Le Tigre
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1998 in New York City, United States |
| Founder | Kathleen Hanna, Johanna Fateman, Sadie Benning |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
| Website | www |
Le Tigre (, ; translating to "The Tiger" in French) is an American band known for its roots in art punk and the riot grrrl movement. The group was established in 1998 in New York City by Kathleen Hanna (formerly of Bikini Kill), Johanna Fateman, and Sadie Benning. In 2000, Benning departed and was succeeded by JD Samson. Their music fused punk's raw political edge with playful sampling, diverse pop influences, and lo-fi electronic sounds. Feminist issues frequently appeared in their lyrics. Their performances often integrated multimedia elements and performance art, with support from similarly minded groups like the Need.
Le Tigre produced three studio albums and toured extensively until 2007, when they went on hiatus due to fatigue. They reunited briefly for collaborations with artists such as Christina Aguilera and Pussy Riot, before regrouping in 2023 for a largely sold-out tour across Europe and North America. The band has encountered controversies, including backlash over their involvement in the trans-exclusionary Michigan Womyn's Music Festival during the early 2000s, as well as a 2021 copyright lawsuit related to their hit track "Deceptacon" (1999).
1998–2000: Formation and Le Tigre
Following the breakup of Bikini Kill in 1998, Kathleen Hanna released a solo project under the name Julie Ruin and relocated to New York City to perform these songs live. Unwilling to perform alone, she invited Johanna Fateman—whom she had met years earlier—and Sadie Benning, who had previously contributed to a music video for "Aerobicide." This collaboration soon evolved into forming Le Tigre.
While still based in Chicago, Benning exchanged cassette recordings with Hanna and Fateman that would become Le Tigre’s initial material. The band’s name originated from one of Hanna’s earlier fictional band titles.
They signed with Mr. Lady Records, a San Francisco-based label founded by Hanna’s friend Tammy Rae Carland and her then-partner Kaia Wilson. Hanna highlighted the label’s political dedication as a decisive factor in their choice.
Their self-titled debut album, Le Tigre, came out in October 1999. Early live performances featured Hanna, Fateman, and Benning playing while JD Samson—a roadie they met in 1999—managed a manual slideshow to provide visuals due to limited funds.
2000–2004: From The Desk of Mr. Lady EP and Feminist Sweepstakes
Benning exited the band in 2000 to pursue filmmaking. During an ongoing tour, Samson stepped in for live shows and soon became an official member, bringing additional vitality and stage presence.
In October 2001, Le Tigre released their sophomore album, Feminist Sweepstakes.
In 2003, they collaborated with Chicks on Speed on a rendition of Tom Tom Club’s "Wordy Rappinghood" from the album 99 Cents. This project also featured artists such as Miss Kittin, Kevin Blechdom, Nicola Kuperus of ADULT., and Tina Weymouth. The cover enjoyed moderate success on European dance charts, peaking at number five on the Belgian Dance Chart and reaching number sixty-six on the UK Singles Chart.
2004–2007: Major Label Partnership, This Island, and Hiatus
In March 2004, Le Tigre entered into a contract with Strummer, a branch of the major label Universal Records. Kathleen Hanna regarded this development as vital for the band's continuation amid growing fatigue. By June 2004, the closure of Mr. Lady prompted the group to re-release their previous works via their own label, Le Tigre Records, with distribution handled by Touch & Go Records.
Their first album under a major label, This Island, was launched in October 2004 and attained moderate commercial success, selling upwards of 90,000 copies in the United States.
Due to exhaustion from extensive touring and members focusing on solo endeavors, the band entered an extended hiatus in August 2007.
2010–present: Occasional Reunions
Le Tigre briefly regrouped in 2010 to collaborate on Christina Aguilera's track "My Girls" from her album Bionic, which also featured Peaches.
JD Samson and Johanna Fateman worked alongside the Russian activist punk group Pussy Riot during a 2014 concert hosted by Vice magazine, performing the song “Deceptacon”. The collaboration continued in 2015 when they recorded a track and video for the Netflix series House of Cards.
In September 2016, the band announced their reunion to release a "special song". On October 19, they unveiled "I'm With Her", endorsing Hillary Clinton's candidacy for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination.
In December 2021, Le Tigre revealed plans to perform at the This Ain't No Picnic Festival scheduled for 2022. Subsequently, in January 2023, they declared their first tour in eighteen years.
Participation in Michigan Womyn's Music Festival
Le Tigre, along with other artists from Mr. Lady Records, performed at the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival in both 2001 and 2005. The festival's policy of admitting only "womyn-born womyn", thereby excluding trans women, attracted accusations of transphobia directed at Mr. Lady and Le Tigre. Following the 2001 event, performers such as Le Tigre and The Butchies endured verbal abuse and death threats.
In 2014, amid a boycott initiated by Equality Michigan, attendees at a Julie Ruin show displayed a banner demanding Kathleen Hanna apologize for her involvement with the festival. JD Samson publicly declared a personal boycott until the festival opened its doors to all self-identified women. The festival ceased operations in 2015. Although Hanna has not made public comments about her participation, she expressed support for trans rights via Twitter in 2018.
Copyright Dispute over "Deceptacon"
In October 2021, Hanna and Fateman filed a countersuit against singer-songwriter Barry Mann, who had issued cease-and-desist notices alleging that "Deceptacon" infringed upon his song "Who Put the Bomp (in the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp)". Hanna and Fateman contended that their use of "bomp" was transformative and served as a critique of Mann’s song’s themes. The matter was resolved in November 2021 through a private settlement without any public acknowledgment of fault.
Band members
Present lineup
- Kathleen Hanna – vocals, guitar, bass, drums, drum machines, sampler (1998–2007, 2010, 2016, 2022)
- Johanna Fateman – vocals, guitar, keyboards (1998–2007, 2010, 2016, 2022)
- JD Samson – vocals, synthesizers, production, trumpet, guitar, sampler (2000–2007, 2010, 2016, 2022)
Past members
- Sadie Benning – vocals, guitar (1998–2000)
Discography
- Le Tigre (1999)
- Feminist Sweepstakes (2001)
- This Island (2004)
External links
- Articles with short description
- All-female punk bands
- American dance-punk musical groups
- American electronic rock musical groups
- American women in electronic music
- Electroclash groups
- Electronic music groups from New York (state)
- American feminist musicians
- LGBTQ-themed musical groups
- Musical groups disestablished in 2007
- Musical groups disestablished in 2010
- Musical groups disestablished in 2016
- Musical groups established in 1998
- Musical groups from New York City
- Musical groups reestablished in 2010
- Musical groups reestablished in 2016
- American post-punk revival music groups
- Riot grrrl bands
- Universal Records artists
- 1998 establishments in New York City
- American all-female bands
- All-female electronic bands
- Female-fronted musical groups
- All-female pop bands