Peaches

Early Life and Career Beginnings in Toronto

Merrill Nisker was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, into a culturally Jewish family with grandparents who immigrated to Canada from Ustrzyki Dolne in Poland and from Galicia in western Ukraine. Growing up, she experienced antisemitism from students at a nearby Catholic school who would throw stones at her and call her a "dirty Jew." Her early creative interests leaned toward theatre, and as a teenager, she performed in two plays alongside future Barenaked Ladies singer Steven Page, including a musical titled My Brother's Keeper. Before committing to music full-time, Nisker worked as a teacher, and she also attended York University briefly with the ambition of becoming a theatre director who made cool musicals. Her musical journey began in the early 1990s as part of a folk trio named Mermaid Cafe, a name taken from the Joni Mitchell song "Carey." In 1995, she released her first solo album, Fancypants Hoodlum, under her birth name, which demonstrated her folk roots. Later that year, she joined the four-piece band The Shit, which included musician Jason Beck, known as Chilly Gonzales, bassist Sticky Henderson, and Dominic Salole, known as Mocky. It was in this band that she adopted the stage name Peaches, inspired by the Nina Simone song "Four Women," in which Simone screams the line "My name is Peaches!"

During this formative period in Toronto, she lived above the sex shop Come as You Are with her roommate, fellow musician Feist. Feist performed as her backup singer under the stage name Bitch Lap Lap, using a sock puppet during shows, and the two toured together in England from 2000 to 2001. They stayed with Justine Frischmann of the band Elastica and the artist M.I.A., who video-documented Peaches' 2000 US tour, made clothes for her, and was inspired by Peaches to use the Roland MC-505 groovebox in her own early compositions. This network of collaborations in Toronto and abroad laid the groundwork for Peaches' transition from folk to the electronic sound that would define her career.

Breakthrough and International Profile with The Teaches of Peaches

After creating a six-track EP titled Lovertits, Peaches moved to Berlin, Germany, where she was signed by the independent label Kitty-Yo. The label offered her the chance to record a debut album back in Toronto, and the Lovertits EP was released in the summer of 2000. The Teaches of Peaches was released that fall, featuring her track "Fuck the Pain Away," which would become a pop culture staple. The album's raw, minimalist electroclash sound and explicitly sexual, assertive lyrics quickly garnered attention and a cult following. Following its release, she secured a European contract with Sony, though the relationship ended after she made a music video for the song "Set It Off" in which she sat in a locker room as her pubic and armpit hair grew to Rapunzel length. In 2001, her bust was cast by famed groupie Cynthia Plaster Caster, who was better known for making molds of male rockers' genitalia. The early 2000s also saw her appear in John Malkovich's short film "Hideous Man," which was created to present clothing designed by Bella Freud and featured poetry from Gary Sinise. She performed on the British TV show Top of the Pops, though her performance was not aired, and she toured extensively, including opening for acts like Marilyn Manson and Queens of the Stone Age.

Album Evolution and Major Collaborations

Peaches' second album, Fatherfucker, arrived in 2003 on XL Recordings and Kitty-Yo, for which she wrote and programmed all the music herself. The single "Kick It" featured Iggy Pop, and Peaches described the song to Rolling Stone as being "more about rock 'n' roll than sex." The album earned a nomination for Outstanding Music Artist at the 15th GLAAD Media Awards. Her third album, Impeach My Bush, followed in 2006 and received a similar GLAAD nomination at the 18th awards. The track "Boys Wanna Be Her" from this album later became the theme music for Samantha Bee's Full Frontal and was also featured in the film The 355 in 2022 and an episode of Orphan Black. Her fourth album, I Feel Cream, was released in May 2009 and featured co-production from electronic acts like Simian Mobile Disco, Soulwax, Digitalism, and Shapemod, with longtime collaborator Chilly Gonzales co-writing some songs and Shunda K of Yo Majesty providing vocals on "Billionaire." In 2010, she won the Electronic Artist of the Year award at the 10th Annual Independent Music Awards in Toronto.

That same year, she performed a one-woman version of Jesus Christ Superstar at Berlin's HAU1, accompanied by Gonzales on piano, a performance noted for its display of her vocal range and emotive prowess. She also collaborated with Christina Aguilera on the track "My Girls" for Aguilera's album Bionic, a song co-written and produced by Le Tigre. Peaches contributed vocals to R.E.M.'s 2011 album Collapse into Now on the song "Alligator_Aviator_Autopilot_Antimatter." She released a single titled "Johnny" in August 2010 as part of a tribute series to Alan Vega of Suicide, alongside contributions from artists like The Horrors, Primal Scream, Klaxons, and Bruce Springsteen. She also appeared in the film Ivory Tower, directed by Adam Traynor and produced by Nicolas Kazarnia, which had a limited theatrical release in August 2010.

Multimedia Projects and Theatre Work

In 2015, Peaches released her sixth studio album, Rub, produced with Vice Cooler in her Los Angeles garage and featuring guest appearances by Kim Gordon, Feist, and Simonne Jones. An unused track from those sessions, "Bodyline," featuring Nick Zinner on guitar, was released by Adult Swim in July 2015, and Peaches performed it in a fourth-season episode of Orphan Black in 2016, appearing as herself in a club scene. That same year, she collaborated on a photography book with Holger Talinski titled What Else Is in the Teaches of Peaches, published by Akashic Books, which included text from Michael Stipe, Yoko Ono, and Elliot Page. She expanded into theatre, co-directing and performing as Anna I in Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht's Die sieben Todsünden with the Staatstheater Stuttgart in February 2019. That year also saw the premiere of her large-scale stage production There’s Only One Peach with the Hole in the Middle at Kampnagel in Hamburg, featuring an ensemble of 12 musicians and dancers with musical direction from Tif Lamson, Maya Postepski, Lizzy Scharnofske, and Sky Deep. In August 2019, she opened her first institutional solo art exhibition, "Whose Jizz Is This?" at the Kunstverein in Hamburg, which ran through October 20, 2019.

Recent Activity: Documentaries and the 2026 Album

In 2022, Peaches went on tour to mark the 20th anniversary of The Teaches of Peaches, a tour profiled in the documentary film Teaches of Peaches, which premiered at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival. That same year, she was the subject of Marie Losier's documentary Peaches Goes Bananas, which she described as more of a portrait or painting than a conventional documentary, stating that Losier "gets excited about an artist and then goes her own way." Peaches marked a significant return with her seventh studio album, No Lube So Rude, released on February 20, 2026. The album was shortlisted for the 2026 Polaris Music Prize, a recognition of its critical reception. It features unapologetic lyrics addressing sexuality, politics, and bodily autonomy, with songs like "F, How You Wanna F, " referencing contemporary political issues such as the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the abortion pill mifepristone, and SpaceX's Starlink satellites, which she calls "Starlink anal beads." Ahead of the album, she released the protest anthem "Not In Your Mouth None Of Your Business," recorded with producer The Squirt Deluxe in Berlin as a rallying chant for bodily autonomy.

She began a 27-date North American tour in support of the album starting in Miami on February 20, 2026, with support from acts like Model/Actriz and Cortisa Star. She partnered with PLUS1 to donate $1 from every ticket sold to the Trans Justice Funding Project, which supports trans-led grassroots organizations. In March 2025, it was announced she would be a featured artist on the concept album and musical In the Garden by the artist Boyfriend. She also performed "Boys Wanna Be Her" at the Not the White House Correspondents' Dinner in April 2017 and was named a Champion of the 2026 PTP Pink Awards alongside figures like Bowen Yang, Emily Hampshire, Gigi Gorgeous, Harrison Browne, and Tim McCaskell.

Artistic Themes and Public Commentary

Peaches' work consistently explores themes of gender identity, sexuality, and ageism. She consciously blurs traditional gender distinctions, exemplified by appearing with a full beard on the cover of her album Fatherfucker. She has disputed accusations of "penis envy," preferring the term "hermaphrodite envy," and stated that "there is so much male and female in us all." Her lyrics often confront ageism, as seen in songs from I Feel Cream like "Trick or Treat," with the line "you lick my crow's feet," "Show Stopper," and "Mommy Complex," and she has told the New York Daily News that her goal is to "make aging cool." As a culturally Jewish artist, she has publicly criticized what she perceives as censorship of pro-Palestinian progressive Jews in Germany, telling The New York Times in 2024 that many Germans "can't separate Israeli politics from Jewish feelings" and that diverse Jewish opinions are not "honoured." She argued that being called antisemitic by Germans for progressive views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was ridiculous. Her visual and performance inspirations include filmmaker John Waters, artist Cindy Sherman, Paul McCarthy, and films such as Tron, Grease, Liquid Sky, and Phantom of the Paradise.

In her songwriting, she aims to make tough topics palatable through humour, stating a goal is "to try and make it in a way that it's tough, but also palatable." She has reflected that her performance style allows her to perform emotions and sexuality, comparing it to Barbra Streisand's ability to emote, but notes that dealing with the realness underneath is never easy. She describes her songs as suits she wears during performance, which can sometimes fall off, requiring adjustment. Her 2026 album title, No Lube So Rude, reflects her view that "When the world is friction, lube isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity. It’s how you turn that friction into pleasure, into power, into pride," and she wants the album to help people resist forces that want them to be quiet.

Discography

Peaches has released seven studio albums over a career spanning three decades. Her discography charts her evolution from folk-inflected beginnings to abrasive electroclash and later, more polished electronic productions. Each album serves as a distinct chapter in her artistic development, marked by collaborations with a diverse array of musicians and producers. The following list details her full-length studio releases in chronological order, from her early work under her birth name to her most recent Polaris-recognized project.

• Fancypants Hoodlum (1995), Released under her birth name, Merrill Nisker.
• The Teaches of Peaches (2000), Breakthrough debut featuring "Fuck the Pain Away."
• Fatherfucker (2003), Featured Iggy Pop on "Kick It" and earned a GLAAD nomination.
• Impeach My Bush (2006), Included the anthem "Boys Wanna Be Her" and received a GLAAD nomination.
• I Feel Cream (2009), Co-produced with Simian Mobile Disco, Soulwax, Digitalism, and Shapemod.
• Rub (2015), Featured Kim Gordon, Feist, and Simonne Jones, produced with Vice Cooler.
• No Lube So Rude (2026), Seventh studio album, shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize.

Peaches' seventh studio album, titled No Lube So Rude, was released on February 20, 2026. The album was shortlisted for the 2026 Polaris Music Prize. This release marks her first full-length album since Rub in 2015. The album features unapologetic lyrics on sexuality, politics, and bodily autonomy.

Selected Collaborations and Cultural Impact

Peaches has collaborated with many artists across music, film, and theatre. She has toured or collaborated with Iggy Pop, Marilyn Manson, Yoko Ono, and Feist. Her song "Boys Wanna Be Her" serves as the theme music for the television series Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. She appeared as a guest musician on R.E.M.'s 2011 album Collapse into Now. Peaches also co-directed and performed in a production of Die sieben Todsünden with the Staatstheater Stuttgart in 2019.

Her signature song "Fuck the Pain Away" from her album The Teaches of Peaches was used in Sofia Coppola's 2003 film Lost in Translation. The song also appears in the film Jackass Number Two. Peaches' song "Boys Wanna Be Her" is featured in the 2022 film The 355. The song "Boys Wanna Be Her" also appears in an episode of the television series Orphan Black.

Personal Life and Health

Peaches identifies as bisexual. In 1999, just prior to recording her breakthrough debut album, she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, which was successfully treated with surgery. She has lived in multiple cities central to her career, including Toronto, Berlin, and Los Angeles, describing herself as a longtime resident of Berlin and a two-time Los Angeles dweller. Her long-time residency in Berlin has been a significant factor in her artistic development and connection to the European music scene. She continues to be an active touring and recording artist, owning her age and experience as she turned 60 in the year of her 2026 album release. In her personal reflections, she has cited early musical inspirations including Barbra Streisand and Janis Joplin, and she performed Streisand songs at family bar mitzvahs as a child, auditioning with the band during the event. She has stated that during her short university stint, her Sartre- and Ibsen-reading classmates scoffed at her desire to make cool musicals, a goal she feels she has ultimately realized.

Questions about Peaches

What is Peaches' most famous song?

Peaches' most famous song is "Fuck the Pain Away" from her 2000 debut album The Teaches of Peaches. The track became a pop culture phenomenon after its use in Sofia Coppola's 2003 film Lost in Translation. It has since appeared in numerous other films like Jackass Number Two. The song is widely recognized for its raw electronic beat and explicit lyrics.

Where is Peaches from?

Peaches, born Merrill Nisker, is from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She was born there on November 11, 1966. She began her early music career in Toronto's folk scene. Although her career has made her an international artist, she maintains her Canadian roots.

Has Peaches won any major awards?

Yes, Peaches has won several awards. Most notably, she won the Electronic Artist of the Year award at the 10th Annual Independent Music Awards in Toronto in 2010. Her 2026 album, No Lube So Rude, was shortlisted for the prestigious Polaris Music Prize. She has also received multiple nominations for Outstanding Music Artist at the GLAAD Media Awards for albums like Fatherfucker and Impeach My Bush.

What other artists has Peaches collaborated with?

Peaches has collaborated with a diverse array of artists across genres. Her collaborators include Iggy Pop, who featured on her song "Kick It". Kim Gordon and Feist on her album Rub. And Christina Aguilera on the track "My Girls. She has also worked with R.E.M., Yoko Ono, Chilly Gonzales, Simian Mobile Disco, Soulwax, and the electronic duo Digitalism. In 2025, it was announced she would be featured on a concept album by the artist Boyfriend.

What is Peaches' newest album?

Peaches' newest album is No Lube So Rude, released on February 20, 2026. This is her seventh studio album and her first full-length release in over a decade, following 2015's Rub. The album addresses themes of sexuality, politics, and bodily autonomy and was shortlisted for the 2026 Polaris Music Prize. It was preceded by the single "Not In Your Mouth None Of Your Business," a protest anthem for bodily autonomy recorded with producer The Squirt Deluxe.

What was Peaches' first album?

Peaches' first album under her stage name was The Teaches of Peaches, released in the fall of 2000. This album was her debut after signing with the Kitty Yo label in Berlin and contains her signature song 'Fuck the Pain Away'. Prior to this, under her birth name Merrill Nisker, she released a solo folk album titled Fancypants Hoodlum in 1995. The Teaches of Peaches was recorded in her hometown of Toronto following the release of her six track EP Lovertits in the summer of 2000. This album firmly established her electroclash sound and launched her career.

Sources and further reading

• Peaches (Wikipedia)
• Shock-pop provocateur Peaches still thrives onstage at 60 (latimes.com)
• Peaches (redbullmusicacademy.com)
• Peaches Announces New Album 'No Lube So Rude ... (glidemagazine.com)

Checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-10-28.