View source for Kim Bingham

{{Short description|Canadian musician}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Advert|date=September 2020}}
{{COI|date=September 2020}}
{{BLP sources|date=September 2020}}
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist  <!-- Individual -->
| name                = Kim Bingham
| image               = Kimbingham2008.jpg
| image_size          = 
| landscape           = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank -->
| alt                 = 
| caption             = Bingham at the Montreal Jazz Festival 2008
| birth_name          = 
| alias               = Mudgirl
| birth_date          = 
| birth_place         = 
| origin              = [[Montreal, Quebec]], Canada
| genre               = [[Pop music|Pop]], [[Rock music|rock]], [[Alternative rock|alt rock]], [[third wave ska]], [[film scores]]
| occupation          = Singer, musician
| instrument          = Vocals, guitar
| years_active        = 1990s–present
| label               = Mudgirl Music Group
| associated_acts     = [[Me Mom and Morgentaler]], Mudgirl, The Kim Band, Kamikaze Pilot, [[David Usher]], [[Nelly Furtado]], [[Bran Van 3000]]
| website             = {{URL|kimbingham.com}}
}}
'''Kim Anna Bingham''',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ascap.com/repertory#/ace/search/workID/331358179 |title=COEUR DE SABLE |website=ASCAP |publisher=American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers |access-date=November 22, 2024}}</ref> also known by her stage names '''Mudgirl''' and '''The Kim Band,''' is a Canadian singer, guitarist, composer, songwriter and musician. She is known for her musical collaborations with [[Nelly Furtado]], [[Bran Van 3000]], and [[David Usher]].

== Career ==

=== 1990–1994: Me Mom and Morgentaler ===

{{See also|Me Mom and Morgentaler}}
Bingham began her career in music as a member of the [[Montreal]], Quebec, [[Third-Wave Ska|third-wave ska]] band [[Me Mom and Morgentaler]] formed in 1990. The band became known for elaborate live performances and spectacles of [[vaudevillian]]-styled performance art. With the band, Bingham recorded three works: ''Clown Heaven and Hell'' EP (1991), ''Shiva Space Machine'' (1993), and Live ''We Are Revolting: Live & Obscure 1990–1994'' (1994).

=== 1994–1999: Mudgirl ===
In 1994, Bingham left Me, Mom, and Morgentaler and moved to [[Vancouver]], British Columbia, where she formed the project Mudgirl with drummer/vocalist Glenn Kruger ([[Carly Rae Jepsen]], [[the Paperboys]], [[Bloody Chicletts]]), bassist/vocalist Russell Less (Innocents Abroad, the Ground), and guitarist Lucas Truman. Her moniker "Mudgirl" was chosen based on ''"the title of a short story she wrote about a waif made of mud"'' intended for children. She stated, "Mudgirl is an extension of myself where I get to be cartoony and a bit surreal." In 1996, Mudgirl released their debut five-song EP ''First Book'' which included three Canadian radio hits "This Day", "Adjusted", and "Contact" (written by Russell Less). She also produced a handful of popular videos featured on [[MuchMusic]],<ref name="cdbabygirlology" /> and performed on some dates in the U.S., including a July 1996 performance with Mudgirl at [[Lilith Fair]].<ref name="njennings" />

=== 1999–2006: The Kim Band ===

After five years as Mudgirl, Bingham decided to change the name of her collective to "'''The Kim Band'''". Under this moniker, she released the album ''Girlology'' (2001), produced by [[Steven Drake]] (The Odds, The Tragically Hip). The album featured the radio singles "What A Drag", "Valentine's Day", and "Quel Dommage", her French version of "What A Drag," which reached No. 1 on the French-Canadian radio charts.

=== Collaborations with David Usher, Nelly Furtado, and Bran Van 3000: 2000–2003: Touring, bands ===
From 2001 until 2003, Bingham worked with Canadian singer [[David Usher]] as a guitarist and backing vocalist. "[[Black Black Heart]]" is a song written by Usher and [[Jeff Pearce (Canadian musician)|Jeff Pearce]] and for which the operatic female vocal is provided by Bingham, while the chorus samples ''[[Dôme épais le jasmin|The Flower Duet]]'' (Sous le dôme épais), a duet for sopranos from [[Léo Delibes]]' opera [[Lakmé]], as a hook. "Black Black Heart" won two [[MuchMusic Video Award for Best Video|MuchMusic Video Awards]] for Best Post-Production and Best Pop Video in 2002.

In 2003 and early 2004, Bingham toured Europe and the U.S. with pop singer [[Nelly Furtado]] as a guitarist and backing vocalist in Furtado's band. Bingham also collaborated with [[Bran Van 3000]] and is featured on the albums [[Rosé (album)|''Rosé'']] and ''The Garden''. Bingham also toured in Canada as part of Bran Van 3000, including a concert as the main act at the [[Montreal Jazz Festival]] in 2008.

=== ''Les Invincibles'' 2005–2009 ===
{{Main|Les Invincibles}}
From 2005 to 2009, Bingham composed the soundtrack for the television trilogy ''[[Les Invincibles]]'' with three seasons on the original [[Television in Canada|Canadian television]] production (broadcast on [[Ici Radio-Canada Télé|Radio Canada]]) and two seasons on the reprised European versions, a Franco-Belgian-German production (broadcast on [[Arte]]). In 2007, Bingham's original music for the Canadian series was nominated for Best Original Score at the [[Prix Gémeaux]] television award; Bingham won the Best Theme Song award with the theme song "The Heroes Take", shared with co-writer and show creator Jean-François Rivard. Also in 2007, at the request of fans of the Canadian television show, Bingham performed and produced the soundtrack album ''Les Invincibles'' with the support of [[Warner Music Canada]].

=== ''UP!'' and single releases 2010–2020 ===
[[File:BranVan3000 2008 Montreal.jpg|thumb|right|280px|L–R: Jayne Hill, Sara Johnston, Gary McKenzi, Nick Hynes, Kim Bingham, [[Stéphane Moraille]], at the [[Bran Van 3000]] Concert @ [[Montreal Jazz Festival]] 2008]]

Bingham's next work, the full-length album ''UP!'', was recorded in Los Angeles over the summer of 2010 with co-producer [[John Kastner]] ([[Doughboys (Canadian band)|Doughboys]], [[All Systems Go!]]) and with members of bands such as [[Queens of the Stone Age]], [[Jellyfish (band)|Jellyfish]], [[Blind Melon]], and [[Masters of Reality]]. The album was released in May 2012 under Bingham's longstanding indie label, Mudgirl Music Group.

The stop-motion animation video for the single "UP!" won the Best Video award at the 2013 edition of the Independent Music Awards. The French version of "UP!" and the sole French single on the album, a song called "Party Girl", were once again radio hits for Bingham in French-speaking parts of Canada. In January 2019, "Bel Ami" was chosen as the theme song for the US television series [[Good Trouble (TV series)|''Good Trouble'']]. In the summer of 2019, Bingham released her first single, performed in both English and Italian, the upbeat pop song "Beppe Green".

== Style ==
According to ''[[The Spokesman-Review]]'', Bingham "plays a musical style modeled after the eclectic pop of [[The The]]."<ref name="spokesman" />

== Personal life ==
Bingham was raised in [[Montreal]], Quebec, Canada, and presently lives in France.<ref name="upbingham" />

== Awards ==
{|class="wikitable"
!Year
!Award
!Nominated work
!Category
!Result
|-

|rowspan="2"|2007
|rowspan="2"|[[Prix Gémeaux]]
|''Les Invincibles''
| Best Original Score
|{{Nominated}}
|-
|"The Heroes Take"
| Best Theme Song<ref name="montrealgz" />
|{{Won}}
|-
|rowspan="1"|2013
|rowspan="1"|Independent Music Awards
|"Up!"
| Best Short Form Video<ref name="upbiawards" />
|{{Won}}
|-

|}

== Discography ==

=== With Me Mom and Morgentaler ===
;Albums
*1991: ''[[Clown Heaven and Hell]] EP''
*1993: ''[[Shiva Space Machine]]''
*1994: ''[[We Are Revolting: Live & Obscure 1990–1994]]'' ([[live album|live]])

=== Solo material ===

==== Albums ====
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of studio and live albums by Kim Bingham
! Year
! scope="col" rowspan="1" style="width:19em;"| Album title
! scope="col" rowspan="1" style="width:18em;"| Release details
|-

|1996
! {{nobold|''  First Book'' EP<br /><small>by Mudgirl</small>}}
|
* Released: 1996
* Label: Mudgirl Music Group
* Format: CD, digital
|-
|2001
! {{nobold|'' Girlology   ''<br /><small>by The Kim Band</small>}}
|
* Released: 2001
* Label: Mudgirl Music Group
* Format: CD, digital
|-

|rowspan="2"|2007
! {{nobold|'' Les Invincibles<br />(Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)''<br /><small>by Kim Bingham</small>}}
|
* Released: 5 June 2007
* Label: [[Warner Music Canada]]
* Format: CD, digital
|-
! {{nobold|''Intermede''<br /><small>by Kim Bingham</small>}}
|
* Released: 27 August 2007
* Label: Musik2Musik / Mudgirl Music
* Format: CD, digital
|-
|2012
! {{nobold|''  Up! ''<br /><small>by Kim Bingham</small>}}
|
* Released: 22 May 2012
* Label: Mudgirl Music Group
* Format: CD, digital
|-
|}

==== Singles ====
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ Selected singles by Kim Bingham
! scope="col" rowspan="1" style="width:2.5em;"  | Year
! scope="col" rowspan="1" | Title
! scope="col" rowspan="1" | Album
! scope="col" rowspan="1" | [[List of music recording certifications|Certifications]]
|-

|rowspan="3"|1995
!scope="row"|"This Day"
|rowspan="3"|''First Book'' EP ||
|-
!scope="row"|"Adjusted"
|
|-
!scope="row"|"Contact"
|
|-
|rowspan="3"|2001
!scope="row"|"What a Drag!"
|rowspan="3"|''Girlology'' ||    No. 1 in Montreal<ref name="canoehomea" />
|-
!scope="row"|"Valentine's Day"
|
|-
!scope="row"|"Girlology"
|
|-
|rowspan="1"|2003
!scope="row"|"Cœur de sable"
|  French single  || [[Top 40]] in Quebec
|-

|rowspan="1"|2007
!scope="row"|"The Heroes Take"
|  ''Les Invincibles''  ||[[Prix Gémeaux]]: Best Theme Song
|-

|rowspan="1"|2008
!scope="row"|"Ticket pour l'amour"
|  French single  ||
|-
|rowspan="2"|2012
!scope="row"|"Party Girl"
|  Promo single  ||
|-
!scope="row"|"Up!"
|  ''Up!''  ||
|-
|}

=== TV scores ===
*2005–09: ''[[Les Invincibles]]'' (Canada) – composer
*2008–10: ''[[Les Invincibles]]'' (France-Germany) – composer
*2019: Song "Bel Ami" used as theme music for ''[[Good Trouble (TV series)|Good Trouble]]'' (US) – composer

=== Guest appearances ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:left;"
|+ Selected guest performances by Kim Bingham
! scope="col" rowspan="1" style="width:2.5em;"  | Year
! scope="col" rowspan="1" | Single name
! scope="col" rowspan="1" | Primary artist(s)
! scope="col" rowspan="1" | Album
|-

|rowspan="1"|1999
!scope="row"|"Our Generation" <small>(add. vocals by Bingham)</small>
| [[Marcy Playground]]
|rowspan="1"|''[[Shapeshifter (Marcy Playground album)|Shapeshifter]]''
|-
|rowspan="1"|2001
!scope="row"|"[[Black Black Heart]]" <small>(ft. Kim Bingham)</small>
| [[David Usher]]
|rowspan="1"|''[[Morning Orbit]]''
|-

|rowspan="1"|2008
!scope="row"|Various tracks
|[[Bran Van 3000]]
|  ''[[Rosé (album)|Rosé]]''
|-

<!--
|rowspan="1"|201
!scope="row"|"" <small>(ft. Kim Bingham)</small>
|
|   ||
|-
-->
|}

== See also ==
*[[List of musicians from British Columbia]]
*[[List of Canadian musicians]]

== References ==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name="spokesman">{{cite news | title = Women Take The Stage Lilith Fair Organizers Got Tires Of Industry Attitudes About Women, So They Set About Creating One Of Year's Hottest Music Tours | first = Winda | last = Benedetti | url = http://www.spokesman.com/stories/1997/jul/04/women-take-the-stage-lilith-fair-organizers-got/ | newspaper = [[The Spokesman-Review]] | date = 4 July 1997 | access-date = 25 March 2014}}</ref>
<ref name="njennings">{{cite news |title = Front and Centre Stage |first = Nicholas |last = Jennings |url = http://www.nicholasjennings.com/1995/sarah-mclachlan-lilith-fair |publisher = NicholasJennings.com |date = 28 July 1995 |access-date = 25 March 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140725222319/http://www.nicholasjennings.com/1995/sarah-mclachlan-lilith-fair |archive-date = 25 July 2014 |url-status = dead}}</ref>
<ref name="cdbabygirlology">{{cite news | title = Girlology | url = http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kimband | publisher = [[CDBaby]] | access-date = 25 March 2014}}</ref>
<ref name="upbiawards">[http://www.independentmusicawards.com/ima/2013/12th-annual-independent-music-awards-winners-announced/ 2013 Independent Music Awards Winners Announced]</ref>
<ref name="upbingham">{{cite news | title = Up! | url = http://kimbingham.bandcamp.com/ | publisher = Kim Bingham [[Bandcamp]] | date = 27 August 2012 | access-date = 25 March 2014}}</ref>
<ref name="canoehomea">{{cite news | title = Where there's smoke, there's The Kim Band | first = Mike | last = Bell | url = http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/B/Bingham_Kim/2001/11/30/743321.html | archive-url = https://archive.today/20140725154839/http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/B/Bingham_Kim/2001/11/30/743321.html | url-status = usurped | archive-date = 25 July 2014 | publisher = [[Canoe.ca]] | date = 30 November 2004 | access-date = 15 July 2014}}</ref>
<ref name="montrealgz">{{cite news | title = Rocker Kim Bingham headlines legendary Cleopatra's for Sin City Halloween concert | url = http://blogs.montrealgazette.com/2012/10/24/rocker-kim-bingham-headlines-legendary-cleopatras-for-sin-city-halloween-concert/ | newspaper = [[Montreal Gazette]] | date = 24 October 2012 | access-date = 15 July 2014}}</ref>
}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Kim Bingham}}
* [http://www.kimbingham.com/ KimBingham.com]

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bingham, Kim}}
[[Category:Canadian women singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:Singers from Montreal]]
[[Category:French-language singers of Canada]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Canadian alternative rock musicians]]
[[Category:Canadian women rock singers]]
[[Category:Canadian women pop singers]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian women singers]]
[[Category:1969 births]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian singer-songwriters]]