David Usher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Usher
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Usher in 2012
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| Born | April 24, 1966 Oxford, England |
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| Years active | 1992–present |
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David Usher is a super talented Canadian musician, author, and speaker. He was born in England on April 24, 1966. You might know him best as the lead singer of the famous band Moist. David also has a successful solo music career and has even started a cool company that uses artificial intelligence!
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David Usher's Early Life and School
David Usher was born in Oxford, England. His mom, Samphan Usher, is a Thai artist, and his dad, Dan Usher, was an economics professor. David moved around a lot when he was little, living in places like Malaysia, New York City, California, and Thailand. Eventually, his family settled in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
He went to high school at Kingston Collegiate and Vocational Institute. Fun fact: other famous Canadian musicians like Gord Downie from The Tragically Hip and Hugh Dillon from the Headstones went to the same school around the same time! After high school, David studied political science at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia.
David Usher's Music Career
While studying in Vancouver, David helped start the band Moist. He was the lead singer and main songwriter. The band also included Mark Makoway on guitars, Jeff Pearce on bass, Kevin Young on keyboards, and Paul Wilcox on drums.
Moist: The Band's Journey
Moist's first album, Silver, came out in 1994. It was a huge hit, selling over 400,000 copies in Canada! Their next album, Creature, released in 1996, was also very popular, selling over 300,000 copies. Both albums earned "multi-platinum" status, which means they sold a ton of copies!
In 1999, Moist released their third album, Mercedes 5 and Dime, which was another big success. After a collection of their best songs came out in 2001, the band took a break for about twelve years. But don't worry, they got back together! In 2013, Moist returned and released their fourth studio album, Glory Under Dangerous Skies, in 2014.
David Usher's Solo Music
Even while Moist was super busy, David Usher also worked on his own music. He released his first solo album, Little Songs, in 1998. He even recorded most of it in his own kitchen!
He continued his solo career during Moist's break. His second solo album, Morning Orbit, sold 90,000 copies. This album included a song called "Alone in the Universe" and even featured a cover of the famous song "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman. David even recorded a special version of the album in Thai, singing in Thai on two songs!
David released several more solo albums, including Hallucinations (2003), If God Had Curves (2005), Strange Birds (2007), and Wake Up and Say Goodbye (2008). Strange Birds was inspired by his time living in New York City. Wake Up and Say Goodbye was even nominated for a Juno Award, which is a big music award in Canada!
In the early 2010s, he released The Mile End Sessions (2010) and Songs from the Last Day on Earth (2012). The Mile End Sessions featured acoustic versions of his songs and his first song in French.
His ninth solo album, Let It Play, came out in 2016. This album featured English versions of French-Canadian songs and new recordings of his own songs. He also worked with many other talented artists on this album.
Throughout his amazing music career, David Usher has sold over 1.4 million albums! He has won four Juno Awards and had several number one hit songs. He's sung in English, French, and Thai, showing how versatile he is!
Beyond Music: Author and Innovator
David Usher is not just a musician; he's also an author and a tech innovator!
Reimagine AI and Climate Clock
He is the founder of Reimagine AI, a creative studio based in Montreal that works with artificial intelligence. They create "virtual beings" using interactive and AI technology. Imagine talking to a computer character that feels almost real!
David is also the co-creator of the Climate Clock (Climateclock.net), which is a project that shows how much time is left to take action on climate change. It's a way to raise awareness about important environmental issues.
Author and Speaker
In 2015, David published a book called Let the Elephants Run • Unlock Your Creativity and Change Everything. The book is all about creativity and how to use your imagination. He also gives presentations about the creative process, sharing his ideas with others.
David Usher's Personal Life
David Usher cares about helping others. In 2001, he was part of a TV special called Musicians in the WarZone. For this show, he traveled to the border of Thailand to visit a large community of refugees from Myanmar. It showed his dedication to humanitarian causes.
As of 2018, David lives in Montreal, Quebec, with his family.
Moist Albums
- Silver (1994)
- Creature (1996)
- Mercedes 5 and Dime (1999)
- Machine Punch Through: The Singles Collection (2001)
- Glory Under Dangerous Skies (2014)
- End of the Ocean (2022)
