Damon Albarn facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Damon Albarn OBE
Albarn at Wembley Stadium in 2023
Background information
Born	(1968-03-23) 23 March 1968 (age 57) Whitechapel, London, England
Genres	Alternative rock electronic hip-hop Britpop art pop
Occupation(s)	Musician singer songwriter record producer
Instruments	Vocals keyboards guitar melodica bass guitar
Years active	1988–present
Labels	Food SBK Virgin Parlophone XL Honest Jon's Warner Transgressive

Damon Albarn (born 23 March 1968) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is most famous as the leader and main singer of the rock band Blur. He also helped create and is the main musician for the virtual band Gorillaz. A virtual band is a music group where the members are animated characters instead of real people.

Damon grew up in Leytonstone, East London, and near Colchester, Essex. He went to the Stanway School, where he met Graham Coxon. They formed Blur in 1988. Their first album, Leisure, came out in 1991. After touring the US, Damon's songwriting was inspired by British bands from the 1960s. This led to Blur's albums Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993), Parklife (1994), and The Great Escape (1995). These albums were very popular in the UK. Blur became famous during a music competition called Britpop with another band, Oasis. Later albums like Blur (1997) and 13 (1999) mixed different music styles. Blur's recent albums include The Magic Whip (2015) and The Ballad of Darren (2023).

Damon formed Gorillaz in 1998 with comic book artist Jamie Hewlett. Gorillaz mixes electronic, hip-hop, and world music. Their first album, Gorillaz, came out in 2001 and was a huge success worldwide. Damon is the only musician who has been in Gorillaz since the beginning. He has also worked on other music projects like the Good, the Bad & the Queen and Rocket Juice & the Moon. He helped start Africa Express, which is a non-profit music group. Damon has also written music for movies and stage shows. His first solo album, Everyday Robots, was released in 2014, followed by The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows in 2021.

In 2016, Damon received the Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement for his music. He was also given the title of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2016 for his contributions to music. This is a special award given by the British monarch. In 2020, Damon became a citizen of Iceland.

Early Life and Interests

Damon Albarn was born in Whitechapel, London. His father, Keith Albarn, is an artist, and his mother, Hazel, was a designer for theatre. Damon also has a younger sister, Jessica, who is an artist too. His family moved to Leytonstone, East London, when he was young. Their home was described as "bohemian," meaning they had an artistic and unconventional lifestyle. Damon and Jessica were also raised in the Quaker religion, which is a Christian group known for its peaceful beliefs.

When Damon was nine, his family traveled to Turkey for three months. After that, they moved to Aldham Fordstreet, Essex. Damon felt he didn't quite fit in there because it was very different from London.

Damon loved music from a young age. He started playing guitar, piano, and violin when he was young. He was also interested in writing music. One of his early songs won a prize in a national competition for young composers. Damon and Jessica went to Stanway Comprehensive School. Damon said he was "unpopular" there, but he enjoyed drama and acting in school plays.

It was at Stanway that Damon met Graham Coxon, who would become Blur's guitarist. Graham remembered Damon as a "confident performer." They became good friends because they both loved music, especially bands like the Jam, the Beatles, and Madness. Damon also said that the Specials and Fun Boy Three were some of his first inspirations. He credits John Lennon for inspiring him to write songs.

Damon studied acting at the East 15 Acting School but left after a year. Before Blur, he played in other bands like Two's a Crowd.

Music Career

Blur's Beginnings

Albarn (right) and Graham Coxon (left) performing with Blur in 2009

In 1988, Damon Albarn joined a music course at London's Goldsmiths College. He was in a band called Circus with Graham Coxon and drummer Dave Rowntree. Alex James, another student, joined as the bassist. In December 1988, they changed their name to Seymour. Then, in March 1990, they became Blur and signed with Food Records.

Blur released their first song, "She's So High," in October 1990. It reached number 48 in the UK. Their next song, "There's No Other Way," was a big hit, reaching number eight. This made Blur pop stars. Their first album, Leisure (1991), reached number seven on the UK charts. Damon later said he thought Leisure was "awful."

The Britpop Era

After finding out they owed a lot of money, Blur toured the US in 1992 to earn it back. Damon and the band felt unhappy and missed home during the tour. They started writing songs that sounded more "English." Blur decided to celebrate their British roots, different from the popular American grunge bands like Nirvana.

Their second album, Modern Life Is Rubbish, came out in May 1993. It reached number 15 in the UK. Damon was happy with the band's new style and wrote many songs for their next album. Parklife was released in 1994 and became a huge success for Blur. The first song from the album, "Girls & Boys," was very popular. Parklife went straight to number one in the UK and stayed on the charts for 90 weeks. Many people consider Parklife one of the most important albums of the Britpop music movement. Blur won four awards at the 1995 Brit Awards, including Best British Group.

Blur started working on their fourth album, The Great Escape, in 1995. Damon's songs on this album told stories about different characters. The release of the album's first song, "Country House," was part of a public competition between Blur and the band Oasis. This was called the "Battle of Britpop." Both bands released their new songs on the same day. "Country House" sold more copies than Oasis' "Roll With It," becoming Blur's first number-one song.

The Great Escape was released in September 1995 and also reached number one in the UK. However, people's opinions quickly changed. Blur was seen as a "middle-class pop band" compared to Oasis, who were seen as "working-class heroes." Damon said this made him feel "stupid and confused."

Blur's Later Years and Reunion

Albarn with Blur at the Rock in Roma, 2013

By early 1996, the band members were having disagreements. Graham Coxon especially disliked Blur's Britpop style and preferred American alternative rock. Damon realized Blur needed to change their music again. He decided to let Graham have more control over their new album. Damon also visited Iceland during this time, which inspired him.

The result was Blur, the band's fifth album, released in February 1997. Even though some thought the new sound would make fans leave, critics generally liked it. The album and its first song, "Beetlebum," both reached number one in the UK. Blur became the band's most successful album internationally, especially in the US, thanks to the popular song "Song 2." After this success, Blur went on a nine-month world tour.

Blur's sixth album, 13, released in March 1999, moved even further away from Britpop. Damon's songs were more personal and emotional, reflecting his breakup with his girlfriend, Justine Frischmann. Recording for Blur's next album started in November 2001. Soon after, Graham Coxon left the group. He said there were "no rows" and they "just recognized the feeling that we needed some time apart."

Think Tank, released in May 2003, had electronic sounds and simpler guitar parts by Damon. Since Graham was not there, Damon wrote most of the album. Its sound showed Damon's growing interest in African and Middle Eastern music. Think Tank was another UK number one album. It was also nominated for Best Album at the 2004 Brit Awards.

Blur performing at Hyde Park in 2009

In December 2008, Blur announced they would play a concert together again at London's Hyde Park in July 2009. They added a second show and played other concerts before that. All the shows were very popular. Blur also performed at the Glastonbury Festival in June 2009.

The band released a second collection of their greatest hits, Midlife: A Beginner's Guide to Blur, in June 2009. After the reunion concerts, Damon said the band did not plan to record or tour again. He explained that the main reason for the reunion was to fix his friendship with Graham, which worked.

In January 2010, a documentary about the band called No Distance Left to Run was released. It was nominated for a Grammy Award. In April 2010, Blur released their first new song since 2003, "Fool's Day."

In February 2012, Blur received the Outstanding Contribution to Music award at the 2012 Brit Awards. Later that month, Damon and Graham played a new song together live, "Under the Westway." Blur went into the studio to record new music, but Damon stopped the recording in May. Blur released two songs, "The Puritan" and "Under the Westway," on 2 July. In August, Blur played a big show at Hyde Park for the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony. They then went on a world tour the next year. On 19 February 2015, Blur announced their eighth album, The Magic Whip, which was their first album in 12 years and the first with all original members in 16 years.

Gorillaz: The Virtual Band

Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett met in 1990. The idea for Gorillaz came when they were watching MTV. Jamie said, "If you watch MTV for too long, it's a bit like hell—there's nothing of substance there. So we got this idea for a cartoon band, something that would be a comment on that." The band's music is a mix of different styles, including alternative rock, hip-hop, and pop music. Damon is the only musician who is always part of Gorillaz.

Albarn on stage with Gorillaz in London, June 2017

In 2001, Gorillaz released their first album, Gorillaz. It sold over seven million copies and had hit songs like "19-2000" and "Clint Eastwood." This earned them a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records as the Most Successful Virtual Band.

Their second album, Demon Days, came out in 2005. It included popular songs like "Feel Good Inc." and "Dare." Demon Days sold very well and was nominated for five Grammy Awards in 2006, winning one. By 2007, Gorillaz had sold over 15 million albums.

Gorillaz released their third album, Plastic Beach, in early 2010, which was highly praised. In December 2010, they released The Fall, which was recorded during their North American tour.

Damon and Jamie Hewlett had some disagreements, but they later worked them out. On 23 March 2017, Gorillaz announced their fifth album, Humanz, which was released on 28 April 2017. The sixth Gorillaz album, The Now Now, was released on 29 June 2018. In 2020, Gorillaz started a project called Song Machine. They released new songs with other artists as monthly "episodes." The first nine episodes were put together with more songs to create their seventh album, Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez, released on 23 October 2020. On 31 August 2022, their eighth album, Cracker Island, was announced and released on 24 February 2023.

Solo Work and Other Projects

In 2002, Damon released Mali Music, which he recorded in Mali during a trip to support Oxfam, a charity organization. In 2003, he released an EP called Democrazy, which was a collection of songs he recorded in hotel rooms while on tour.

Damon worked with many producers and musicians to create an album called Kinshasa One Two in 2011. This album was recorded in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. All the money from this album goes to support Oxfam's work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Maison Des Jeunes, an album for Damon's project Africa Express, was released in 2013.

In 2013, Damon announced he would release a solo album. His first solo album, Everyday Robots, came out on 25 April 2014. It received good reviews and reached number 2 on the UK charts. It was also nominated for the 2014 Mercury Prize for Best Album. In June 2021, Damon announced his second solo album, The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows, which was released on 12 November 2021.

The Good, the Bad & the Queen

Albarn performing with the Good, the Bad & the Queen in 2007

In 2006, Damon started a new band called the Good, the Bad & the Queen. It included Paul Simonon from The Clash, Simon Tong from The Verve, and drummer Tony Allen. Their first album, The Good, the Bad & the Queen, was released in January 2007 and won Best Album at the 2007 MOJO Awards. The album reached number 2 in the UK.

Rocket Juice and the Moon

Rocket Juice & the Moon is another project Damon worked on. It features Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea and Afrobeat drummer Tony Allen. Their first album was released on 26 March 2012.

Studio 13

Damon, along with Tom Girling and Jason Cox, created their own recording studio called Studio 13. They used it for Blur's album 13 and Damon's work on the Ravenous movie soundtrack. Other famous artists have also used Studio 13.

Other Music Work

Damon has worked with many other musicians. In 1998, he recorded a song called "London Pride" for a tribute album. He also collaborated with Terry Hall from 1994 to 2003, co-writing songs and appearing on albums.

In 2003, Damon worked with the band the Strokes and performed live with David Bowie. He also sang on songs for Massive Attack's albums. Damon produced soul singer Bobby Womack's album The Bravest Man in the Universe in 2012. In 2016, he appeared on De La Soul's album. In 2017, he sang on the song "Blu" for Alex Crossan (Mura Masa).

Film, Theatre, and Soundtrack Work

Damon's song "Closet Romantic" was on the soundtrack for the movie Trainspotting. He also wrote music for the 1999 movie Ravenous and was nominated for an award for his work.

Damon and Jamie Hewlett worked together again to create a stage show called Monkey: Journey to the West. It was based on a Chinese story and premiered in Manchester in 2007. Damon also created an opera called Doctor Dee in 2011, based on the life of a scientist.

In 2014, Damon contributed the song "Sister Rust" to the movie Lucy. He also wrote the music for a musical based on Alice in Wonderland called Wonder.land, which premiered in 2015.

Acting Appearances

Damon Albarn acted in Antonia Bird's 1997 film Face. He was also in Gunar Karlsson's 2007 animated film, Anna and the Moods. In 1998, Damon played a character called "Bull" in a Radio 4 play called Up Against It.

Personal Life

Damon Albarn had a relationship with singer Justine Frischmann from 1991 to 1998. This relationship influenced some of his songs, especially on the Blur albums Blur and 13.

Damon started a relationship with artist Suzi Winstanley in 1998. Their daughter, Missy, was born on 2 October 1999. Damon has said that becoming a father changed him greatly, making him think more about the future. It is believed that Damon and Suzi separated in 2023. Some of the songs on Blur's album The Ballad of Darren (2023) seem to hint at a breakup.

In 2006, Damon received an honorary Master of Arts degree from the University of East London. In 2015, he was made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to music. In 2016, Damon was given the title "Local King" in Mali, Africa, and a school of music and dance was named after him there. This was because of his long-time support for Malian music.

In 2020, Damon became an Icelandic citizen. He had visited the country many times since the mid-1990s and bought a house in Reykjavík. Damon has homes in London and Devon. He is also a fan of Chelsea F.C., a football team.

Charity Work

Damon Albarn has actively supported many charities throughout his career. DRC Music, a group Damon formed, released their album Kinshasa One Two as a charity album. All the money earned from it goes to Oxfam. Damon also formed a group with Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea and others to make a charity song, with the money also going to Oxfam. In 2013, Damon and Graham Coxon performed with Noel Gallagher and Paul Weller to support the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Views and Activism

In 2005, Damon and others criticized the London Live 8 concert for not including enough black artists. He said he did not want to perform at Live 8 because he thought it was too "exclusive."

Damon has often spoken out against "celebrity culture." He believes that parts of our culture, like reality TV shows, need to be re-examined.

Damon was against the United Kingdom leaving the European Union (Brexit). He called it "wrong" and said it "doesn't make any sense." He signed a statement in 2018 asking for a "Citizen's Assembly" to help solve the problems with Brexit. Damon said that The Good, the Bad & the Queen's album Merrie Land (2018) was inspired by Brexit.

Damon has also supported Palestinian rights. He canceled concerts in Israel in 2010 and played a concert for a group that supports Palestine in 2014. At the Glastonbury Festival 2024, Damon spoke about the conflict in Gaza, calling it an "unfair war."

Anti-War Activism

Damon Albarn is against war, a view shared by his family. In November 2001, after the United States invaded Afghanistan, Damon wore a T-shirt with the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament logo at the MTV Europe Music Awards. In his speech, he said, "Bombing one of the poorest countries in the world is wrong. You've got a voice and you have got to do what you can about it alright?"

In 2002, when Iraq was facing invasion, Damon spoke out against it. He worked with groups like the Stop the War Coalition to organize campaigns against British involvement in the war. He even spent money on anti-war advertisements in a music magazine.

Damon was supposed to speak at a large protest in Hyde Park in February 2003, where a million people protested the war. However, he became too emotional to give his speech. He later said he thought about his grandfather, who was a peace activist, and felt overwhelmed. He also noted that the protest showed how many different people were against the war.

Discography

Solo Albums

• Everyday Robots (2014)
• The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows (2021)

Collaboration Albums

• Mali Music (2002) (with Afel Bocoum, Toumani Diabaté & Friends)
• The Good, the Bad & the Queen (2007) (with The Good, the Bad & the Queen)
• Kinshasa One Two (2011) (as part of DRC Music)
• Rocket Juice & the Moon (2012) (with Flea and Tony Allen as part of "Rocket Juice and the Moon")
• Maison Des Jeunes (2013) (as part of Africa Express)
• In C Mali (2014) (as part of Africa Express)
• The Orchestra of Syrian Musicians and Guests (2016) (with Africa Express)
• Merrie Land (2018) (with The Good, the Bad & the Queen)
• Molo (EP) (2019) (with Africa Express)
• Egoli (2019) (with Africa Express)
• Bahidorá (2025) (with Africa Express)

Awards and Nominations

Denmark GAFFA Awards

Mercury Prize

The Mercury Prize is a very important yearly music award for the best album from the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Brit Awards

The Brit Awards are yearly popular music awards given by the British music industry.

See also

In Spanish: Damon Albarn para niños