Jamelia
From WikiColdplay
Jamelia Niela Davis (born 11 January 1981), known professionally as Jamelia, is an English R&B singer, songwriter and sometime model and actress. She is also a three time MOBO awarding winning and Brit nominated artist. She made her breakthrough with the single "Money" in 2000 and had her biggest hit in 2003, with the single "Superstar".
Biography
Jamelia was born in Smethwick, West Midlands, England to a Jamaican mother and a Zimbabwean father and raised in the Winson Green area of Birmingham. She was signed to Parlophone at the age of fifteen, after impressing record executives with self-written a cappella songs. Jamelia attended the The City Technology College in Kingshurst.
Music career
In 1999, Jamelia released a limited edition first single, "So High" in the UK which was later followed by "I Do", the first release off her first album, Drama, which peaked at number thirty-nine in the UK Albums Chart. The most successful single from the album was "Money", featuring a guest vocal from Beenie Man, which went top five. She was nominated for five MOBO Awards in 2000, winning one – "Best Video" for "Money". The album also spawned the successful follow-up single, "Call Me", and the final single, "Boy Next Door", which peaked just outside the top forty of the UK Singles Chart.
After the success of her debut album, she temporarily retired from the music business and give birth to a baby girl on 18 March, 2001. While bringing up her daughter, Teja, Jamelia made plans for a comeback and in 2003 her comeback single "Bout" was released, returning her to the UK top forty. In September 2003, her second album Thank You was released and peaked at number sixty-five. Prior to this, her fifth top forty hit, "Superstar", a version of Danish singer Christine Milton's song, was released. This song gave Jamelia her first taste of international success, especially in mainland Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. The single shot to number one in Australia and was certified Platinum. After the release of "Superstar", the album's third single, the title track "Thank You", was released and became Jamelia's highest-charting single in the UK to date, peaking at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Her album, Thank You, was later re-released and reached number four, including two new tracks which later became singles, the Chris Martin-penned "See It in a Boy's Eyes" and "DJ", both further UK top ten singles.
In spring, 2004, Jamelia was signed by the prestigious model agency, ICM. She became the face and legs of Pretty Polly in a high profile advertising campaign and shortly afterwards was featured in a poster campaign for Reebok.
In Autumn, 2004, she was asked to contribute to the Band Aid 20's number-one single "Do They Know It's Christmas?". She sang along with veteran soul singer Beverley Knight. At the same time, she released the theme song for the film Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, "Stop", a cover of Sam Brown's 1988 song, which became her fifth top ten hit in the UK as a double A-side with the aforementioned "DJ". The success of the project led Jamelia to win three MOBO Awards and she went on to receive three BRIT Award nominations in 2005.
On 21 October 2005, Jamelia gave birth to her second daughter, Tiani Byfield. Tiani's father is Millwall striker Darren Byfield, to whom she is engaged.
Jamelia's third album, Walk with Me, was released on 25 September 2006. Collaborations on the album include Afrika Bambaataa, who was featured on and produced "Do Me Right", and Sway, who was featured on "Hustle". The first single from the album was the R&B/rock fusion "Something About You", released on 11 September 2006, which peaked at number nine on the UK Singles Chart in September 2006. The second single was "Beware of the Dog", released on 4 December 2006, which features a sample from Depeche Mode's 1989 "Personal Jesus", and became the second top ten hit from the album in the UK. The third and final single, "No More", contains a sample from The Stranglers' 1981 "Golden Brown".
On 25 November 2006, Jamelia collapsed while filming a TV appearance in Spain. She was rushed back to the UK where she was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia before undergoing micro surgery at St Mary's Hospital in London.
In January 2007, Jamelia launched a new fragrance as part of a campaign to increase awareness of HIV and AIDS. Proceeds from the sale of every bottle of Rougeberry will be donated to MTV's Staying Alive Foundation. Jamelia has most recently been seen on the cover of Company magazine and in a high profile poster shot by Mary McCartney for the animals right charity PETA, she appears naked under the headline "Be comfortable in your own skin and let animals keep theirs". The campaign group released her image to coincide with the start of London Fashion Week.
On 23 April, it was announced that Jamelia had left Parlophone records, due to being unhappy at the way in which the label were managing her career following poor sales of her recent single "No More". She can currently be seen as a celebrity contestant on Gameshow Marathon with Vernon Kay.
Acting
In late 2006, Jamelia announced that she had been taking acting lessons and was considering a move into film or television after signing with ARG, who also represent Sasha Baron Cohen and Billie Piper.
She has recently announced that she is to appear in a film. While at the European premiere of Spiderman 3, Jamelia said "I've got a part in a new movie which I'm really excited about,". She also added, "It's my first project on film so it's going to be fun." Jamelia had previously admitted her ambition to be a bond girl. In a recent interview, Jamelia has also admitted that she will make an appearance in the upcoming St Trinian's School film and "a new sitcom for the BBC which is about to be commisioned".
Discography
Jamelia covers 'Clocks' SIX times during AOL Sessions
The pressures of performing live for solo artist Jamelia has proved far too much. The singer who was performing tracks from her new album at the AOL Sessions forgot her lyrics nine times – and those were from her old songs.
The singer, who hasn't performed live in two years, was playing at London venue The Hospital. The gig started well but soon went pear-shaped when she came to perform, Beware of the Dog. The singer had to stop in the middle after forgetting the lyrics. She gave the song a second shot and succeeded but stumbled again when she came to do her cover of Coldplay's Clocks. She retried that song six times, then moved on to another, which she also failed twice.
It all got too much for the songstress who then took a ten-minute break. She kept her sense of humour about her ordeal though, telling the crowd, 'I'll try clocks again ...so it could be a long night.'
Jamelia On Coldplay & Chris Martin
She may be Birmingham-born, but R&B starlet Jamelia is no fan of the pork pie. "My family was into Rastafarianism when I was young and they tell you all these things that pigs do that make you never ever want to eat pork. But I don't want to say what they are because I don't want to be putting millions of people off pork," she says, expressing a fear of ruining the Australian pork industry.
Jamelia is in Australia to promote her latest album Thank You, which features the number one single, Superstar and has sold almost 35,000 copies here. A music maniac since owning her first karaoke machine at age 12, Jamelia scored a record deal at 15 after a cousin handed a home-made karaoke tape to EMI.
"My aunties and cousins and my mum and everyone came to the EMI meeting," she says. "It was just one couch and all my family was sitting on it, with me in the middle. We bombarded them."
The album is littered with musical cameos, including one by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, who approached Jamelia's record company with a song he'd penned for her.
Despite her superstar status, Jamelia admits getting the jitters around famous folk. "I'm such a huge fan of Coldplay and to be in the studio with Chris Martin was one of the most overwhelming experiences I've ever had. "After an hour and a half, I finally got over the fact that I was in the studio with Chris Martin and then he says, 'Oh, I'd love you to meet my girlfriend.' And I was like, 'Oh please no."'
Source: smh.com.au
Jamelia covers Coldplay at V Festival 2004
Jamelia has covered Coldplay as part of her performance at V Festival.
The singer performed in the JJB Arena at Hylands Park, Chelmsford on Saturday (August 21). Jamelia famously collaborated with Chris Martin on her recent single 'See It In A Boy's Eyes'. During her set she covered Coldplay’s 'Clocks'. She told the crowd: "You may know I wrote a song with Chris Martin. Well Coldplay are one of my favourite acts and now I’m going to play a song that I wish I'd written myself."
A fan at the gig told NME.com: "The cover was pretty faithful to the original version, but with the obvious soul twist."
Chris Martin Rumored to Perform Duet With Jamelia at the Make Trade Fair gig (2004)
In a brief interview with the Daily Mirror, British R'n'B star Jamelia told the paper Coldplay frontman Chris Martin can't wait to team up with her again.
"Chris and I are talking at the moment about doing a duet at the Oxfam Fair Trade gig on September 14. It will be amazing if it comes off - we work really well together," she said.
This may well confirm Coldplay as a part of the line up at the Make Trade Fair gig next month. Razorlight, Jamelia and Hollywood actress Minnie Driver and other as yet unannounced stars will perform at the event on September 14 at the Hammersmith Apollo, West London to raise money for the Oxfam charity Make Trade Fair.
Bottle, the event organisers are keeping the headline acts under wraps, but have stated that, "The evening will involve "special international headline artists" who are (I quote) "bloody good" and rest assured, "this is going to be a very special night to remember."
Jamelia doles out parenting tips to Chris Martin!
They might be popstars but music was not what was on their minds when the two of them got chatting. Instead the conversation veered to the apple of their eyes - their kids.
According to rate the music, British R and B sensation Jamelia gave baby advice to Coldplay singer Chris Martin who recently turned father to his baby girl Apple.
Jamelia is also mom to three-year-old Teeja but incidentally she had no idea that Chris's wife Gwyneth Paltrow was expecting their first child at the time.
"We did talk kids and obviously Gwyneth was pregnant at the time, but I didn't know that. In hindsight, I thought, 'Oh! That's why we were having that conversation,'" Jamelia was quoted as saying.
"He kept asking about how demanding the role of a parent was and how to cope with the sleepless nights. Now I know he was trying to work out how feasible it is to have a child and combine it with the life of being a pop star - the touring and everything that goes with it," she added.
Chris Martin Helps Jamelia To No.5 Spot
English R&B star Jamelia's "See It in a Boy's Eyes" (Parlophone), co-written with Coldplay's Chris Martin, was new at No.5 in the UK singles charts this week, July 20, 2004.
Jamelia's Coldplay Surprise
British R+B beauty Jamelia is more surprised than anyone that her new single is a collaboration with Chris Martin - as she had no idea he wanted to work with her.
The singer was astonished when she was told Chris wanted them to record the track 'See It In A Boy's Eyes' together and was convinced the offer was a joke.
She explains, "The day before Chris called the label I'd been speaking to my A+R man, and he was going, 'What ideas have you got for me?'
"I told him I wanted to do some crazy things. The next day, he phoned and said: 'Your never going to guess what just happened: Chris Martin has called up.
"He says he's a really big fan, and he's got an idea for a song with you.' I was like, 'Yeah, shut up.'"
Chris Martin goes RnB
Chris Martin has been telling us more about the songwriting he's done for Jamelia.
He went on Simon Mayo's show on Five Live on Monday to talk about the Make Trade Fair campaign which he supports.
Read more via the link... He said not to expect anything from Coldplay this year because they're working on the next album which he says he wants to make the best thing anybody has ever heard.
He also gave his reaction to Bryan leaving Westlife, joking that it might mean there's space for him in the band.
Chris also said the song he wrote for Jamelia, called 'See it in a Boy's Eyes', was only meant for her:
"No-one was ever supposed to know that I wrote it to be honest. The record companies kind of screw that up. My perspective is, I think she's an amazing singer and I had nothing to do for a week, so I thought, 'I wonder if I could ever write a song for Jamelia?'"
"This is what I'm saying - you've got to go for things in life haven't you? Jamelia then, in return, when she's an enormous global superstar, she might mention the words 'fair trade' when she picks up an MTV award."
