Active Child
American singer, songwriter, and record producer.
Patrick James Grossi performs as Active Child, an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. His 2011 debut album, You Are All I See, was produced by Ariel Rechtshaid and earned notable reviews from Pitchfork Media and Drowned in Sound. That same year, he served as an opening act for James Blake and M83. In 2012, his song "Hanging On" was covered by Ellie Goulding and included on her second album, Halcyon.
Quick Facts
- Birth name
- Patrick James Grossi
- Born
- 28 May 1983
- Birthplace
- Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S.
- Genre
- R&B
- new wave
- ambient
- electronic
- soul
- experimental
- Years active
- 2010–present
- Occupation
- Singer
- songwriter
- producer
- Instrument
- Vocals
- harp
- synthesizer
- piano
- guitar
- Label
- Vagrant
- Spunk
- Plancha
Facts from the source article.
Early life
Active Child, the musical project of Pat Grossi, began in 2010. Grossi was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, to Bob Grossi, a Priority Records sales executive, and Donna Grossi, an abstract and figurative painter. Growing up, he was influenced by his father's music, particularly 1980s alternative dance bands like New Order. At age nine, he joined the Philadelphia Boys Choir, touring Europe, South Africa, and Australia, and performing at Carnegie Hall and the Sydney Opera House. As a teenager, his tastes shifted to early 1990s gangster rap, and he focused on sports and academics. While in college in Colorado, the local arts scene inspired him to learn guitar and harp. He blended his childhood choir training with falsetto vocals and evocative lyrics, creating the sound of Active Child.
Career
Grossi's first release was the cassette Sun Rooms on January 14, 2010, via Mirror Universe Tapes, followed by the 7" vinyl single She Was A Vision in February 2010 on Transparent. His first official EP, Curtis Lane EP, came out in June 2010; The Guardian described his music as glacial and gloomy with a spiritual quality, while Pitchfork noted the cosmic, stately side of the tracks. His debut LP, You Are All I See, was released in August 2011, featuring tracks such as Hanging On and Johnny Belinda; Drowned in Sound remarked on the shimmering sound and deft touch. By 2013, he had released albums and EPs for labels including Vagrant, Spunk, and Plancha, with tracks appearing in films such as Divergent and The Host. In August 2011, he appeared on NPR Music Mondays, and in 2012 on the mixtape I Like Boys Who Cry with Charli XCX, as well as the compilation The Singles with Lana Del Rey. His second single album, Mercy, was released in June 2015 by Vagrant and produced by Van Rivers; Spin described it as heartbreaking and luxurious, and Pitchfork called his vocals astonishing. His track Painted Staircase was featured in the official trailer for the Apple TV+ series Defending Jacob in 2020.
More in American Dream Pop Musical Groups
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced