Little Boots facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Little Boots
Little Boots in 2018
Background information
Birth name	Victoria Christina Hesketh
Born	(1984-05-04) 4 May 1984 (age 41) Blackpool, Lancashire, England
Genres	Electropop synth-pop dance-pop house disco
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter DJ
Instruments	Vocals piano keyboards synthesizer Tenori-on Stylophone
Years active	2005–present
Labels	IAMSOUND 679 Atlantic Elektra On Repeat Kobalt

Victoria Christina Hesketh (born 4 May 1984), known professionally as Little Boots, is an English singer, songwriter, and DJ. She used to be a member of the band Dead Disco.

As a solo artist, she has released four albums: Hands (2009), Nocturnes (2013), Working Girl (2015), and Tomorrow's Yesterdays (2022). She has also released many EPs and remixes. Little Boots has toured all over the world as a DJ and with her full band. Her album Hands reached number five on the UK Albums Chart. Her songs "New in Town" and "Remedy" were also popular hits.

Biography

Early Life and Musical Beginnings (1984–2005)

Victoria Hesketh was born in Blackpool, England. She grew up in Thornton, Lancashire, with her three younger brothers.

Victoria started playing the piano at age five. She began formal lessons at six and later won a music scholarship. She also learned to play the flute and the harp. She was part of her school choir. By age thirteen, Victoria was already writing her own songs. She trained in classical singing.

When she was sixteen, Victoria tried out for the TV talent show Pop Idol. She made it to the third round but was eliminated before reaching the judges. She said this experience taught her to be stronger. It also showed her that there were no shortcuts to her goals.

After high school, Victoria studied cultural studies at the University of Leeds. She earned a top degree. To help pay for her studies, she played piano in hotels. She described this as "awful" but it paid well. While at Leeds University, Victoria and two friends formed an all-female band called Dead Disco. Victoria became the lead singer.

Forming Dead Disco (2005–2008)

Dead Disco at the Leeds Festival in 2006

While at university, Victoria found an online ad from Lucy Catherwood and Marie France. They were looking for a lead singer to start a band. The three shared a love for bands like The Killers and Ladytron. They formed the electropunk band Dead Disco in August 2005. They picked their band name by randomly choosing words from a hat. Victoria sang lead vocals and played synth. Lucy played guitar, and Marie played bass.

Dead Disco started playing gigs in northern England. A show in Manchester helped them get a recording session with producer James Ford. They released their first single, "The Treatment," in April 2006. Their second song, "City Place," was released digitally.

The band had several sold-out shows and played at the Reading and Leeds Festivals. They then moved to Los Angeles to record their first album. However, Victoria started writing songs that didn't fit the band's "indie" style. She decided to explore a new musical direction and left Dead Disco. The band announced their breakup in December 2008. Victoria explained that she needed to make the kind of music she truly wanted to hear. She felt pressured by the band's label to have a certain style. Her bandmates also lost confidence in her because she wanted to write "cheesy" songs.

Solo Success and Hands (2008–2010)

Little Boots in 2008

After leaving Dead Disco in August 2007, Victoria decided to start a solo pop career. She went back to her parents' house to write songs. She also posted cover songs on YouTube and MySpace. Within a year, she had enough songs for an album. She got in touch with Greg Kurstin, who she had worked with in Dead Disco. They began making her first solo album, Hands.

In early 2008, she started using the stage name Little Boots. A friend gave her this nickname because of her unusually small feet. The ancient Roman emperor Caligula also had this nickname, which means "Little Boot" in Latin.

Little Boots appeared on TV shows like Later... with Jools Holland. She then continued working on Hands. The album was recorded in Los Angeles with Greg Kurstin and Joe Goddard. By January 2009, she was choosing the songs for the album. With growing media attention, Little Boots won the BBC Sound of 2009 poll. She also received a Critics' Choice nomination at the 2009 BRIT Awards.

Hands was released in June 2009. It reached number five on the UK Albums Chart. The album featured popular songs like "New in Town" and "Remedy". In June 2009, Little Boots also released an EP called Illuminations in the United States and Canada. This EP helped relaunch Elektra Records. It reached number fourteen on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart.

Little Boots performing at the Arvika Festival in 2009

Critics generally liked the album. Many called it a "glorious pop record." Some compared it to albums by Lady Gaga or Lily Allen. The song "Stuck on Repeat" was often called a highlight. Little Boots was also nominated for the Critics' Choice award at the 2009 Brit Awards. Esquire magazine included her on their list of "Brilliant Brits 2009." Rolling Stone magazine named her an artist to watch in 2009.

The album's artwork was created by Chrissie Abbott. Its design was compared to Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon. Hands was released in the United States in March 2010. It debuted at number seven on the Heatseekers Albums chart. Her debut linked her to other female artists making 1980s-inspired music, like Lady Gaga and La Roux.

Creating Nocturnes (2010–2013)

In March 2010, Little Boots said her second album would be "rawer and a bit more down-to-earth." She added that it would still be magical but also "dark and spooky." She found inspiration in the poetry of Edgar Allan Poe. In May 2011, she performed a new song called "Crescendo" at a festival in Beijing.

In late 2011, Little Boots released a mixtape called Shake Until Your Heart Breaks. She also announced an international DJ tour to promote her new music. She released the song "Shake" digitally and on vinyl in November 2011. She also worked with producer Michael Woods on the song "I Wish."

Little Boots at Rough Trade, May 2013

Little Boots released her third mixtape, Into the Future, in March 2012. This mix included new versions of other artists' songs. It also featured a remix of "Every Night I Say a Prayer", a song she wrote with Andy Butler. "Every Night I Say a Prayer" was released in April 2012 as a free download and on vinyl. She played a short live set in London to celebrate its release. This was followed by the song "Headphones" in June 2012. Its music video was inspired by the film Paris, Texas. Little Boots toured internationally in late 2012, performing in places like San Francisco and Ibiza.

In January 2013, Little Boots released two songs, "Superstitious Heart" and "Whatever Makes You Happy," under the name LB. Her second album, Nocturnes, came out in May 2013. It included the songs "Shake," "Every Night I Say a Prayer," and "Broken Record". Little Boots said she felt more at peace with her creative path. She described Nocturnes as "less 80s synth pop influenced." She also said it was an upbeat album, inspired by her DJing and listening to dance music. She called the album "still electronic but draws a lot more influences from early house music and classic disco."

New Music and Collaborations (2014–2019)

Little Boots released her fifth EP, Business Pleasure, in December 2014. The main song, "Taste It," came out the month before. Her third studio album, Working Girl, was released in July 2015. She released it through her own record label, On Repeat Records.

In August 2015, it was announced that she worked with Jean-Michel Jarre on the song "If..!" for his album Electronica. This song was released as a single with a music video. In June 2016, Little Boots announced her sixth EP, After Hours. This EP continued the themes from her Working Girl album. The first song, Staring at the Sun, was released on 3 June 2016, and the EP followed on 17 June 2016.

Little Boots released her seventh EP, Burn, on 6 April 2018. This EP had four songs, all created with female producers. The song "Shadows" came out before the EP. In September 2019, she announced a special 10th-anniversary re-release of Hands. This re-release included "Echoes," which was an unreleased demo, along with other rare songs. She explained that "Echoes" was meant to be a follow-up single to Hands. It was co-written with RedOne, who also worked on "Remedy" and early Lady Gaga songs.

In November 2019, Spice Girl Melanie C shared that she was working with Little Boots on her new album. That same year, Little Boots released her eighth EP, Jump.

ABBA Voyage and Tomorrow's Yesterdays (2020–present)

In 2021, Little Boots joined the ABBA Voyage show. She then announced her fourth studio album. She also released its first song, "Silver Balloons." Tomorrow's Yesterdays was released on 18 March 2022. This was seven years after her album Working Girl. Little Boots wrote and produced this album all by herself.

Musical Style and Instruments

Little Boots performs on the Stylophone during her 2009 North American tour

Little Boots is a talented musician. She sings and plays the piano, keyboards, and synthesizer. She also plays the Stylophone and a Japanese electronic instrument called the Tenori-on. She has a soprano vocal range, which means she can sing high notes.

She has said that artists like The Human League, Pink Floyd, Britney Spears, and Captain Beefheart have influenced her music.

Performances and Tours

Early Performances (2008–2009)

Little Boots' first TV appearance was on Later... with Jools Holland in November 2008. She was invited after posting songs on MySpace. In March 2009, she appeared on the US TV show Last Call with Carson Daly. She was interviewed, and clips from a Los Angeles concert were shown.

She performed "Stuck on Repeat" using the Tenori-on on BBC Breakfast in May 2009. She returned to Later... with Jools Holland later that month. She also appeared on the BBC Radio 4 show Woman's Hour. In 2009, her song "Meddle" was used in a Victoria's Secret advertisement. In June 2009, she performed "New in Town" live on the Bebo music show Beat.

In July 2009, Little Boots performed on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross. A week later, she played at Oxegen 2009 in Ireland. The next weekend, she performed at T4 on the Beach 2009.

She performed "Remedy" and a cover version of JLS' "Beat Again" on BBC Radio 1 in August 2009. Later that month, Little Boots performed at the Reading and Leeds Festivals. She also played at Manchester Pride 2009, an LGBT event. In September 2009, she went on a five-city North American tour. The following month, she performed at the Bestival 2009.

Little Boots had a sold-out US tour in autumn 2009. In October 2009, she performed in Preston, Lancashire. She also visited her old school, Blackpool Sixth Form College, to film a special session for Channel 4. In December, Little Boots sang a duet with Gary Numan on the 6 Music Live Combos show.

Tours and Shows (2010–2022)

Little Boots performing in Seattle in 2010

In March 2010, Little Boots planned a thirteen-date North American tour. She couldn't bring her laser harp because she wasn't certified to operate it in the US. However, seven of her concerts were canceled due to "unforeseen circumstances" in the UK.

The next month, Little Boots performed at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California. She told the audience that her crew and costumes were stuck in the UK because of the Icelandic volcano. This meant parts of her show had to be changed at the last minute. Two months later, Little Boots performed on the NewNowNext Awards show.

In May 2012, she played a show at London's XOYO. She also supported The Scissor Sisters at their London concerts. From October to November, she toured internationally. She performed in Madrid, Barcelona, Poland, Brazil, and Chile. In December, she shared a video on YouTube showing behind-the-scenes footage from her South American tour.

In September 2021, Little Boots announced she was chosen as one of ten musicians for the ABBA concert tour. She performs as part of the backup band for the "ABBAtars," which are digital versions of the group. She sings and plays keyboards on the tour. The tour started in London in May 2022. She said it was a "huge honor" to join ABBA Voyage because she has been an ABBA fan her whole life.

Other Projects and Appearances

Little Boots at Studio B, Brooklyn, New York in 2009

Many of Little Boots' songs have been used in TV shows and movies. "New in Town" appeared in the 2009 horror film Jennifer's Body. "Remedy" was used in an episode of Dollhouse and Gavin & Stacey.

"Meddle" was featured in an episode of the British teen drama Skins. It also appeared in a Victoria's Secret commercial and the Channel 4 comedy series, Friday Night Dinner. The song "Click" from Hands was used in episodes of The Vampire Diaries and Melrose Place.

Little Boots has also contributed to a documentary about the Stylophone. She worked with RjDj to release a remix app for the iPhone. This app, called The Little Boots – Reactive Remixer, lets users remix her songs "Remedy," "Meddle," and "New in Town." Users can then share their remixes online.

Little Boots has joined the War on Want campaign. This campaign supports protests against child labor sweatshops in India.

Awards and Nominations

Little Boots was nominated for the BBC annual poll Sound of... on 5 December 2008. She was later announced as the winner of Sound of 2009.

Discography

• Hands (2009)
• Nocturnes (2013)
• Working Girl (2015)
• Tomorrow's Yesterdays (2022)

Personal Life

In May 2022, Little Boots became a mother. She gave birth to her first child, a son named Monty.

Images for kids

• 

  Little Boots at Studio B, Brooklyn, New York in 2009

See also

In Spanish: Little Boots para niños