British Soul Sensation Tours U.S., Makes Trans Video With Simpsons Star

Alice Russell is the reason Rolling Stone told Adele to watch her back.

Diane Anderson-Minshall

Diane Anderson-Minshall is the CEO of Pride Media, and editorial director of The Advocate, Out, and Plus magazine. She's the winner of numerous awards from GLAAD, the NLGJA, WPA, and was named to Folio's Top Women in Media list. She and her co-pilot of 30 years, transgender journalist Jacob Anderson-Minshall penned several books including Queerly Beloved: A Love Across Genders.

Read Full Bio

Diane Anderson-Minshall

May 01 2013 6:00 AM EST

November 17 2015 5:28 AM EST

deliciousdiane

Sorry to interrupt...
But we wanted to take a moment to thank you for reading. Your support makes original LGBTQ+ reporting possible. Help us hold Trump accountable.

One-time Monthly

$19.67 $50 Other

$5 $19.67 $50

"Adele, watch your back" was a warning published last week by Rolling Stone, because yet anotherU.K. soul sensation is about to take over the States. Alice Russell, who kicked off her U.S. tour this week, just released a special U.S.-only edition of her fifth album, To Dust (Tru Thoughts/Caroline) to much acclaim. She makes her U.S. TV debut tonight on Jimmy Kimmel Live, followed by a visit to Los Angeles public radio station KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic, an appearance at Amoeba Records in L.A., and performances on NPR's Tiny Desk Concert, Seattle's KEXP, Philly-based World Cafe, and WNYC's Soundcheck.

Russell, known for her concerts (at the Montreal Jazz Festival, 4,000 people stood swaying in the rain while she crooned) and her famous fans (including Gilles Peterson, Massive Attack's Daddy G, Groove Armada, and Questlove). David Byrne said that "working with a singer like Alice was something new, terrifying, and ultimately amazing."

Of course it's her video for "Heartbreaker" from the new album that is causing waves among some fans. The Steve Glashier-directed video features Simpsons voice actor Harry Shearer out of male drag and donning women's clothing and makeup. As Russell belts out lyrics including "There's a river in my mind and it won't stop running just for you," Shearer appears to become the woman that's been inside all along (or at least the T-girl). Having the 69-year-old Shearer -- who voices 21 characters on The Simpsons, including Mr. Burns and Ned Flanders -- as the only character, a closeted trans woman perhaps, in a video about heartbreak and sense of self is brilliant.