Susanna Hoffs

Susanna Hoffs — singer (the bangles) with roots in the Russian Empire

Susanna Hoffs is an American singer, guitarist, and actress who co-founded The Bangles — one of the most successful female rock bands in history. Eternal Flame, Walk Like an Egyptian, and Manic Monday made them global stars in the 1980s.

Tracing the roots — Russia (Jewish)

Her family has Russian-Jewish ancestry — part of the Eastern European Jewish diaspora in America. Hoffs grew up in Los Angeles in a Jewish household and has acknowledged her heritage. Growing up in the creative Jewish intellectual community of LA, her musical ambitions were nurtured in an environment shaped by that immigrant cultural tradition.

Historical context

Russian Empire · c. 1721–1917

Russia (Jewish). At the time, this region lay within the Russian Empire, which spanned from Poland to the Pacific.

Map: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)

A career defined by ambition