A-Love

Last updated

A-Love
Birth nameAntonella Formosa
Also known asA-Love
Born (1983-03-21) 21 March 1983 (age 41)
Rome, Italy
Origin Melbourne, Australia
Genres Soul, Hip hop
InstrumentsVocals
LabelsDuality Records
Crookneck Records

A-Love is a female Australian-based MC from Melbourne. Her debut album, Ace of Hearts was nominated 'Best Urban Release' in the ARIA Music Awards of 2008. [1]

Contents

Biography

A-Love was born Antonella Formosa in Rome, Italy on 21 March 1983. Formosa's father is Ric Formosa, a composer/arranger and an original member (lead guitarist) with the Australian band Little River Band and her mother, Vicki Formosa, was an R&B singer.

My earliest memories are of my Dad carting me around to different studios to these sessions, and playing on pool tables in old studios.

Antonella Formosa [2]

She attended Hawthorn Secondary College, graduating in 1999. [3] Whilst her first experiences of playing music were with an all-female band, which never made any public performances, [2] she also discovered hip hop in high school and soon found herself waxing lyrical over beats.

Rest assured, if I was a better singer, I'd be a soul singer! [MCing] was just something that I fell in love with in my teens. I've always been heavily into lyricism, no matter what kind of musical style I've been interested in. The fact that hip hop let you just not mince words and be really direct and cram so much more content and originality into your lyrics than singing was the biggest thing for me.

Antonella Formosa [2]

In January 2000, Formosa met Draino from the Puah Hedz. He was keen to check out her writing and despite her reluctance, he made her feature on a track. [4] The second track that she had ever recorded was with Muphin, which later became "Some People" which featured on the album Despite the Odds. [5] She has since appeared numerous times on Triple J's 'The Hip Hop Show', PBS' 'The Formula' (now 'Hittin Switches') and 'Auscultation', RRR's 'Wordburner' and RMIT University's SRA FM. She was progressing towards a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from La Trobe University and for two years she was the co-host of a hip hop radio show at La Trobe University.

May 2002 marked A-Love's official solo introduction to the Australian hip hop and media circles, with her song "Petty" from the album, Culture of Kings Volume 2 [5] (the first ever Australian hip hop feature album on Triple J). "Petty" was put on medium rotation on Triple J.

Formosa was a winner of the Nescafe Big Break competition in 2002, earning $20,000 with which to start up an independent record label and distribution company, Duality Records. As time progressed, she juggled the twin responsibilities of building a label and working on her own debut as an artist.[ citation needed ]

I really concentrated on getting the admin and strategic side of the label going, but it just proved to be a bit too hard. I knew that it was either gonna be the music that went or the label – which is where we are now.

Antonella Formosa [2]

Formosa released her debut album, Ace of Hearts on 24 November 2007, on Crookneck Records. The album was produced by BVA (Mnemonic Ascent) with additional beats from Suffa (Hilltop Hoods) and Jase. Guests include Yungun (UK), Raph (Mnemonic Ascent), Spikey Tee (UK) and emerging indigenous MC Jim Blah. It was Triple J's 'Album of the Week' just three days after its release [6] and was nominated for the 2008 ARIA Awards in the category of 'Best Urban Release'. [1]

The minute that I stepped in the studio with BVA I knew the time was right to record this album. I felt hungry and inspired again, it all fell in place. The result is a bunch of songs with lasting sentiment; real stories about real life.

Antonella Formosa [7]

She was also nominated for two at the Jägermeister AIR (Australian Independent Record Labels Association) Awards in 2008, in the categories of 'Best New Independent Artist' and 'Best Independent Hip Hop Artist'. [8] [9]

Formosa has performed with Mystik Journeymen (US), Anticon, Hilltop Hoods, Pegz, MC Layla, Kowhai, Bliss n Eso, Scarz on 45, MC Que, TZU, Bias B and DJ Brand (Canada).

Awards

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.

YearNominee / workAwardResult
2008 [10] [11] A-LoveBest New Independent ArtistNominated
Ace of HeartsBest Independent Hip Hop AlbumNominated

Discography

Albums

Contributions

Related Research Articles

Australian Hip-Hop traces its origins to the early 1980s and was initially largely inspired by Hip-Hop and other urban musical genres from the United States. As the form matured, Australian hip hop has become a commercially viable style of music that is no longer restricted to the creative underground, with artists such as The Kid Laroi, Manu Crooks, Onefour, Iggy Azalea, Hilltop Hoods, Bliss n Eso and Youngn Lipz, having achieved notable fame. Australian Hip-Hop is still primarily released through independent record labels, which are often owned and operated by the artists themselves. Despite its genesis as an offshoot of American hip-hop, Australian hip hop has developed a distinct personality that reflects its evolution as an Australian musical style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maya Jupiter</span> Mexican-Australian singer-songwriter

Melissha Martinez, better known by her stage name Maya Jupiter, is a Mexican-born Australian rapper, songwriter, MC and radio personality. She released her debut album, Today, in 2003. She was a member of hip-hop group, Foreign Heights, with MC Trey and DJ Nick Toth, which released a self-titled album in 2007. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2007 the trio was nominated for 'Best Urban Release' for "Get Yours (Remix)". From 2004 to 2008, Jupiter hosted the national radio station, Triple J's weekly Hip-Hop Show. Thereafter she pursued her solo career based in Los Angeles and released her second album, Maya Jupiter, in December 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bliss n Eso</span> Australian hip hop trio

Bliss n Eso are an Australian hip hop trio based in Sydney. They are currently signed to Melbourne record label Illusive Sounds, and are managed and booked by label co-founders Adam Jankie and Matt Gudinski. Bliss n Eso have released seven studio albums which include three number 1 debuts on the ARIA Charts. They have also won two ARIA Awards for Best Urban Release for their 2008 album Flying Colours and for Best Music Video for their 2017 single "Moments". Eso, under his alias Esoterik, released an album entitled "My Astral Plane" in May 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Obese Records</span> Former Australian record label

Obese Records was a record label that released music from the Australian hip hop genre. It was the largest Australian independent hip hop label, including performers Pegz, Hilltop Hoods, Thundamentals, Reason, Andy Struksha, and Dialectrix. Obese Records also operated two retail stores in Melbourne, a record distribution company, a soul imprint named Plethora Records, and operated the artists' management and touring company Obese Records Artist Management.

Resin Dogs is an Australian hip hop group, formed in Brisbane, Queensland in 1996. Resin Dogs are a loose collective, a cut and paste sample band who use live drums, live bass, and elements of hip hop via turntables and samplers to create all forms of ritual dance sounds. The Resin Dogs consist of Dave Atkins, DJ Katch, Dennis Kudelka, Jonothan Bolt and Tony McCall, with regular guest appearances in Australia by Hau Latukefu (Koolism), N'Fa Forster-Jones and on their overseas touring they appear with Abstract Rude (ATU) (US), Mystro (UK), and BluRum13 (Canada).

Koolism is an Australian hip hop duo originating from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Urthboy</span> Musical artist

Tim Levinson, better known by the stage name Urthboy, is an Australian hip hop MC and producer from New South Wales. He is widely known for his solo music under the moniker Urthboy, as a founding member of the hip-hop group The Herd, and for co-founding and managing the Elefant Traks record label. Levinson has released six solo albums: Distant Sense of Random Menace (2004), The Signal (2007), Spitshine (2009), Smokey's Haunt (2012), The Past Beats Inside Me Like a Second Heartbeat (2016) and Savour (2023) ; as well as five studio albums with The Herd.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drapht</span> Musical artist

Paul Reid, formerly Paul Gary James Ridge,, better known by the stage name Drapht, is an Australian hip hop artist from Perth. Drapht is a member of the Syllabolix (SBX) crew, a collective that includes fellow Perth-based hip hop artists such as Downsyde.

Katalyst is an Australian DJ and producer. He won awards at the 2002 Australian Dance Music Awards for Best Album and Best Producer.

Layla Rose Hanbury, known mononymously as Layla, is an Australian hip hop singer-songwriter and MC from Perth. In January 2005 she released her debut solo album, Heretik, on Obese Records. She is a member of Syllabolix (SBX) Crew, with other MCs including her husband, Dazastah. The couple also perform as Layla and Dazastah. During September and October 2011 the duo were a support act for another SBX artist, Drapht, on his Australia-wide Party Party Party Tour.

Hermitude is an Australian electronic-hip hop duo, originating from the Blue Mountains, New South Wales.

Perry Chapman, better known by his stage name Pez, is an Australian hip hop recording artist from Melbourne, Australia. He attended Kew High School in Melbourne's eastern suburbs. His debut album, A Mind of My Own peaked at No. 19 on the ARIA Urban albums chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Illy (rapper)</span> Musical artist

Alasdair David George Murray, professionally known as Illy, is an Australian rapper from Frankston, Victoria. Illy first emerged onto the hip hop scene in 2009. He has released five studio albums and has won multiple ARIA Music Awards. Illy has performed at many Australian music festivals including headline spots at Groovin' the Moo, Splendour in the Grass, Spilt Milk and Yours and Owls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chance Waters</span> Musical artist

Chance Dylan Waters, is a retired independent Australian hip hop artist and record producer. Under the moniker Phatchance, Waters was a founder of the group Natural Causes, in 2003 which issued an album, The Incidental Noise Demo, and toured nationally. The group disbanded later that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seth Sentry</span> Australian hip hop recording artist

Seth Gabriel Marton, who performs by his stage name Seth Sentry, is an Australian hip hop recording artist. He has released one extended play and three studio albums. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2015 he won the ARIA Award for Best Urban Album for his second album, Strange New Past. Sentry's touring schedule has involved headline shows around Australia, as well as appearances at numerous festivals such as Breath of Life, Fat As Butter, Come Together, Sprung Festival, Big Day Out (Melbourne), Homebake, Hyperfest, Groovin the Moo and Triple J's One Night Stand.

Mark Landon, better known by his stage name M-Phazes, is an Australian-born producer based in LA. He has produced records for Logic, Demi Lovato, Madonna, Eminem, Kehlani, Zara Larsson, Remi Wolf, Kiiara, Noah Cyrus, and Cautious Clay. He produced and wrote Eminem’s “Bad Guy” off 2015's Grammy Winner for Best Rap Album of the Year The Marshall Mathers LP 2. He produced and wrote “Sober” by Demi Lovato, “playinwitme” by KYLE ft. Kehlani, “Adore” by Amy Shark, “I Got So High That I Saw Jesus” by Noah Cyrus, and “Painkiller” by Ruel ft Denzel Curry.

Ryan Leaf, better known by the stage name Dialectrix, is an Australian hip hop artist from Sydney. He was a member of Down Under Beats Crew and, since 2008, has been a member of Gully Platoon. In addition to his musical career, Dialectrix works in the construction trades. He was introduced to hip hop culture through skateboarding during adolescence.

Leigh Ryan, better known by the stage name Plutonic Lab or sometimes as Pluto is an Australian music producer, engineer, artist & performer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MC Opi</span> Musical artist

Janette Oparebea Nelson, known by her stage names MC Opi and Opi Nelson is a multi-instrumentalist, spoken word artist, music and documentary producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">G Flip</span> Australian musician

Georgia Claire Flipo, known professionally as G Flip, is an Australian singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer from Melbourne, Victoria. Their debut studio album, About Us, was released on 30 August 2019. Its follow-up, Drummer, followed almost four years later on 11 August 2023.

References

  1. 1 2 "Emerging Artists dominate 2008 ARIA Award nominations" (PDF). ARIA. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 December 2008. Retrieved 18 December 2008.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "A-Love from the heart". 3D World. 3 December 2007. Retrieved 18 December 2008.[ dead link ]
  3. "Formosa, Antonella". Names Database. Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 18 December 2008.
  4. "Next Crop Artists (2003) A-Love". Triple J. Archived from the original on 20 February 2009. Retrieved 18 December 2008.
  5. 1 2 "Artist Profile – A-Love". Heavyweight TV. Archived from the original on 22 July 2008. Retrieved 18 December 2008.
  6. "A-Love : Ace of Hearts". Triple J. 26 November 2007. Retrieved 18 December 2008.
  7. "A-Love @J Play". J Play. Retrieved 18 December 2008.
  8. "AIR Award Nominees 2008". Australian Independent Record Labels Association. Archived from the original on 26 January 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2008.
  9. "Yunupingu Wins AIR Awards Triple". Billboard.biz. 25 November 2008. Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2008.
  10. "2008 AIR AWARDS NOMINEES ANNOUNCED". Music NSW. 11 November 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  11. "History Wins". Australian Independent Record Labels Association . Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2020.

A-Love discography at Discogs