Britta Phillips
Her voice, a cool and haunting instrument, defined the dream-pop sound of the 1990s and continues to captivate listeners.
Born 1963 (age 63)·American musical artist and actress·Birthday: June 11·Baby Boomers
Biography
Britta Phillips emerged from the vibrant New York music scene, first stepping into the spotlight as the singing voice of Jem in the 1980s cartoon. But it was her partnership with Dean Wareham in the band Luna, and later as the duo Dean & Britta, that cemented her place in indie rock history. Her bass lines were melodic anchors, and her vocal harmonies added a layer of serene sophistication. Beyond performing, she has carved a niche as a subtle and evocative composer for film and television, translating her atmospheric musical sensibility into scores. Phillips represents a specific, cool-toned strand of American rock, one where understatement and melodic clarity carry profound emotional weight.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Britta was born in 1963, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Britta Was Born
The biggest hits of 1963
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Best Picture
Tom Jones
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Britta's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1963Born
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1968Started school
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1976Became a teenager
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Could drive
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1981Could vote
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Turned 21
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1993Turned 30
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 40
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 50
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 60
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 63 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Provided the singing voice for the title character in the popular 1980s animated series 'Jem and the Holograms'.
- Served as the bassist and vocalist for the influential indie rock band Luna during their later period.
- Co-created the duo Dean & Britta with former Luna bandmate Dean Wareham, releasing several acclaimed albums.
- Composed original scores for films like 'The Squid and the Whale' and 'The Color of Time'.
Did You Know?
She is married to musician and former bandmate Dean Wareham.
Before joining Luna full-time, she was a member of the band The Belltower.
She acted in the 1987 film 'The Last Temptation of Christ', directed by Martin Scorsese.
“The bass line is the anchor; it's the heartbeat of the song.”
