Ladyhawke is the stage name of Phillipa Margaret "Pip" Brown (born 13 July 1979), a New Zealand singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She took her stage name from Richard Donner's 1985 film Ladyhawke.
Early Life
Brown was born on 13 July 1979 in Masterton, New Zealand, into a musical family. Her mother was a singer and guitarist, and her stepfather was a jazz drummer. During childhood, she suffered from various illnesses and allergies, including a rare case of erysipeloid at age ten. As an adult, she was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome.
Career
Early Bands (2001–2006)
Brown was part of the Wellington-based band Two Lane Blacktop (2001–2003) as lead guitarist. In 2004, she joined the art rock band Teenager with Nick Littlemore of Pnau, contributing to their 2006 album Thirteen before leaving to focus on her solo project.
Solo Career (2006–present)
Brown's debut solo album, Ladyhawke, was released on 22 September 2008 through Modular Recordings. It topped the New Zealand albums chart and was certified platinum. Its most successful single was "My Delirium," which charted in the top ten in both New Zealand and Australia. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2009, she won Breakthrough Artist in both album and single categories.
Her second album, Anxiety, was released in May 2012. The third album, Wild Things, followed in June 2016. Her fourth album, Time Flies, was released in November 2021, following her recovery from a Clark's level-four melanoma diagnosis.
In August 2024, Brown confirmed she had been working with Nick Littlemore on new Teenager material.
Musical Style and Influences
Ladyhawke's music is classified as new wave, indie rock, and synth-pop. She is noted for being influenced by 1980s music as well as 1990s acts such as Nirvana. Her five favourite albums include David Bowie's Hunky Dory, ELO's Time, and three Fleetwood Mac albums. She has also cited retro Japanese chiptune music as an influence.
Personal Life
Brown is a lesbian. She married New Zealand actress and comedian Madeleine Sami on 9 January 2015; the couple separated in 2023. They have one daughter, born in 2017. Brown has a contralto vocal range and is an avid video game player.
Discography
- Ladyhawke (2008)
- Anxiety (2012)
- Wild Things (2016)
- Time Flies (2021)
Awards (Selected)
- New Zealand Music Awards (2009): Album of the Year, Best Dance/Electronica Album, Single of the Year ("My Delirium"), Best Female Solo Artist, Breakthrough Artist of the Year, International Achievement Award
- ARIA Music Awards (2009): Breakthrough Artist – Album, Breakthrough Artist – Single
