Band Info

When Killing Heidi were Unearthed by Triple J, with their song Kettle, their individual, innate appeal was immediately obvious. They were, how you say? ...different. In a most exciting way.

How dare such youngsters dream so loudly? Brother and sister song-writing team, Ella and Jesse Hooper are now only 16 and 19 years of age, respectively. In being unearthed, they showed that they could mix it with the people twice their age. Their debut single Weir, second single Mascara and the forthcoming album, Reflector, proves they've got the talent and the chutzpah to surpass those with the 'experience'; those who should know better.

Raised in Violet Town, country Victoria, Ella and Jesse learned early on that playing music was more exciting that watching TV, that hearing a wonderful song blast out of the radio could make your day. Now it's Killing Heidi's turn to erupt through the unsuspecting speakers of Australia (closely followed by the rest of the world, naturally!).

Singer Ella Hooper has the voice of an evil angel, cradling you, rocking you gently to the heavens one minute, then ripping you out of your delusions and beating you senseless the next. Sometimes accompanied by majestically understated strings, Ella takes it deep, then soars - not unlike Jesse's guitar playing, which propels rocking, driving songs, as well as adding tender teardrops to quiet acoustic moments. Ella and Jesse are superbly backed by bass player Warren Jenkin, who has played extensively with Melbourne's finest musicians and performers, and Adam Pedretti, an awesome drummer who formerly rocked with Non-International Lifeform.

Killing Heidi are the first band to be taken under the wing of the newly born Wah Wah Music, who, in partnership with Roadshow Music, will waste no time in taking Killing Heidi to the uppermost reaches of the music world. Wah Wah Music is the latest venture for Creative Director, Paul Kosky, and his New York-based business partner, Chris Robinson. Paul Kosky is also the producer of Killing Heidi's first two singles Weir and Mascara and forthcoming album Reflector, passing on his mighty grasp of guitar pop sounds, learned through years working with some of the finest song-writing talent around, from the Finn brothers and Crowded House, to The Clouds and Rage Against The Machine, amongst others too numerous to mention. Kosky saw Killing Heidi perform at Melbourne's Push Over Festival, and knew even than that this band had the song writing skills to stand alongside the greatest the world has to offer.

Killing Heidi would be the first to tell you that they sound nothing like their influences, but their album shows the diversity gained through open minds and musical hearts. Ella and Jesse have a knack for finding the biggest hook possible, giving their songs choruses to live for. Their debut single Weir is a sweet song about holding on to friendship, with quietly melodic verses which build into a spirit-lifting chorus, "We can make it in the end, through all the twists and bends".

Its classic charm has to be heard to be believed. But the buck doesn't stop here. Delve deeper into the album and you'll find the spiky, sneering punk of "Class Celebrities" and swinging rock of Mascara. Astral Boy is filled with gorgeous strings, Ella's heartbreaking, stratospheric vocals, and Jesse's gentle acoustic guitar, all sprinkled with a special space dust that makes it levitate - kind of like The Verve's The Drugs Don't Work made by people still too young to be cynical or without hope. Leave Me Alone will leave you spinning as it rushes past at warp speed, an Eastern twang adding a touch of mystery. The guitar-based pop sounds on Reflector are anything but average, dubby scratches and tweaks underlying crunchy guitars that pick their moment then leave you for dead. But what a way to go, eh? Once you reach the afterlife, there'll be little choice but to listen to Reflector all over again. And again, and again...

Reflector was recorded over eight months with the latest digital technology available, taking Killing Heidi from a Violet Town living room to Australia's finest recording studios, much of the recording taking place in the studio where Crowded House created the world-beating Woodface. The recording of the album was the culmination of a two year development period for Killing Heidi, who worked intensively with Paul Kosky to turn their rough gems into blinding pearls.

Infectious, spunky, impossible not to dance to, even easier to rock to, Killing Heidi have created an album full of pop anthems which are destined to cross all boundaries - to unite lovers of rock and pop for a blissful, lasting journey.

Rather than rush themselves to release something sub par, Killing Heidi have taken the time to develop as musicians and songwriters, to produce an album as close to perfection as they, or anyone else for that matter, can come close to. The fact that they're still so young, with so much to learn, with so many places to go? Quite frankly, that's bloody frightening.

Be afraid, be very afraid... but more importantly, be here.

After conquoring the land of Australia, having recieved Triple Platinium status on Reflector (selling more than 270,000 copies), sweaping out the 2000 Aria awards winning 4 out of 7 nominated, and numerus high-charting singles; not to mention releasing Reflector in New Zealand, but now Killing Heidi stand at the brink of music success in America.

Within the next few months, Killing Heidi will release both the single 'Weir' and album 'Reflector' in America, aswell as Japan, in hopes to create international star-dom of the once country-town brother and sister due Jesse and Ella Hooper.

We have seen various pictures and reports from the USA, so what other suprises are install for them. Will they recieve Killing Heidi as well as Australia has?

...only time will tell, but lets wish them the best of luck at making the big time, and hope that they won't forget the fans that put them there - US!