Trixie Whitley is a Belgian American multi-instrumentalist. As the daughter of singer-songwriter Chris Whitley, she began her musical career playing with her father, and recording on several of his albums. Whitley has released three solo EPs, is a member of Black Dub, and was the vocalist on their self-titled debut album.
Early years
Born in Ghent, Belgium on June 24, 1987, Trixie Whitley moved to New York with her mother Hélène Gevaert when she was just a year old, where her father, musician Chris Whitley lived. Even as a toddler, she was immersed in music and the arts, spending time in some of the world's most renowned studios, including Electric Lady Studios. Her early years were split between Ghent and New York City. Trixie began playing the drums when she was 10. At 11, she was touring Europe with several theater companies, and, at the age of 14, with the dance company, "Les Ballets C de la B," as an actor, singer, dancer, and musician. During this same period, Trixie also became known as the youngest resident DJ in Europe, embraced by Belgium's Museum of Modern Art and spinning at raves, festivals, and parties in Brussels, Paris, New York, and Amsterdam. After her time with Les Ballets C de la B and other performing arts collectives in Europe, she quit school to move back to New York City at age 17. Working odd jobs in Brooklyn and Queens, she started to perform her own music in clubs throughout the city.
Music
In 2005 following the passing of her father, she continued to write and record her own material. She recorded her first EP, Strong Blood, in the spring of 2008, produced with Meshell Ndegeocello and Dougie Bowne. That summer, she was invited to present two shows at the Montreal International Jazz Festival. She continued to collaborate with musicians and producers like Marc Ribot, Robert Plant, Stephen Barber, Marianne Faithfull, Joe Henry, Craig Street, and Malcolm Burn, among many others. In late 2008, producer Daniel Lanois contacted Trixie and invited her to the Berklee College of Music, where he was in residence. Their collaboration on Trixie's song "I'd Rather Go Blind" – with drummer Brian Blade – was filmed and provoked a buzz in music circles. Soon, with the addition of bassist Daryl Johnson, a supergroup – Daniel Lanois' Black Dub – was born. In 2010 and 2011 as she toured the world performing with Black Dub, which included canadian musician and producer Daniel Lanois, she was offered 2 lead roles for independent feature films which she turned down due to the touring schedule. During the Black Dub recording sessions, she also recorded her second EP, The Engine, featuring her own music, and began preparing to record her debut as a leader. In late 2011, she released Live at the Rockwood Music Hall, a 5-song EP of her solo performance recorded at Rockwood in New York City. In early 2012, she returned to the studio to finish her debut album, Fourth Corner, with producer Thomas Bartlett, engineer Pat Dillett, and string arrangements by Rob Moose. In anticipation of Fourth Corner, summer of 2012 found Trixie taking the stage at festivals like Bonnaroo, SXSW, and Celebrate Brooklyn. In November and December 2012, she embarked on her first solo tour of the US, and 2013 was filled with European and US tour dates. Her critically acclaimed debut album Fourth Corner was released in the US on January 29, 2013, in Europe on February 11, 2013, and in the UK on March 5, 2013. Her third solo album, Lacuna, was announced on January 4, 2019, and released on March 29.
