Angel Olsen

American musicianTemplate:SHORTDESC:American musician

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* indie folk
* indie rock
 Occupation(s) | * Singer-songwriter
* musician
 Instruments | * Vocals
* guitar
* keyboards
 Associated acts | * Bonnie "Prince" Billy
* Emmett Kelly
* Tim Kinsella
* Wilco
* Cass McCombs
* Mark Ronson

**Angel Olsen** (born **Angelina Maria Carroll**; January 22, 1987) is an American singer-songwriter and musician from St. Louis, Missouri who lives in Asheville, North Carolina.

To date, Olsen has released five studio albums: *Half Way Home* (2012), *Burn Your Fire for No Witness* (2014), *My Woman* (2016), *All Mirrors* (2019) and *Whole New Mess* (2020).

## Early life and education

Angel Olsen was born on January 22, 1987 in St. Louis, Missouri. At age three, Olsen was adopted by a foster family that had cared for her since shortly after her birth. The difference in years between her and her parents left an impression. "Because there are so many decades of difference between us, I became more interested in what their childhood was like," she says of her parents, both of whom still live in St. Louis. "I fantasized about what it was like to be young in the ’30s and ’50s, more so than other kids my age." Olsen explained that "my mother just has this capacity for children."

Despite early adolescent aspirations to be a "pop star", her interests later shifted in high school. Olsen became more introverted, regularly attending punk rock and noise music shows at the Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center and the Creepy Crawl as well as Christian rock shows throughout the city. She began learning the piano and guitar and writing her own music. At the age of 16, she joined a local band called Good Fight, self-described as "a meeting of early No Doubt and punk rock." Two years after graduating from Tower Grove Christian High School, Olsen moved to Chicago.

## Career

### 2011-2014: *Strange Cacti* and *Half Way Home*

 File:Angel Olsen @ The Sinclair (Cambridge, MA) (29733888992).jpg
Olsen released her debut EP, *Strange Cacti* in 2011, and her debut studio album, *Half Way Home*, in 2012. on Bathetic Records. In addition to her work with Bonnie "Prince" Billy and the Cairo Gang, Olsen has collaborated with a number of other notable figures of American indie rock, including Tim Kinsella of Cap'n Jazz, LeRoy Bach of Wilco and Cass McCombs. Her collaboration with Kinsella and Bach, as well as with Chicago poet Marvin Tate, resulted in the album *Tim Kinsella Sings the Songs of Marvin Tate by Leroy Bach Featuring Angel Olsen* which the group released on Indianapolis label Joyful Noise Recordings on December 3, 2013.

### 2014-2017: *Burn Your Fire for No Witness* and *My Woman*

Olsen signed with Jagjaguwar, ahead of her first full-band record, *Burn Your Fire for No Witness*, which was released on February 17, 2014. The closing track of the album, "Windows", was featured in the final episode in the first season of the Netflix original series *13 Reasons Why* in 2017.

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Olsen's third studio album, *My Woman*, was released on September 2, 2016. In a review for *Consequence of Sound*, critic Ciara Dolan described the album as a "startling record of unimpeachable strength and honesty", while *Pitchfork*'s Jenn Pelly described it as "her best record yet".

### 2019-2021: *All Mirrors*, *Whole New Mess*, and *Songs of the Lark and Other Far Memories*

Olsen's fourth studio album, *All Mirrors*, was released on October 4, 2019 to critical acclaim. Laura Snapes of *Pitchfork* described the album as "breathtaking", and a "strong wind" that blows in and "leaves you undone", while Alexis Petridis of *The Guardian* described it as "challenging and intriguing", and Luke Saunders of *Happy Mag* described it as a change of "theatric transcendency", when compared to her previous releases.

On August 28, 2020, Olsen released her fifth studio album *Whole New Mess* through Jagjaguwar. The album features tracks from *All Mirrors* arranged in a more intimate style.

On March 30, 2021, Olsen announced a special edition boxset entitled 'Songs of the Lark and Other Far Memories', which contains her previous two albums *All Mirrors* and *Whole New Mess* alongside demos, re-workings, remixes and covers to close this chapter of her career, released via Jagjaguwar. It was announced with the lead single 'It's Every Season [Whole New Mess]' and is due for release on May 7, 2021. In 2020, Olsen released several remixes of popular releases. On April 9, 2020, Olsen released a remix of "All Mirrors" her album *All Mirrors* Produced by Chromatics' Johnny Jewel. On June 3, 2020 Olsen released a remix of "New Love Cassette" from her album *All Mirrors* produced by Mark Ronson with whom she collaborated with on Ronson's song "True Blue".

In 2020, Olsen worked on a cover of "Mr. Lonely", originally by Bobby Vinton, for the film Kajillionaire directed by Miranda July. Olsen collaborated with film composer Emile Mosseri on the cover which was released on September 16, 2020 and was included in the soundtrack. On May 20, 2021, Olsen released a single with Sharon Van Etten, "Like I Used To", which was produced by John Congleton. Olsen and Van Etten appear in the music video with their hair styled in similar shag haircuts.

### 2021–present: *Aisles*

On August 20, 2021, Olsen released her fourth extended play, *Aisles*, consisting of five cover versions of popular songs from the 1980s. *Pitchfork* writer Evan Rytlewski described it as "an unusual departure for a songwriter who's always staked everything on her conviction".

In 2021 she also received the Libera Awards as Best Folk/Bluegrass Record 2021 for her album *Whole New Mess* (Jagjaguwar) by the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM).

## Style

*Pitchfork* has likened her to acts such as The Cure, Cocteau Twins and Siouxsie and the Banshees, saying that she has created a dark dream-pop dealing with anxiety. Olsen plays a vintage Gibson S-1 guitar from 1979.

## Personal life

On April 16, 2021, Olsen came out as gay.

## Discography

Main article: Angel Olsen discography**Studio albums**

* *Half Way Home* (2012)
* *Burn Your Fire for No Witness* (2014)
* *My Woman* (2016)
* *All Mirrors* (2019)
* *Whole New Mess* (2020)

## References

1. ↑ TimeOut Istanbul. "Interview: Angel Olsen". Retrieved July 30, 2021.
2. ↑ Hislop, Christopher (July 23, 2015). "The sweet, haunting voice of Angel Olsen". Retrieved July 30, 2021.
3. ↑ Richardson, Mark (September 25, 2019). "'All Mirrors' by Angel Olsen Review: A Surprising Turn". *The Wall Street Journal*. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
4. ↑ Terich, Jeff (September 30, 2019). "Album of the Week: Angel Olsen – All Mirrors". *Treble*. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
5. ↑ Thomas, Fred. "Angel Olsen biography". AllMusic. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
6. ↑ Donelson, Marcy. "My Woman – Angel Olsen". AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
7. ↑ Todd, Bella (August 29, 2016). "Angel Olsen: indie's dark star tackles 'the complicated mess of being a woman'". *The Guardian*. Retrieved January 19, 2017.
8. ↑ "Angel Olsen Playlist - Adding Some Glam To The Gloom". Nme.com. January 22, 2014. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
9. ↑ Paul Lester (January 13, 2014). "Angel Olsen (New band of the day No 1,676) | Music". theguardian.com. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Bevan, David (March 24, 2014). "Angel Olsen Will Be Heard". *Spin*. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Appelstein, Mike. "Angel Among Us: An Oral History of Angel Olsen's Time In St. Louis". Retrieved September 1, 2016.
12. ↑ Lamont, Tom (March 30, 2014). "Angel Olsen: 'I had to learn someone else's songs. Now I teach people my material'". *The Guardian*. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
13. ↑ "PearShaped Magazine Archive | Angel Olsen". *Pearshapedarchive.com*. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
14. ↑ "Strange Cacti 12 EP". Bathetic Records. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
15. ↑ "Half Way Home". Bathetic Records. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Joyful Noise Recordings. "Tim Kinsella sings the songs of Marvin Tate by LeRoy Bach featuring Angel Olsen". Joyful Noise Recordings. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
17. ↑ "Angel Olsen". Jagjaguwar. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
18. ↑ Zoladz, Lindsay (February 17, 2014). "Angel Olsen: Burn Your Fire for No Witness Album Review". *Pitchfork.com*. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
19. ↑ "Angel Olsen Breaks Down Her Smoldering New Jagjaguwar Debut". Billboard. February 13, 2014. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
20. ↑ Fred Thomas. "Burn Your Fire for No Witness - Angel Olsen | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
21. ↑ Pearce, Sheldon; Monroe, Jazz (June 6, 2016). "Angel Olsen Announces New Album My Woman | Pitchfork". *pitchfork.com*. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
22. ↑ Dolanon, Ciara (August 31, 2016). "Album Review: Angel Olsen – My Woman". *consequenceofsound.net*. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
23. ↑ "Album Review: Angel Olsen - My Woman". *Consequence of Sound*. August 31, 2016. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
24. ↑ "Angel Olsen: My Woman". *Pitchfork*. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
25. ↑ Snapes, Laura. "Angel Olsen: All Mirrors". *Pitchfork*. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
26. ↑ "Most psychedelic sensory overload music videos on Youtube". *Happymag.tv*. October 5, 2019. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
27. ↑ "Angel Olsen". *Angelolsen.com*. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
28. ↑ "Angel Olsen". *Angelolsen.com*. March 30, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
29. ↑ "Angel Olsen Shares New Johnny Jewel Remix". *Pitchfork.com*. April 9, 2020. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
30. ↑ "Mark Ronson Remixes Angel Olsen's "New Love Cassette"". *Pitchfork*. June 18, 2020. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
31. ↑ "Angel Olsen Covers "Mr.Lonely"". *Pitchfork*. September 16, 2020. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
32. ↑ "Sharon van Etten, Angel Olsen Share New Song 'Like I Used To'". *Rolling Stone*. May 20, 2021.
33. ↑ Bloom, Madison (July 8, 2021). "Angel Olsen Announces New EP *Aisles*, Shares Cover of Laura Branigan's "Gloria": Listen". *Pitchfork*. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
34. ↑ Rytlewski, Evan (August 24, 2021). "Angel Olsen: Aisles EP". *Pitchfork*. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
35. ↑ "Libera Awards 2021 winners". *liberaawards.com*. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
36. ↑ Greene, Jayson (December 11, 2019). "The Best Rock Albums of 2019 - Angel Olsen: All Mirrors". *Pitchfork*. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
37. ↑ Taylor, Luke (May 7, 2017). "The Current's Guitar Collection: Angel Olsen, 1979 Gibson S-1". *The Current*. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
38. ↑ "My beau, I'm gay". *Instagram*. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
39. ↑ Smith, Clyde F. (June 20, 2014). "Full List of 2014 A2IM Libera Award Winners". *Hypebot*. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
40. ↑ Staff, Daily Cal Arts (December 30, 2016). "Daily Californian Arts Awards: Music 2016". *The Daily Californian*. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
41. ↑ "2017 Winers". *libera awards*. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 42.2 Houghton, Bruce (April 24, 2017). "Nominees A2IM'S Indie Music Libera Awards". *Hypebot*. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
43. ↑ Paine, Andre (August 8, 2017). "2017 AIM Awards nominations revealed". *Music Week*. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 Brandle, Lars (April 4, 2020). "Chance the Rapper, FKA Twigs, Courtney Barnett & More Shortlisted For 2020 A2IM Libera Awards". *Billboard*. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
45. ↑ "2021 Libera Award nominees announced". *Guitar Girl Magazine*. March 23, 2021. Retrieved July 7, 2021.

## External links

* **No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata.**
* Angel Olsen at AllMusic
* Angel Olsen discography at Discogs
* Angel Olsen on IMDb

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