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Bree Sharp
View on WikipediaKey Information
Bree Sharp (born December 17, 1975)[1] is an American musician and actress. As of the 2010s, she is the lead vocalist of the electropop band Beautiful Small Machines.
A native of Philadelphia, Sharp studied theatre at New York University before releasing her first album A Cheap and Evil Girl in 1999, which contained the cult single "David Duchovny." Her second album, More B.S. was released in 2002. Beginning in 2005, Sharp began recording music for anime and cartoons dubbed by 4Kids Entertainment. In 2009, she founded Beautiful Small Machines with long time collaborator Don DiLego. Beautiful Small Machines released the EP Robots in Love in 2009 and the album The DJ Stayed Home in 2014.
Early life and education
[edit]Sharp was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and learned to play guitar by 15.[1] By 17, she had moved to New York City to study theater at New York University. While in college, Sharp began writing the songs that led to her 1998 record deal with Trauma Records.
Career
[edit]In July 1999, she released her first album, A Cheap and Evil Girl. The album's first single, "David Duchovny," garnered a cult following both for its musical qualities and its comical references to the titular actor.[citation needed] Will Shivers and Charles Forsch, production assistants and producers on The X-Files, produced a video for "David Duchovny" featuring myriad celebrities crooning the lyrics including Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Whoopi Goldberg, Alex Trebek, David Spade, all four members of KISS, Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny himself and dozens of others.[2] The video was a hit on the Internet and circulated widely in the underground fan community.[3] The song lyrics were quoted in David Duchovny's later Showtime Network TV series, Californication, in 2011.[4]
In the summer of 1999, Sharp played as part of the Lilith Fair, the all-women music festival created by Sarah McLachlan and headlined by McLachlan and Sheryl Crow. In 2000, Sharp toured with Bush and Moby as part of MTV’s “Campus Invasion Tour” in colleges across the United States.[5][circular reference]
Sharp's second single "America," is an examination of contemporary American culture.
In 2001, Sharp left Trauma Records,[1] which at least one music journalist attributed to the company's poor management.[6]
In August 2002, she released her second album, More B.S., on her own label, Ahimsa Records. In September 2004, Sharp released Live at Fez, a recording of a May 2003 unplugged performance in New York City, which included the new song, “Waving Goodbye."
In 2005, Sharp began working as a teleplay writer on Japanese anime import Ojamajo Doremi, dubbed in English as Magical DoReMi that aired as part of Fox’s Saturday morning cartoon block. She also contributed the song "This Side of Paradise" to the dubbed English version of the Pokemon movie Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys and "Team Up!" as the opening theme music for the dubbed English television version of Tokyo Mew Mew, also known as Mew Mew Power. Sharp also sang most of the songs for Mew Mew Power and contributed the song "Where the Girls Are" in the 4Kids Entertainment edit of Winx Club.
In July 2007, Sharp starred as Leila in Vassar College's Powerhouse Summer Theater workshop production of Pete Townshend's The Boy Who Heard Music.
On August 2, 2007, Sharp announced on her MySpace blog that the mixing of her long-delayed third studio album, Robots in Love, was all but complete,[7] and posted four of the new songs ("EastSide," "So Long 2 U," "In the Name of Revenge," and "Robots in Love") on her MySpace music player. In January 2008, she added two more new songs ("Counting Back to 1" and "The Wretched Sound of City Cars") to the player. Sharp ultimately opted to release the new material not as a solo album but under the name Beautiful Small Machines, a band comprising herself and longtime collaborator Don DiLego.
Following the Robots in Love EP, she released the single "Simple Joys (4 Roy & Pris)," which featured vocals from Simon Le Bon, the longtime frontman for Duran Duran. The two became friends when she opened for them at a radio show in St Louis, MO in 2003. The song is an homage to the ill-fated androids from the movie Blade Runner. In 2012 Beautiful Small Machines released their version and music video for the song Paper Planes, a twangy cover of the M.I.A. song.[8] Their next album entitled The DJ Stayed Home was released in 2014.
Sharp made her film debut in the role of Erica in the independent movie Bert and Arnie's Guide to Friendship, directed by Jeff Kaplan, which also starred Anna Chlumsky, Cristin Milioti and Adrian Martinez.[9]
From 2012- 2014 Sharp was a member of the Upright Citizen’s Brigade sketch comedy house teams “Dinner” and “Ripley” and performed weekly the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City. In 2014, she guest starred on an episode of Louie. The episode also starred Jerry Seinfeld, Victor Garber and Yvonne Strahovski.[10]
In 2018, along with partners Don DiLego, Jesse Malin and Tom Baker, Sharp helped to open the east village bar and music venue, Coney Island Baby on Avenue A (formerly Hi-Fi).[11] Sharp, DiLego and Malin all began their music careers in the east village and were looking to provide a space for live music in their old stomping grounds where music venues had dwindled. A year later the bar changed names to Lola before closing due to Covid in May 2020. During its 2 year run, the 200 person capacity club held intimate shows with rock legends Jack White (White Stripes), Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day), Run (Run DMC), H.R. (Bad Brains) and hundreds of local and touring acts. Sharp held her own concert there in the fall of 2019 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of her debut album, “A Cheap and Evil Girl”.
From 2012 to present, Sharp has had a successful commercial voice over career, lending her voice to such brands as Revlon, Geico, Holiday Inn, Walmart, TJMaxx, Coffee Mate, Fisher Price, and has been the brand voice for E*trade since 2020, including two Super Bowl commercials in 2021 and 2022. She has upcoming scripted drama podcasts for Audible, Wondery and Apple Music set to be released in the fall of 2022.[12]
Her single, "Simple Joys (4 Roy & Pris)" feat. Simon Le Bon was re-released on Spotify on October 11, 2022, in honor of Duran Duran’s upcoming induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Personal life
[edit]Sharp is a vegan and animal rights activist.[13]
Discography
[edit]Solo
[edit]| Album | Record label | Release year |
|---|---|---|
| A Cheap and Evil Girl | Trauma Records | 1999 |
| More B.S. | Ahimsa Records | 2002 |
| Live at Fez | Ahimsa | 2004 |
With Beautiful Small Machines
[edit]| Album | Record label | Release year |
|---|---|---|
| Robots in Love EP | Velvet Elk Records | 2009 |
| The DJ Stayed Home | Velvet Elk Records | 2014 |
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Revengers Inc. | Dakota West | |
| 2009 | Off the Ledge | Janice | |
| 2013 | Bert and Arnie's Guide to Friendship | Erica | |
| 2015 | One More Time | Singer #2 | |
| 2017 | Staring at the Sun | Mrs. Segal |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Louie | Jamie | Episode: "Model" |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Bree Sharp - Biography". NetGlimpse.com. n.d. Archived from the original on June 4, 2013. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
- ^ Freydkin, Donna (July 27, 1999). "Bree Sharp owes her fame to a secret agent man". CNN Interactive. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
- ^ ""David Duchovny" Video". Breesharp.net. Archived from the original on 11 May 2009. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
- ^ ""Californication" Clip, 'The Trial', David Duchovny, Natascha McElhone". YouTube. 21 March 2011. Archived from the original on 2021-12-13. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
- ^ ""Lilith Fair"".
- ^ Veale, Nathan (December 6, 2007). "Live Concert Review: Zack Hexum - Victorians Midnight Cafe". Cleverock.com. Archived from the original on April 22, 2009.
The [Zack Hexum] album languished in obscurity under Trauma's poor management.
- ^ "Bree Sharp | Blog bei Myspace". Archived from the original on 2012-12-05. Retrieved 2010-12-30.
- ^ "Paper Planes [MIA] by Beautiful Small Machines [HD]". YouTube. 22 March 2012. Archived from the original on 2021-12-13. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
- ^ Text archive of Bert And Arnie's Guide to Friendship (official site). Retrieved on June 21, 2013.
- ^ ""Louie"". IMDb.
- ^ ""Coney Island Baby"". 11 May 2018.
- ^ "Voice Over".
- ^ Benvenuto, Andrea (n.d.). "Bree Sharp: Putting the Mew in Musician". WomanRock.com. Archived from the original on July 24, 2008.
External links
[edit]
Bree Sharp
View on GrokipediaEarly life and education
Childhood in Philadelphia
Bree Sharp was born on December 17, 1975, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[1] She grew up in the city's Chestnut Hill neighborhood, attending J.S. Jenks Elementary School there.[1][5] Sharp developed an early interest in music during her teenage years in Philadelphia, learning to play guitar by age fifteen.[1]Theater training at NYU
Sharp enrolled at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in 1993, at the age of 17, immediately following her graduation from Central High School in Philadelphia.[1] She pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in acting, focusing on theater training within the program's dramatic writing and performance curriculum.[6] [7] During her time at Tisch, Sharp trained intensively for three years with the Atlantic Theater Company, founded by playwright David Mamet and actor William H. Macy, which emphasized practical scene study and ensemble-based techniques derived from Mamet's "practical aesthetics" approach.[1] [7] This training involved rigorous exercises in truthful behavior, script analysis, and improvisation without reliance on emotional memory, aligning with the company's method of deriving action from text to achieve authentic performance.[7] Her involvement with Atlantic provided hands-on experience in professional-level repertory work, preparing students for both stage and on-camera demands through repeated scene iterations and peer feedback.[1] Sharp's NYU education culminated in her BFA graduation, equipping her with foundational skills in voice, movement, and character development that later informed her transition to musical theater and acting roles.[6] [5] While specific production credits from her student years remain undocumented in available records, the program's intensity—combining Atlantic's methods with Tisch's broader conservatory resources—fostered her early versatility across performance disciplines.[7]Musical career
Debut album and "David Duchovny" hit
Bree Sharp's debut album, A Cheap and Evil Girl, was released on July 27, 1999, by Trauma Records.[8][3] The record featured 11 tracks blending alternative rock with singer-songwriter elements, including contributions from co-writers Simon Austin and Don DiLego on several songs.[8] Produced with a raw, acerbic edge reflective of Sharp's Philadelphia roots and NYU theater background, the album addressed themes of unrequited desire, social observation, and personal disillusionment.[9] The lead single, "David Duchovny," explicitly named after the actor known for The X-Files, became the album's breakout track, peaking at No. 39 on Billboard's Adult Alternative Airplay (then Modern AC) chart in 1999.[10] With lyrics humorously pleading, "David Duchovny, why won't you love me? / You're all I want, you are my dream," the song satirized celebrity infatuation amid the late-1990s X-Files mania.[10] Its quirky, obsessive tone garnered cult appeal, airing on MTV and alternative radio, though commercial mainstream success was limited by Trauma's distribution challenges.[5] Despite modest chart performance, the single's novelty elevated Sharp's profile, leading to media appearances and fan recognition for its bold specificity—rare in pop music of the era.[10] The album itself reached No. 47 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart, signaling niche breakthrough rather than broad sales, with total units under 50,000 based on industry estimates for similar indie-leaning releases.[8] Critics noted its witty lyricism but critiqued production polish, attributing limited traction to label mismanagement rather than artistic merit.[5] By 2024, enduring demand prompted a 25th-anniversary remastered vinyl edition, underscoring the debut's lasting, if underground, legacy.[11]Subsequent solo releases
Sharp's follow-up studio album, More B.S., was released on August 2, 2002, via her independent label Ahimsa Records.[12] The record comprised 13 tracks, including originals such as "Galaxy Song," "The Ballad of Grim and Lily," and "Everything Feels Wrong," alongside a cover of Don Henley's "The Boys of Summer."[13] Produced independently after her major-label debut, it shifted toward a more introspective alternative rock sound, reflecting personal themes without the viral single-driven promotion of her prior work. In 2004, Sharp issued Live at Fez, a live album capturing a performance from Fez nightclub in New York City, also on Ahimsa Records.[14] Released on February 28, the set featured acoustic renditions of songs like "Not Your Girl," "America," and selections from More B.S., emphasizing her solo stage presence and vocal delivery in an intimate venue setting.[15] This release marked her last major solo output before transitioning to collaborative projects.[16]Beautiful Small Machines era
Beautiful Small Machines emerged as an electropop project spearheaded by Bree Sharp and Don DiLego, building on their songwriting partnership that began during the production of Sharp's debut album A Cheap and Evil Girl (Trauma Records, 1999).[2] The duo formalized the band after abandoning Sharp's intended fourth solo album, channeling their collaborative energy into a distinct entity around 2008.[2] Sharp serves as lead vocalist and primary lyricist, while DiLego contributes production, songwriting, and multi-instrumental elements, creating a core two-person operation with occasional guest features.[2] [17] The band's sound fuses quasi-sci-fi and fantasy themes with retro-twang rock, pop-folk structures, and unpolished audio collages, evoking influences from 1970s and 1980s aesthetics extended into speculative realms.[2] Their debut release, the Robots in Love EP (Velvet Elk Records, 2008), includes five tracks such as "Robots in Love," "Counting Back to 1," "Superconductor," and "So Long to U," emphasizing electronic experimentation and narrative-driven lyrics.[2] [18] The track "Superconductor" gained visibility through licensing in Victoria's Secret and Intel commercials, as well as television placements.[2] Subsequent outputs expanded their catalog with the Simple Joys single EP in 2010, featuring a guest vocal appearance by Simon Le Bon of Duran Duran.[2] In 2012, they issued a banjo-infused pop cover of M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes," showcasing their penchant for reinterpretation and genre-blending.[2] The era culminated in their first full-length album, The DJ Stayed Home (Velvet Elk Records, July 8, 2014), a collection of 10 tracks that refined their electro-twang style with biting, introspective songwriting.[2] [17] These releases established Beautiful Small Machines as an outlet for Sharp's evolution beyond solo work, prioritizing raw creativity over commercial polish.[2]Recent tours and projects
In 2025, Sharp performed a series of shows marking the 25th anniversary of her debut album A Cheap and Evil Girl, featuring full album renditions with a full band and selections from her Beautiful Small Machines catalog, described as an energetic, nostalgia-driven rock presentation.[19] The itinerary comprised the Hotel Café in Los Angeles, California, on March 21 (with opening act Radiator King); a house concert in San Diego, California, on March 22; the Bowery Electric in New York City on April 5; and 118 North in Wayne, Pennsylvania, on April 6.[20] [5] [19] To align with the milestone, a limited-edition eco-friendly vinyl reissue of A Cheap and Evil Girl was made available through Velvet Elk Records.[21] Sharp has been working on a covers album entitled Uncovered, though no release date has been specified.[19]Acting and media work
Film and television roles
Sharp's acting career includes a supporting role as Erica, a book critic, in the 2013 independent comedy film Bert and Arnie's Guide to Friendship, directed by Jeff Kaplan and starring Matt Oberg and Stephen Schneider.[22] In this film, her character interacts with the protagonist in scenes involving literary critique and personal relationships.[23] She appeared as Jamie in the "Model" episode (Season 4, Episode 2) of Louis C.K.'s FX series Louie, which aired on May 5, 2014.[24] In the episode, Jamie engages with the lead character during a benefit event in the Hamptons, contributing to the show's exploration of awkward social encounters. Sharp had a minor role as Singer #2 in the 2015 comedy-drama One More Time, directed by Robert Edwards and featuring Christopher Walken and Amber Heard.[25] This appearance aligns with her musical background, involving performance elements within the film's narrative about family dynamics and show business.[26]Voice-over and commercial work
Sharp began her voice-over career around 2013, focusing primarily on television commercials and brand narration.[19] She has served as the brand voice for E*TRADE, including ads like the 2021 "Working From Home: Lately" spot depicting family distractions during video calls.[27][28] Sharp also provides the brand voice for Sotyktu, a psoriasis treatment medication.[28][6] Additional credits include Revlon campaigns, such as those featuring Olivia Wilde for ColorStay Gel Envy nail polish and Emma Stone for Colorburst Matte & Lacquer Balms lip products.[28] Commercials utilizing her voice have appeared in 49 nationally aired TV ad campaigns, accumulating over 193,000 airings in the 30 days prior to late 2025 data points.[29]Personal life
Marriage and collaborations
Sharp has kept details of her personal relationships, including any marriage, private, with no verifiable public records or statements confirming a spouse.[1] A primary musical collaborator is singer-songwriter Don DiLego, with whom she co-founded the electropop band Beautiful Small Machines in 2009.[30] The duo, known for blending electro-twang elements including banjo-driven tracks, released two albums together, emphasizing Sharp's vocals alongside DiLego's production and instrumentation.[30] Their partnership dates back further, with DiLego contributing to early sessions that informed Sharp's sound evolution post-debut.[9] Sharp has also collaborated on theme songs and soundtracks, including contributions to 4Kids Entertainment's dubbed anime and cartoons starting in 2005, such as music for Pokémon and Mew Mew Power.[31] These projects involved composing and performing original tracks tailored to episodic needs, expanding her work beyond solo releases.Animal rights activism and lifestyle
Sharp adopted a vegetarian diet at age 15 during high school, prompted by exposure to the cruelties of factory farming, including cramped cages and inadequate animal care.[32] She cited personal ethical discomfort with consuming animals she viewed as friends, reinforced by an incident at age 16 involving the unintended death of a clam during a school trip, which heightened her aversion to causing animal harm.[32] In the early 2000s, Sharp actively supported animal welfare organizations, including PETA and the Midwest Animal and Potbellied Pig Association and Rescue (MAPPAR), performing at benefit events such as a October 28, 2004, concert at High Noon Saloon in Madison, Wisconsin, to raise awareness and funds.[32] Her advocacy extended to appreciating rescue animals' resilience, as she highlighted cases like dogs born without front legs and incontinent cats during interviews.[32] By the 2010s, Sharp had transitioned to veganism, a commitment she maintains for animal welfare reasons, as reflected in her public profiles and descriptions as an "animal rights champion."[33] [34] Her website features dedicated pages promoting vegan alternatives, environmental arguments against animal agriculture—such as higher land and water demands for meat production compared to plant-based foods—and compilations of vegetarian quotes to encourage ethical living.[35] [36] Sharp integrates animal rights into her lifestyle, deriving personal fulfillment from pets and viewing veganism as intertwined with broader ethical and ecological realism, though she has not been associated with high-profile campaigns beyond organizational support and personal testimony.[32] [5]Discography
Solo releases
Sharp's debut solo album, A Cheap and Evil Girl, was released on July 27, 1999, by Trauma Records.[37] [3] The album featured alternative rock and singer-songwriter elements, with production emphasizing Sharp's witty lyrics and melodic hooks. Its lead single, "David Duchovny (Why Won't You Love Me?)", a humorous ode to the actor from The X-Files, achieved cult status and garnered significant airplay on alternative radio and MTV, contributing to the album's niche popularity among fans of 1990s indie pop.[38] [39] Her second studio album, More B.S., followed on August 2, 2002, via her own Ahimsa Records imprint in partnership with Velvet Elk Music.[12] [13] This release shifted toward more introspective themes, including tracks like "Lazy Afternoon" and a cover of "The Boys of Summer", reflecting personal growth and collaborations with producer Don DiLego. Distributed independently, it received positive reviews for its raw production and emotional depth but achieved limited commercial reach compared to her debut.[40] In 2004, Sharp issued Live at Fez, a solo live album capturing a performance from New York City's Fez venue, released on Ahimsa Records.[41] The recording preserved intimate acoustic sets of material from her prior albums, highlighting her stage presence and vocal delivery in a club setting. A re-recorded version of "David Duchovny (Why Won't You Love Me?)"—titled David Duchovny, Why Won't You Love Me? (The Reboot)—was released as a standalone solo single on January 24, 2016, updating the original with contemporary production while retaining its playful essence.[42] This marked Sharp's last notable solo output before focusing primarily on band projects. In 2024, a 25th-anniversary remastered edition of A Cheap and Evil Girl was issued on vinyl by Velvet Elk Records, including the original tracklist and bonus material to commemorate the album's enduring fanbase.[21]Releases with Beautiful Small Machines
Beautiful Small Machines is an indietronica and synthpop project founded by singer-songwriter Bree Sharp and musician Don DiLego, characterized by electro-twang elements blending electronic production with twangy instrumentation.[43][44] The duo's releases emphasize Sharp's lyrical style, often exploring themes of love, technology, and urban disconnection through synth-driven tracks and occasional covers.[45]| Title | Type | Year | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Robots in Love EP | EP | 2009 | Velvet Elk Records | Features tracks including "Counting Back to 1," "Robots in Love," "Super Conductor," "So Long to U," and "Servo Manual Chapter 1." Released as a CD EP in the US.[46][18] |
| Simple Joys EP | EP | 2010 | Velvet Elk Records | Includes "Simple Joys (4 Roy & Pris)" featuring Simon Le Bon of Duran Duran, inspired by characters from Blade Runner; original release with a remix version. A version was re-released digitally in October 2022.[2][47][48] |
| Paper Planes (Single) | Single | 2010 | Independent | Banjo-pop cover of M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes," noted as an internet hit for its genre-blending reinterpretation.[2][49] |
| The DJ Stayed Home | Album | 2014 | Independent | Full-length album expanding on the project's synthpop sound with contributions from collaborators.[50][51] |
Filmography
Feature films
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Bert and Arnie's Guide to Friendship | Erica[52][53] |
| 2015 | One More Time | Singer #2[54][4] |