Misplaced Pages

Brandon Flowers

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
American musician This article is about the musician. For the American football player, see Brandon Flowers (American football).

Brandon Flowers
Flowers performing in 2023Flowers performing in 2023
Background information
Birth nameBrandon Richard Flowers
Born (1981-06-21) June 21, 1981 (age 43)
Henderson, Nevada, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • musician
  • philanthropist
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • keyboards
  • bass
  • guitar
Years active2001–present
Labels
Member ofThe Killers
Spouse Tana Mundkowsky ​(m. 2005)​
Websitebrandonflowersmusic.com
Musical artist

Brandon Richard Flowers (born June 21, 1981) is an American musician. He serves as the co-founder, lead vocalist, primary songwriter, keyboardist, and occasional bassist of the Las Vegas-based rock band the Killers, which he formed with Dave Keuning in 2001.

In addition to his work with the Killers, Flowers has released two solo albums, Flamingo (2010) and The Desired Effect (2015). He has reached number one on the UK Albums Chart ten times, and on the Billboard 200 once (top ten, eight times), including work with the Killers.

Early life

Brandon Richard Flowers, the youngest of six children, was born on June 21, 1981, in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson, Nevada, to Jean Yvonne (née Barlow; 1945–2010) and Terry Austin Flowers. He has an older brother and four older sisters. His parents met as teenagers, and he wrote the song "A Dustland Fairytale" as a tribute to their marriage and lifelong romance. His grandmother was from Lithuania, and his cousin is Craig Barlow, an inductee to the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame.

Flowers's family lived in Henderson until Flowers was eight, when they moved to Payson, Utah, for two years before moving to Nephi, Utah, when he was in the sixth grade. Flowers lived in Nephi until his junior year at Juab High School, when in 1997, at 16, he moved back to Las Vegas to live with his aunt. He graduated from Chaparral High School in 1999.

Flowers said that growing up in Las Vegas as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) helped prepare him for the world of rock and roll: "Really, being a Mormon in Las Vegas prepared me for the lion's den. It is Sin City. The things that go on, the lights, it's the ultimate rock and roll stage. Without Las Vegas, I would be a wreck."

Career

The Killers (2001–present)

Main article: The Killers
Brandon Flowers singing for the Killers Day & Age World Tour
Flowers onstage at BST Hyde Park in 2017

Flowers responded to an ad that Dave Keuning had placed in the Las Vegas Weekly in late 2001, whereupon they became the Killers. After several short-lived bassists and drummers, Flowers and Keuning were joined by bassist Mark Stoermer and drummer Ronnie Vannucci, and the line-up became official in August 2002. Between 2003 and 2017, they released five consecutive chart-topping studio albums and have sold over 22 million records worldwide. The Killers are among those artists who have spent more than 1,000 weeks on the UK music charts during their career. Flowers wrote the lyrics to the single "All These Things That I've Done" that numbered among the "100 Greatest Songs of All Time" by The Daily Telegraph and earned one of the band's seven Grammy nominations. He is also the author of the lyrics of "Mr. Brightside," which is the third biggest selling/streaming song of all time in the United Kingdom and also holds the record for most weeks spent on the UK Singles Chart, at over 408 weeks. Their second album Sam's Town, paid homage to Flowers' hometown and family, and earned the band their first BRIT Awards (Best International Album and Group), and included the chart-topping single "When You Were Young". Before releasing their first Billboard 200 No.1 album Wonderful Wonderful (2017) and chart topping single "The Man", the band took a one-year hiatus during which Flowers released his second and most favorably reviewed solo album to that date.

On July 4, 2010, the Killers headlined the "Salute to the Military" USO Concert at the White House. They performed "God Bless America" and favorites from their catalogue. On June 22, 2013, the Killers headlined the 90,000-capacity Wembley Stadium, their biggest solo show to date.

Solo career (2010–present)

Flamingo (2010–11)

Flowers on the Flamingo Road Tour in 2010

Flowers debuted his solo act at the Shimmer Showroom in Las Vegas on August 15, 2010. Spin named it one of the "15 Best Shows of the Summer" before listing the Flamingo Road Tour as one of the "25 Best Fall Tours"/"Must-See Fall Tours".

Flowers' debut solo album, Flamingo, was released worldwide and charted in the top ten albums in ten countries including the UK where it charted at number one. The album drew heavy influence from Flowers' hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada, and earned Flowers a Q Award nomination for Best Male Artist (2010). The first single from Flamingo, "Crossfire", was released on June 21. It became Flowers' first top ten single in the UK as a solo artist and was certified silver by the BPI. The video for "Crossfire" featured actress Charlize Theron and was nominated for Best Video at the NME Awards. Flamingo was Flowers' fourth consecutive studio album to reach no. 1 on the UK charts, including work by the Killers, who subsequently earned another two consecutive UK No. 1's.

The Desired Effect (2015)

Flowers with Chrissie Hynde on The Desired Effect Tour in 2015

After some of the band members wanted "to take a break from touring and the rat race," Flowers decided to keep it going and record a second solo album. The Desired Effect was released on May 15, 2015. The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, making it Flowers' second consecutive solo number one album. Flowers stated that the album was "definitely going to be different" from his last album, and he referred to producer Ariel Rechtshaid (Vampire Weekend, Haim, Taylor Swift) as his "co-captain". The album featured performances by artists including Bruce Hornsby, Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel), Joey Waronker (Beck), Carlos Alomar (David Bowie), and Kenny Aronoff (John Mellencamp). The Desired Effect is Flowers' highest yet ranked album on Metacritic and honored as the Album of the Year (2015) by The San Francisco Examiner. Reviews positively described the album as Flowers' finest work since Hot Fuss. The album was preceded by positively reviewed singles "Can't Deny My Love", "Still Want You", "Lonely Town", and "I Can Change". Multiple tracks from the album were listed on Best Songs of 2015 So Far lists by publications including SPIN, NPR, and Mashable. Halfway through 2015, USA Today listed the album as one of the top five best albums of 2015 so far.

The Desired Effect Tour included performances in Europe and North America; it ran through October 1, 2015. MTV rated Flowers' tour stop at London's Brixton Academy five stars. Flowers performed for President Barack Obama in 2015 at the National Clean Energy Summit. Flowers also performed at the Royal Variety Performance (2015) at Royal Albert Hall for members of the British Royal Family.

Flowers was one of two favorite artists asked to perform "Be Still" and "Home Means Nevada" at the funeral of former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on January 8, 2022. As of December 2023, Brandon Flowers is working on a new solo album.

Collaborations

In addition to his work with the Killers, Flowers has collaborated with Alex Cameron, Avicii, New Order, and Robbie Williams.

In 2023, he performed alongside Elton John at the Glastonbury Festival wearing a red suit, black shoes with a pale blue shirt.

Personal life

Flowers in 2011

Flowers married Tana Mundkowsky in 2005 and lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Park City, Utah. He wrote the song "Some Kind of Love" for his wife who suffers from PTSD. He and his wife have three sons, born in 2007, 2009, and 2011. Their sons attended their first Killers concert in July 2017, at London's Hyde Park.

Flowers is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 2012, he discussed his religion on Scandinavian television show Skavlan, where he debated Richard Dawkins on the subject. He and his family are featured in a promotional video on the church's website.

His portrait was painted by British artist Joe Simpson for his "Musician Portraits" series that was exhibited at the Royal Albert Hall in 2012.

Philanthropy

From 2006 to 2016, the Killers released annual Christmas-themed singles and videos in aid of the charity Product Red, supporting The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The singles later formed the charity compilation album Don't Waste Your Wishes (2016). Sir Elton John listed Flowers as one of his top five heroes while editing The Independent's World Aids Day special edition. The Killers have also contributed songs for cover albums with proceeds going to charities supporting natural disaster relief (Rhythms del Mundo Classics) and famine-stricken areas (AHK-toong BAY-bi Covered). The Killers co-organized a benefit concert in December 2017 for those affected by the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, raising more than $700,000.

Artistry

Influences

Flowers has listed Bruce Springsteen, Oingo Boingo, Duran Duran, Pet Shop Boys, the Smiths, the Cars, and Depeche Mode among his musical influences.

Musical style and vocals

Flowers is regarded as a prominent frontman of the new wave revival in the 2000s. As a solo artist, Flowers first exhibited elements of heartland rock as well as new-wave-style alternative rock. On his second album, Flowers exhibited greater pop tendencies, prompting Rolling Stone to dub The Desired Effect "the best straight-up pop album made by a rock star in recent memory." Flowers is a tenor.

U2's lead singer Bono praised Flowers' voice to The Globe and Mail in 2015, saying "We need him on the radio .... His voice!"

Discography

Main article: Brandon Flowers discography See also: The Killers discography

The Killers

Solo

Tours

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Brandon Flowers See also: List of awards and nominations received by the Killers

Brandon Flowers has been awarded the Q Idol Award and appeared on multiple greatest-frontman-of-all-time lists published by various outlets.

The Killers have been nominated for seven GRAMMY Awards, eight BRIT Awards, and two World Music Awards.

See also

References

  1. Kok, Melissa (September 22, 2013). "The Killers took 10 years to get here but turn in top-notch F1 concert". The Straits Times.
  2. "Top Ten Best Indie Rock Bands". Thetoptens.com. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
  3. Leahey, Andrew. "Brandon Flowers". AllMusic. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  4. Greenblatt, Leah (September 16, 2010). "Brandon Flowers - Flamingo". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  5. DeVille, Chris (August 27, 2014). "Brandon Flowers Is Recording A Solo Album With Ariel Rechtshaid". Stereogum. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  6. Trendell, Andrew (February 13, 2014). "The Massive Career Turning Points For 15 Of Today's Biggest Artists". Gigwise. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  7. Fitzmaurice, Larry (August 24, 2017). "The Killers Aren't Dead Yet". Vice. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  8. "Brandon Flowers of The Killers confirms solo album". The Independent. May 3, 2010. Archived from the original on May 3, 2010. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  9. Carucci, John (November 6, 2009). "The Killers, coming to a screen near you". Mail Tribune. Archived from the original on October 8, 2017. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
  10. "The Killers celebrate eighth Number 1 album with Rebel Diamonds". Official Charts. December 15, 2023.
  11. "The Killers Snag Seventh U.K. No. 1 With Pressure Machine". Billboard.com. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  12. "The Killers Earn First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With 'Wonderful Wonderful'". Billboard.com. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  13. "Obituaries". Obits.reviewjournal.com.
  14. ^ "Jean Flowers Obituary – Las Vegas, NV | Las Vegas Review-Journal". Legacy.com. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
  15. "Interview with Brandon Flowers of The Killers – Nottingham Post". Nottingham Post. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014.
  16. ""The Killers": Brandon Flowers: "My Grandma Is from Lithuania!"". MTV Europe. November 18, 2006. Archived from the original on December 31, 2012. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  17. "Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame". Lasvegasgolfhof.com. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  18. "SPIN.com: The Lady Killer: An Interview with the Killers' Brandon Flowers". January 16, 2008. Archived from the original on January 16, 2008. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  19. Clark, Stuart. "Crime Scene Investigation". Hotpress. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  20. Joshua Longobardy (February 15, 2007). "When he was young". Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  21. McCormick, Neil. "'we can be Bigger than U2' there are no Limits to the Ambition of Brandon Flowers and His Band, the Killers – Yet in Person the Singer, Songwriter and Devout Mormon is a Fearful Man. He Talks to Neil McCormick." The Daily Telegraph: 31. November 27, 2008. ProQuest. Web. October 2, 2015.
  22. Patterson, Spencer (April 16, 2010). "Almost Famous – Las Vegas Sun News". Lasvegassun.com. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  23. No other international act ever has managed an untarnished career streak of five Number 1 studio albums from their debut
  24. Craig McLean (September 9, 2012). "On the road with the Killers: The return of America's greatest rock band – Features – Music". The Independent. London. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  25. McCormick, Neil (March 12, 2009). "100 Greatest Songs of All Time: 75 – 51". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022.
  26. "The Killers' 'Mr Brightside' Snags U.K. Chart Milestone". Billboard.
  27. "The Killers Celebrate 10 Years of 'Sam's Town' With Wild Casino Getaway". Rolling Stone. October 3, 2016. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  28. "Watch: The Killers play the White House " Consequence of Sound". Consequence.net. July 5, 2010. Retrieved September 18, 2010.
  29. Mark Beaumont (June 23, 2013). "The Killers – review | Music". The Guardian. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  30. "Bruce Springsteen, the Killers, Psy nominated for Wembley Stadium's Greatest Moment Of 2013 | News". Nme.Com. December 7, 2013. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  31. "Brandon Flowers Plays First Solo Show". August 16, 2010. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  32. "The 15 Best Shows of the Summer | BRANDON FLOWERS". SPIN.com. September 7, 2010. Retrieved September 18, 2010.
  33. "Brandon Flowers Plots Tour Dates". SPIN.com. September 13, 2010. Retrieved September 18, 2010.
  34. "Brandon Flowers | Artist". Official Charts. September 18, 2010. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  35. "Brandon Flowers .com.br Flamingo & Crossfire Official Dates". Brandonflowers.com.br. June 19, 2010. Archived from the original on July 21, 2012. Retrieved September 18, 2010.
  36. "Brandon Flowers Debuts at No. 1 in U.K." Billboard. September 13, 2010. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  37. Doyle, Patrick. "Brandon Flowers, the Solo Killer." Rolling Stone May 7, 2015: 18. ProQuest. Web. October 1, 2015.
  38. "Brandon Flowers' album has The Desired Effect on albums chart". Officialcharts.com.
  39. David Renshaw (August 27, 2014). "NME News The Killers' Brandon Flowers reveals details of 2015 solo album – NME.COM". Nme.com.
  40. "NME News Brandon Flowers says second solo album is 'definitely going to be different'". Nme.com. December 18, 2014. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
  41. Kreps, Daniel (August 28, 2014). "Brandon Flowers Leaves Comfort Zone for New Solo Album". Rollingstone.com. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
  42. "Brandon Flowers". Metacritic. November 20, 2007.
  43. "The Killers". Metacritic. November 20, 2007.
  44. "2015's top albums". Sfexaminer.com. December 31, 2015. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  45. "RRW's Top 5 Albums of 2015". Altscribe.com. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  46. "REVIEW: Brandon Flowers – The Desired Effect | PressPLAY". Pressplayok.com. May 12, 2015. Archived from the original on May 19, 2015. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
  47. Andy Morris. "Brandon Flowers – The Desired Effect". gigwise.com.
  48. Brian Passey (May 28, 2015). "Brandon Flowers returns with 'Hot Fuss'-style new wave". St. George News.
  49. Anna Gunn (June 5, 2015). "Brandon Flowers – The Desired Effect – Album Review – Hit The Floor". Hit The Floor.
  50. Corner, Lewis (March 28, 2015). "This week's new singles reviewed: Rihanna, Ed Sheeran, Brandon Flowers – Music Feature". Digitalspy.com. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
  51. "Brandon Flowers 'Can't Deny My Love' Review: New Single from 'The Desired Effect' Pulls Heavily from the '80s [LISTEN] : Buzz". Musictimes.com. March 23, 2015. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
  52. Taylor, Kim (April 13, 2015). "PREMIERE: Here's the Slick New Brandon Flowers Video for "Still Want You" | NOISEY". Noisey.vice.com. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
  53. "Brandon Flowers – Lonely Town". YouTube.com. April 27, 2015. Archived from the original on November 10, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
  54. Scott, Nate (July 2, 2015). "The 10 best albums of 2015 (so far) | For The Win". USA Today. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  55. "Brandon Flowers 2015 North American Solo Tour Schedule". April 27, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  56. "Brandon Flowers Announces 2015 Solo Tour Dates". April 20, 2015. Archived from the original on May 4, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  57. "Brandon Flowers Announces North American Solo Tour". April 21, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  58. "Brandon Flowers Kills It At London's Brixton Academy, While Joywave Provide The 'Somebody New'". MTV UK.
  59. "Agenda - Clean Energy Summit 8.0 - August 24, 2015". Cleanenergysummit.org.
  60. "Royal Variety Charity / Variety News". Eabf.org.uk. Archived from the original on October 30, 2015. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  61. "Royal Variety Performance 2015 review at Royal Albert Hall, London – 'the biggest night in showbiz' - Review - Various - The Stage". Archived from the original on November 17, 2015.
  62. "Biden to attend Reid funeral; Obama to deliver eulogy". Thenevadaindependent.com. January 4, 2022.
  63. Trendell, Andrew (December 18, 2023). "Brandon Flowers tells us about the future of The Killers and confirms new solo album: "I'm starting to know what I'm doing"". NME. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  64. "Watch Alex Cameron's Video for New Song "Runnin' Outta Luck"". Pitchfork. August 30, 2017.
  65. "Brandon Flowers collaborates with Avicii for new version of 'The Days' - listen". NME. June 9, 2015.
  66. "New Order LP to Feature Iggy Pop, Brandon Flowers". Rolling Stone. July 7, 2015.
  67. "Robbie Williams announces new album Heavy Entertainment Show ft some musical big-hitters". The Independent. September 26, 2016. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  68. "Brandon Flowers joins Elton John at Glastonbury for 'Tiny Dancer'". Independent.co.uk. June 26, 2023.
  69. "VH1.com : News : Killers Singer Brandon Flowers Marries Longtime Girlfriend". September 8, 2006. Archived from the original on September 8, 2006. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  70. Robles, Jonathan (September 15, 2017). "Hear The Killers' Breathtaking New Single 'Some Kind of Love'". Variancemagazine.com. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  71. Laudadio, Marisa (July 16, 2007). "The Killers Singer Brandon Flowers, Wife Have a Son". People. Archived from the original on August 23, 2007. Retrieved July 24, 2009.
  72. Sarah Michaud (April 5, 2011). "Brandon Flowers Welcomes Son Henry". People. Archived from the original on September 27, 2012. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
  73. "The Story of Brandon and Tana". Tumblr. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  74. "Brandon Flowers' children give their verdict on their first ever Killers' gig". NME. August 14, 2017.
  75. Petersen, Sarah (September 17, 2012), "Rock star Brandon Flowers defends Mormon faith against famous atheist", Deseret News
  76. Haglund, David (October 17, 2011), "Brow Beat: Slates Culture Blog", Slate, I'm a Father, a Husband, and a Rock Star. And I'm a Mormon.
  77. Wood, Benjamin (October 17, 2011), "The Music Mix", Entertainment Weekly, The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers makes 'I'm a Mormon' video: Watch it here
  78. "Musician Portraits - Joe Simpson's paintings of rock stars - NME". NME. October 14, 2011. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
  79. "The Killers: Annual (Red) Christmas Song". RED. Archived from the original on April 30, 2014. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  80. Legaspi, Althea (November 18, 2016). "The Killers to Release New Christmas Charity Album". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
  81. "World Aids Day special: Elton John to edit The Independent and i". The Independent. London. November 30, 2010.
  82. Sturges, Fiona (December 1, 2010). "Elton's Heroes: No. 4 – Brandon Flowers". The Independent. London.
  83. Sharp, Rob (July 10, 2009). "Observations: A-listers cover a hot topic with another charity record – Features – Music". The Independent. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  84. "Achtung Baby Covers Album to Benefit Concern Worldwide's Emergency Famine Work... - NEW YORK, Nov. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/" (Press release). Prnewswire.com. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  85. "Killers, Imagine Dragons to play Las Vegas benefit concert". November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  86. "Benefit concert for Las Vegas shooting victims raises over $700K". Reviewjournal.com. December 28, 2017.
  87. "Brandon Flowers on Honoring Tom Petty, Cars at Rock Hall". Rolling Stone. April 15, 2018.
  88. "Working Class Magazine, Issue VII". July 18, 2011. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  89. "Brandon Flowers - Biography - Billboard". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 13, 2018. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  90. "Brandon Flowers - Music Videos, News, Photos, Tour Dates - MTV". MTV. Archived from the original on March 25, 2013.
  91. "Brandon Flowers The Desired Effect Album Review". Rolling Stone. May 19, 2015.
  92. Sullivan, Caroline (May 22, 2015). "Brandon Flowers review – gold lame Elvis jacket or not, he's got no game". The Guardian. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  93. Daw, Robbie (May 1, 2015). "Brandon Flowers' "I Can Change": Listen To The "Smalltown Boy"-Sampling Song". Idolator. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  94. Greene, Jayson (September 22, 2017). "The Killers Wonderful Wonderful Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  95. Menyes, Carolyn (May 1, 2015). "Brandon Flowers 'I Can Change' Review: New Song from 'The Desired Effect' Blends '80s and Today [LISTEN]". Music Times. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  96. Brad Wheeler (September 6, 2012). "Achtung! Where does U2 go from here?". Toronto: The Globe and Mail. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  97. "Muse, Pulp and Blur win Q Awards". BBC News. October 22, 2012.

External links

Brandon Flowers
Studio albums
Singles
Tours
Related
The Killers

List of the Killers band members

Studio albums
Compilation albums
Live albums
Extended plays
Singles
Other songs
Christmas songs
Concert tours
Related articles
Category
Categories: