Aldous Harding
Location: 1990
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Genre: Singer-Songwriter, Folk, Art Pop
Years Active: 2014 - Present
Real Name: Hannah Sian Topp
Way of Working: Singular vision
Essential Releases
Aldous Harding (2014)
A dark foray into the human soul. Minimal, haunting, sparse.
Party (2017)
Captivating, idiosyncratic, surreal.
Designer (2019)
More accessible than her earlier works. Quirky, expressive, artistic.
Raised in the tiny town of Lyttelton, New Zealand (population 3,200) by folk singer Lorina Harding. It wasn't long before Aldous followed in her mother's footsteps and began making music herself. Lyttelton is located just 7 miles from Christchurch, which is so deep in the global south it's known as the gateway to Antarctica.
The stark climate of Harding's hometown influenced her introspective, gothic folk with its sparse compositions and restrained vocals. There's a tension between the singers voice and the accompanying instrumentation, as if she knows a deep truth which is difficult to express, that mirrors the reality of a hard life in an inhospitable land with few people to talk to.
Harding caught her big break while busking outside a concert by Anika Moa, who happened to pass by and was so impressed with her performance, she asked Harding to open for her that very night. Eventually, the singer moved to England in order to be closer to the music industry.
Aldous' mother, Lorina Harding, has released two critically-acclaimed folk albums. Mother and daughter collaborated on 'Exactly What', which appeared on Lorina's album Clean Break, released when Aldous was only 13.
Meaning of the Name
The name Harding is taken from her mother. Aldous is associated with the sci-fi writer Aldous Huxley. Hannah Sian-Topp authored a persona to separate herself from her work, a choice not typical of folk music, which places a firm value on authenticity.
Harding takes a more artistic approach to the genre, and immediately informs her audience to expect the unexpected by being a female singer using the male name Aldous.
Skills
*This is a work in progress. Values are subjective.Emotional Impact
60
Mental Impact
70
Originality
80
Artistry
95
Authenticity
35
Live
75
Production
65
Musicianship
75
Singing
85
Songwriting
80
Danceability
40
Fun
30
Consistency
85
Range
40
Cool
70
Charisma
45
Commercial & Critical Success
Awards >>>
- New Zealand Music Awards 2017 WINNER!: Breakthrough Artist of the Year
Certifications
Charts >>>
- Album Charts: Party (2017) - #6 in New Zealand
- Album Charts: Designer (2019) - #5 in New Zealand
- Album Charts: Warm Chris (2022) - #1 in New Zealand
Critics ;
CONTROVERSY
- Harding's work is deliberately difficult to understand when most folk is straight-forward. She doesn't provide answers when asked. Her music is artistic instead of autobiographical. She relies on characters to portray emotions that may or may not be genuine, which is the point.
The precise meaning of her songs is left for the listener to interpret which isn't really controversial, more a deliberate choice uncommon in the genre. - She makes bizarre, almost gurning, facial expressions when singing that some people find unsettling.
