{{short description|American singer-songwriter}} {{Infobox musical artist<!-- For individuals; see Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians --> | name = Lotte Kestner | image = | alt = | caption = | image_size = | birth_name = Anna-Lynne Williams | birth_date = {{birth date and age|February 8, 1978}} | alias = Lotte Kestner | death_date = | origin = Laguna Hills, California, U.S. | instrument = Vocals, guitar, keyboards | genre = Indie rock, folk rock, dream pop, shoegaze | occupation = Singer, songwriter | years_active = 1997–present | label = | associated_acts = Trespassers William, The Chemical Brothers, Anomie Belle, Ormonde | website = }}
'''Anna-Lynne Williams''' (born February 8, 1978), better known by the stage name '''Lotte Kestner''', is an American singer and songwriter. She started her musical career as vocalist for the indie rock band Trespassers William in 1997, and adopted the Lotte Kestner name in 2007 for solo recordings.<ref name="NPR"/> She was also a member of the duo Ormonde.
==Early life== Anna-Lynne Williams was born on February 8, 1978, and grew up in Laguna Hills, California.<ref name="NPR">{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/buckets/music/women/artist.php?artistId=389 |title=The NPR Bucket List {{!}} Anna-Lynne Williams aka Lotte Kestner |work=NPR |accessdate=October 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171003030234/http://www.npr.org/buckets/music/women/artist.php?artistId=389 |archive-date=October 3, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
==Career== Williams provided guest vocals on "The Leaving Song Pt. II", the second single from AFI's 2003 album ''Sing the Sorrow''. Her parts were recorded in an hour at Hollywood's Cello Studios and it was the first time that Williams was asked to do vocal session work.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lyon |first=Judy |date=2017-12-04 |title=Lotte Kestner (aka Anna-Lynne Williams) On Her Latest Release 'Off White' |url=https://torchedmagazine.com/2017/12/03/lotte-kestner-aka-anna-lynne-williams-on-her-latest-release-off-white/ |access-date=2023-12-22 |website=TORCHED MAGAZINE |language=en}}</ref>
Williams is featured on "Hold Tight London" from the Chemical Brothers' 2005 Grammy-winning album, ''Push the Button''.<ref name="Takeover">{{cite web |url=http://bigtakeover.com/news/song-premiere-in-glass-by-lotte-kestner |title=The Big Takeover {{!}} Song Premiere: "In Glass" by Lotte Kestner |work=The Big Takeover |date=August 16, 2017 |accessdate=October 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171003030826/http://bigtakeover.com/news/song-premiere-in-glass-by-lotte-kestner |archive-date=October 3, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
She has collaborated with numerous other artists, including Mark Burgess, Courtney Marie Andrews, Robert Deeble, Damien Jurado, Anomie Belle, Motopony and Rocky Votolato,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://arcticdrones.com/spotlight/lotte-kestner/ |title=Spotlight: Lotte Kestner (aka Anna-Lynne Williams) |work=Arctic Drones |date=November 3, 2014 |accessdate=October 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171003030058/http://arcticdrones.com/spotlight/lotte-kestner/ |archive-date=October 3, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Arnar Guðjónsson of Leaves,<ref name="AllMusic">{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-bluebird-of-happiness-mw0002476714 |title=The Bluebird of Happiness- Lotte Kestner {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits |author=Donelson, Marcy |work=AllMusic |publisher=All Media Group |accessdate=October 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819105346/http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-bluebird-of-happiness-mw0002476714 |archive-date=August 19, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Delerium,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.saintmarierecords.com/artists/lotte-kestner |title=Saint Marie Records {{!}} Artist Profile |work=Saint Marie Records |accessdate=October 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171003030131/http://www.saintmarierecords.com/artists/lotte-kestner |archive-date=October 3, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Minotaur Shock,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.residentadvisor.net/reviews/5737 |title=RA Reviews: Minotaur Shock - Amateur Dramatics on 4AD |author=Matos, Michaelangelo |work=Resident Advisor |date=December 19, 2008 |accessdate=October 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171003075226/https://www.residentadvisor.net/reviews/5737 |archive-date=October 3, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Tuesday the Sky,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/fates-warning-guitarists-tuesday-the-sky-vortex-street-video/ |title=Fates Warning Guitarist's Tuesday The Sky: 'Vortex Street' Video |work=Blabbermouth.net |date=June 17, 2007 |accessdate=October 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171003030606/http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/fates-warning-guitarists-tuesday-the-sky-vortex-street-video/ |archive-date=October 3, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Fieldhead, Sadistik and Blue Sky Black Death.
In 2007, Williams started recording her own music as Lotte Kestner, self-releasing ''China Mountain'' in 2008.<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Lotte-Kestner-China-Mountain/release/2161855 Lotte Kestner: ''China Mountain''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110822032554/http://www.discogs.com/Lotte-Kestner-China-Mountain/release/2161855 |date=2011-08-22 }}, Discogs. Retrieved 9 April 2013.</ref> In December 2008, American webzine ''Somewhere Cold'' ranked ''China Mountain'' No. 11 on their ''2008 Somewhere Cold Awards Hall of Fame''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Lamoreaux|first=Jason T.|date=December 1, 2008|title=2008 Somewhere Cold Awards|url=https://somewherecold.net/2008/12/01/swc-awards-2008/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930025238/https://somewherecold.net/2008/12/01/swc-awards-2008/|archive-date=September 30, 2020|access-date=September 30, 2020|website=Somewhere Cold}}</ref> She followed it in 2011 with a covers album, ''Stolen'' (Saint-Loup Records).<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Lotte-Kestner-Stolen/release/3034702 Lotte Kestner: ''Stolen''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819154338/https://www.discogs.com/Lotte-Kestner-Stolen/release/3034702 |date=2017-08-19 }}, Discogs. Retrieved 9 April 2013.</ref> In 2013, she was back with more of her own material on ''The Bluebird of Happiness'' (Saint Marie Records), for which she wrote all but one track (with the composer credit to Anna-Lynne Williams).<ref name="AllMusic"/> An 8-track EP titled ''Until'' was released through Saint-Loup Records on April 16, 2013. A collection of covers called "Covers" was released in 2017 in Japan (Lirico) and Korea (Aulos Media). Her latest album, ''Off White'', was released on Saint Marie Records on September 1, 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.popmatters.com/post/lotte-kestner-off-white-album-stream-premiere/ |title=Lotte Kestner - 'Off White' (album stream) (premiere) |author=Frahm, Jonathan |work=PopMatters |date=August 25, 2017 |accessdate=October 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171003030417/http://www.popmatters.com/post/lotte-kestner-off-white-album-stream-premiere/ |archive-date=October 3, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> It was preceded the previous month by a Chris Cunningham-directed music video for "Ghosts".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://thevioletwave.com/video-week-lotte-kestner-ghosts/ |title=Video of the Week {{!}} Lotte Kestner {{!}} "Ghosts" |author=The Violet Wave Staff |work=The Violet Wave |date=August 29, 2017 |accessdate=October 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171003075015/https://thevioletwave.com/video-week-lotte-kestner-ghosts/ |archive-date=October 3, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
Kestner has also released four download-only collections, generally combining demos, outtakes, and newly recorded material: ''China Mountain B-Sides'' (2009), ''Trespassers William Songs Solo'' (2011), ''All That You Start B-Sides'' (2012), ''Extra Covers Collection'' (2012), and ''Best-of: Requested Cover Songs'' (6 October 2015).<ref>[http://lottekestner.bandcamp.com/ "Lotte Kestner"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130322222554/http://lottekestner.bandcamp.com/ |date=2013-03-22 }}, Bandcamp. Retrieved 9 April 2013.</ref> She contributed the song "Confession" to the Saint Marie Records sampler ''Static Waves'' (2012). Her cover of Beyoncé's "Halo" was prominently featured in an episode of HBO's ''The Young Pope'' in 2017.<ref name="Takeover"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gq.com/story/the-young-pope-paolo-sorrentino-halo |title=Why The Young Pope's Creator Wanted 'One of the Finest Pop Songs in Recent Years' on the Show |author=Thurm, Eric |work=GQ |publisher=Condé Nast |date=February 14, 2017 |accessdate=May 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410205454/https://www.gq.com/story/the-young-pope-paolo-sorrentino-halo |archive-date=April 10, 2019 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2015/nov/19/readers-recommend-songs-about-crowns-results |title=Readers recommend: songs about crowns - results |work=The Guardian |date=November 19, 2015 |accessdate=May 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180818115535/https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2015/nov/19/readers-recommend-songs-about-crowns-results |archive-date=August 18, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> She contributed an original composition titled called "In Glass" to the indie film ''Maybe Someday''.<ref name="Takeover"/> She has also published three books of poetry, ''Split Infinitive'', ''In the Night I Go Sailing'', and ''Blind Accidents'', and has recorded two albums with her indie band Ormonde. She starred in the film ''I Cannot Go On As I Am'', which came out in 2014 and which also contains live musical performances.
In 2020, Kestner's 2011 cover of New Order's 1987 song "True Faith" was itself covered by actress Ashley Johnson (in-character as Ellie) in a trailer for the video game ''The Last of Us Part II''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzlzA2El6Ps | title=The Last of Us Part II – "True Faith" Extended Commercial | website=YouTube | date=3 June 2020 }}</ref> Kestner was not mentioned or credited, leading her to tweet that she was "heartbroken".<ref name="tlou2">{{cite web | url=https://www.polygon.com/2020/6/10/21280265/the-last-of-us-part-2-lotte-kestner-true-faith-cover-song-ellie-trailer | title=The Last of Us Part 2 dev apologizes for uncredited Ellie song | website=Polygon | date=10 June 2020 }}</ref> The game's director Neil Druckmann apologized and tweeted that this was "due to an oversight on [the game studio's] end" and that the studio would "[rectify] this ASAP".<ref>{{Cite web | title=Neil Druckmann on Twitter: "Ellie's rendition of “True Faith” was inspired by Lotte Kestner's haunting cover of the song. Due to an oversight on our end, she wasn't credited as intended. Our deep apologies -- we are rectifying this ASAP. We hope that @lottekestner receives the recognition she deserves." | url=https://twitter.com/Neil_Druckmann/status/1270511049586831362 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610002519/https://twitter.com/Neil_Druckmann/status/1270511049586831362 | access-date=2025-11-21 | archive-date=2020-06-10}}</ref> Kestner was subsequently credited in promotional material that used her cover.<ref name="tlou2" /> In 2023, her cover of "True Faith" played over the end credits of "Please Hold to My Hand", an episode of the television adaption of ''The Last of Us''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2023/02/the-last-of-us-episode-4-review-please-hold-my-hand-spoilers-1234806547/ |title='The Last of Us' Episode 4 Introduces a Mysterious New Threat |last=Greene |first=Steve |work=IndieWire |publisher=Penske Media Corporation |date=February 5, 2023 |accessdate=February 7, 2023 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206143540/https://www.indiewire.com/2023/02/the-last-of-us-episode-4-review-please-hold-my-hand-spoilers-1234806547/ |archivedate=February 6, 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Personal life== Williams is a long-time resident of Seattle.<ref name="NPR" />
== Albums == {{See also|Trespassers William#Discography}}
=== Solo === '''Albums''' * ''China Mountain'' (5 May 2008) * ''Stolen'' (1 June 2011) * ''The Bluebird of Happiness'' (26 February 2013) * ''Covers'' (January 2017) * ''Off White'' (1 September 2017) * ''Covers, Vol. 2'' (21 February 2020)
'''EPs''' * ''Until'' EP (16 April 2013) * ''Covering Depeche Mode'' EP (April 2015)
'''Independent/online releases''' * ''China Mountain B-Sides'' (1 April 2009) * ''Trespassers William Songs Solo'' (28 August 2011) * ''All That You Start B-Sides'' (19 June 2012) * ''Extra Covers Collection'' (5 October 2012) * ''Best-of: Requested Cover Songs'' (6 October 2015)
=== Ormonde === * ''Machine'' (7 August 2012)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dallasobserver.com/music/ormondes-robert-gomez-and-anna-lynne-williams-are-the-sum-of-their-parts-on-machine-7079051 |title=Ormonde's Robert Gomez and Anna-Lynne Williams Are The Sum Of Their Parts On Machine |author=Odom, Andy |work=Dallas Observer |publisher=Voice Media Group |date=August 13, 2012 |accessdate=October 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171003075039/http://www.dallasobserver.com/music/ormondes-robert-gomez-and-anna-lynne-williams-are-the-sum-of-their-parts-on-machine-7079051 |archive-date=October 3, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> * ''Cartographer/Explorer'' (11 November 2014)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://drownedinsound.com/releases/18517/reviews/4148456 |title=Album Review: Ormonde - Cartographer/Explorer / Releases |publisher=Drowned in Sound |date=November 3, 2014 |accessdate=May 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907180903/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/18517/reviews/4148456 |archive-date=September 7, 2015 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
==Notes== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{YouTube|u = teaandcake48|Anna-Lynne Williams}} *[http://www.trespasserswilliam.com Trespassers William] *[https://lottekestner.bandcamp.com Lotte Kestner] on Bandcamp
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kestner, Lotte}} Category:Living people Category:American women guitarists Category:American women singer-songwriters Category:Guitarists from California Category:Singer-songwriters from California Category:1978 births Category:21st-century American women