Universal Republic Records is a record label, owned by Universal Music Group. It is based on the now-defunct Republic Records label founded by brothers Monte and Avery Lipman. In the summer of 2011, changes were made at one of the three Universal Music Group umbrella labels, Universal Motown Republic Group, and Motown Records was separated from Universal Motown Records (causing it to shut down and transfer its artists to either Motown Records or Universal Republic Records) and the umbrella label and merged into The Island Def Jam Music Group, making Universal Republic Records a stand alone label and shutting down Universal Motown Republic Group.^[1]

Universal Records: 2000–2005[link]

Universal Music Group acquired the Lipman brothers' Republic Records as a fully owned subsidiary in 2000, and named Monte Lipman as President of the newly established Universal Records label, and Avery Lipman the COO; both reporting to Doug Morris (Chairman of Universal Music Group), and Mel Lewinter, (Chairman of Universal Records Group). During their tenure, the Lipmans shaped the newly formed company into an industry leader with such acts as Nelly, Lil’ Wayne, Elton John, and co-ventures with Cash Money Records, Master P’s No Limit Records, and Sean “Puffy” Combs (Bad Boy Records).

Universal Republic Records: 2006–present[link]

As of 2006, Universal Republic has adopted an A&R and partnership-based growth strategy. In an era of music industry transition they have proven effective, as Universal Republic has continued to grow in the industry's declining years.

Collaborations[link]

Strategic partnerships and co-ventures orchestrated by Universal Republic's senior management have seen highly-commended success since 2005. Artists signed under these partnerships include:

• Singer-songwriter Jay Sean and singer-songwriter and producer Kevin Rudolf of Cash Money Records. Rudolf's single, "Let It Rock" was certified 3x Platinum^[2] and licensed by multiple television networks for sports and other entertainment endorsements. Jay Sean's debut single "Down" sold 3 million copies in the United States and over 6 million worldwide.^[3] Sean's follow-up single "Do You Remember" also sold over a million copies.^[4] Cash Money Records also houses rapper Bow Wow.
• American Singer-Songwriter Taylor Swift with Nashville-based Big Machine Records. Swift today is a 10x Platinum artist with 4 Grammys and 20 million records sold worldwide.Recording Industry Association of America: 4× Platinum^[5] In 2010 The Band Perry was also signed to Republic vis-a-vis Big Machine Records.
• Jack Johnson on Brushfire Records who has achieved multi-Platinum certifications twice and is estimated to have sold about 8 million albums worldwide.Recording Industry Association of America: Platinum^[5]
• Damian Marley with Jr. Gong Records, whose debut album reached Gold certification and sold 1 million worldwide.^[6]
• Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros from Vagrant Records
• British singer-songwriter Jessie J and Black Veil Brides vis-a-vis the Lava Records imprint, originally founded in 1995 by hugely successful A&R, Jason Flom

The label also houses successful ventures and alliances with Mark Burnett as the home record label to NBC-TV’s The Voice, MTV’s Jersey Shore (Soundtrack), Downtown Records, Indie-Pop Records, (Gene) Simmons Records, and Tuff Gong Records; home to Stephen Marley.

Notable artists[link]

In chronological order are current Republic artists, and their accolades:

• 2006: Hinder, whose debut album Extreme Behavior achieved 3x Platinum certification in the United States and sold 5 million worldwide.^[7]
• 2007: Amy Winehouse, whose debut album for the Universal Republic, Back to Black achieved 2x Platinum certification and sold 10 million worldwide. Amy Winehouse also received five Grammys.^[8][9] In 2007, Colbie Caillat's debut album Coco also received a 3x Platinum certification and her second album Breakthrough received a Grammy nomination and she won 2 Grammys.
• 2008: Taylor Swift (success aforementioned)
• 2009: Owl City, whose single "Fireflies" received Platinum certification and sold 2 million worldwide as a number one record in 27 countries. Also signed in 2009, the band Lonely Island received Gold certification as the number 1 comedy album of the year. Lonely Island's YouTube videos have a over 350 million aggregate views.
• 2010: Florence + the Machine debuts in the United States with Lungs which received Gold certification, a Grammy nomination and won the 2010 Brit Award for album of the year.
• 2011: Nickelodeon star Ariana Grande signed with Universal Republic in August 2011. Her first single, titled "Put Your Hearts Up" will debut on iTunes on December 20, 2011.
• 2011: Tyga for his 3 mixtapes Black Thoughts Vol. 2, Well Done 2, and #BitchImTheShit
• 2012: Lisa Marie Presley, whose third album Storm & Grace was released on the label on May 15, 2012; produced by T-Bone Burnett.

Major acts of 2011

In 2011, Lava Records plans to breakout highly-anticipated artists including Jessie J, (winner of Critics Choice Brit Award and the BBC Sound of 2011)^[10] Republic Nashville's The Band Perry, and James Blake.^[11]

Label roster[link]

The following list includes individuals and bands signed to the Universal Republic roster, according to the label's website.^[12]

• 3 Doors Down
• 10 Years
• Alysha Brillinger (Lava Records)
• Amy Winehouse (US)
• Anberlin
• Anjulie (Cherry Entertainment Group)
• Ariana Grande
• Atomic Tom
• Avery
• Aubrey O'Day
• The Band Perry
• Black Veil Brides (Lava Records)
• Bobby Brackins
• Bow Wow (Cash Money Records)
• The Cataracs
• Cece Segarra
• Clare Maguire
• Colbie Caillat
• Chase Coy
• Clyde Carson
• Damian Marley (Tuff Gong)
• Dev
• Dia Frampton
• Drake
• Dynamite Walls
• Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros (Vagrant Records)
• Elizaveta
• Enrique Iglesias
• The Envy
• Erin McCarley
• Florence + The Machine (US)
• flobots
• G. Love (Brushfire Records)
• Godsmack
• Guster (Aware Records)
• Havana Brown
• Hinder
• Hifyve
• India Arie
• Irma
• James Blake
• Javier Colon
• Jay Sean (Cash Money Records)
• Jack Johnson (Brushfire Records)
• Jermaine Paul
• Jessie J (Lava Records)
• John Brown^{[disambiguation needed ]}
• Karl Wolf
• Kelly Rowland
• Kevin Rudolf (Cash Money Records)
• K’Jon
• Lauren Pritchard
• Leighton Meester
• Lil Wayne
• Lisa Marie Presley
• Lonely Island
• Martina McBride (Republic Nashville)
• Mason Jennings (Brushfire Records)
• Mat Kearney (Aware Records)
• Matt Costa (Brushfire Records)
• Miike Snow (Downtown Records)
• Mika
• The Naked and Famous
• Neil Halstead (Brushfire Records)
• Nicki Minaj
• Nikki Flores
• Owl City
• Pearl and the Puppets
• Pop Evil
• Porcelain Black
• The Rescues
• Rogue Wave (Brushfire Records)
• The Rolling Stones (US)
• The Secret Sisters
• SafetySuit
• Serabee
• Seth MacFarlane
• Sky Sailing
• Spose
• Stephen Jerzak
• Stromae
• The Stunners
• Sully Erna
• SuperHeavy
• Steel Panther
• Sy Stone
• Tyga
• Troop 41
• Taylor Swift
• Volbeat
• Vinyl Pinups
• Washington
• Weaving The Fate
• The Who (US)
• Will Dailey
• Xenia
• YP
• Zach Gill (Brushfire Records)
• Zee Avi (Brushfire Records)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2008)

Republic Records was a record label and subsidiary of Universal Motown Republic Group. They originally went by the name Cheese Factory Records. The label has been reincarnated into the current Universal Republic Records.

History[link]

According to Avery Lipman, he and his brother Monte Lipman first conceived of Cheese Factory Records at the kitchen table of their apartment:

"My brother and I had been working at record companies. He was in between jobs and we started putting records out as a hobby. We had a grassroots approach to the business. The first record we put out happened to work really well. That was the Bloodhound Gang."^[1]

Frustrated by the limitations of being an independent with a very small staff, the Lipman brothers accepted an offer from Universal. One of several labels that comprise Universal Motown Republic Group, the newly named Republic Records was formed in 1995 as a sub-label of MCA's Geffen Records. Avery Lipman told HitQuarters that the pairing was a "complete disaster", saying: "Our ideas and vision didn’t fit with the label. We didn’t trust our own instincts. We let others decide what was right for the project."^[1]

Today, the label is responsible for numerous breakthrough and mainstream chart topping artists, including a diverse array of groundbreaking imprints and ventures encompassing new and established platinum and multi-platinum acts.

Its artists include Amy Winehouse, Anberlin, Chamillionaire, Colbie Caillat, Jay Sean, 3 Doors Down, Alter Bridge, Mika, Florence & The Machine, Godsmack, Rehab, Owl City and Lil Jon among others. Also Gossip Girl star Leighton Meester, signed onto them recently.

In the early days, Republic Records released the Bloodhound Gang's EP, Dingleberry Haze, as well as their first LP, Use Your Fingers.

In 2006, Universal Republic released The Who's comeback, Endless Wire in the US.

In October 2008, Republic announced Lil Jon as the "Urban Music Czar" in a multi-facted deal which includes a label, a recording contract, a production arm, a digital presence and an A&R consultancy role.

Artists[link]

See also[link]

• List of record labels

References[link]

External links[link]

• Interview with co-founder Avery Lipman, HitQuarters Aug 06

Jessie J
Jessie J at the O2 Arena in London in 2011.
Background information
Birth name	Jessica Ellen Cornish
Also known as	Jessie J
Born	(1988-03-27) 27 March 1988 (age 24) Chadwell Heath, London, England, United Kingdom
Genres	pop, hip hop, R&B, dance-pop, soul
Years active	2005–present
Labels	Lava, Universal Republic, Island, Gut
Website	jessiejofficial.com

Jessica Ellen Cornish (born 27 March 1988), better known by her stage name Jessie J, is an English singer and songwriter. Born and raised in London, she studied at the BRIT School before signing with Gut Records and striking a songwriting deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing where she wrote for artists such as Chris Brown and Miley Cyrus.

Signed with Universal, Jessie J came to prominence following the release of her debut single "Do It Like a Dude" which peaked at number two on the UK Singles Charts. After scoring her first number one in the United Kingdom, France, Ireland and New Zealand with the song "Price Tag", she released her debut album Who You Are (2011) which charted at number two in the UK. Other releases from the album include "Nobody's Perfect", "Who's Laughing Now" and "Who You Are" which charted within the top 20 in the UK but the release of fifth single "Domino" spawned international chart success, peaking at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, and becoming her second UK number one. Aside from her musical career, Jessie J is currently a coach and mentor on television show The Voice UK.

Citing various influences, Jessie J is recognized for an unconventional musical and performance style^[1][2] that mixes her soul voice with contemporary R&B, pop, and hip-hop influences. Jessie J has garnered various awards and nominations for her contributions to the music industry, including the 2011 Critics' Choice BRIT Award and the BBC's Sound of 2011. As of April 2012, Jessie has sold over 11 million singles and 2.5 million records worldwide.^[3][4]

Early life[link]

Jessie J was born Jessica Ellen Cornish in Chadwell Heath, London,^[5] daughter of Stephen Cornish and Rose Cornish (née Archer). She was educated at Mayfield High School in the London Borough of Redbridge. She attended Colin's Performing Arts School and as an 11-year old-was cast in Andrew Lloyd Webber's West End production of Whistle Down the Wind.^[6][7][8] Jessie has two sisters, who are five and seven years older than her, who were both head girls at school. Unlike her academic sisters, Cornish has stated she was "never really that good at anything". She said, "At school they were like 'oh, you're a Cornish girl' and they kind of expected me to be the same as my sisters. Give me something to draw or an outfit to pick for someone, or hair, make-up, acting, write a song, I'm fine with it, but anything to do with sums – it was never my thing." She also said she never based her intelligence on her exam results.^[9] She also said she was always good at singing and it was her "thing". At the age of 16 she began studying at the BRIT School and at 17 she joined a girl group named Soul Deep.^[10] She graduated in the class of 2006 along with singers Adele and Leona Lewis.^[11] At 18 she suffered a stroke.^[12]

Music career[link]

2006–2010: Career beginnings[link]

Jessie J was signed to Gut Records, recording an album for the label, but the company went bankrupt before any material was released.^[8][10] She then found success as a songwriter, gaining a Sony ATV publishing contract.^[13] She was also the support act for Cyndi Lauper during Lauper's UK dates of her 2008 Bring Ya To The Brink tour (Lauper invited J to join her on stage for the performances of "Girls Just Want To Have Fun"). Jessie has also written lyrics for artists such as Chris Brown and Miley Cyrus, including "Party in the U.S.A.".^[14][15] Jessie J was also part of a girl band, called Soul Deep, for two years, however she left due to thoughts that "it wasn't going anywhere". Despite people thinking that her first notoriety was through YouTube, Jessie was signed for four years before her first video was posted. Jessie first came to the attention of Lava Records when her publisher at Sony/ATV, Rich Christina, sent Lava president Jason Flom a link to her MySpace page, which the record executive loved.^[16] After seeing an impressive U.S. showcase, Lava was, along with several other labels, keen to sign the artist but progress was hampered by her management's insistence on, what Flom called, a "crazy deal", and their refusal to let Jessie speak to any labels directly.^[16] Despite this, Senior Director of A&R at Lava, Harinder Rana, made surreptitious efforts to meet Jessie on her own in winter of 2008. Later in the year a change in management to Sarah Stennett and Nadia Khan of Crown Music allowed record deal negotiations to take place. Jessie eventually signed with Lava as part of a joint venture with Universal Republic.^[16]

[edit] 2010–2012: Who You Are

Jessie J performing at a concert in New York City in 2011.

Jessie J began recording her debut studio album in 2006 and it was completed on 19 January 2011.^[17][18] She revealed that "Big White Room" would be on the album and was written from an experience she had when she was 11 years old, although she wrote the song at age 17, in hospital, where a ward mate, a little boy, died.^[19] Jessie J says the album's title track, "Who You Are", is one of her proudest creations, she said the song is a "positive role model for young people" and "I always say that I'm half-artist, half-therapist".^[19] In late 2010 Jessie J released her first single, "Do It Like a Dude" which was co-written with George Astasio, Tj Normandin, Jason Pebworth, Jon Shave, Kyle Abrahams and Peter Ighile. Originally, she wrote the song with Rihanna in mind because "Rude Boy" was released at the time, partly inspiring the song. She then sent the song to her label, Island Records, before sending it to Rihanna's management. Island insisted the song become Jessie J's first single.^[20] She wishes to perform the song with Rihanna at one point.^[21] The single gained positive reception from critics.^[22] The single charted at number two on the UK Singles Charts. Her follow-up single "Price Tag" was released in late January 2011. This was written by Jessie J, Lukasz Gottwald, Claude Kelly, and Bobby Ray Simmons, Jr. and charted at number one in the top of the charts. "Price Tag" was released in the United States on 1 February 2011 and peaked at 23 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[23] "Price Tag" also charted at number-one in New Zealand and Ireland and is the most successful online video J has released. As of October 2011, the video has generated over 148 million views on Youtube and Vevo, making it the 22nd most viewed music video of all time.^[24][25] Her first American television appearance was as the musical guest on the 12 March 2011 episode of NBC's Saturday Night Live.^[26]

On 25 February 2011 her debut album, Who You Are, was released.^[27] The album first entered the charts on 6 March 2011 where it charted on the UK Album Charts at number two. The album charted into the top ten in a number of countries and number 11 in the United States.^[28] After the release she went on to release a third single from the album, "Nobody's Perfect".^[29] MTV reported that the single is, so far, only confirmed for release in the United Kingdom.^[30] The album's fourth single was "Who's Laughing Now". "Domino" was her second US single.^[31] The Dr. Luke-produced track was sent to mainstream radio on 6 September 2011.^[32] With the success of Who You Are in North America, Jessie was chosen to tour as the opening act for American pop artist Katy Perry's California Dreams Tour in 2011 but after she was unable to fully recover from her injuries during rehearsals she was forced to pull out under the doctor's orders.^[33] Jessie J served as the house artist at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, performing several of her original songs along with covers around commercial breaks.^[34]

James Morrison's third studio album, The Awakening features a collaboration with Jessie J called "Up", the song was released as a single on 4 December 2011. Jessie J re-released "Who You Are" on 9 November 2011, featuring the regular tracks plus "Domino" and two new songs. "Domino" became her first top 10 hit in the U.S., following the success of "Price Tag". The song also peaked at number 1 in January 2012 in the UK, before it was even officially released there.

[edit] 2012–present: Second studio album and The Voice

On 4 October 2011, Jessie announced that she will be one of four coaches for new BBC program, The Voice UK.^[35] The show was announced after the success of the US version, The Voice. It premiered in March 2012 on BBC One. It will be presented by Holly Willoughby and Reggie Yates, with will.i.am (of The Black Eyed Peas), Tom Jones and Danny O'Donoghue (of The Script) joining Jessie on the coaching panel.^[36] The first stage of the competition, The Blind auditions, began in London on 18 January 2012 at the BBC Television Centre and finished filming on 22 January 2012. The winner will receive £100,000 and a record deal with Universal Republic. It was also reported that the 4 coaches recorded a cover of the Black Eyed Peas song, "I Gotta Feeling", and will release an accompanying music video to help promote the show.^[37]

On 31 January 2012, Jessie announced that she had begun recording for her second studio album.^[38] She also stated that she hopes to collaborate with many artists this year, possibly including some of her fellow coaches on The Voice.^[39] It was revealed that she has worked in the studio with Cee-Lo Green after he tweeted her on twitter. Jessie has also revealed on twitter that she has worked with Diane Warren as well as reuniting in the studio with her 'Price Tag' co-writer Claude Kelly.

Jessie will embark on her first arena tour in March 2013. Via microblogging website, Twitter, Jessie J confirmed the tour will be called Nice to Meet You Tour.^[40]

Personal life[link]

Jessie J performing at the 2011 The Big Chill, sitting on the "gilded throne" she used for performances while her foot was broken.

In early 2011 she suffered a panic attack on stage after she was forced to perform in the dark. "I did a gig recently and had a panic attack on stage," she told NOW. "The night was called 'Black Out' and I had to perform in the dark. I asked them to turn on the lights and they didn't. I was onstage in pitch black and, because I couldn't see anything, I started to panic. It was awful."^[41]

Jessie J is bisexual and stated in an interview on the "In Demand" radio show on 3 March 2011, "I've never denied it. Whoopie doo guys, yes, I've dated girls and I've dated boys – get over it."^[42][43] However, in April 2012 The Sun outed her as homosexual which she denied via Twitter, calling it a "yet another boring untrue story".^[44] According to The Guardian, Jessie J's sexuality is valuable to young teens, especially for young girls unsure of themselves because of their sexuality and identity, to feel "that this does happen and this is normal."^[45]

On 12 June 2011 at the Capital Radio Summertime Ball, Jessie ruptured several tendons in her foot during rehearsals, and performed her set the following day while sitting on a gilded throne.^[46] For her appearance at Glastonbury Festival 2011 on 25 June 2011, she performed on the throne again, claiming her physician had told her not to perform with her broken foot which would take six weeks to heal.^[47] Jessie J was scheduled to play at several festivals throughout the summer, however it was reported on 1 July 2011 that she would not be able to attend T in the Park, T4 On The Beach, Wembley:Orange, iTunes Festival, Lovebox and Oxegen due to the injuries to her foot. Jessie J personally tweeted before surgery; "Keep making nervous jokes with the doctor and he keeps looking at me blankly. Which is making me laugh even more. It's getting serious. I just took my nose stud out." Tweeting after the surgery, she wrote: "Can't keep tweeting. Still very dizzy and being sick. But I'm OK, I got through it." Her record label released an official statement on 30 June 2011 that under strict orders from her doctor, she will not be able to perform for a number of weeks so she can heal and recuperate properly.^[48] She returned to the concert circuit in late August, including sets at the V Festival^[49] and The Big Chill. For the 2011 VMA's she was still in a cast and using the throne to keep off it.

Jessie J confirmed on 2 August 2011 that she would be shaving her hair off for charity in 2012. Speaking via her official Twitter account she said: "It’s hair, It will grow back. Even if it takes 2 years, if it saves lives it’s worth it. Even if its 1 life that’s something."^[50]

‎Artistry and voice[link]

Jessie J performing at the Bournemouth International Centre in 2011.

Although she was first identified as a soul singer, she primarily records songs of contemporary R&B and pop music with hip-hop influences.

Music critic Matthew Perpetua of Pitchfork Media compared Jessie J to her peers Adele and Amy Winehouse, but suggested she was missing something: "Whereas Adele and Winehouse also have powerhouse voices, they fit into clear aesthetic niches and invest their songs with depth and humanity. Jessie J doesn't have even a fraction of their restraint." Perpetua added: "Her idea of showcasing her gift is to shoot for a blaring melisma on "Mamma Knows Best" that makes Christina Aguilera seem as subtle as Joni Mitchell by comparison."^[51]

Ailbhe Malone of the music magazine NME also recognized Cornish's "undeniably potent voice". However, she pointed out the possible "identity crisis" that might have been caused by Jessie's songwriter past: "This is an album of singles for other artists. There’s Rihanna Jessie (‘Do It...’), Perry Jessie (‘Abracadabra’), Pixie Jessie (‘Mamma Knows Best’), Ellie Jessie ('Big White Room')."^[52]

Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian shared her positive opinion about the singer, saying that "if any singer has the potential to be the British Katy Perry or Pink, with the accompanying millions of sales, it's her". Sullivan also complimented Cornish's attitude: "[Her songs] are delivered with a confidence that money can't buy."^[53]

Entertainment Weekly's music critic Adam Markovitz said of Jessie: "The 23-year-old Brit has all the tools, from a monster voice to an ear for hooks — she co-wrote Miley Cyrus' 'Party in the U.S.A.' — and a manic persona that's equal parts Katy Perry, Kristin Chenoweth, and Alice Cooper."^[54]

Discography[link]

• Who You Are (2011)

Concert tours[link]

Headlining

• Stand Up Tour (2011)
• Heartbeat Tour (2011-12)
• Nice To Meet You Tour (2013)

Filmography[link]

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Jessie J

External links[link]

• Official website
• Jessie J discography at Discogs
• Jessie J's channel on YouTube
• Jessie J's BBC Sound of 2011 page at BBC Online

Colbie Caillat
Colbie Caillat performing in 2009
Background information
Birth name	Colbie Marie Caillat
Born	(1985-05-28) May 28, 1985 (age 27) Newbury Park, California, United States
Origin	Malibu, California, United States
Genres	Pop, folk pop, pop rock, blue-eyed soul
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, guitarist, pianist
Instruments	Vocal, acoustic guitar, ukulele, piano
Years active	2007–present
Labels	Universal Republic Records
Website	www.colbiecaillat.com

Colbie Marie Caillat (ⁱ/ˈkoʊlbi kəˈleɪ/; born May 28, 1985) is an American pop singer-songwriter and acoustic guitarist from Malibu, California. She debuted in 2007 with Coco, which included hit singles "Bubbly" and "Realize". In 2008, she recorded a duet with Jason Mraz, "Lucky", which won a Grammy. Caillat released her second album, Breakthrough, in August 2009. Breakthrough was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2010 Grammy Awards. She was also part of the group that won Album of the Year at the 2010 Grammys for her background vocals and writing on Taylor Swift's Fearless album. She has sold over six million albums worldwide and sold over 10 million singles. In 2009, Billboard magazine's 94th-best-selling music artist of the 2000–2009 decade.^[1]

Life and career[link]

Childhood and youth[link]

Caillat performing in Birmingham, Alabama

Caillat was born in Malibu, California, and grew up in Newbury Park, California. Her father, Ken Caillat, co-produced Fleetwood Mac's Rumours (1977) and Tusk (1979) albums. When she was an infant, her parents gave her the nickname "Coco", which she would later name her debut album.^[2] Caillat took piano lessons as a child, but lacked significant inspiration until she turned 11 years old, when she became enthralled with Lauryn Hill's performance in Sister Act 2.^[3] She realized that she wanted to be a singer, and began taking vocal lessons, performing onstage for the first time in sixth grade.^[4] Since then she has covered the Roberta Flack song that Lauryn Hill immortalized, "Killing Me Softly", and Hill's own^{[citation needed]} "Tell Him" (an import bonus song from her solo debut album).

Caillat soon met producer Mikal Blue, who hired her to sing on techno songs used at fashion shows. Caillat began playing the acoustic guitar at age 19, and Blue helped her record her first song.^[3] She auditioned for American Idol but was rejected at the pre-audition stage and was unable to sing for the judges.^[5] The second time she auditioned for the show, she sang her own original song, "Bubbly", and was rejected once again. However, Caillat expressed gratitude at the judges' decision, saying "I was shy. I was nervous. I didn't look the greatest. I wasn't ready for it yet. I was glad, when I auditioned, that they said no."^[6] The popularity of Caillat's MySpace profile led her to become the number-one unsigned singer in her genre for four consecutive months.^[7]

[edit] 2007–2008: Coco

Caillat performing at The Malibu Inn during the Coco Summer Tour

Caillat performing at The Malibu Inn

Caillat's debut album, Coco was released in 2007. Her debut single "Bubbly" peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the Pop 100. Two other singles followed, "Realize" (#20, Hot 100) and "The Little Things" (#94, Pop 100).^[8] After touring with The Goo Goo Dolls and Lifehouse in 2007, she was the supporting act for John Mayer on his 2008 Summer Tour.

In 2008, Caillat recorded a duet with Jason Mraz, called "Lucky," on his album, We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things.^[9] In August 2008, Caillat released a song and video for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics called "Somethin' Special".^[10] Caillat also sings on "You" by Schiller and appears in the music video. She has been involved in the soundtrack of the movie Imagine That; she and Mikal Blue cover the Beatles song "Here Comes the Sun". She is also featured in Colombian singer Juanes' album La vida... es un ratico (en vivo) in the song "Hoy Me Voy". In October 2008, the song "Midnight Bottle" was included in the soundtrack of Brazilian soap opera Três Irmãs. She also played herself on this soap opera and performing the song. Caillat provided background vocals for and co-wrote Taylor Swift's song "Breathe", on her album, Fearless.

[edit] 2009–2010: Breakthrough

Caillat on the red carpet at the 2009 American Music Awards

Caillat's second album, Breakthrough, was released in August 2009. Most of the album was co-written by Jason Reeves and features guitarist David Becker on two tracks. Becker has worked with Caillat's father Ken.^[11] Caillat had writer's block during the recording sessions, so she enlisted her friends Kara DioGuardi and Jason Reeves, and they went to Hawaii for three weeks, rented a beach house and wrote songs. The first single from Breakthrough, "Fallin' for You", was released in June. The second single, "I Never Told You," was released in February 2010. Caillat released two Christmas songs for the 2009 holiday season: the standard "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and the Beach Boys song "Merry Christmas, Baby".^[12]

Caillat was recognized as BMI's songwriter of the year. In July 2010, Caillat performed "God Bless America" during the seventh inning stretch at the 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. In September 2010, Caillat performed the national anthem in the season opener game of the National Football League in New Orleans and a Monday Night Football game in Chicago. In December 2010, Caillat performed at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway. In 2010, Caillat visited the Watkins Glen, New York shelter of Farm Sanctuary, an organization she supports.^[13]

[edit] 2011–present: All of You

Caillat with with longtime-collaborator Jason Reeves

Caillat's third album, All of You, was released on July 12, 2011. The first single, "I Do" was released in February. The second single, "Brighter Than the Sun", was released in June.^[14] Caillat performed an acoustic version of the National Anthem before the San Diego Chargers v Minnesota Vikings game at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego on September 11, 2011, during the day of remembrance for 9/11. Caillat performed "Brighter Than the Sun" on Disney Channel's Original Series So Random.

Caillat appeared in the third episode of the cancelled NBC television series The Playboy Club as 1960s singer Lesley Gore. In the episode broadcast on October 3, 2011, Caillat sang Gore's 1963 hit, "It's My Party".^[15] Cast for the part in August 2011,^[16] Caillat taped her portion of the episode in Chicago.^[17]

Discography[link]

• Coco (2007)
• Breakthrough (2009)
• All of You (2011)

Tours[link]

Caillat performing at The Nobel Peace Price Concert 2010

• 2008: John Mayer 2008 Summer Tour
• 2008: Coco Summer Tour
• 2008: Coco World Tour
• 2009/2010: Breakthrough World Tour
• 2011: All of You Summer Tour
• 2012: Co-Headlining Summer Tour with Gavin DeGraw

Filmography[link]

Awards and nominations[link]

This biographical section of an article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (August 2011)

Grammy Awards[link]

The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Caillat has won two awards from four nominations, including Album of the Year (as featured artist).

Others awards and nominations[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Colbie Caillat

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• Official website
• Colbie Caillat at Universal Republic
• Colbie Caillat at the Internet Movie Database
• Colbie Caillat on the cover of the March 19, 2008 issue of iProng Magazine
• Colbie Caillat cover story in the January 2009 issue of International Musician
• AOL Sessions Performance & Interview
• Interview with Caillat's manager Chad Jensen, HitQuarters Jun 2008

Damian Marley
Background information
Birth name	Damian Marley
Also known as	Jr. Gong, Gongzilla
Born	(1978-07-21) July 21, 1978 (age 33) Kingston, Jamaica
Genres	Reggae, dancehall, hip-hop, reggae fusion, ragga
Years active	1996–present
Labels	Tuff Gong, Ghetto Youth International, Universal
Associated acts	Bob Marley, Ky-Mani Marley, Ziggy Marley, Stephen Marley, Julian Marley, Nas, SuperHeavy

Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley (born July 21, 1978) is a Jamaican reggae artist who has won three Grammy awards.^[1] Damian is the youngest son of Bob Marley.

Damian was two years old when his father, Bob Marley, died; he is the only child born to Marley and Cindy Breakspeare, Miss World 1976. Damian's nickname Junior Gong is derived from his father's nickname of Tuff Gong. Marley has been performing since the age of 13. He shares, along with most of his family, a full-time career in music.

Music[link]

Marley has described his music as "dancehall and reggae. I've noticed...people trying to separate the two of them," he continues. "It's Jamaican culture in general. I don't try to classify or separate."^[2]

At age 13, he formed a musical group by the name of the Shephards, which included the daughter of Freddie McGregor and son of Third World's Cat Core. The group opened the 1992 Reggae Sunsplash festival.^[3] The band fell apart in the early 1990s and Damian started his solo career.^[4]

With the backing of his father’s label, Tuff Gong, he released his 1996 debut album Mr. Marley which surprised many who were unaccustomed to hearing a Marley deejaying rather than singing.^[5] Damian’s brother, Stephen Marley, was a producer and co-author for this album.^[4]

His second album, Halfway Tree was released in 2001. The cover of Halfway Tree depicts him standing under the clock at halfway tree. This is an embodiment of his parent’s different social origins with this mother from uptown and his father from the ghetto. In Kingston, Jamaica the Halfway Tree was used as a shady halfway point for farmers and vendors who would pass the tree on their route to transport their goods to the downtown market.^[6] It brought him much recognition, remaining on the Billboard top reggae albums chart for 158 weeks,^[7] and winning the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album.^[5]

His third album, Welcome to Jamrock was released in September 2005, named after the hugely successful song of the same name. The lyrics to the single "Welcome to Jamrock", which was performed over a riddim produced by Sly and Robbie for Ini Kamoze some 20 years earlier,^[8] centered around poverty, politics and crime in Jamaica. While the single was controversial at home over its perceived negative viewpoint of the island,^[9] many praised the content of the song. Dr. Clinton Hutton, professor at the University of the West Indies, said of the single, "'Jamrock' uses the icon of the inner city, of alienation, of despair, of prejudice, but of hope, of Jamaican identity, to remind us of the fire of frustration, the fire of creativity, the fire of warning to open up our eyes and look within to the life we are living. And still some of us don't want to hear and to look and say enough is enough."^[10] The single reached #13 on the UK Singles Chart^[11] and #55 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.^[12] It was also #100 on the Top 100 Songs of the Decade listing by Rolling Stone.^[13]

At the 2006 Grammy Awards, he won Best Reggae Album and Best Urban/Alternative Performance for Welcome to Jamrock. He is the only Jamaican reggae artist in history to win two Grammy Awards on the same night. He is also the only reggae artist to win in the Best Urban/Alternative Performance category at the Grammy Awards. The album sold 86,000 copies in its first week of release,^[9] and was eventually certified gold after selling 500,000 copies in the United States.^[14] Other notable singles from the album include "The Master Has Come Back", "Road to Zion" featuring Nas, and "Khaki Suit" featuring Bounty Killer and Eek-A-Mouse.

On May 17, 2010, Marley released Distant Relatives, a collaborative album with Nas. The album title refers not only to the bond between the artists, but the connection to their African ancestry, which inspired the album both musically and lyrically.^[15] They have previously collaborated on “Road to Zion”, on Marley’s Welcome to Jamrock album. The album joins two different flavors of music with Marley’s dub-rock aesthetic and Nas’ flow. Damian and Stephen produced much of the album. The proceeds of this album will go to building schools in the Congo.^[16]

In a 2011 interview on Tim Westwood, Damian revealed he had started work on a new album. His street single, released in Jamaica was titled "Just Aint The Same". He has also joined Mick Jagger's musical project SuperHeavy with Joss Stone, Dave Stewart and A.R. Rahman. Their debut single "Miracle Worker" was released on June 6, 2011, with the album scheduled for a September 2011 release.^[17] Damian also worked with electronic artist Skrillex on a song called "Make It Bun Dem" in 2012. ^[18]

Personal life and beliefs[link]

Born as Damian Marley, he was nicknamed "Jr. Gong" in honour of his legendary father, Bob "Tuff Gong" Marley. His mother is a Jamaican jazz musician, former model and crowned Miss World 1976 Cindy Breakspeare. After seeing The movie Damien: Omen II, which is about the coming of the Antichrist, one of Bob’s last requests in Germany was to have Damian’s name changed. “Damien being a devil….It was inappropriate for him as a Rastafarian to have a child with that name,” Bob said and Damian’s name was later changed.^[19] He has 13 siblings total; 10 on his father's side and 3 on his mother's side. Damian was two years old when his father died due to the spread of melanoma to his lungs and brain, at 36 years of age.

Marley has been in the music business since he was a child. He is a Rastafarian and his music reflects both his beliefs and the Rastafari guiding principles of one love, one planet, and freedom for all nations. While he travels and tours the better part of the year, his home base is split between Kingston, Jamaica and Miami, Florida in the United States of America. He has a younger half brother Christian and a half sister Leah from his mother Cindy.^[20]

Discography[link]

Singles[link]

Other charted songs[link]

References[link]