Togo

Togo (ⁱ/ˈtoʊɡoʊ/), officially the Togolese Republic (French: République Togolaise), is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, where its capital Lomé is located. Togo covers 57,000 square kilometres (22,000 sq mi), making it one of the smallest countries in Africa, with a population of approximately 7.5 million.

Togo is a tropical, sub-Saharan nation, highly dependent on agriculture, with a climate that provides good growing seasons. The official language is French, with many other languages spoken in Togo, particularly those of the Gbe family. The largest religious group in Togo consists of those with indigenous beliefs, and there are significant Christian and Muslim minorities. Togo is a member of the United Nations, African Union, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone, La Francophonie and Economic Community of West African States.

From the 11th to the 16th century, various tribes entered the region from all directions. From the 16th century to the 18th century, the coastal region was a major trading center for Europeans in search of slaves, earning Togo and the surrounding region the name "The Slave Coast". In 1884, Germany declared Togoland a protectorate. After World War I, rule over Togo was transferred to France. Togo gained its independence from France in 1960.

Jess Glynne

Jessica Hannah "Jess" Glynne (born 20 October 1989) is an English singer and songwriter, signed to Atlantic Records. She rose to prominence as a featured artist on Clean Bandit's single "Rather Be" and Route 94's "My Love", both of which reached number one on the UK Singles Chart in 2014. Her debut solo single, "Right Here", reached the top ten the same year.

In 2015, she became the second British female solo artist after Cheryl to have five number-one singles in the UK, following her solo releases "Hold My Hand" and "Don't Be So Hard on Yourself" and her feature on Tinie Tempah's "Not Letting Go". Glynne's debut album, I Cry When I Laugh, was released in 2015 and debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart.

Biography

1989–2013: Early life and career beginnings

Jess Glynne was born in Hampstead and raised in Muswell Hill, North London and is of Jewish origin. Her father is an estate agent and her mother worked in A&R in the music industry. She applied for the television show The X Factor when she was 15 years old, but dropped out of the audition process following a disagreement with the producers. She attended Rhodes Avenue Primary School, then attended Fortismere School, where she completed her A-levels in 2008, and took various jobs at a boutique, a fitness centre and a hairdresser's. After a period spent travelling the world, Glynne worked for a music management company in her late teens and began networking with songwriters and producers, eventually honing her artistry for four years.