Azalia Snail  Azalia Snail is an American avant-garde singer-songwriter and musician. She is a multi-instrumentalist active in neo-psychedelia, psychedelic folk and indie rock, played a prominent role in the 1990s lo-fi music scene, and was dubbed the "Queen of Lo-Fi". She is one half of the duo LoveyDove. Snail recorded twelve solo albums between 1990 and 2015 and has written film scores for several indie features and short films. She has toured the United States, Europe and Australasia. In 2000, she won the Los Angeles "LA Weekly" Music Award for Best New-Genre/Uncategorizable Artist. Azalia Snail was born in Philadelphia to hippie parents, and was named after the azaleas that grew near their home. At the age of six, her mother persuaded her to take piano lessons, and while Snail agreed, she was "frustrated by the whole disciplinary process". This prompted her to switch to guitar, which gave rise to more lessons, and more musical discipline. At 15 years old, Snail bought an electric guitar against her parent's wishes, who wanted her to play acoustic instruments. She was forced to return the guitar and on doing so, told her mother, "That's all I want in my life - this guitar." Snail cites Lou Reed as her biggest musical influence, in particular his albums Coney Island Baby and Rock and Roll Heart. She also credits Brian Eno, T Rex, Patti Smith, The Kink Kronikles, and The Troggs Tapes as significant influences. After graduating high school, Snail moved to New York City and worked as a writer. In 1987, she began jamming with other musicians in bars, including Fly Ashtray in The Bronx, and soon branched off on her own to record solo music. In the late 1980s, she sent samples of her material to a radio show called "Lo-Fi" on WFMU in New Jersey. The station's DJ played her songs regularly, and she soon became known as the "Queen of Lo-Fi". Snail later distanced herself from the lo-fi label, saying that her music is now recorded professionally. However, the exposure she gained on the radio show prompted her to start performing as a solo artist. During the 1990s, she toured North America and Europe with multiple bands, including Low, Trumans Water and The Grifters.