:LGBT singers
Category:LGBT animators
Category:Transgender and transsexual musicians