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The Pretty Reckless

Rock Band Fronted by Taylor Momsen

Rock Band Fronted by Taylor Momsen

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New York, NY, USA
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The Pretty Reckless Biography

One night several years ago, Taylor Momsens father took his daughter to a White Stripes show. Before that, the only concert Id been to was Britney Spears, says the singer, songwriter, and guitarist. But once I saw Jack White onstage, that was it. I grew up as a dancer and I thought you had to dance to be a girl in the music industry. Then I saw the White Stripes and I was like, No, you dont. I can do that. Momsen was nine.

Jack Whites raw power and deceptively simple guitar-and-vocal attack proved to be highly influential on the now 16-year-old Momsen, who began humming melodies before she could talk and writing songs at the age of five after falling in love with The Beatles. I was obsessed with them, she says. I also loved Led Zeppelin, The Who, Pink Floyd, Audioslave, Soundgarden, Oasis, and Nirvana. Thats what I listened to. My rock idols are all men.

So its not surprising that Momsen channels a lot of masculine energy on LIGHT ME UP, her rock-and-roll-heroine-in-the-making debut album with her band The Pretty Reckless. The songs, all written by Momsen and Ben Phillips with their producer Kato Khandwala, run the gamut of emotions, alternating at times between seething rage and a bruised vulnerability. With Momsens inky vocals, pummeling riffs, and swaggering attitude, LIGHT ME UP sounds a bit like what might have happened had Led Zeppelin been fronted by a chick. The albums ferocity could raise an eyebrow from those expecting a pretty, blonde teenager to gravitate toward straight-up pop songwriting. Its heavier than people might expect from me, says Momsen, who is best known as the actress who plays Jenny Humphrey on The CWs Gossip Girl. But this album is the most honest expression of who I truly am.

Momsen is a smart, emotionally complex young woman who has developed a strong identity despite growing up in the notoriously critical and fickle entertainment industry. Born and raised in St. Louis, MO, Taylor spent much of her time in NYC and at thirteen, she relocated to Manhattan. At two years old, Momsen signed to a modeling agency and a year later she began acting professionally appearing in commercials as well as films such as The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. In 2007 Momsen was cast as a lead in the CW show Gossip Girl.

I didnt choose acting or modeling, I got thrown into it, Momsen says. I liked it, so that wasnt a problem, but music and songwriting are what Ive always really wanted to do. Ive been working with producers and hanging out in recording studios since I was five, I just couldnt put out an album when I was eight, she says with a laugh. Now I can.

LIGHT ME UP is an unflinchingly honest chronicle of Momsens experiences, filtered through her unique point of view. The record is about life, she says. It covers everything: love, death, and music itself. Its rock and roll. Its sex. Its drugs. Its religion. Its politics. Each song tells a story about the trials and tribulations and emotional struggles that Ive experienced or observed. Its not a happy pop record, but its not Satan-worshiping either. The lyrics arent meant to be taken literally, they are open to interpretation.

The songs tackle everything from romantic insecurity (the full-throttle rager Make Me Wanna Die, which also appears on the soundtrack to the film Kick-Ass), to despair (You), to how working non-stop can you make you feel like one of the un-dead (Zombie). Momsen pushes back against the haters on Light Me Up and asks how far you have to go to get forgiveness on Going Down. With her growly, world-weary alto, Momsen can do it all: garage-rock rave-ups (Miss Nothing), punchy blues-rock stompers (My Medicine, Since Youre Gone), as well as emotional power ballads (Just Tonight) and lovely acoustic guitar and string-driven numbers (You).

Im not just writing something because I think people might like it, Momsen says. I hope they do, but Im writing it because I have something to say. So many feelings go into the lyrics that its hard to explain what theyre about. Momsen first hooked up with Khandwala (Blondie, Drowning Pool, Paramore, Breaking Benjamin) and partner and songwriter, Phillips in October 2008. By the spring of last year, they felt they had hit upon a sound that felt authentic to her.

The three of us have similar musical taste, so it was easy to find that singular vision, Phillips says. Kato and I worked very hard to help Taylor reach her potential because we could see how talented she was right off the bat. She went into the vocal booth and began to sing and we turned to each other and went, Holy sh*t, shes f**ing great. Her voice was astonishing. So many artists these days let their voices be discombobulated by computers. Taylor doesnt do that. She doesnt need to. She can walk into a room and kick your ass.

The Pretty Reckless Videos

  • The Pretty Reckless - Heaven Knows - YouTube
  • The Pretty Reckless - Take Me Down (Official Music Video) - YouTube

FAQs on booking The Pretty Reckless

  • How do I book The Pretty Reckless to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like The Pretty Reckless for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for The Pretty Reckless, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for The Pretty Reckless or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for The Pretty Reckless

    Speaking fees for The Pretty Reckless, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book The Pretty Reckless are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire The Pretty Reckless, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does The Pretty Reckless speak about?

    The Pretty Reckless is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Music.
  • Where does The Pretty Reckless travel from?

    The Pretty Reckless generally travels from New York, NY, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is The Pretty Reckless’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like The Pretty Reckless for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book The Pretty Reckless for your next private or corporate function.
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    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host The Pretty Reckless or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

The Pretty Reckless is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book The Pretty Reckless for your event is $100,000 - $200,000. The Pretty Reckless generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are The Wallflowers, Tool, Phoenix, Franz Ferdinand and Cold War Kids. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling The Pretty Reckless for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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