Cristina (singer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cristina
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Cristina in 1978
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Cristina Monet-Palaci |
| Also known as | Cristina Monet Zilkha |
| Born | January 17, 1959 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | April 1, 2020 (aged 61) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1978–1984 |
| Labels |
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Cristina Monet Zilkha (born January 17, 1959 – died April 1, 2020) was an American singer and writer. She was known as Cristina during her music career. She made unique "no wave" recordings for ZE Records in New York City in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Cristina was one of the first artists to mix the edgy style of punk with the fun energy of disco and pop. Her music helped open the door for other famous singers like Madonna and Cyndi Lauper. She created a playful, smart, and catchy style of music.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Cristina Monet-Palaci was born on January 17, 1959, in Manhattan, New York City. Her mother, Dorothy Monet, was a writer and illustrator. Her father, Jacques Palaci, was a French psychoanalyst.
Cristina grew up living in different countries. She lived in the United States, England, Italy, and France. She studied drama at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London. She also attended Harvard University in the United States. During a break from Harvard, she was in an accident and decided not to go back to school.
Music Career
Cristina was working as a writer for The Village Voice newspaper. There, she met Michael Zilkha, who later became her husband. Michael Zilkha helped start ZE Records with Michel Esteban.
Michael convinced Cristina to record a song called "Disco Clone". This song was a fun, unusual dance track. It was written by Ronald Melrose, who was a classmate of Cristina's at Harvard. The first recording of "Disco Clone" was released in 1978. It was produced by John Cale and was the very first song released on the ZE label.
First Album and Popular Songs
Even though "Disco Clone" was meant to be a joke, it became a popular song. This encouraged ZE Records to release a full album in 1980. This album was produced by August Darnell from Kid Creole & The Coconuts. Cristina also wrote some of the songs on the album. The album was later reissued with the name Doll in the Box.
Cristina also released a cover of Peggy Lee's song "Is That All There Is?". She changed the lyrics to be funny and satirical. The original writers of the song, Leiber and Stoller, did not like the changes. They sued, and the song was taken off the market for many years. Later, she released a cover of the Beatles' song "Drive My Car". She also released a song called "Things Fall Apart" in 1981.
Second Album and Retirement
Cristina's second album was called Sleep It Off. It came out in 1984. This album also had her unique, sarcastic style. Don Was produced the album. The album cover was designed by Jean-Paul Goude. Many of the lyrics were written by Cristina. They made fun of city life with a dry, witty delivery.
The album did not sell well. After this, Cristina stopped making music. She focused on her home life with her husband in Texas. In 2004, Sleep It Off was re-released with extra songs. In 2005, she worked with musician Alex Gimeno (known as Ursula 10000) on a song called "Urgent/Anxious".
Later, Cristina wrote essays and reviews for publications like London's Times Literary Supplement. Her two albums for ZE Records were reissued in 2004.
Personal Life and Passing
Cristina Monet Palaci married businessman Michael Zilkha. They later divorced in 1990. After their divorce, she moved back to New York City.
Cristina had several health issues for almost 20 years. On April 1, 2020, Cristina passed away in New York at the age of 61.
Legacy
Cristina's music continues to inspire other artists. Singer-songwriter Zola Jesus said that Cristina was a "HUGE inspiration." She admired how Cristina's music was unique and didn't fit neatly into one category.
Discography
| Releases | ||
|---|---|---|
| ↙Studio albums | 2 | |
| ↙Singles | 6 | |
Studio Albums
- Cristina (1980, ZE Records)
- Sleep It Off (1984, Mercury Records)
- Doll in the Box (2004, ZE Records) – This was an expanded re-release of her first album, Cristina.
Singles
- "Disco Clone" (1978)
- "Is That All There Is?" (1980)
- "Drive My Car" (also released as "Baby You Can Drive My Car") (1980)
- "La Poupée qui fait non" (1980)
- "Things Fall Apart" (1982)
- "Ticket to the Tropics" (1984)
See also
In Spanish: Cristina (cantante estadounidense) para niños
