
Little Dragon
On Ninja Tune
BIOGRAPHY
Forming in Gothenburg, Sweden, when lead singer Yukimi Nagano was just 14 years old, Little Dragon have forged a path as one of the most consistent, respected and universally loved bands of recent times. Their new album “New Me, Same Us”—released on Ninja Tune—represents another chapter in the continuing evolution of Little Dragon, finding new direction in their unique style of unhurried, off-kilter r’n’b, pop and electronics. Entirely self-produced and recorde...
Forming in Gothenburg, Sweden, when lead singer Yukimi Nagano was just 14 years old, Little Dragon have forged a path as one of the most consistent, respected and universally loved bands of recent times. Their new album “New Me, Same Us”—released on Ninja Tune—represents another chapter in the continuing evolution of Little Dragon, finding new direction in their unique style of unhurried, off-kilter r’n’b, pop and electronics. Entirely self-produced and recorded at their long-term home-built studio in Gothenburg, it’s the sound of a band going back to basics and falling back in love with their instruments: drums, bass, keyboards, harp, guitar and voice, to produce some of their most focussed and inarguably best music to date.
Having grown up with a passion for writing poems and lyrics from an early age in her diaries, Yukimi Nagano shunned formal vocal training, instead joining up with school friends Erik Bodin (drums and percussion) and Fredrik Wallin (bass) to sing on the various musical projects they were involved in. They were soon joined by Håkan Wirenstarnd (keyboards) to form the quartet that persists to this day. A group of self-confessed ‘weirdos’, they would meet up after school to play records to each other and jam, a method of working that has remained largely unchanged to this day; the now much-mythologised legend states that the band took their title from a nickname given to Yukimi for her fiery temper during those early days in the studio.
With a sound that is notoriously hard to pin down, Little Dragon have always been a unique melting-pot of their individual influences and styles, previously referencing artists as diverse as Brian Eno, Snoop Dogg, D’Angelo and Alice Coltrane as touchstones of their musical tastes. Yukimi cites icons such as Prince and Kate Bush as early influences, with her and Erik being particularly into the hip hop and r&b of artists such as De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest. Fred brought with him a love of jazz and more experimental and electronic sounds. With Håkan it was a pasison for all things synth; bands like Depeche Mode and Kraftwerk and the sounds of synth pioneers like Vangelis and Jean Michel Jarre.
After all trying and failing to get into music college they moved into a local squat-cum-recording studio—affectionately named the Seal Colony—in central Gothenburg and began making music together full-time, while taking on part time jobs as a last resort in order to stay afloat, with Yukimi selling strawberries and Erik driving trucks.
Their first breakthrough as a band came with the single ‘Twice’, initially released by a friend of theirs at the Swedish label Off The Wall Records it was picked up a year later by UK label Peacefrog, who went on to release a collection of demos from the band which would form their eponymous debut album in 2007. The release saw Little Dragon’s profile begin to rise in the UK and—particularly following the inclusion of ‘Twice’ in the popular TV show Greys Anatomy (as Yukimi’s grandmother excitedly called to tell her)—the US.
Forthcoming Events
July 2022 | ||
29th July 2022 |
Little Dragon
The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas Las Vegas, US |
|
30th July 2022 |
Little Dragon
Kia Forum Los Angeles, US |
|
31st July 2022 |
Little Dragon
The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park San Diego, US |
|
August 2022 | ||
3rd August 2022 |
Little Dragon
White Oak Music Hall Houston, US |
|
4th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory Dallas - Fort Worth, US |
|
6th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Moody Center Austin, US |
|
8th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Fox Theatre Atlanta Atlanta, US |
|
10th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
The Anthem Washington, US |
|
13th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Skyline Stage, Mann Center for the Performing Arts Philadelphia, US |
|
14th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Thompson’s Point Portland, US |
|
16th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Roadrunner Boston / Cambridge, US |
|
17th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Roadrunner Boston / Cambridge, US |
|
18th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Forest Hills Stadium New York, US |
|
20th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Scotiabank Arena Toronto, Canada |
|
21st August 2022 |
Little Dragon
KEMBA Live! Columbus, US |
|
22nd August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Masonic Temple Detroit, US |
|
24th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Credit Union 1 Arena Chicago, US |
|
25th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
The Armory Twin Cities, US |
|
26th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Stir Concert Cove, Harrah's Council Bluffs Casino & Hotel Omaha, US |
|
29th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Moda Center Portland, US |
|
31st August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Marymoor Park Seattle, US |
|
September 2022 | ||
4th September 2022 |
Little Dragon
Oxbow RiverStage Santa Rosa, US |
|
7th September 2022 |
Little Dragon
Greek Theatre SF Bay Area, US |
|
8th September 2022 |
Little Dragon
Santa Barbara Bowl Los Angeles, US |
|
November 2022 | ||
5th November 2022 |
Little Dragon
Mascotte Zürich, Switzerland |
Little Dragon
On Ninja Tune
Albums
Singles
Latest News
BIOGRAPHY
Forming in Gothenburg, Sweden, when lead singer Yukimi Nagano was just 14 years old, Little Dragon have forged a path as one of the most consistent, respected and universally loved bands of recent times. Their new album “New Me, Same Us”—released on Ninja Tune—represents another chapter in the continuing evolution of Little Dragon, finding new direction in their unique style of unhurried, off-kilter r’n’b, pop and electronics. Entirely self-produced and recorded at their long-term...
Forming in Gothenburg, Sweden, when lead singer Yukimi Nagano was just 14 years old, Little Dragon have forged a path as one of the most consistent, respected and universally loved bands of recent times. Their new album “New Me, Same Us”—released on Ninja Tune—represents another chapter in the continuing evolution of Little Dragon, finding new direction in their unique style of unhurried, off-kilter r’n’b, pop and electronics. Entirely self-produced and recorded at their long-term home-built studio in Gothenburg, it’s the sound of a band going back to basics and falling back in love with their instruments: drums, bass, keyboards, harp, guitar and voice, to produce some of their most focussed and inarguably best music to date.
Having grown up with a passion for writing poems and lyrics from an early age in her diaries, Yukimi Nagano shunned formal vocal training, instead joining up with school friends Erik Bodin (drums and percussion) and Fredrik Wallin (bass) to sing on the various musical projects they were involved in. They were soon joined by Håkan Wirenstarnd (keyboards) to form the quartet that persists to this day. A group of self-confessed ‘weirdos’, they would meet up after school to play records to each other and jam, a method of working that has remained largely unchanged to this day; the now much-mythologised legend states that the band took their title from a nickname given to Yukimi for her fiery temper during those early days in the studio.
With a sound that is notoriously hard to pin down, Little Dragon have always been a unique melting-pot of their individual influences and styles, previously referencing artists as diverse as Brian Eno, Snoop Dogg, D’Angelo and Alice Coltrane as touchstones of their musical tastes. Yukimi cites icons such as Prince and Kate Bush as early influences, with her and Erik being particularly into the hip hop and r&b of artists such as De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest. Fred brought with him a love of jazz and more experimental and electronic sounds. With Håkan it was a pasison for all things synth; bands like Depeche Mode and Kraftwerk and the sounds of synth pioneers like Vangelis and Jean Michel Jarre.
After all trying and failing to get into music college they moved into a local squat-cum-recording studio—affectionately named the Seal Colony—in central Gothenburg and began making music together full-time, while taking on part time jobs as a last resort in order to stay afloat, with Yukimi selling strawberries and Erik driving trucks.
Their first breakthrough as a band came with the single ‘Twice’, initially released by a friend of theirs at the Swedish label Off The Wall Records it was picked up a year later by UK label Peacefrog, who went on to release a collection of demos from the band which would form their eponymous debut album in 2007. The release saw Little Dragon’s profile begin to rise in the UK and—particularly following the inclusion of ‘Twice’ in the popular TV show Greys Anatomy (as Yukimi’s grandmother excitedly called to tell her)—the US.
Forthcoming Events
July 2022 | ||
29th July 2022 |
Little Dragon
The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas Las Vegas, US |
|
30th July 2022 |
Little Dragon
Kia Forum Los Angeles, US |
|
31st July 2022 |
Little Dragon
The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park San Diego, US |
|
August 2022 | ||
3rd August 2022 |
Little Dragon
White Oak Music Hall Houston, US |
|
4th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory Dallas - Fort Worth, US |
|
6th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Moody Center Austin, US |
|
8th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Fox Theatre Atlanta Atlanta, US |
|
10th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
The Anthem Washington, US |
|
13th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Skyline Stage, Mann Center for the Performing Arts Philadelphia, US |
|
14th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Thompson’s Point Portland, US |
|
16th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Roadrunner Boston / Cambridge, US |
|
17th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Roadrunner Boston / Cambridge, US |
|
18th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Forest Hills Stadium New York, US |
|
20th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Scotiabank Arena Toronto, Canada |
|
21st August 2022 |
Little Dragon
KEMBA Live! Columbus, US |
|
22nd August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Masonic Temple Detroit, US |
|
24th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Credit Union 1 Arena Chicago, US |
|
25th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
The Armory Twin Cities, US |
|
26th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Stir Concert Cove, Harrah's Council Bluffs Casino & Hotel Omaha, US |
|
29th August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Moda Center Portland, US |
|
31st August 2022 |
Little Dragon
Marymoor Park Seattle, US |
|
September 2022 | ||
4th September 2022 |
Little Dragon
Oxbow RiverStage Santa Rosa, US |
|
7th September 2022 |
Little Dragon
Greek Theatre SF Bay Area, US |
|
8th September 2022 |
Little Dragon
Santa Barbara Bowl Los Angeles, US |
|
November 2022 | ||
5th November 2022 |
Little Dragon
Mascotte Zürich, Switzerland |