Jerskin Fendrix

Jerskin Fendrix
Background information
Born
Joscelin Dent-Pooley

c. 1995 (age 29–30)
GenresExperimental pop, classical
Years active2018 (2018)–present
Labelsuntitled (recs)

Joscelin Dent-Pooley (born c. 1995),[1] professionally known as Jerskin Fendrix, is an English composer and musician. He is best known for composing the scores to the feature films, Poor Things (2023), Kinds of Kindness (2024) and Bugonia (2025) – all of which where were directed by Yorgos Lanthimos.

In addition to his soundtrack work, Fendrix has released two solo studio albums, Winterreise (2020) and Once Upon a Time in Shropshire (2025),[2] alongside one live album, Live at Cafe OTO (2021).

Life and career

[edit]

Early years and education

[edit]

Joscelin Dent-Pooley was raised near Market Drayton in the West Midlands.[2] Growing up, he listened to a wide variety of music and learned to play violin and piano. He attended Adams' Grammar School in Newport and graduated from Cambridge University with a degree in classical music.[2]

Career

[edit]

In 2018, Fendrix wrote the "appropriately abrasive"[3] score for a performance of the play Ubu Roi by Alfred Jarry at the Victoria and Albert Museum.[4]

In December 2018, he collaborated with Black Midi on the song "Ice Cream", which appeared on a charity Christmas compilation, created by Brixton musicians.[5] He released his debut, the critically acclaimed experimental pop album Winterreise, in 2020.[6]

Universal Music Publishing Group signed Fendrix in July 2024.[7]

Director Yorgos Lanthimos commissioned Fendrix to write the score for his film Poor Things after hearing Winterreise. It was the first film score Fendrix composed. Among other awards, the score was nominated for Best Original Score at the 96th Academy Awards.[8] Fendrix again collaborated with Lanthimos in composing his 2024 film Kinds of Kindness and his 2025 film Bugonia.[9] Fendrix made cameo appearances in Poor Things and Kinds of Kindness.

In 2025, Fendrix announced his upcoming second studio album, Once Upon a Time in Shropshire, marking his return to original music composition following his success in film scoring.[10]

Discography

[edit]

Studio albums

[edit]
Title Details
Winterreise Release date: 17 April 2020
Once Upon A Time... In Shropshire Release date: 10 October 2025

Soundtracks

[edit]
Title Details
Poor Things Release date: December 8, 2023
Kinds of Kindness Release date: June 21, 2024
Bugonia Release date: October 31, 2025

Live albums

[edit]
Title Details
Live at Cafe OTO Release date: March 17, 2021

Music videos

[edit]
Song Details
"Manhattan" Release date: February 1, 2018

Director: Bart Price

"Swamp" Release date: July 1, 2018

Director: Bart Price

"Black Hair" Release date: November 27, 2019

Director: Liam Noonan

"A Star is Born" Release date: February 19, 2020

Director: Bart Price

"Oh God" Release date: March 25, 2020

Director: Jerskin Fendrix

"Onigiri" Release date: June 24, 2020

Director: James Ogram

"Beth's Farm" Release date: July 29, 2025

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

"Together Again" Release date: September 5, 2025

Director: James Ogram

Style and reputation

[edit]

The Quietus described Fendrix's style as 'electro punk' and 'ultra-modern pop'.[11] A baritone, he has been compared to Nick Cave and Lou Reed.[12]

Accolades

[edit]
Award Year Category Work(s) Result Ref.
Academy Awards 2024 Best Original Score Poor Things Nominated [13]
Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards 2024 Best Score Nominated [14]
Chicago Film Critics Association 2023 Best Original Score Nominated [15]
Ghent International Film Festival 2023 Best Original Music Won [16]
Golden Globe Awards 2024 Best Original Score Nominated [17][18]
Ivor Novello Awards 2024 Best Original Film Score Nominated [19]
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association 2023 Best Original Score Nominated [20]
[21]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Greiving, Tim (16 December 2023). "'Poor Things' composer Jerskin Fendrix finds there are no lines to cross for this score". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Golden Globe nominee on 'surreal' Hollywood experience". 19 January 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  3. ^ "Jerskin Fendrix biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  4. ^ Mark Fisher (4 September 2018). "Ubu review – Jarry's classic writhes its way into purgatory". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  5. ^ Patrick Clarke (10 October 2018). "LISTEN: Black Midi & Jerskin Fendrix Collab For Xmas Album". The Quietus. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Albums: Laura Marling, Ed O'Brien, Jerskin Fendrix and Ron Sexsmith". Irish News. 17 April 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  7. ^ "UMPG signs award-winning composer and musician Jerskin Fendrix". www.musicweek.com. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  8. ^ "Winners of Oscars for Best Original Score: all the nominated soundtracks from the history of the Academy Awards". www.classical-music.com. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  9. ^ Burlingame, Jon (26 June 2024). "'Kinds of Kindness' Composer Jerskin Fendrix Delivered Four Hours of Unsettling Piano and Choir Music for Yorgos Lanthimos". Variety. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  10. ^ Davidson, Robert (17 June 2025). "Moderate Chaos: Jerskin Fendrix Interviewed". The Quietus. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  11. ^ "Jerskin Fendrix Winterreise". The Quietus. May 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  12. ^ "Jerskin Fendrix is the product of an artistic curiosity enamoured by the absurd | Interview". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  13. ^ "The 96th Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  14. ^ Anderson, Erik (7 December 2023). "'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' Lead Hollywood Creative Alliance (HCA) Astra Awards Nominations". Awards Watch. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  15. ^ Tallarico, Brian (8 December 2023). "Killers of the Flower Moon, Oppenheimer, Poor Things Lead CFCA Nominations". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  16. ^ Aerts, Ruben (21 September 2023). "Film Fest Gent verwelkomt 25 unieke kortfilms, Fien Troch en 'Poor things'". De Standaard (in Dutch). Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  17. ^ "Watch The Golden Globe Nominations Livestream". Deadline. 11 December 2023.
  18. ^ Horton, Adrian (7 January 2024). "Golden Globes 2024: the full list of winners". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  19. ^ "UMPG signs award-winning composer and musician Jerskin Fendrix". www.musicweek.com. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  20. ^ Neglia, Matt (9 December 2023). "The 2023 Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  21. ^ Neglia, Matt (10 December 2023). "The 2023 Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
[edit]