Biography
Hailing from Brooklyn, singer and songwriter Claud crafts indie pop marked by its warm textures, memorable hooks, and unflinchingly personal tone. After Toast, the duo project Claud formed with a collaborator, issued its self-titled EP in 2018, the artist stepped forward alone, refining studio techniques and exposing greater emotional openness through rhythm-driven tracks such as “Never Meant to Call” and “If I Were You.” Phoebe Bridgers noticed the work and selected Claud’s debut full-length, Super Monster, as the first release on her Saddest Factory imprint in 2021. The follow-up, Supermodels, arrived on the same label two years later, again blending introspective moments with more energetic pop arrangements.
Raised in Highland Park just north of Chicago, Claud Mintz devoted countless hours during middle and high school to solitary guitar practice and vocal exercises. Those habits proved valuable upon enrolling at Syracuse University in September 2017. Within a short time, Mintz connected with Josh Mehling, and the pair launched Toast. Immersed in music-making, they captured their self-titled EP inside a dorm room. Issued by Terrible Records, the playful dream-pop record and its frank lyrics earned the duo opening slots across the United States and helped cultivate a loyal audience, particularly within LGBTQ+ circles.
Mintz ultimately withdrew from Syracuse to focus on a solo path under the name Claud. Settling into New York City’s queer music community, the artist maintained a steady schedule of performances and recordings. The buoyant single “Never Meant to Call” surfaced in 2018, followed in 2019 by the similarly reflective “Easy” and “If I Were You.” After supporting tours alongside the Neighbourhood, Bleachers, Girlpool, and Hatchie, Claud joined the roster of Saddest Factory in 2020. The first offering on the Dead Oceans-affiliated label was the track “Gold,” released that October. Also in October, Claud appeared on “You & Me” from Quarter-Life Crisis, the debut EP by producer Ryan Hemsworth. Early the next year, in February 2021, Saddest Factory put out the full-length Super Monster. Tracked at Electric Lady Studios in New York with Mehling sharing production duties, the album featured contributions from Claire Cottrill (Clairo), Nick Hakim, and Jake Portrait of Unknown Mortal Orchestra.
Following a stretch of personal setbacks that coincided with the first album’s promotional period, Claud began shaping a second long-player. Composed at home on an aging acoustic guitar and an out-of-tune upright piano, the material was later developed with additional musicians, among them Semisonic’s Dan Wilson. During 2022 the standalone single “Go Home!” appeared, alongside a Bonnaroo appearance and dates supporting Bridgers. The candid track “Every Fucking Time” preceded the May 2023 arrival of Supermodels on Saddest Factory. The album’s release was followed by support tours with boygenius and Le Tigre plus a headlining run through the United States and United Kingdom.
Raised in Highland Park just north of Chicago, Claud Mintz devoted countless hours during middle and high school to solitary guitar practice and vocal exercises. Those habits proved valuable upon enrolling at Syracuse University in September 2017. Within a short time, Mintz connected with Josh Mehling, and the pair launched Toast. Immersed in music-making, they captured their self-titled EP inside a dorm room. Issued by Terrible Records, the playful dream-pop record and its frank lyrics earned the duo opening slots across the United States and helped cultivate a loyal audience, particularly within LGBTQ+ circles.
Mintz ultimately withdrew from Syracuse to focus on a solo path under the name Claud. Settling into New York City’s queer music community, the artist maintained a steady schedule of performances and recordings. The buoyant single “Never Meant to Call” surfaced in 2018, followed in 2019 by the similarly reflective “Easy” and “If I Were You.” After supporting tours alongside the Neighbourhood, Bleachers, Girlpool, and Hatchie, Claud joined the roster of Saddest Factory in 2020. The first offering on the Dead Oceans-affiliated label was the track “Gold,” released that October. Also in October, Claud appeared on “You & Me” from Quarter-Life Crisis, the debut EP by producer Ryan Hemsworth. Early the next year, in February 2021, Saddest Factory put out the full-length Super Monster. Tracked at Electric Lady Studios in New York with Mehling sharing production duties, the album featured contributions from Claire Cottrill (Clairo), Nick Hakim, and Jake Portrait of Unknown Mortal Orchestra.
Following a stretch of personal setbacks that coincided with the first album’s promotional period, Claud began shaping a second long-player. Composed at home on an aging acoustic guitar and an out-of-tune upright piano, the material was later developed with additional musicians, among them Semisonic’s Dan Wilson. During 2022 the standalone single “Go Home!” appeared, alongside a Bonnaroo appearance and dates supporting Bridgers. The candid track “Every Fucking Time” preceded the May 2023 arrival of Supermodels on Saddest Factory. The album’s release was followed by support tours with boygenius and Le Tigre plus a headlining run through the United States and United Kingdom.
Albums
Singles
