Mark Jacob Lenderman (born 1999), also known as Jake Lenderman and MJ Lenderman,[1][2] is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has released multiple solo albums and also plays with the alternative rock band Wednesday. He also has played drums for Indigo De Souza. Lenderman's style has been described as alt-country, classic rock, and indie rock music.
MJ Lenderman | |
|---|---|
 Lenderman in 2023 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Mark Jacob Lenderman |
| Born | February 4, 1999 Asheville, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2018–present |
| Labels | Anti- |
| Member of | Wednesday |
| Website | www |
Biography
editEarly life and education
editLenderman was born in Asheville, North Carolina. His great-grandfather was saxophonist Charlie Ventura.[3] He was raised Catholic and was an altar boy.[3] He played basketball and obsessively watched tapes of Michael Jordan.[2] He grew up listening to Mark Linkous and Jason Molina.[2] In his junior and senior years of high school, he began posting his music to Bandcamp.[3] Lenderman studied at UNC Asheville for three semesters.[4]
Career
editIn 2018, Lenderman played the drums for fellow Asheville artist Indigo De Souza on her albums I Love My Mom and Any Shape You Take.[4] Lenderman met Karly Hartzman, lead singer for the group Wednesday, and he joined the band for an EP called How Do You Let Love Into the Heart That Isn't Split Wide Open (2018).[1]
In July 2019, he released a self-titled album, his first solo album.[5] At that time, he was working in an ice cream shop to support himself financially.[6]
Lenderman toured with Wednesday in early February 2020, until the COVID-19 pandemic ended the tour.[4] During the COVID-19 pandemic, while collecting unemployment insurance, Lenderman wrote the songs that became the album Ghost of Your Guitar Solo, released in 2021.[6]
His third album Boat Songs was released in 2022 on Dear Life Records.[7] It was listed as one of the best albums of 2022 by Pitchfork, The A.V. Club, and The Ringer.[8][9][10] After the success of the album, Lenderman signed a recording contract with Anti-.[11] In 2023, he released the singles "Rudolph" and "Knockin'".[4]
Lenderman contributed guitar and vocals to the album Tiger's Blood by Waxahatchee, released in March 2024, and was listed as featured guest artist on the album's lead single, "Right Back To It". In March 2024, Lenderman performed "Right Back To It" with Waxahatchee on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.[12] Lenderman's next album, Manning Fireworks, released in September 2024.[13]
Personal life
editLenderman was in a relationship with his Wednesday bandmate Karly Hartzman for several years.[1] In July 2024, The Guardian reported that the two had split.[14]
Discography
editAlbums
edit| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| MJ Lenderman |
|
| Ghost of Your Guitar Solo |
|
| Boat Songs |
|
| And the Wind (Live and Loose!) |
|
| Manning Fireworks |
|
Extended plays
edit| Title | Credit | Details |
|---|---|---|
| How Do You Let Love Into the Heart That Isn't Split Wide Open | MJ Lenderman & Wednesday |
|
| Faucet | Nash to Stoudemire1 |
|
| Lucky | MJ Lenderman |
|
| Guttering | MJ Lenderman & Wednesday |
|
| DLDRG 002 – Knockin' | MJ Lenderman |
|
1Lenderman and Karly Harztman
Singles
edit| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Hangover Game"[16] | 2022 | Boat Songs |
| "TLC Cage Match"[16] | ||
| "Rudolph"[17] | 2023 | Manning Fireworks |
| "Knockin'"[17] | Non-album single | |
| "She's Leaving You" | 2024 | Manning Fireworks |
References
edit- ^ a b c Moreland, Quinn (25 January 2023). "Wednesday's Curdled Beauty". Pitchfork.
- ^ a b c Reisman, Will (October 20, 2022). "MJ Lenderman is a sports-obsessed folk singer on the rise". San Francisco Examiner.
- ^ a b c "MJ Lenderman Does Not Have Mamba Mentality". GQ. November 17, 2023.
- ^ a b c d "MJ Lenderman Is Knockin' On Rock Stardom's Door". Stereogum. 2023-08-07.
- ^ "MJ LENDERMAN: S/T". MELTED. 2019-07-14.
- ^ a b "MJ LENDERMAN". Anti-.
- ^ "Boat Songs, by MJ Lenderman". Bandcamp.
- ^ "Here are the 30 best albums of 2022". The A.V. Club. 2022-12-12.
- ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2022". Pitchfork. 2022-12-06.
- ^ "The 33 Best Albums of 2022". The Ringer. 2022-12-06.
- ^ "MJ Lenderman signs to ANTI- RECORDS, drops new single "Rudolph"". WXPN. 2023-07-19.
- ^ "Waxahatchee and MJ Lenderman Perform "Right Back to It" on Colbert: Watch". Pitchfork. March 27, 2024.
- ^ Mitchell, Matt (June 24, 2024). "MJ Lenderman Announces New Album Manning Fireworks". Paste.
- ^ D'Souza, Shaad (2024-07-09). "Pixar, Catholic shame, and urine-drinking podcast bros: the mixed-up rock of MJ Lenderman". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
- ^ "MJ Lenderman". Bandcamp.
- ^ a b "Wednesday's MJ Lenderman Shares New Solo Single "TLC Cage Match": Listen". Stereogum. 2022-03-16.
- ^ a b "MJ Lenderman channels his inner Bob Dylan on "Knockin"". The Fader. August 7, 2023.