Renee Cologne – Bio

 

“Cologne produces music that is majestic and dramatic, painted in stunning, bold strokes on an over-sized canvas.” – Womanrock

 

Self-described geek, happiest when wearing horn rim glasses, turning knobs and pushing buttons, multi-instrumentalist and producer Renee Cologne makes electronic, orchestral pop music. She has drawn comparisons to Bjork, Imogen Heap and Jane Siberry, but also credits such diverse artists as Stevie Wonder, Barbra Streisand, AC/DC and Queen for influencing what she does. Equally interested in the visual as well as the aural aspects of a project, she is known for wearing costumes and headpieces when performing and is currently working up a new show utilizing gestural midi; in other words, hands free.

 

Cologne was a recipient of the coveted New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship Grant for Music Composition, which allowed her to build her first home studio, start her own independent record label called Backdoor Records, and release her debut CD entitled Aromatherapy, because, as she says, “How can you not call your first album that when your last name is “Cologne”?” Two other releases followed, The Opposite Ofand Rock & Roll Housewife, both of which garnered acclaim and gushing reviews. She has toured in promotion for her own music, as the drummer in the all-girl all-star band Big Panty, and as a background singer and guitar player for the inimitable MeatLoaf. These travels took her all over the world and to exotic places like Slovenia, Mexico and the UK performing with MeatLoaf for their Hyde Park “Party in the Park”, before hundreds of thousands of people.

 

In Coverlings, Cologne’s newest release, she breathes new life into a collection of 11 well-known pop songs from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s; reconstructing them using both human (earthling – voice, acoustic, orchestral) and machine (alien – electronic, beats, synths) elements in a way that is fresh, rich and nuanced.

 

Coverlings will be available from Backdoor Records on January 4, 2019.