Owen Pallett

Owen Pallett is a Canadian composer and classically-trained violinist whose solo albums combine elements of indie-pop, chamber music, classical, and electronic music. Born on September 7, 1979, in Mississauga, Ontario, he began studying the violin at 3 years old. By 13, he was composing his own music. After releasing three records with Les Mouches in the early 2000s, Owen Pallett launched his solo career with 2005's Has a Good Home and 2006's Polaris Music Prize-winning He Poos Clouds. Both albums were released under the moniker "Final Fantasy," a stage name that Owen Pallett subsequently abandoned with 2010's Heartland and all subsequent solo albums. In addition to maintaining a prolific solo career, he became a sought-after collaborator for many indie bands, including Arcade Fire (for whom he wrote string arrangements for Funeral, Neon Bible, and the Grammy-winning The Suburbs), Grizzly Bear, Beirut, and Death from Above 1979. His collaborations with Arcade Fire also included the Oscar-nominated soundtrack to the 2013 film Her, which he co-wrote with the band. The soundtrack was officially released in 2021, eight years after the film's debut. Meanwhile, as Owen Pallett's solo career continued with albums like 2014's In Conflict and 2020's Island, his work as a string arranger and multi-instrumentalist expanded to include projects by Taylor Swift, Robbie Williams, The National, and Haim.