Musician Olga Bell was born in Moscow and raised in Anchorage, attending East High School. She now resides in Brooklyn, N.Y., and on Wednesday night, she broke out with a musical guest appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman.
Bell, who contributes to indie rock's favorite Brooklyn-based little brother project, The Dirty Projectors, played Letterman last night under the name "Bell." If you missed it, check out the Dirty Projectors' set, featuring Olga Bell on keyboard, here.
According to Bell's Tumblr profile, she's an "American composer" who is "at home in a wide range of musical settings ... and has worked with composers Osvaldo Golijov and Philip Glass, soprano Dawn Upshaw, the rap group Das Racist, members of the St. Petersburg, Tokyo, and Juilliard string quartets, and the artist Zachary Lieberman."
Bell's full-length releases include a six-track EP (2008), Diamonite (2011), and a handful of other singles, covers and remixes. Prior to joining the Dirty Projectors, Bell played with American synthpop duo, Chairlift.
What does she sound like? Imagine if Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls combined forces with post-rock electronic band Four Tet. Now imagine that combo rolled up, like a Russian tea cake, and sprinkled with the powdered sugar of avant-garde singer Björk, and you have some idea.
If can't imagine that, well, just check out Bell playing a keytar in the video below of her cover of Weezer's song "Buddy Holly."
Olga Bell - Buddy Holly from Noah Kalina on Vimeo.
For more of Bell's work click here.