- Born
- Birth nameSusanna Lee Hoffs
- Height5′ 0½″ (1.54 m)
- Susanna Hoffs is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, actress, novelist and co-founder of the multi-platinum selling group, The Bangles. Her voice is instantly recognizable on such hit singles as, "Eternal Flame", "In Your Room" (both co-written by Hoffs), and "Manic Monday".
Her first novel, "This Bird Has Flown" was released in 2023 and received rave reviews in the New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, and NPR, among others. Universal Pictures purchased the rights to the novel for a screen adaptation.
She played the role of Gillian Shagwell, in the fictional band, "Ming Tea" in all three "Austin Powers" films.
In 1990, she began a solo music career and has released five studio albums; "When You're a Boy" (1991), "Susanna Hoffs" (1996), "Someday" (2014), "Bright Lights" (2021), and "The Deep End" (2023). The albums yielded hit songs such as, "My Side of the Bed", "Unconditional Love", and "All I Want". She collaborated with Matthew Sweet on "Under the Covers" volumes 1, 2, and 3. She has toured with the Bangles and as a solo artist with such artists as Don Henley, Aimee Mann, and Matthew Sweet.
Notable solo artist performances include the Lilith Fair, the Academy Awards (duet with Randy Newman), Grammy Salute to Prince (duet with Chris Martin), and Grammy Salute to Paul Simon.
Entertainment Weekly wrote about her performance with Chris Martin saying, "This was the night's tenderest moment and certainly one of the most still, particularly in a catalog full of uptempo delights. Hoffs and Martin intertwined their voices, stripping the sweet lament to a gorgeously elegiac place".
In 2019, Hoffs inducted the Zombies into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Hoffs vocals and songs have been featured in films (and on the soundtracks for), "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery", "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me", "Austin Powers in Goldmember", "Meet the Parents", "Bombshell", and numerous others. Her single, "Eternal Flame", which she performed lead vocals on with The Bangles, has been used in over 60 films and TV shows.
In addition to co-writing songs for the Bangles, Hoffs has co-written songs for the Go-Go's, Belinda Carlisle, and Bette Midler as well as contributing vocals on albums by such artists as the Talking Heads, Rufus Wainwright, Travis, and :The Lilith Fair: Celebration of Music" compilation album (featuring Sarah McLachlin, Shawn Colvin, Emmylou Harris, and others).
- IMDb mini biography by: Penny Framstad
- SpouseJay Roach(April 17, 1993 - present) (2 children)
- Children
- Parents
- RelativesJohn A. Hoffs(Sibling)Jesse Hoffs(Sibling)Rabbi Ralph Simon(Grandparent)Kelsey Hoffer(Grandparent)Matthew Hoffer Simon(Aunt or Uncle)
- Her side look.
- Angelic Soprano Vocals
- At first, The Bangles were known as "The Bangs", but when the band accepted a record deal, an already signed band of the same name sued. The Bangles added "les" to their name as a tribute to a major influence of their music, The Beatles.
- Was in the band Ming Tea with actor Mike Myers, Canadian musician/producer Christopher Ward and singer Matthew Sweet.
- Once studied to become a ballet dancer, and can do the splits.
- Confessed that she had recorded her lyrics for the Bangles' hit 'Eternal Flame' in a studio while completely naked, on the suggestion of her producer, Davitt Sigerson, who said that Olivia Newton-John gave her best recordings when she sang in the nude. He later admitted that it was a prank. Susanna had a screen in front of her though, so they couldn't see her in the control room, she had her privacy behind the screen, and wasn't on display.
- 1980 Graduate of University of California at Berkeley, BFA in Art History.
- You can't depend on accidents to make your career.
- [2012] [How did you and Mitchell decide to reference the '60s on the album? You have done this to some extent in the past, but never so overtly.] I think what happened was, we were in my living room - Andrew and I were on guitars and Mitchell was on piano - and Mitchell was really focusing on my voice. I was sort of talking about Lulu and Dusty Springfield and Petula Clarke, and I think he had heard me sing To Sir, With Love once at a party, so that got Mitchell really envisioning the arrangements in a modern '60s way. The popiness in my voice was nothing for me to feel bad about. And that's who I am in many ways. I thought about doing some covers, but Mitchell was very firm: 'Do your original songs. That's who you are.' But in doing that, well, I had the tone of the album, the palette, and it was strings and horns and flutes... and Burt Bacharach. I put up a playlist on Spotify, and it referenced the Left Banke, and Glen Campbell with Galveston, and there were The Zombies and Herman's Hermits... and Beatles, of course. The '60s was such a golden period. The songwriting was fresh and pure. Oh, and The Rolling Stones, when they did She's A Rainbow, that was on there. The 1967 thing really blossomed.
- [2012] [Your voice never changes. You still sound the same as you did 25 years ago. How can that be?] I don't know why that is. I don't smoke - that might have a lot to do with it. I don't even like to be around smoke. Other than that, I don't know. I've always been an active person, but I have to be really careful because I tend to get hoarse. There's always been a bit of a raspiness to my voice, but it's clear. I'm not sure why I sound the same. [laughs] Hopefully, it'll keep going and going. I certainly wouldn't complain about that.
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