Madeleine Peyroux “Disappears,” Is Soon Found in U.S.

Madeleine Peyroux has been causing trouble across the pond, as she mysteriously “vanished” in England last week, the BBC reported on Friday. But don’t worry, because the BBC reported yesterday that she was found in New York. With her manager, of all people.

The trouble began when Peyoux didn’t show up for promotional work, according to Universal Classics, which handles her British licensing (she is signed to Rounder in the United States). Universal hired a private detective after a week of unsuccessful attempts to contact her and the snoop quickly tracked down the missing girl, Nancy Drew-style.

Bill Holland of Universal Classics and Jazz told the BBC, “Much to our embarrassment, she was with her manager in New York.” According to her manager, Peyroux does not want to do any more promotional work for her latest album, 2004’sCareless Love. Peyroux had “disappeared” in the past, last time after her 1996 debut Dreamland, when she left the music world to busk on the streets of Paris for seven years.

Holland also told the BBC, “She doesn’t want to see anyone” and added that he was “fed up with” her behavior. “She’s gone off-that’s what she does and she won’t come back.”

But to make the matter even more interesting, today Peyroux’s manager told the New York Times that Peyroux had never “disappeared” and the BBC’s story was all a hoax. “She was never missing. She’s fine and looking forward to going back on the road,” manager Cynthia B. Herbst told the Times. Rounder also issued a statment that said, “Recent reports regarding Madeleine Peyroux are the result of a hoax story planted in the U.K.” Seriously, this gets more like a Nancy Drew book every day.

Despite all this confusion and–dare I say deception?–Peyroux’s September performances, including an appearance at the Monterey Jazz Festival, are still on schedule. “She’s fine, she’s resting and she’s preparing for her summer tour,” her management announced.

Originally Published August 24, 2005