{{short description|Spanish singer-songwriter}} {{family name hatnote|Hernández|González|lang=Spanish}} {{Use American English|date=December 2018}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2020}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Russian Red | image = Russian Red - 11 Festival Mil·leni.jpg | caption = Russian Red in 2009 | background = solo_singer | birth_name = Lourdes Hernández González | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1985|11|20}} | birth_place = | origin = Madrid, Spain | genre = {{hlist|Indie|folk}} | occupation = Singer-songwriter | instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|guitar}} | years_active = 2007–present | label = {{hlist|Octubre|Sony Music Entertainment}} | website = {{URL|www.russianred.com}} }}
'''Lourdes Hernández González''' (born 20 November 1985),<ref name=Nueva>{{cite news |first=Marta |last=Caballero |url=https://www.elmundo.es/loc/famosos/2017/09/09/59b2aeabe5fdea9c2d8b4626.html |title=Russian Red, su nueva (y perfecta) vida en Los Ángeles |newspaper=El Mundo |date=September 9, 2017 |language=es }}</ref> known professionally as '''Russian Red''', is a Spanish indie and folk singer-songwriter.
== Life and career == Hernández is from Madrid, but writes and sings in English;<ref name=Yahoo/> she has said that she instinctively sings in English because she has always listened to music in English.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2009-01-07|title='He intentado componer en español, pero no me sale nada'|url=https://www.larioja.com/20090107/sociedad/intentado-componer-espanol-pero-20090107.html|access-date=|website=La Rioja|language=es-ES}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2009-01-06 |title='Cantar en inglés es instintivo', reconoce la intérprete de Russian Red, poco consciente de la notoriedad alcanzada |url=https://www.europapress.es/la-rioja/noticia-cantar-ingles-instintivo-reconoce-interprete-russian-red-poco-consciente-notoriedad-alcanzada-20090106182819.html |access-date= |website=Europa Press |language=es}}</ref> She has been compared to the Canadian singer-songwriter Feist.<ref name=Malaga/> She took her professional name from her preferred MAC lipstick color.<ref name=Malaga>{{Cite web|last=García Gómez|first=José Luis |date=2008-07-10|title=Ha nacido una estrella|url=https://www.malagahoy.es/ocio/nacido-estrella_0_166783989.html|access-date=|website=Málaga Hoy|language=es-ES |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220128224048/https://www.malagahoy.es/ocio/nacido-estrella_0_166783989.html |archive-date=2022-01-28}}</ref><ref name=Izzy>{{Cite web|last=Cihak|first=Izzy|date=2014-03-13|title=Russian Red Talks About Belle & Sebastian, Her Personal Inlook, and the Men That Inspire Her|url=https://www.philthymag.com/russian-red-talks-about-belle-sebastian-her-personal-inlook-and-the-men-that-inspire-her/|access-date=August 28, 2023 |website=Philthy Mag |type=interview}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Biografía de Russian Red - La Fonoteca|url=http://lafonoteca.net/grupos/russian-red|access-date=2021-03-29|website=lafonoteca.net|language=es}}</ref>
She began playing guitar in the Madrid Metro at the age of 21, while a law student.<ref name=Yahoo/> Her career took off after she met Brian Hunt, a musician with an English father and Spanish mother, with whom she recorded a demo that by 2008 had reached more than 70,000 visits on her MySpace page.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2009-07-12|title=plus.es - El álbum de la semana|url=http://especiales.plus.es/codigo/esos/fichanoticia.asp?id=563350&cod=640825|url-status=dead|access-date=2021-03-29|website=plus.es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090712030023/http://especiales.plus.es/codigo/esos/fichanoticia.asp?id=563350&cod=640825|archive-date=July 12, 2009}}</ref> In 2007 she performed more than 60 shows and took part in the prestigious Primavera Sound, among other festivals;<ref>primaverasound.com [http://www.primaverasound.com/index.php?sec=cartell&pos=artista&idioma=es&artista=259 Ficha de la artista en primaverasound.com] [dead]</ref> by mid-2008 she had become well known in the Spanish indie scene.<ref name=Malaga/>
She recorded her first album, ''I Love Your Glasses'' (2008) on Spanish label Eureka at the request of its owner, Fernando Vacas. The album was successful;<ref name=":0" /> a columnist in ''El País'' dubbed Russian Red the "revelation of the year".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Cardenal|first=Alfonso|date=2008-08-13|title=Sonorama, el placer de comer en casa|language=es|work=El País|url=https://elpais.com/cultura/2008/08/14/actualidad/1218664801_850215.html|access-date=|issn=1134-6582}}</ref>
After signing in late 2010 with Octubre, the music label of Sony Music Spain, Russian Red released her second album, ''Fuerteventura'', in May 2011. ''Fuerteventura'' was recorded in Glasgow, with members of Belle and Sebastian and their producer Tony Doogan.<ref name=Izzy/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.lainformacion.com/arte-cultura-y-espectaculos/russian-red-fuerteventura-es-un-disco-menos-acustico-que-el-primero-con-canciones-mas-directas_uvh4gfctnqlxd6b2vfc257/ |title=Russian Red: "Fuerteventura' es un disco menos acústico que el primero, con canciones más directas" |newspaper=La Información |date=May 9, 2011 |language=es |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230828122338/https://www.lainformacion.com/arte-cultura-y-espectaculos/russian-red-fuerteventura-es-un-disco-menos-acustico-que-el-primero-con-canciones-mas-directas_uvh4gfctnqlxd6b2vfc257/ |archive-date=August 28, 2023}}</ref> Following the release of the album, she promoted it throughout Spain with presentations and concerts in major cities and appearances at the major summer festivals. She then toured in Asia, including Taiwan, where she achieved great success.{{citation needed|date=August 2023}} After a break in December 2011, she resumed touring in Europe and Asia with a new concert format, accompanied by Hunt and Pablo Serrano; Serrano was later replaced by Juan Diego "Juandi" Gosálvez, and in late 2012 the three also performed five concerts as a tribute to the Beatles, with Alex Ferreira as bassist and vocalist in one of the songs.
thumb|left|Russian Red in 2008 During this period, Russian Red also recorded a duet with Elvis Presley of his song "Love Me Tender" in the special Spanish edition of the album ''Viva Elvis'', released in late 2010.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.eldiario.es/canariasahora/cultura/russian-elvis-presley-love-tender_1_5704592.html |title=Russian Red resucita la voz de Elvis Presley en 'Love Me Tender' |newspaper=El Diario |date=October 26, 2010 |language=es }}</ref> In October 2011 she covered the Leonard Cohen song "So Long, Marianne" as a tribute to him,{{citation needed|date=August 2023}} and she was the voice of Mérida on the Castilian Spanish version of the soundtrack of the 2012 Disney / Pixar film ''Brave''.<ref name=Izzy/><ref name=Ramona>{{cite magazine |first=Elsa |last=Keslassy |url=https://variety.com/2022/film/global/ramona-spanish-film-best-friend-forever-filmin-1235304029/ |title=Spanish Romantic Comedy 'Ramona' Boarded by Best Friend Forever, Filmin |magazine=Variety |date=June 27, 2022 }}</ref>
Her move to a major label disappointed some of her indie fans,<ref name=Yahoo/> and there were rumors that she was in a relationship with soccer player Xabi Alonso, who was married.<ref name=Nueva/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/sociedad/2014/09/05/aventura-russian-red-pudo-provocar-salida-xabi-alonso-madrid/0003_201409G5P26993.htm |title=Una aventura con Russian Red pudo provocar la salida de Xabi Alonso del Madrid |newspaper=La Voz de Galicia |date=September 5, 2014 |access-date=August 28, 2023 |language=es}}</ref> In 2013, she moved to Los Angeles,<ref name=Yahoo/> where in 2016 she married architect and musician Zack Leigh.<ref name=USANews>{{cite news |first=Oliver |last=Thansan |url=https://www.usanews.net/breaking/the-secret-corners-of-the-singer-russian-red-in-los-angeles-h81606.html |title=The secret corners of the singer Russian Red in Los Angeles |website=USA News |date=August 15, 2023 }}</ref> The couple subsequently converted the church in which they had married into a residence and wedding venue.<ref name=Nueva/> With Leigh and his brother Aaron, she formed the group Babes.<ref name=Karaoke>{{cite news |url=https://www.mondosonoro.com/criticas/discos-musica/russian-red-karaoke/ |title=Crítica: Karaoke |website=Mondo Sonoro |date=May 22, 2017 |language=es }}</ref><ref name=photo>{{cite news |url=https://elpais.com/elpais/2017/06/05/fotorrelato/1496642701_418956.html |title=Nos colamos en el backstage de Russian Red en su concierto de Madrid |newspaper=El País |date=June 5, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170608043842/https://elpais.com/elpais/2017/06/05/fotorrelato/1496642701_418956.html#1496642701_418956_1496643789 |archive-date=June 8, 2017 |language=es |quote=Para este álbum, Lourdes ha contado con tres productores: Brian Hunt, Aaron Leigh (hermano de su esposo, con quien comparte el grupo 'Babes') y David Greenbaum, el ingeniero de sonido de Beck. |type=slide show; caption 10}}</ref>
She recorded her third studio album, ''Agent Cooper'', at Sunset Studios. It was produced by Joe Chiccarelli, mixed by Mark Needham, and engineered by Emily Lazar. It was released in 2014;<ref name=Izzy/><ref>{{cite news |first=Chris |last=Lau |url=https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/entertainment/music/article/3054060/review-russian-red-spanish-treat |title=Russian Red is a Spanish treat |type=review |newspaper=South China Morning Post |date=March 1, 2014 }}</ref> during the promotional tour, she walked off-stage in Seattle and canceled the rest of the tour.<ref name=Nueva/><ref name=Yahoo/><ref>{{cite web |first=Jorge |last=Martínez |url=https://www.butwelikeit.com/el-sueno-de-una-noche-de-verano/ |title=El sueño de una noche de verano: Russian Red cierra la cuarta edición de las Noches del Botánico |website=ButWeLikeIt |date=June 11, 2019 |access-date=August 28, 2023 |language=es }}</ref>
Her fourth album, ''Karaoke'', was released in 2017.<ref name=sold>{{cite news |first=Jack |last=Flemming |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/real-estate/story/2019-12-31/singer-songwriter-lourdes-hernandez-los-feliz-home |title=Singer-songwriter Lourdes Hernández sells artsy Los Feliz abode for $2.125 million |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=December 31, 2019 }}</ref> It includes covers of songs from the 1980s and 1990s;<ref>{{cite news |first=David |last=Saavedra |url=https://www.elmundo.es/metropoli/musica/2017/06/01/593012fcca4741ad648b4586.html |title=Russian Red: ¿'Karaoke' o hilo musical? |newspaper=El Mundo |date=June 1, 2017 |language=es }}</ref> the Leighs and Hunt participated, with sound engineer David Greenbaum.<ref name=Karaoke/> At this time she began going by "Lourdes".<ref name=Nueva/>
In 2015, she made her acting debut with Carlos Troya in ''El beso'', a crowd-funded short film directed by David Priego.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.elmundo.es/f5/2015/11/03/5638de26268e3e90598b45dc.html |title=F5: Russian Red se estrena como actriz |newspaper=El Mundo |date=3 November 2015 |language=es }}</ref> In late 2022, she starred in ''Ramona'', a Spanish comedy feature film.<ref name=Yahoo/><ref name=Ramona/>
In 2019, she composed and performed the music for a production by the Los Angeles dance group Ate9 titled ''a blind LAdy''.<ref name=sold/> After a long recording hiatus, she released the single "This is un volcán" in August 2023.<ref name=USANews/>
== Personal life == Lourdes Hernández lives in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles with her husband, architect Zach Leigh and their dog Chula.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-03-21 |title=Entramos en la casa de RUSSIAN RED en Los Ángeles |url=https://www.revistaad.es/decoracion/casas-ad/articulos/entramos-casa-russian-red-angeles/22461 |access-date=2023-11-13 |website=Architectural Digest España |language=es-ES}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=BIO |url=https://www.goodboydevelops.com/project-02 |access-date=2023-11-13 |website=GOOD BOY develops |language=en}}</ref>
== Discography ==
=== Albums === * ''I Love Your Glasses'' (2008) * ''Fuerteventura'' (2011) * ''Agent Cooper'' (2014) * ''Karaoke'' (2017) * ''Volverme a Enamorar'' (2024)
=== Singles === * "They Don't Believe" (2008) * "Cigarettes" (2008) * "Perfect Time" (2008) * "I Hate You But I Love You" (2011) * "The Sun, The Trees" (2011) * "Everyday Everynight" (2012) * "My Love Is Gone" (2012) * "Casper" (2014) * "John Michael" (2014) * "Michael P" (2014) * "This is un volcán" (2023) * "No entiendo nada" (2024)
==Awards== * Best debut album, Premios Pop-Eye 2008 (''I Love Your Glasses'')<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.regiondigital.com/modulos/mod_periodico/pub/mostrar_noticia-id-82479.htm |title=Los premios Pop-Eye 2008 se entregarán en septiembre coincidiendo con el V Festival Cáceres Pop Art |website=Region digital.com |date=August 11, 2008 |language=es |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090125195805/http://www.regiondigital.com/modulos/mod_periodico/pub/mostrar_noticia-id-82479.htm |archive-date=January 25, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://premiospop-eye.es/2008-2/ |title=2008 |website=Premios Nacionales de la Música y las Artes |access-date=August 28, 2023 |language=es }}</ref> * MTV Europe Music Award for Best Spanish Act, 2011<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.rtve.es/radio/20111018/russian-red-mejor-artista-espanola-para-mtv-europe-music-awards/469169.shtml |title=Russian Red es la mejor artista española para los MTV Europe Music Awards |website=RTVE Radio 3 |date=October 11, 2018 |language=es }}</ref> * {{ill|Medal of the Community of Madrid|es|Medalla de la Comunidad de Madrid}} in silver, May 2, 2012, in recognition of her work<ref name=Yahoo>{{cite news |url=https://es-us.vida-estilo.yahoo.com/vuelve-cantante-russian-red-a%C3%B1os-080227585.html |title=Vuelve la cantante Russian Red, tras muchos años de silencio, ahora como actriz de una comedia rodada en Madrid |work=Hola.com |via=Yahoo! vida y estilo |language=es |date=December 18, 2022 }}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Commons category-inline|Russian Red}} * {{Official website|https://www.russianred.com/}}
{{MTV Europe Music Award for Best Spanish Act}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Living people Category:Spanish folk singers Category:Spanish women folk singers Category:Spanish rock singers Category:Spanish women rock singers Category:Spanish women singer-songwriters Category:Spanish singer-songwriters Category:Spanish pop singers Red, Russian Category:Spanish guitarists Category:Spanish women guitarists Category:1985 births Category:21st-century Spanish women singers Category:MTV Europe Music Award winners Category:English-language Spanish singers