Releasing her own music from a young age, Wells learned to keep her work close, and toured independently while developing her palate and performance across the U.S. It was in a humble garage studio in Los Angeles that Well s recorded her 2008 breakthrough, The Symphonies: Dream Memories & Parties, picking up praise from sources as varied as NPR and SPIN, who compared her to a feral, streetwise Nina Simone. 2012 will find Wells touring behind Mama and preparing for the release of Pillowfight, her long whispered-about collaboration with legendary producer Dan the Automator.