Elly Jackson — English singer and songwriter (La Roux)
Elly Jackson is an English singer-songwriter and the lead vocalist of electropop duo La Roux, known for her high, distinctive voice, 1980s-inspired synth-pop sound and hits such as "Bulletproof."
Eleanor Kate "Elly" Jackson (born 12 March 1988) is an English singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist of the synth-pop act La Roux. Born in London and the younger daughter of actress Trudie Goodwin, Jackson attracted attention for a distinctive vocal tone and a stylized, androgynous public image.
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Early life and formation
Jackson grew up in a creative household and embraced electronic and new wave music from an early age. In the mid-2000s she partnered with producer and co-writer Ben Langmaid to form La Roux, combining retro synthesizer textures with contemporary pop songcraft. Their collaboration established the project's aesthetic and sound before Jackson increasingly took primary responsibility for writing and production.
Musical style and image
La Roux's music draws heavily on 1980s synth-pop and new wave, reinterpreted through modern production. Jackson's vocal delivery is often high-pitched and clear, lending songs a striking, emotive quality. Her visual presentation—sharp haircuts, bold makeup and tailored clothing—became part of the act's identity and helped set them apart during a wave of electronic pop revivals.
Career highlights
The debut album, released under the name La Roux, produced internationally recognized singles such as "In for the Kill" and "Bulletproof," which brought the act widespread radio play and chart exposure. Subsequent releases explored warmer textures and different lyrical themes as Jackson took more creative control. La Roux has continued to tour and record, adapting its line-up and collaborators over time.
Releases and impact
- La Roux (debut album) — introduced Jackson's voice and the project's synth-pop revival style.
- Later albums — continued exploration of electronic, disco and funk-influenced sounds, with Jackson often credited as primary songwriter.
- Singles like "Bulletproof" have remained emblematic of late-2000s electropop and influenced a generation of electronic pop artists.
Jackson is recognized for blending pop songwriting with electronic production and for maintaining artistic control over La Roux's evolving sound. She has worked with a variety of producers and musicians and remains a prominent figure in contemporary synth-oriented pop music.
History
Originally, La Roux was an electropop duo consisting of Eleanor Jackson, daughter of the English actress Trudie Goodwin, and producer Ben Langmaid. The latter had previously worked with bands such as Faithless. Langmaid brought his connections and musical experience to the work on the album La Roux (2009) and its production. Jackson wrote the compositions and penned all the lyrics. As a duo, they became Grammy award winners. They achieved their first success with the single In for the Kill, and their international breakthrough came with Bulletproof. The single even reached number 1 in Great Britain.
The band name, which contradicts French grammar ("the redhead" would actually be la rousse in French), refers, as Jackson explained, to her red hair and rather androgynous, boyish appearance. On the French-Canadian TV show "Tout le monde en parle", Elly explained that she found La Roux in a book for baby names. She nonchalantly explained the grammatical error with, "It was an English book!"
Elly Jackson coped with the great commercial success psychologically bad, she suffered at times from voice loss and panic attacks. Langmaid, who had already been her duo partner in the previous folk project Automan, no longer wanted to remain her companion. The record company wanted to continue earning money from the successful project La Roux and bridged the lean period with second-rate material for Sidetracked and a reissue as La Roux (Gold Edition).
The album Trouble in Paradise (2014) is Eleanor Jackson's second solo album as La Roux, on which she also served as music producer - five years after the first album sold two million copies. According to Rolling Stone, the nine songs bring back memories of The Human League and Yazoo, Tom Tom Club and Tears for Fears. This time, however, the 1980s retromania is looser and also enriched "with some funky elements". Together with her co-producer Ian Sherwin, Jackson has succeeded in creating a "neo-romantic" album in which everything revolves around sex and love.
Musical style
La Roux's sound is primarily influenced by the British synth-pop bands of the early to mid-1980s such as Depeche Mode, Erasure, The Human League, Yazoo and the Eurythmics. Jackson's androgynous appearance can also be associated with the latter. However, the album La Roux is also musically close to current electronic music like that of Zoot Woman and Robyn.
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AlegsaOnline.com Elly Jackson — English singer and songwriter (La Roux) Leandro Alegsa
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