Lou Rhodes

Lou Rhodes
Lou Rhodes in London, March 2006
Background information
Birth name	Louise Ann Rhodes
Origin	Manchester, England
Genres	Acoustic, folk, trip hop
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, cello
Years active	1996–present
Labels	Infinite Bloom, A&G Records
Associated acts	Lamb
Website	lourhodes.com

Lou Rhodes is an English singer and songwriter from Manchester, now living in Wiltshire. In addition to providing vocals and lyrics for the band Lamb, Rhodes has released four solo albums: Beloved One, Bloom and One Good Thing and theyesandeye. Rhodes has collaborated with 808 State, A Guy Called Gerald, Funkstörung, Pale 3, Sugizo, Plump DJs, Sheila Chandra, Eliza Carthy, Art of Noise, and The Cinematic Orchestra on Ma Fleur and the soundtrack to The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos.

Originally from Manchester, Rhodes was born to a folk singer mother Annie Burton. She grew up around the English folk scene and worked as a photographer in the early 1990s. Rhodes met engineer Andy Barlow through a friend and recorded a demo tape together, forming the band Lamb. It resulted in a six album deal with Mercury Records in 1995. In 2004, Rhodes and Lamb collaborator Barlow split and both began to pursue solo ventures.

Rhodes started her own record label, Infinite Bloom, at the beginning of 2006, to issue her debut solo album Beloved One, which was shortlisted for the Nationwide Mercury Music Prize the same year. This album explored the folk side of Rhodes's music, which was previously undisplayed while performing in Lamb, although songs such as "Fortress" are reminiscent of her times playing in Lamb. She has been described as following a Nick Drake path as a singer-songwriter. In February 2006, she performed together with other female folk singers at the Daughters of Albion event, which was broadcast by BBC 4. Rhodes has performed at Glastonbury Festival a number of times.