Ida Mae
English alternative rock duo of Chris Turpin and Stephanie Jean Ward.
Ida Mae is an English alternative rock duo formed by married couple Chris Turpin and Stephanie Jean Ward. Together, they have put out three studio albums and have shared tour stages with artists including Greta Van Fleet, Gary Clark Jr., Brandi Carlile, Willie Nelson, and Lucinda Williams.
Turpin and Ward first met while studying in Bath, where they led the band Kill It Kid. That group released three commercially successful albums before disbanding in 2015. After marrying in 2016, the pair recorded their debut album, *Chasing Lights*, at Real World Studios in Bath with producer Ethan Johns. Released on June 7, 2019, the album earned positive reviews from *Billboard* and *The Independent*. Its success opened the door for national tours alongside Greta Van Fleet, Willie Nelson, Alison Krauss, Marcus King, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Josh Ritter, and Nick Mulvey.
Their second album, *Click Click Domino*, came out on July 16, 2021. The duo self-produced the record, which featured contributions from Marcus King and Jake Kizska of Greta Van Fleet. The latest album, *Thunder Above You*, was released on October 6, 2023. It was recorded in under a week, mostly using live takes, while Ward was pregnant with the couple’s first child.
- field
- Alternative rock
- nationality
- English
- known_for
- Duo formed by former members of Kill It Kid; albums Chasing Lights, Click Click Domino, Thunder Above You
Lore & Background
Turpin and Ward met while studying in Bath, where they founded and fronted the alternative rock band Kill It Kid. After three studio albums that were received with commercial success, Kill It Kid disbanded in 2015. After marrying in 2016, the duo recorded their debut album Chasing Lights at Real World Studios in Bath with Ethan Johns. The album was released on June 7, 2019, and was met with praise from Billboard and The Independent.
Reader's Guide
Ida Mae emerged from the dissolution of Kill It Kid, a band that had achieved commercial success with three studio albums. The duo's debut, Chasing Lights, produced by Ethan Johns, garnered critical attention from major music publications. Their subsequent albums, Click Click Domino (2021) and Thunder Above You (2023), were self-produced and recorded under notable circumstances—the latter in less than a week with mostly live takes while Stephanie was pregnant. Their touring history includes opening for a wide range of established acts, from Greta Van Fleet to Willie Nelson, indicating broad appeal within the alternative rock and Americana scenes. The duo's work is significant for its continuity from a prior successful band and for the personal, intimate recording conditions of their later albums.
Did You Know?
- Ida Mae's debut album Chasing Lights was recorded at Real World Studios in Bath with producer Ethan Johns.
- Their third album Thunder Above You was recorded in less than a week with mostly live takes while Stephanie was pregnant.
- The duo's second album Click Click Domino included features from Marcus King and Jake Kizska of Greta Van Fleet.
- Turpin and Ward previously fronted the band Kill It Kid, which disbanded in 2015.
More in English rock music duos 1-24
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