Kate Bush is one of the most essential idiosyncratic women artists in the modern era. As an artist, she is a stubborn advocate for her creative vision. Her singing is unforgettable with its technical excellence and eccentricity.
She has an unusually large vocal range encompassing 4 octaves and is especially well known for very high pitched vocal deliveries. Similar in scope to her vocal range is the creative variety of her songs' thematic focus.
The narrative of her songs span from re imaginings of Emily Bronte's novel in her breakout single Wuthering Heights, making deals with god to switch places with her partner in her most popular song Running Up That Hill, and a mother grieving her son who died at war in Army Dreamers.
History
She started writing songs at 11 and was signed onto the EMI record label at only 16 due to the advocacy of Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour after he heard a collection of her demo tapes. Her first single Wuthering Heights was released in 1978 and was an unexpected billboard number one hit. It pelted her towards fame. According to Thomson for the Guardian, in 1978 she was the most photographed woman in Britain.
Throughout the 80s and 90s, she released an array of incredible albums to widespread acclaim but her release schedule slowed after 1994. Her works still received acclaim. However, she gained a reputation as an elusive hermitic artists. Perhaps a response the overwhelming attention she received at such a young age and becoming a mother.
Kate Bush's Lush Visuals and Live Performances
Furthermore, emblematic of Bush's charm is her integration of visuals and theatrics into her music.
Thomson of the Guardian described her 1979 live show as an "extraordinary, hydra-headed beast, combining music, dance, poetry, mime, burlesque, magic and theatre." At the age of 21, she maintained strong creative control and was involved in all aspects of the show.
As alluded to by Thomson, prominent in many of her performances is dance. Prior to her fame, she would use record label funds on lessons for mime and interpretive dance. Her proficiency due to this training is clear in the live performance.
Additionally, in revolutionary fashion, she was the first musical artist to incorporate a headset (crafted with a coat hanger) in her performance to give herself more mobility on stage.
Reentry to the Public Spotlight
These days, the face of Bush's fame and recognition has shifted. Her song Running Up that Hill was used in the wildly popular series Stranger Things in 2022. The song had canonical importance to the plot of the series and carried immense emotional weight. This moved younger Gen Z audiences and propelled the single into new (wuthering perhaps) heights.
Kate Bush stated on her website that she was thrilled that the single was given a "new lease of life by the young fans who love the show." The song has now reached more than 1 billion streams.
Lasting Inspiration
The array of different artist who have listed Kate Bush as a critical influence is seemingly endless. She has an unapologetic reputation as a feminine avant-garde trail blazer.
According to Alexis Petridis of the Guardian, Bush's "shadow looms so large that whenever a female singer-songwriter emerges who is even remotely out of the ordinary, it's only a matter of time before someone, fairly or otherwise, mentions Bush"
At Bynx, we have an extensive collection of her works. This includes all of the showcased vinyl images and beyond. Clicking on the images on this page will bring you to our Discogs listings where the records are available for purchase!
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