Amanda Lear

Amanda Lear emerged during the opening years of the 1970s, appearing on Roxy Music sleeves in outfits that emphasized fetish elements. Rumors quickly circulated that she was transsexual, yet she explained to Interview magazine that David Bowie, acting as her sponsor, had invented the story purely to generate publicity. Her connection with disco listeners took root in 1977, when she cut I Am a Photograph in Germany under the production guidance of Tony Monn. That release launched a series of six elusive, suggestive albums whose arrangements placed her voice at the forefront, its pronounced low register prompting speculation about her gender. The deep tones, however, amount to an intensified version of the smoky allure long associated with Marlene Dietrich. Even so, the songs themselves, together with the music’s skewed balance, push every aspect of her provocative persona to its limit.