Cleo Reed is one of the most innovative new voices in the American music scene. This multidisciplinary artist fuses blues, soul, country, hip-hop, and electronic music with a deep connection to her African American cultural heritage, resulting in captivating and thought-provoking songs.
The artist behind the name—Ella Josephine Julia Moore—grew up in New York and Washington D.C. with an impressive musical background. She studied jazz and classical music at Harlem School of the Arts, was a member of the New York punk band Pretty Sick, and trained in audio engineering and sound design at Berklee College of Music. This diverse experience is reflected in her music, where she naturally draws on broad genre influences while exploring connections between art, identity, heritage, and contemporary questions.
Her latest album "CUNTRY" (2025) has received recognition from Pitchfork and NPR Music as one of the year's most important releases. The album is structured around a striking contrast: the first half is deeply rooted in American roots music, while the second half explores electronic and dystopian soundscapes. This dramatic shift creates a musical narrative that is both personal and political, where themes such as labor, physicality, identity, and social injustice unfold in poetic and uncompromising songs. The contrasts also reflect the tension between Cleo Reed's upbringing in New York and her family's roots in the American South.
Cleo Reed has made a name for herself through her extraordinary live performances, where musical virtuosity, strong stage presence, and genuine emotional intimacy merge together and draw the audience entirely into the experience.
Practical Info
- Venue: ALICE
- Admission: 175 kr
