I Am Harlequin

Artist Information

Biography

Singer/songwriter and producer Anne Freier has been working relentlessly to create I am Harlequin.

I Am Harlequin has recently received a lot of heat in 2012 and gained much support from BBC 2, BBC 6, NME, Q Radio, XFM, BBC Berkshire and many more, as well as performing live on BBC 4 Loose Ends.
Her song "Wild One" was chosen for E teen drama Skins and she reached spot 17 in the LastFM New Discovery Charts.

Following acclaimed performances throughout 2011, including Music Week Breakout, The O2 Sessons, Liverpool Sound City, Boardmaster Festival, Brighton Festival and Last Fm Last Fridays, 2012 is looking set to be a huge year for I Am Harlequin.

The music is defined by progressive structures, quirky lyrics and innovative arrangements. I am Harlequin music is epic indie pop with an electronic twist.

Anne grew up in East Germany at the end of the GDR regime. With the end of the GDR regime she got to enjoy popular and rock music without restriction, having mostly experienced opera and ballet before.
She wrote her first English song when she was seven years old with the help of a bear-inspired English book for children, and her younger sister, who provided the backing vocals. The creative pair then regularly performed – using the sofa as their stage – rather uncoordinated dances, original and cover songs in front of an audience of family and friends.
Anne says that, although certain recordings of these performances exist on video, she has no plans to release them anytime in the future.

She moved to London whilst still in school and continued her public performances in the city. Anne then studied music and has since ventured on a range of projects including compositions for film and theatre.
In 2007, she briefly went through a folk inspired phase.

Her influences range from classical music, particularly the Russians of the 20th century (Prokofiev, Rimski-Korsakow, Rachmaninoff), to the advanced choir arrangements in Stephen Sondheim musicals, as well as Kate Bush, Rickie Lee Jones, Grace Slick and Joni Mitchell, whom she grew up listening to.

When Anne is not at work on I am Harlequin, she can be found working on her first commercial line of clothing, remixes and other musical projects.

Instrumentation

Anne Freier - Songwriter, Producer, Lead singer

Discography

- The Liberty/The King's Daughter (Double A Side) October 2011
- Onesome featuring Remixes by I Am Harlequin and Killahurtz 12th March 2012
- CRAZE EP July 2012

Official Website

http://www.iamharlequin.com

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Last.fm
• MySpace

Audio

• Craze
  Listen  
• Something Else
  Listen  
• Don't Break the Silence
  Listen  
• Wild One
  Listen  
• Because He Loves Them Both
  Listen  

Video

I Am Harlequin - Wild One (Live at St John on Bethnal Green)

Photo Gallery

Press

• I am Harlequin [+ Show ]
  

  "Much attention to this young, German artist-queen who, in only just 6 months, has experienced expon..."Much attention to this young, German artist-queen who, in only just 6 months, has experienced exponential growth. Her talent has been spreading like wildfire across social networks and has gained momentum with each passing day. Her first work is a real treat: fresh and innovative themes which, at their base, combine influences of classical music with today's pop sounds. She writes, produces and records her songs in some collaboration with various artists. Since the drafting of Eden Magazine we encourage you to discover her, and if you have not already, visit her MySpace page."

• I am Harlequin [+ Show ]
  

  Most recently, I stumbled upon I Am Harlequin, a female solo artist with an amazing and powerful voi...Most recently, I stumbled upon I Am Harlequin, a female solo artist with an amazing and powerful voice singing over fun and well constructed melodies.

• I AM HARLEQUIN [+ Show ]
  

  "With the magic of the Internet, we come across artists that we take to heart and want you to love. ..."With the magic of the Internet, we come across artists that we take to heart and want you to love. I Am Harlequin is one of them."

• I am Harlequin [+ Show ]
  

  2011 nos trae aires frescos y nada mas empezar el año nos rendimos ante “I am Harlequin” su activida...2011 nos trae aires frescos y nada mas empezar el año nos rendimos ante “I am Harlequin” su actividad en las redes sociales no se remonta a mas de un par de meses, por dar un dato en facebook apenas es del 12 de octubre y es que “I am Harlequin” surge en 2009.
  Su carta de presentación no podía ser mejor, con un trabajo delicioso y de gran clase. Encuanto empezamos a oír sus temas en myspace nos fascino su estilo, temas que podéis escuchar también en su web o en facebook y es que su actividad parece ser exponencial como huracán que cobra fuerza por lo que apostamos que en pocos meses todo el mundo hablará de ella, pero antes en Proyectochapa ;).
  
  En poco tiempo promete tener sus dos primeros videoclips ya editados a los cuales esperaremos para presentároslos.
  
  Tras este peculiar nombre se esconde la figura femenina de Anne Freier, Anne se crió en Alemania Oriental al final del régimen de la RDA posteriormente, trasladada su residencia a Londres donde estudia música. Por sus padres toma contacto del mundo de la ópera y el ballet.
  Sus influencias van desde Prokofiev, hasta artistas algo más actuales como Kate Bush, Rickie Lee Jones, Joni Mitchell, las cuales igual a muchos sus nombres no os suenan pero si buscáis estas referencias descubriréis que muchos de sus temas si los habéis escuchado a lo largo de vuestra vida.
  Le auguramos un gran futuro a “I am Harlequin” y por nuestra parte esperamos deseosas de ver novedades y que vaya creciendo deseándole buena suerte.

• Artist of the Month: I am Harlequin [+ Show ]
  

  "I am Harlequin is the recording moniker of a German woman named Anne Freier and, if she doesn’t g...
  "I am Harlequin is the recording moniker of a German woman named Anne Freier and, if she doesn’t get picked up by a record label sometime soon, I’m going to take off my pants and chain myself to the entrance of Island Def Jam’s New York office with a copy of her album until somebody listens to it.[...] Every one of her tracks that I’ve heard thus far is filled with ideas and loaded with different soundscapes but, remarkably, it never ever feels as if she’s over-indulging her creativity. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every song of hers and will continue to do my part to get the world to know about I am Harlequin." Fred Hystere

• I am Harlequin - The Liberty [+ Show ]
  

  "Today I am going to give you an order. Take it as a friendly advice or as a mail of a major importa..."Today I am going to give you an order. Take it as a friendly advice or as a mail of a major importance. Listen to minutely every song of I am Harlequin as if it was a question of life or death. [...] I am Harlequin is liberty."

Setlist

45-minute Set:
1. The Liberty
2. Ira bets the beat
3. Marianne
4. Ode to a Drama Queen
5. Heart Pressures
6. So what
7. Sound of Sleep
8. Sirens
9. Doctor Doctor
10. Because he loves them both
Encore: Bette Davis Eyes

30-minute Set:
1. The Liberty
2. Ode to a Drama Queen
3. Heart Pressures
4. Marianne
5. So what
6. Doctor Doctor
7. Because he loves them both
Encore: Sound of Sleep or Ira bets the beat

All songs can be played as acoustic versions.

These set lists are subject to change due to new songs being added.

Basic Requirements

Calendar