Tove Lo Drops $4 Million on Danny McBride’s Former L.A. Home
By James McClain
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – She may famously “stay high all the time,” but Grammy-nominated Swedish pop export Ebba Tove Elsa Nilsson — better-known as Tove Lo — still keeps a steady eye for design. When a stylish, privately-situated midcentury compound in the Hollywood Hills recently popped up for sale with a $4 million ask, the moody songstress quickly swooped in with a full-price offer.
As it turns out, Nilsson’s new home sports a celebrity history. From 2013 until 2017, when he sold it for $3.5 million, it was owned by actor/comedian Danny McBride. Next it came into the possession of Dominic Smales, a wealthy British talent agent who founded Gleam Futures , a management company that specializes in helming the careers of some of the globe’s top YouTubers and social media influencers, most notably Zoe Sugg and her Zoella brand.
Originally built in 1961 as a traditional-style residence, the single-story structure has been renovated multiple times since and is now perhaps best-described as a contemporary transitional mini-estate forged with a liberal sprinkling of Japanese-style reliance on wood and other organic materials.
Set far back on the one-third acre lot, the main house is naturally walled and camera-watched for security. A gated courtyard entrance leads guests under tree branches and past the large plunge pool, spa, cabana and outdoor kitchen. A flagstone terrace encircles the pool, providing plenty of space for sunbathing.
Inside, there’s a voluminous great room with an 18-foot vaulted ceiling, fireplace and dual sliding doors leading directly to the pool area, plus floor-to-ceiling bookshelves with an attached ladder for easy access. The new-ish kitchen has high-end stainless everything, an island with eat-in seating, and direct access to the gardens.
Other main house features include a media room and two spare bedrooms, plus a lavish master suite kitted out with a private deck and outdoor hot tub, a bathroom with steam shower, soaking tub and dual vanities, and an extra-large walk-in closet.
Connected to the property’s detached two-car garage is a separate wee guesthouse with its own private entrance and an additional bedroom and bath, plus a TV and top-notch Sonos sound system. And the entire hillside lot is surrounded by a dense canopy of towering evergreen trees, effectively blocking out the neighbors and imbuing the mini-compound with a remote treehouse sort of vibe that’s ideal for a famous person.
Over the past seven years, Nilsson has released four studio albums, all of which have charted on the Billboard 200. Her latest release spawned the lead single “Glad He’s Gone,” whose complex accompanying music video is up for a Grammy at this year’s awards.
And although she’s probably most famous for 2015’s “Habits (Stay High)”, an infectious global hit with charmingly TMI lyrics, Nilsson has written more than 70 songs of her own plus hits for other artists, including Ellie Goulding’s 2015 global smash “Love Me Like You Do.” Last week, she surprised fans by releasing two brand-new songs with Billie Eilish’s brother Finneas.
Ben Belack of The Agency held the listing; Johnny Johnston of Compass repped Nilsson.
