Karen O is the electrifying frontwoman of the rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs, renowned for her commanding stage presence and distinctive voice. Born Karen Lee Orzolek on November 22, 1978, in South Korea to a Korean mother and a Polish father, she grew up in the United States and burst onto the alternative rock scene in the early 2000s. Alongside bandmates Nick Zinner and Brian Chase, Karen O's art-punk aesthetic and emotive performances quickly became emblematic of New York City's vibrant music scene. With the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, she has produced seminal hits, such as "Maps," "Heads Will Roll," and "Zero," securing their place as indie rock luminaries.

Branching out from her work with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Karen O has cultivated a solo career marked by a diverse array of projects that showcase her versatility as an artist. Her solo work includes a well-received psycho-opera titled "Stop the Virgens" and the intimate, lo-fi album "Crush Songs." Furthermore, her original song "The Moon Song," written for the film "Her," received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song in 2014. O has continued to push creative boundaries through her collaborations, such as her partnership with Danger Mouse on the critically acclaimed album "Lux Prima," and her compelling contributions to film soundtracks, exemplified in her version of "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" for the Amazon series "Hanna." Karen O's artistic journey is a testament to her innovative spirit and enduring impact on the contemporary music landscape.

Genres

New Jersey Indie

Related Artists

St. Vincent

Florence + The Machine

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

PJ Harvey

Cat Power

Metric

Feist

The Kills

Lana Del Rey

Bat For Lashes

Arctic Monkeys

The Killers

Latest Release

Super Breath

Karen O•

Danger Mouse

Single - Released July 24, 2024