Little Boots

Victoria Hesketh (born 4 May 1984), known professionally as "Little Boots", is a British electronic musician. She sings, plays synthesizers, the Yamaha tenori-on and the stylophone. She is the former lead singer/synth player in "Dead Disco". Hesketh was born in Thornton-Cleveleys near Blackpool, Lancashire and now lives in London. She attended Rossall School, Blackpool Sixth Form College and then the University of Leeds, gaining a first-class honours degree in Cultural Studies, with a dissertation on "The concept of originality in the music of Jamie Cullum". At the age of 18, Hesketh participated in television talent show "Pop Idol", being eliminated after three rounds. She went on to form a Jazz trio, toured Europe with a big band, and later formed the dance-pop band "Dead Disco", gradually shifting away from the band and their style, she began to write songs of her own and left "Dead Disco" in August 2007. Her solo stage name comes from a nickname given to her by a friend after watching Caligula (the Latin name Caligula translates as "little boots"). Little Boots appeared on "Later... with Jools Holland" in November 2008. She has collaborated with electropop band "Hot Chip". In December 2008 she was completing her début album with producer Greg Kurstin. The track "Stuck On Repeat" was produced by Joe Goddard from "Hot Chip" and was released on limited 12" white-label vinyl in March 2008. The track gained popularity via attention from many popular music blogs. She released her second single "Meddle" on 18th August 2008 on the 50 bones label. It was available as a limited-edition 7" and was produced by both Joe Goddard and Greg Kurstin. In January 2009, she won the BBC Sound of 2009 previously won by the likes of "Keane", "Mika" and "Adele" ((BBC link)). Her début album "Hands" was released in June 2009, with the lead single "New In Town" charting at #13. "Hands" peaked at #5 on the UK charts. Little Boots performed at numerous festivals in summer 2009 to support the début album. Little Boots is now known to be a popular electro and indie star with the youth community. www.littlebootsmusic.co.uk