| Jamelia |
Jamelia
performs with Johnny Borrell of Razorlight, 2004
|
| Background information |
| Birth name |
Jamelia Niela Davis |
| Born |
January 11, 1981 (1981-01-11) (age 26) |
| Origin |
 Smethwick, West Midlands, England |
| Genre(s) |
R&B
Pop |
| Occupation(s) |
Singer
Songwriter |
| Years active |
1999 – present |
| Label(s) |
Parlophone (1997-2007) |
| Website |
Jamelia.com |
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".
|
Contents
- 1 Biography
- 1.1 Music
career
- 1.1.1 Drama era
- 1.1.2 Thank You era
- 1.1.3 Walk with Me era
- 1.2 Acting
career
- 1.3 Other
projects
- 2 Awards
and nominations
- 3 Discography
- 4 Tour
history
- 5 References
- 6 External
links
|
Biography
Jamelia was born in Handsworth, Birmingham,
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
Drama era
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.
Thank You era
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 first
number one hit, "Superstar", a version of Danish singer Christine
Milton's song, was released, 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,[another number one in Australia]"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".
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.
Walk with Me
era
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
DaSafo, who was featured on "Hustle". The first single from the album
was the R&B/Rock fusion "Something About You,it was released on
11 September[2006], and 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 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 and she has recently been involved in the launch of new Listerine Softmint
Sensation.
Most recently, Jamelia was due to appear at the May Ball of
the University Of Wales, Aberystwyth, but withdrew at short notice,
citing throat problems.
Acting career
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 Sacha
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 commissioned".
Other projects
On 27th May 2007, it was announced that Jamelia signed a
£100,000 contract to launch a new range of products for Boots, although
she has announced on her official forum that it will not be a skin-care
range but has said all will be revealed by the end of June.
Awards and nominations
| Year |
Institution |
Award |
| Won |
| 2000 |
MOBO Awards |
Best Video (Money) |
| 2004 |
MOBO Awards |
Best British Female |
| 2004 |
MOBO Awards |
Best Single (Thank You) |
| 2004 |
MOBO Awards |
Best Video (See It In a Boy's Eyes) |
| 2004 |
Q Awards |
Best Single "See It In a Boy's Eyes" |
| 2005 |
Urban
Music Awards |
Best R&B Act |
| 2007 |
Eska Awards |
Best Foreign Singer |
| Nominated |
2004-Brit Awards-Best British Female |
2004-Brit Awards-Best Single |
2004-Mercury Prize-Thank You |
2007-Brit Awards-Best British Female |
2007-Popjustice£20 Music Prize
|
Discography
- Further information: Jamelia
discography
