Mica Tenenbaum
Mica Tenenbaum | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Mica Tenenbaum |
| Born | December 18, 1995 Buenos Aires, Argentina[1] |
| Origin | Miami, Florida, U.S.[2] |
| Genres | Synth-pop, electropop, indie pop[3] |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 2016–present |
| Labels | Luminelle, Mom+Pop |
| Associated acts | Magdalena Bay |
Mica Tenenbaum (born 18 December 1995) is an Argentine-born American singer, songwriter and musician. She is the co-founder and lead vocalist of the synth-pop duo Magdalena Bay, noted for its 2000s-inspired sound and internet-native DIY visuals.[3] The duo have released two studio albums, including the critically acclaimed Mercurial World (2021), earning a cult following in contemporary pop music.[4]
Early life and education
Tenenbaum was born in Buenos Aires and moved with her family to Miami, Florida, as an infant.[1] Raised in a Spanish-speaking Jewish household, she learned piano early and began writing songs inspired by artists such as Fiona Apple, Britney Spears and Shakira.[1]
In 2011 she met guitarist Matthew Lewin at the Live! Modern School of Music in North Miami; the pair formed the prog-rock outfit Tabula Rasa, releasing two independent albums and gigging locally.[5]
Tenenbaum studied communications at the University of Pennsylvania, performing in an all-female sketch-comedy troupe, while Lewin attended Northeastern University. The duo continued to exchange song ideas long-distance until graduating in 2018.[6]
Career
Formation of Magdalena Bay (2016–2020)
Reuniting during a 2016 winter break, Tenenbaum and Lewin pivoted from prog to pop, uploading their first single, “Voc Pop,” that year. After relocating to Los Angeles in 2018 they embraced a DIY, green-screen aesthetic across YouTube and TikTok.[5] Their debut EP, A Little Rhythm and a Wicked Feeling (2020, Luminelle), attracted positive reviews for its nostalgic yet forward-looking electropop.[2]
Mercurial World and breakthrough (2021–2023)
Mercurial World, released on 8 October 2021, was written, produced and mixed by Tenenbaum and Lewin in their apartment studio.[7] Vogue later called it “one of the most inventive pop records of 2021.”[4]
The duo’s first major headline tour followed in 2022, alongside festival dates and a Coachella debut in April 2023.[8]
Imaginal Disk and recent work (2024–present)
Magdalena Bay’s second studio album, Imaginal Disk, arrived on 23 August 2024 on Mom+Pop. A loose sci-fi concept record, it expands the duo’s sound with prog-rock structures while retaining pop hooks.[4] A world tour announced for 2024–25 includes their first Australian dates.[9]
Artistic style and media
Critics describe Tenenbaum’s vocals as “cherubic yet sly,” layered over bright synths that reference Y2K pop while subverting expectations.[3] She directs and edits many of the duo’s videos, employing VHS textures, greenscreen surrealism and ARG-style websites to build an “ever-expanding multimedia universe.”[5]
Personal life
Tenenbaum and Lewin have been romantic partners, on and off, since high school and share a home studio in Los Angeles.[4] Fluent in English and Spanish, she often nods to her Argentine-Jewish heritage—recording Spanish-language versions of songs such as “Domino (en español)”.[7]
Discography
- For releases with Magdalena Bay only.*
- Mini Mix, Vol. 1 (2019, mixtape)
- Mini Mix, Vol. 2 (2020, mixtape)
- A Little Rhythm and a Wicked Feeling (EP, 2020)
- Mercurial World (2021)
- Mercurial World (Deluxe) (2022)
- Mini Mix, Vol. 3 (2021, mixtape)
- Imaginal Disk (2024)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Tenenbaum, Mica (8 October 2021). "Self-Portrait: Magdalena Bay". Under the Radar. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Fulton, Nick (16 March 2020). "Magdalena Bay's uplifting pop is what we need right now". i-D. Vice Media. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Pearce, Sheldon (12 October 2021). "The Very Online Music of Magdalena Bay". The New Yorker. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Hess, Liam (22 August 2024). "'It's About the Big Questions': Magdalena Bay's Brilliant New Album Is Where Pop Meets Prog-Rock". Vogue. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Zhang, Cat (22 July 2021). "Magdalena Bay Are More Online Than You". Pitchfork. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
- ↑ Cihak, Lennon (8 September 2022). "After starting out in a Roxbury 'college house,' Magdalena Bay is now one of pop music's rising stars". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Mercurial World – Magdalena Bay". Pitchfork. 8 October 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
- ↑ Callwood, Brett (21 April 2023). "Magdalena Bay and Their Mercurial Coachella". LA Weekly. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
- ↑ "Los Angeles Duo Magdalena Bay Announce Their First Australian Headline Tour in 2025" (Press release). Live Nation Entertainment. 3 November 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
External links
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- Musical artist
- 1995 births
- American pop singers
- American women pop singers
- American women singer-songwriters
- American synth-pop musicians
- 21st-century American singers
- 21st-century American women singers
- University of Pennsylvania alumni
- People from Miami, Florida
- American people of Argentine descent
- Argentine emigrants to the United States
- Jewish American musicians
