{{short description|Canadian singer-songwriter}} {{EngvarB|date=October 2017}}{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Carole Pope | image = Carole Pope at Riverfest Elora 2018.jpg | image_size = | caption = Carole Pope performing in 2018 | birth_name = Carole Ann Pope | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1950|8|6|df=y}} | birth_place = Manchester, England | origin = Scarborough, Ontario, Canada | genre = Rock, Electronic | occupation = Singer, songwriter | associated_acts = Rough Trade, Dalbello, Payolas, Paul Hyde | website = {{URL|carolepope.com}} }}
'''Carole Ann Pope''' (born 6 August 1950)<ref name="toronto.citynews.ca">{{Cite web |last=Joseph |first=Levy |date=5 August 2025 |title=A Brief History of Rough Trade With Carole Pope and Kevan Staples |url=http://www.laventure.net/tourist/rt_hist.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250209110819/http://www.laventure.net/tourist/rt_hist.htm |archive-date=9 February 2025 |access-date=2025-08-05 |website=The Vinyl Tourist}}</ref> is a British-born Canadian rock singer-songwriter, whose provocative blend of hard-edged new wave rock with explicit homoerotic and BDSM-themed lyrics made her one of the first openly lesbian entertainers to achieve mainstream fame.
==Early life== Pope was born on 6 August 1950<ref name="toronto.citynews.ca"/> in the rural outskirts of Manchester in England. She was the oldest of four children born to Jack Pope, a salesperson, a member of the Communist Party of Great Britain,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pop-up Video: Rough Trade performs 'Dyke by Default' | from the Vaults |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8d7npdtgsk |website=YouTube| date=12 December 2018 }}</ref> and a circus stilt walker, and to Celia, a music hall performer. Pope grew up with two sisters, Diane and Elaine, and a brother, Howard.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Excerpt from Anti Diva |url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/132411/anti-diva-by-carole-pope/9780679311379/excerpt |access-date=2022-08-28 |website=Penguin Random House Canada |language=English}}</ref> At the age of five, Pope emigrated with her parents to Montreal.<ref name="toronto.citynews.ca" /> After a couple of years there, the family moved to the Toronto suburb of Scarborough, Ontario.<ref name="globe">[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/carole-pope-unpeeled/article1340776/ "Carole Pope unpeeled"]. ''The Globe and Mail'', Elizabeth Renzetti. 25 November 2000</ref> She studied at Cedarbrae Collegiate Institute.<ref name="Bingham2015">{{cite book |author=Dave Bingham |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3bDxCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT99 |title=Noise from the North End: The Amazing Story of The Ugly Ducklings |date=22 October 2015 |publisher=FriesenPress |isbn=978-1-4602-6651-9 |pages=99–}}</ref>
==Music career== ===1968–1988: Rough Trade=== {{Main|Rough Trade (band)}} Pope met her longtime musical partner Kevan Staples at a band audition in Scarborough. In 1968, they began performing together as a duo in Yorkville, which was Toronto's live music and arts district at the time.<ref name="Finkelstein2012">{{cite book|author=Bernie Finkelstein|title=True North: A Life Inside the Music Business|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hGb86Ia2wygC&pg=PA224|year=2012|publisher=McClelland & Stewart|isbn=978-0-7710-4793-0|pages=224–}}</ref> In 1970, they adopted the name O, changing it to The Bullwhip Brothers the following year. Clive A. Smith was also a member of O; Smith would later go on to co-found Canadian animation studio Nelvana and play such iconic on-screen characters as Mr. Pencil.<ref>[https://www.torontomike.com/2024/08/clive-a-smith-toronto-miked-podcast-episode-1535/ "Toronto Mike'd Podcast: "Clive A. Smith: Toronto Mike'd Podcast Episode 1535"]. ''Toronto Mike'd Podcast'', 14 August 2024</ref>
In 1975, Pope and Staples recruited several backup musicians and formed the band Rough Trade. Pope often performed in black leather pants and bondage attire.<ref name="Mersereau2015">{{cite book|author=Bob Mersereau|title=The History of Canadian Rock 'n' Roll|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M7sVCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT145|date=1 March 2015|publisher=Backbeat Books|isbn=978-1-4950-2890-8|pages=145–}}</ref> The band's first album, ''Rough Trade Live'', was produced by Jack Richardson.<ref name="Mersereau2015" />
Whilst with Rough Trade, Pope sang backup vocals on Murray McLauchlan's album ''Into a Mystery,''<ref name="Adria1990">{{cite book |author=Marco Adria |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=11FTGDW4dd8C&pg=PA112 |title=Music of Our Times: Eight Canadian Singer-Songwriters |publisher=James Lorimer & Company |year=1990 |isbn=978-1-55028-315-0 |pages=112–}}</ref> in 1980, and would go on to win the Juno Award for Most Promising Female Vocalist in 1981 and subsequently the Juno Award for Best Female Vocalist in 1982 and 1983.<ref name="go" />
Rough Trade released their first studio album, Avoid Freud, and also made an appearance in the Canadian horror film, Deadline, in 1980. They would win a Genie Award<ref name="go">[http://www.gomag.com/article/carole_pope_not_going_gen/ "Carole Pope: Not Going Gently"]. ''GO Magazine'', 24 April 2012. by Andrew Vail</ref> and four gold and two platinum records as the decade progressed. She and Kevan Staples co-wrote the 1983 single "Transformation" along with the track "Design for Living", for singer/songwriter Nona Hendryx's second studio album, Nona.<ref>{{Citation |title=Nona Hendryx - Nona |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/228511-Nona-Hendryx-Nona |year=1983 |access-date=2022-11-16 |language=en}}</ref> Pope also appeared as a guest vocalist on the Payola$ single "Never Said I Loved You," which was a top 10 hit in 1983. She would team up again with Payola$ founder Paul Hyde to sing the duet "My Brilliant Career" on his album ''Living Off the Radar'' in 2000. She also sang the role of Primavera Nicholson in the COC production of R. Murray Schafer's Patria I in November 1987.<ref>{{cite news |last=Littler |first=William |date=23 November 1987 |title=Schafer on to something in trying to reform opera |pages=D6 |newspaper=Toronto Star |location=Toronto}}{{cite news |last=Green |first=Robert Everett |date=23 November 1987 |title=Undisciplined script detracts from Patria's superb music |pages=C9 |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |location=Toronto}}</ref>
Although Rough Trade did not record or perform extensively after its final Deep Six in '86 tour, they did not officially break up until 1988. Since breaking up, the band has had numerous reunions, and in 2022, ''Rough Trade - The Musical'', a musical based on the band's music (and the life of Pope's late brother, Howard), debuted at Joe's Pub, in Manhattan.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ROUGH TRADE |url=https://publictheater.org/productions/joes-pub/2022/r/rough-trade/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=publictheater.org |language=en-us}}</ref>
=== 1988–1999: Solo beginnings === After Rough Trade disbanded, Pope released her debut solo single in 1988, which was a cover of The Flirtations' 1968 soul hit, Nothing but a Heartache. The B-side was her self-penned song, ''I'm Not Blind''. She relocated to Los Angeles in 1989 to pursue opportunities in soundtrack work and acting, and produced the soundtrack for The Silencer, a thriller movie directed by Amy Goldstein, which was released in 1992.
In 1995, Pope announced she was no longer living in Los Angeles. That same year, she released her debut EP, ''Radiate'', featuring drummer Jack Irons. A music video was produced to promote the EP's third track, "Kiss The Ground".<ref name=":0">{{Citation |title=Carole Pope Interview (1995) | date=2 June 2023 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-3_cOXgshQ |access-date=2023-08-19 |language=en}}</ref> Pope also starred in the cabaret, ''Quiet Please, There's a Bitter, Petulant Diva on Stage, at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre.''<ref name=":0" /> In 1997, Pope provided the voice for the schoolteacher in the animated version of Pippi Longstocking, and in 1999 playwright Bryden MacDonald staged Shaking the Foundations, a musical revue based on the music of Rough Trade.
=== 2000–2005: Release of autobiography and first solo album === [[File:Carole Pope.jpg|thumb|Pope at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival]]In 2000, Random House published Pope's autobiography, ''Anti Diva''.<ref name="Rak2009">{{cite book|editor1-last=Rak|editor1-first=Julie|title=Auto/biography in Canada: Critical Directions|date=2005|page=173|chapter=Camp, Kitsch, Queer: Carole Pope and Toller Cranston Perform on the Page, by Andrew Lesk|publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press|isbn=978-1-55458-771-1|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HNjfAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA173}}</ref><ref name="globe" /> The book included Pope's first public acknowledgement that she had been in a relationship with British singer Dusty Springfield in the early 1980s.<ref name="antidiva">{{cite book|first=Carole|last=Pope|title=Anti Diva: An Autobiography|year=2000|edition=1st|page=[https://archive.org/details/antidivaautobiog0000pope/page/109 109]|chapter=Dusty|publisher=Random House Canada|location=Toronto|isbn=0679310487|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/antidivaautobiog0000pope}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Pope|first1=Carol[e]|title=The Only One Who Could Ever Reach Me|url=http://www.laventure.net/tourist/anti-diva.htm|magazine=Saturday Night|year=2000|accessdate=9 April 2020}}</ref><ref name="RichardsJM">{{cite magazine|last1=Richards|first1=Linda|title=Auntie Diva: an interview with Carole Pope|url=https://www.januarymagazine.com/profiles/cpope.html|magazine=January Magazine|date=January 2001|accessdate=9 April 2020}}</ref> That year she and Staples contributed a track to the Dusty Springfield tribute album ''Forever Dusty: Homage to an Icon''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Forever Dusty: A Tribute To Dusty Springfield (Homage To An Icon)|url=https://www.discogs.com/Various-Forever-Dusty-A-Tribute-To-Dusty-Springfield/release/2630953|publisher=discogs|year=2000|accessdate=9 April 2020}}</ref><ref name="Publishing2000">{{cite magazine|last1=Paoletta|first1=Michael|title=They're Still the Ones|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XWMEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA62|page=62|magazine=The Advocate|date=9 May 2000}}</ref> Anti Diva also revealed fleeting 1970s dalliances with comic actress Andrea Martin and music producer Bob Ezrin. Years later, Pope discussed attending Dusty Springfield's funeral where she spent time with the Pet Shop Boys, amongst other notables.<ref>[https://www.torontomike.com/2021/03/toronto-miked-podcast-episode-823-carole-pope-2/ "Toronto Mike'd Podcast Episode 823: Carole Pope"]. ''Toronto Mike'd Podcast'', 21 March 2021</ref>
Soon afterwards, Pope re-recorded the Rough Trade single "High School Confidential" for the ''Queer as Folk'' season 1 soundtrack and appeared in the Toronto production of ''The Vagina Monologues'' in 2001. She would then move to New York City to continue writing and recording.<ref name="toronto.citynews.ca" /> In 2005, 21 years after her last EP, Pope returned to Los Angeles and released ''Transcend'', her debut full-length solo album.<ref name="tuck">[http://tuckmagazine.com/2012/06/01/june-feature-interview-music-icon-and-pioneer-carole-pope-2/ "JUNE FEATURE INTERVIEW: MUSIC ICON AND PIONEER CAROLE POPE"]. ''Tuck Magazine'', 1 June 2012</ref>
=== 2011–present: Second solo album, EP, and collaborations === In 2011, Pope released ''Landfall'', her second full-length album, featuring a duet with Rufus Wainwright.<ref name=tuck /> That year she also was a guest vocalist on the album ''The Hills Are Alive'' by the Brooklyn Rundfunk Orkestrata.<ref>[http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/x13292066/Album-review-Brooklyn-Rundfunk-Orkestrata-The-Hills-are-Alive "Album review: Brooklyn Rundfunk Orkestrata, 'The Hills Are Alive'"]. ''Metro West Daily News'', 22 March 2011</ref>
Pope is an ambassador for the Harvey Milk School in New York City<ref>{{Citation|title=Carole Pope| date=24 August 2016 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZL2jqcmTFI|language=en|access-date=16 January 2020}}</ref> and a board director for the Songwriters Association of Canada. In 2015, Pope signed with Squirtgun Records (distributed by eOne Entertainment) to re-release the ''Music for Lesbians'' EP on 23 June 2015.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/carole-pope-still-doing-it-her-way |title=Carole Pope Still Doing it Her Way |last=Fuller |first=Cam |date=August 17, 2015 |website=Saskatoon StarPhoenix |access-date=September 18, 2021}}</ref>
On 22 September 2017, Pope released the single, "This Is Not A Test".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Wheeler|first=Brad|date=2018-03-27|title=What Carole Pope loves (and doesn't love) about living in Los Angeles|language=en-CA|work=The Globe and Mail|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/article-what-carole-pope-loves-and-doesnt-love-about-living-in-los-angeles/|access-date=2022-01-22}}</ref> An accompanying music video, directed by Jasun Mark, was released on 8 May 2018.<ref>{{Citation|last=Carole Pope|title=This Is Not A Test – Official Video by Carole Pope|date=8 May 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeYFs9kMOC4|access-date=12 January 2019}}</ref> Later that same year, Pope collaborated with keyboardist Kevin Hearn to release the single, "Resist It", on 22 October 2018,<ref>{{Cite press release|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/carole-pope--kevin-hearn-release-politically-charged-single-resist-it-300734716.html|title=Carole Pope + Kevin Hearn Release Politically Charged Single "Resist It"|last=Pope|first=Kevin Hearn & Carole|agency=PR Newswire|language=en|access-date=12 January 2019}}</ref> which was later accompanied by a music video directed by Phillip Harder.<ref>{{Citation|last=KevinHearnMusic|title=Resist It (Official Video) – Kevin Hearn & Carole Pope|date=31 October 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpAMdke3_Xo|access-date=12 January 2019}}</ref> A third single, "I'm There", produced in collaboration with Spoons' keyboardist Rob Preuss, was released the following year.
In 2021, Pope collaborated with Ottawa band Church of Trees to release the song "World's A Bitch". Later that same year, Pope worked with Canadian performer Clara Venice to produce the single "Speaking In Code". Venice had previously added her Theremin skills to Pope's 2017 single, "This Is Not A Test".<ref>{{Cite web|title=This Is Not A Test, by carole pope|url=https://carolepope.bandcamp.com/track/this-is-not-a-test|access-date=2022-01-22|website=Carole Pope|language=en}}</ref>
Pope served as a guest judge on the second episode of the third season of ''Canada's Drag Race'' in 2022,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Major |first=Michael |title=VIDEO: Watch the Trailer For CANADA'S DRAG RACE & Guest Judges Announced |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/VIDEO-Watch-the-Trailer-For-CANADAS-DRAG-RACE-Guest-Judges-Announced-20220629 |access-date=2022-06-29 |website=BroadwayWorld.com |language=en}}</ref> and narrated Marusya Bociurkiw's 2023 documentary film ''Analogue Revolution: How Feminist Media Changed the World''.<ref>Pat Mullen, [https://povmagazine.com/analogue-revolution-review-a-history-of-womens-voices/ "Analogue Revolution Review: A History of Women’s Voices"]. ''Point of View'', February 28, 2024.</ref> On 21 July 2023, it was revealed that a documentary based on Pope's autobiography is currently in the works. The documentary, titled ''Antidiva: The Carole Pope Confessions'', is being funded by The Canada Media Fund. The production of the documentary is being handled by Gay Agenda,<ref>{{Cite web |first=Justin|last=Anderson |title=CMF invests over $14M across Indigenous, POV programs |url=https://playbackonline.ca/2023/07/21/cmf-invests-over-14m-across-indigenous-pov-programs/ |access-date=2023-08-19|website=Playback}}</ref>, and will open the 33rd edition of Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival in April 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barraclough |first=Leo |date=2026-03-24 |title=‘Antidiva: The Carole Pope Confessions’ to Open Hot Docs, World Premieres Include ‘A War on Women,’ About Feminist Resistance in Iran |url=https://variety.com/2026/film/global/antidiva-the-carole-pope-confessions-hot-docs-1236697751/ |access-date=2026-03-24 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Personal life == Pope currently lives in Los Angeles,<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dik6WsizGUU |title=ON the COUCH with Carole Pope |language=en |access-date=2024-04-30 |via=www.youtube.com}}</ref> although she has previously resided in New York.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Fox|first=Darren|date=26 June 2020|title=NEO.RETRO.FM Welcomes CAROLE POPE of ROUGH TRADE 6.26.20 Pt 1|website=Spreaker|url=https://www.spreaker.com/user/neoretrofmdotcom/carolepope|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200715232212/https://www.spreaker.com/user/neoretrofmdotcom/carolepope|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 July 2020|access-date=14 July 2020}}</ref>
=== Health === In March 2018, Pope was forced to cancel a scheduled performance in Toronto due to a fractured ankle.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Friend |first1=David |date=2018-03-11 |title='Not a celebration': Carole Pope on why she'll play the #LoveWins concert |url=https://www.nationalobserver.com/2018/03/11/news/not-celebration-carole-pope-why-shell-play-lovewins-concert |access-date=2022-01-22 |website=Canada's National Observer |language=en}}</ref> Subsequently, she was compelled to cancel all of her scheduled performances for the remainder of the year due to mobility challenges that she had encountered during her tour. This ultimately resulted in a diagnosis of spinal stenosis. In order to assist with her living expenses following surgery, a fundraiser was established on GoFundMe.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.iheartradio.ca/news/carole-pope-seeking-donations-from-fans-1.8653779|title=Carole Pope Seeking Donations From Fans|last=Média|first=Bell|website=iheartradio.ca|language=en-CA|access-date=10 January 2019}}</ref>
==Solo discography== ===Albums=== * ''Transcend'' (2005) * ''Landfall'' (2011)
===EPs=== * ''Radiate'' (1995) * ''The Silencer'' (1999) * ''Music for Lesbians'' (2014; 2015 re-release with Squirtgun/eOne)
===Singles=== *"Nothing but a Heartache" / "I'm Not Blind" (1988) ''(B-side "I'm Not Blind" reissued in 2022)'' *"Transcend" (1999) *"World Of One" (2000) * "Johnny Marr" (2007) * "Shining Path/Tell Me" (2010) * "Viral 01/Viral 02" (2011) * "Francis Bacon" (2013) * "Lesbians in the Forest" (featuring Peaches) (2013) * "Vagina Wolf" (2014) * "This Is Not a Test" (2017) * "Resist It" (with Kevin Hearn) (2018) * "I'm There" (with Rob Preuss) (2019) * "All Touch / No Contact Live" (2020) * "I Want to Live" (2020) *"World's a Bitch" (2021) (with Church of Trees and Rob Preuss) *"Speaking in Code" (2021) (with Clara Venice) *"More Or Less" (2024) *"Play Fisty For Me" (2024) *"I Miss My Land" (2024) *"Carole Pope (Live)" (2024)
== Filmography == {| class="wikitable" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | 1996 | ''Dangerous Offender: The Marlene Moore Story'' | Bar Patron | TV movie |- | 1997 | ''Pippi Longstocking'' | Teacher |Film |- | 1998 | ''Elimination Dance'' | Partner of woman whose urine sample is lost in the mail | Short |- | 2009 | ''Suck'' | Club Bouncer | Film |- | 2026 | ''Antidiva: The Carole Pope Confessions'' | Self | Documentary |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://carolepope.com/ Carole Pope] *{{IMDb name|0691095}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pope, Carole}} Category:Living people Category:Women new wave singers Category:Lesbian singers Category:Lesbian songwriters Category:Canadian lesbian musicians Category:Canadian women rock singers Category:Juno Award for Artist of the Year winners Category:Canadian LGBTQ singer-songwriters Category:English emigrants to Canada Category:Singers from Manchester Category:Singers from Toronto Category:Canadian new wave musicians Category:Juno Award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year winners Category:Rough Trade (band) members Category:1950 births Category:20th-century Canadian women singers Category:21st-century Canadian women singers Category:Canadian contraltos Category:20th-century Canadian LGBTQ people Category:21st-century Canadian LGBTQ people Category:Canadian Screen Award winning musicians Category:LGBTQ people from Manchester