Beth Orton

Elizabeth Caroline Orton, commonly known as Beth Orton, (born December 14, 1970), is a Brit Award–winning English singer-songwriter. Known for her "folktronica" sound, which mixes e

Elizabeth Caroline Orton, commonly known as Beth Orton, (born December 14, 1970), is a Brit Award–winning English singer-songwriter. Known for her "folktronica" sound, which mixes elements of folk and electronica, she was initially recognized for her collaborations with the Chemical Brothers in the late 1990s--but these were not Orton's first recordings. She released a solo album, Superpinkymandy, in 1993. Since the album was only released in Japan, it unfortunately went largely unnoticed. Her second solo album, Trailer Park, garnered much critical acclaim in 1996. With the release of the albums Central Reservation (1996) and the 2001 UK top 10 album Daybreaker, Beth developed a devoted fan base with her unique sound and inimitably soulful voice. On her 2006 release, Comfort of Strangers, she has moved towards a more folk-based sound and away from the electronic sound of past albums. American movies and TV shows such as Felicity, How to Deal, and Vanilla Sky have featured her music and provided her with long-deserved exposure to an American mainstream audience. After over 10 years, the popularity and recognition she has earned in the UK is finally manifesting itself in America.

Perhaps best described as a folk/electronica artist, the six-foot-tall Orton was born in East Dereham, Norfolk, but raised on a pig farm in Norwich for her formative years, before moving to East London aged fourteen. Her father, an architectural draftsman, left her mother when Beth was eleven, and she lived with her mother, an artist and political activist, and her two brothers, her father dying shortly afterwards. Her mother died from cancer in 1989, when Beth was aged 19,, which led to her travelling to Thailand for a short period, residing with Buddhist nuns. Orton found success as a musician relatively late, having first worked at menial jobs such as waitressing at Pizza Hut and even owning her own catering company. She was also more interested in acting during her early career, having enrolled at the Anna Scher Theatre School, and she spent some time touring Une Saison en Enfer with a fringe theatre company throughout the UK, Russia and Ukraine, playing Rimbaud's lover.