China Forbes
voice of Pink Martini

Lael Alderman

For ten years, China Forbes has toured the world as lead singer of the celebrated ‘little orchestra,' Pink Martini. The group has performed their multi-lingual repertoire in Europe, Asia, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. Forbes has commanded the stages of The Hollywood Bowl, Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Paris' The Grand Rex, and London's Hammersmith Apollo. Forbes has been praised as “an unpretentious pitch-perfect chanteuse” (New York Times) with her “fine, velvety voice” (Washington Post). Invited to join the band by Harvard classmate, Thomas M. Lauderdale, Forbes set aside a budding career as a singer songwriter to front the band full time. She has co-written most of Pink Martini's original songs with Lauderdale including Je Ne Veux Pas Travailler, Let's Never Stop Falling in Love, The Gardens of Sampson and Beasley, Clementine, Una Notte a Napoli, Aspettami, City of Night and Lilly. She wrote the song Dosvedanya Mio Bombino with her sister, television and screenwriter, Maya Forbes. Her song Hey Eugene is the title track of Pink Martini's third album.

On her long awaited solo album, '78, Forbes dusts off her guitar and returns to her singer-songwriter roots. She recorded the album of strikingly personal songs in her hometown of Portland, Oregon with producer/drummer Gregg Williams (Sheryl Crow, The Wallflowers, Dandy Warhols). Backed by Williams on drums and multi-instrumentalist Eric Earley (Blitzen Trapper) with a cameo by Eric Matthews, Forbes played a variety of instruments, including guitar, piano, bass, harmonium and Wurlitzer.

Forbes has also written songs with acclaimed songwriters Billy Steinberg, Charlotte Caffey, and Rick Nowells. Her original songs have appeared on The West Wing, Felicity, The Sopranos, The L Word, and in the films Mr. And Mrs. Smith, Sorority Boys, The Photographer, The Chateau and Seeing other People.