MJ Lenderman

MJ Lenderman
Lenderman playing guitar under dark red lighting
Lenderman in 2023
Background information
Birth nameMark Jacob Lenderman
Born (1999-02-04) February 4, 1999 (age 25)
Asheville, North Carolina, U.S.
Genres
Years active2018–present
LabelsAnti-
Member ofWednesday
Websitewww.mjlenderman.com

Mark Jacob Lenderman (born 1999), also known as Jake Lenderman and MJ Lenderman,[1][2] is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has released multiple solo albums and also plays with the alternative rock band Wednesday. He also has played drums for Indigo De Souza. Lenderman's style has been described as alt-country, classic rock, and indie rock music.

Biography

Early life and education

Lenderman was born in Asheville, North Carolina. His great-grandfather was saxophonist Charlie Ventura.[3] He was raised Catholic and was an altar boy.[3] He played basketball and obsessively watched tapes of Michael Jordan.[2] He grew up listening to Mark Linkous and Jason Molina.[2] In his junior and senior years of high school, he began posting his music to Bandcamp.[3] Lenderman studied at UNC Asheville for three semesters.[4]

Career

In 2018, Lenderman played the drums for fellow Asheville artist Indigo De Souza on her albums I Love My Mom and Any Shape You Take.[4] Lenderman met Karly Hartzman, lead singer for the group Wednesday, and he joined the band for an EP called How Do You Let Love Into the Heart That Isn't Split Wide Open (2018).[1]

In July 2019, he released a self-titled album, his first solo album.[5] At that time, he was working in an ice cream shop to support himself financially.[6]

Lenderman toured with Wednesday in early February 2020, until the COVID-19 pandemic ended the tour.[4] During the COVID-19 pandemic, while collecting unemployment insurance, Lenderman wrote the songs that became the album Ghost of Your Guitar Solo, released in 2021.[6]

His third album Boat Songs was released in 2022 on Dear Life Records.[7] It was listed as one of the best albums of 2022 by Pitchfork, The A.V. Club, and The Ringer.[8][9][10] After the success of the album, Lenderman signed a recording contract with Anti-.[11] In 2023, he released the singles "Rudolph" and "Knockin'".[4]

Lenderman contributed guitar and vocals to the album Tiger's Blood by Waxahatchee, released in March 2024, and was listed as featured guest artist on the album's lead single, "Right Back To It". In March 2024, Lenderman performed "Right Back To It" with Waxahatchee on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.[12] Lenderman's next album, Manning Fireworks, released in September 2024.[13]

Personal life

Lenderman was in a relationship with his Wednesday bandmate Karly Hartzman for several years.[1] In July 2024, The Guardian reported that the two had split.[14]

Discography

Albums

List of albums, with selected details[15]
Title Details
MJ Lenderman
  • Released: June 15, 2019
  • Label: Dear Life Records
Ghost of Your Guitar Solo
  • Released: March 26, 2021
  • Label: Dear Life Records
Boat Songs
  • Released: April 29, 2022
  • Label: Dear Life Records
And the Wind (Live and Loose!)
  • Released: November 17, 2023
  • Label: Anti-
Manning Fireworks
  • Released: September 6, 2024
  • Label: Anti-

Extended plays

List of EPs, with selected details
Title Credit Details
How Do You Let Love Into the Heart That Isn't Split Wide Open MJ Lenderman & Wednesday
  • Released: December 13, 2018
  • Label: Self-released
Faucet Nash to Stoudemire1
  • Released: November 7, 2019
  • Label: Self-released
Lucky MJ Lenderman
  • Released: December 25, 2019
  • Label: Self-released
Guttering MJ Lenderman & Wednesday
  • Released: January 22, 2021
  • Label: Super Enema
DLDRG 002 – Knockin' MJ Lenderman
  • Released: August 20, 2021
  • Label: Dear Life Records

1Lenderman and Karly Harztman

Singles

List of singles
Title Year Album
"Hangover Game"[16] 2022 Boat Songs
"TLC Cage Match"[16]
"Rudolph"[17] 2023 Manning Fireworks
"Knockin'"[17] Non-album single
"She's Leaving You" 2024 Manning Fireworks

References

  1. ^ a b c Moreland, Quinn (25 January 2023). "Wednesday's Curdled Beauty". Pitchfork.
  2. ^ a b c Reisman, Will (October 20, 2022). "MJ Lenderman is a sports-obsessed folk singer on the rise". San Francisco Examiner.
  3. ^ a b c "MJ Lenderman Does Not Have Mamba Mentality". GQ. November 17, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d "MJ Lenderman Is Knockin' On Rock Stardom's Door". Stereogum. 2023-08-07.
  5. ^ "MJ LENDERMAN: S/T". MELTED. 2019-07-14.
  6. ^ a b "MJ LENDERMAN". Anti-.
  7. ^ "Boat Songs, by MJ Lenderman". Bandcamp.
  8. ^ "Here are the 30 best albums of 2022". The A.V. Club. 2022-12-12.
  9. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2022". Pitchfork. 2022-12-06.
  10. ^ "The 33 Best Albums of 2022". The Ringer. 2022-12-06.
  11. ^ "MJ Lenderman signs to ANTI- RECORDS, drops new single "Rudolph"". WXPN. 2023-07-19.
  12. ^ "Waxahatchee and MJ Lenderman Perform "Right Back to It" on Colbert: Watch". Pitchfork. March 27, 2024.
  13. ^ Mitchell, Matt (June 24, 2024). "MJ Lenderman Announces New Album Manning Fireworks". Paste.
  14. ^ D'Souza, Shaad (2024-07-09). "Pixar, Catholic shame, and urine-drinking podcast bros: the mixed-up rock of MJ Lenderman". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
  15. ^ "MJ Lenderman". Bandcamp.
  16. ^ a b "Wednesday's MJ Lenderman Shares New Solo Single "TLC Cage Match": Listen". Stereogum. 2022-03-16.
  17. ^ a b "MJ Lenderman channels his inner Bob Dylan on "Knockin"". The Fader. August 7, 2023.