New Zealand songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Phillipa Margaret Pip Brown, better known as Ladyhawke, has been bringing her new wave/synthpop sound to fans across Australia, the UK and the U.S. since unveiling her self-titled debut in 2008.
Ladyhawke began her musical career in the early 2000s with the band Two Lane Blacktop, and later joined the Sydney-based art rock band Teenager. Her 2008 solo debut rose to the top of the charts in New Zealand and became a certified platinum album in 2009. Her sophomore effort, 2012's Anxiety, enjoyed success throughout New Zealand, the UK and the United States, and the single Blue Eyes was featured in a Verizon commercial in North America.
In June 2016, Ladyhawke released her third album, Wild Things, to critical acclaim.
As a solo artist, Ladyhawke has appeared on music charts in the UK and New Zealand several times. Her most popular hits include Paris is Burning, Dusk Till Dawn, My Delirium and Back of the Van. The single Let It Roll appeared in a commercial by the Australian communications company Optus.
Fans buying Ladyhawke tickets may be familiar with the singer-songwriter's unique style, but they might not know about the struggles Pip Brown overcame on the road to success. As a young child, she was frequently ill and spent much of her time in and out of hospitals. At the age of 10, she contracted a rare disease called erysipeloid. Brown's allergies to antibiotics and antihistamines made it even more difficult to treat her condition, but she survived despite falling into a coma.
As an adult, Ladyhawke was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. She attributes her childhood shyness and fascination with music to the syndrome.