Alexis Jordan | |
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![]() Jordan at the ESKA Music Awards in May 2011 | |
Background information | |
Born | Columbia, South Carolina, U.S. | April 7, 1992
Genres | |
Occupations |
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Years active | 2003–2014 |
Labels | |
Spouse | Luke Broadlick (m. 2014) |
Website | www |
Alexis Jordan (born April 7, 1992) [1] is an American former singer and actress from Columbia, South Carolina. Jordan rose to fame as a contestant on the first season of America's Got Talent in 2006 at the age of 14. After being eliminated from the show, she began to upload cover songs to YouTube, which received millions of views. The exposure led Jordan to the attention of Norwegian production team Stargate and American rapper Jay-Z, who both went on to sign her to their joint label, StarRoc. [2]
Jordan's debut single, "Happiness", was released in September 2010, and reached number one in the Netherlands and Norway, [3] and also became a top-three hit in Australia and the United Kingdom. Jordan's debut self-titled album was released on February 25, 2011. [4] "Good Girl" was released as Jordan's second single in February 2011. It debuted on the UK Albums Chart at No. 9 and on the Australian Albums Chart at No. 11. Jordan also featured on Sean Paul's single "Got 2 Luv U", which reached number one in Switzerland and Bulgaria.
Jordan was born on April 7, 1992, in Columbia, South Carolina, to a mother of African American, Native American and European descent and a Puerto Rican father. [1] Jordan began writing songs while she was in third grade. [1] At the age of 11, she moved with her parents and three younger siblings Taylor, Malichai and Malcolm to Santa Clarita, California, to pursue a career in the arts. [1] At the age of 12, Jordan served as an opening act for Smokey Robinson at a Stevie Wonder tribute concert. [1]
In 2006, Jordan auditioned for the first season of America's Got Talent . She sang Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing" at her audition and made it through to the next round, only to be eliminated in the semifinals. Judge Brandy brought her back to compete in the semifinals, after the public didn't gather enough votes for Jordan. After being eliminated from the show, Jordan and her family moved to Atlanta to be closer to the music industry. While there, she began to upload cover songs on YouTube while submitting demos. By 2008, Jordan's YouTube page was racking up millions of views. The exposure led Jordan to the attention of production team Stargate who called her to fly to New York and record a few songs with them. [5] While in the studio, rapper Jay-Z walked in, [5] which ultimately resulted in Jordan becoming the first artist signed to the new, Sony Music-affiliated label, StarRoc/Roc Nation – a joint venture between Stargate and Jay-Z's Roc Nation label. [6]
Her self-titled debut album was released on February 25, 2011. [4] The album was recorded from January 1, 2007, to October 15, 2010, in which Jordan worked with StarGate, Sandy Vee, Nightwatch and Espionage. The album debuted at number twenty-eight in Ireland on March 4, 2011. In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number nine on March 6, 2011. The album also debuted at number eleven in Australia. On April 30, 2011, the album debuted at number 80 on the Dutch Album Chart. In its 13th week the album shot from 72 to 23, reaching its peak of 21 two weeks later. [7] Jordan's single "Happiness" (which samples the Deadmau5 track "Brazil (2nd Edit)") was released in September 2010. In the United States, the song reached No. 1 on the Hot Dance Club Songs, becoming Jordan's first No. 1 single on that chart. It also reached No. 1 in Norway [3] and the Netherlands (where it stayed for 10 weeks), and peaked at No. 3 in Australia and the United Kingdom. [8] In Australia, "Happiness" was certified triple platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), for shipments of 210,000 copies. "Good Girl" was released as Jordan's second single in February 2011. The song debuted at No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart, giving Jordan her second top-10 hit in the United Kingdom. It also reached No. 15 in Ireland and became her second chart-topper on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart in April. [9] "Hush Hush" was released as the album's third single on May 8, 2011. [10]
On April 12, 2012 Alexis embarked on her first headline tour in the United Kingdom. Jordan performed in three cities – London (Scala) on Thursday June 30, Birmingham HMV (Institute) on Saturday July 2 and Manchester (Club Academy) on Sunday July 3. Tickets went on sale on Friday April 15. [11] In June and July 2011 Jordan also supported British boy band JLS on their eight-day UK tour. [12] She also appeared at T4 on the Beach in the UK and performed "Hush Hush" and "Good Girl". [13] Jordan featured on Sean Paul's single "Got 2 Luv U", which reached number one in Switzerland, Netherlands, Norway, Bulgaria, Romania, France, United States Billboard (in the Latin Raps & Pop Songs) and Venezuela. [14] Jordan also made a cameo appearance in the film Honey 2 . In June 2012, Jordan appeared at Birmingham Pride, performing "Good Girl", "Got 2 Luv U", "Shout Shout" and "Hush Hush" [15] On November 25, 2012, she appeared as musical guest on X Factor (Romania). [16]
In October 2011, she confirmed via Twitter that she was working on her second studio album. [17] In November 2011, Jordan went to a recording studio in New York where she recorded with Stargate, she stated that the album is nearly completed. [18] In the same YouTube video uploaded by Jordan, she was asked what she was doing and she replied "Writing about different things 'cause I'm like all messed up cause I'm talking about girl power, then I'm talking about myself and how people don't really know me that well so they gonna get to know me in this song." [19]
On January 15, 2013, a new song titled "Acid Rain" leaked online. It was intended to serve as the lead cut from her second album. [20] "Acid Rain" samples Bingo Players' song "Rattle," and is written by Sia and produced by Stargate. [21] [22] The official video was shot in late 2013. [23] Its official music video was premiered on February 28, 2014. [24] Jordan was dropped by Jay-Z's Roc Nation label after the single failed to chart. [25]
In 2014, Jordan married Luke Broadlick, an actor. [25] In 2016, she gave birth to their daughter, Anora. In 2017, she gave birth to their first son, Lincoln. In 2019, she gave birth to their second son, Abel. [25]
Jordan's self-titled debut album contained dance-pop, pop and R&B music, in an interview Jordan described the album's musical style saying "I don't want to be kept in a box. I'm that pop artist, but I can switch it up and turn to R&B/soul and do lots of ballads and the hip-hop swag. It's very versatile". [26] Alexis described her album's genre as being "universal" saying in an interview "It's going to be very universal. It's not just a pop dance record. It has a little reggae, a little hip-hop swag, so it's going to be everything." [27]
Jordan cites singers Christina Aguilera, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Beyoncé as influences. [28] Jordan also cites Michael Jackson as an influence, calling him "a big inspiration", and also is inspired by Billie Holiday, saying "I like Billie Holiday's sound". [26]
Studio albums
Year | Film | Character | Description |
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2011 | Honey 2 | Herself | Cameo appearance |
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
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2006 | America's Got Talent | Herself – Contestant | Eliminated in the semi-finals |
2008 | Emily's Reasons Why Not | Sister | Episode: "Why Not to Date a Twin" |
2010 | The Xtra Factor | Herself | 1 episode |
2011 | Adam Hills In Gordon Street Tonight | Herself | |
The Dome | Herself | Episode: "The Dome 57" | |
T4 on the Beach | Herself – Performer |
Year | Organisation | Award | Result | Ref(s) |
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2011 | ESKA Music Awards | International Hit of the Year ("Happiness") | Won | [29] |
MOBO Awards | Best International Act | Nominated | [30] | |
MTV Europe Music Awards | Best Push Act | Nominated | [31] |
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Autumn Rowe is an American singer-songwriter, TV personality, DJ and activist from South Bronx, New York, United States. In 2010, she helped write the song "Happiness" by Alexis Jordan, with producers Stargate and Deadmau5, which FIFA named the official song of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany. In 2015, Rowe signed an artist deal with Ultra Records, and in 2018 she began performing publicly as the DJ AFTR PRTY. In early 2020, she wrote and performed vocals on the drum and bass song "Good To Me", by British DJ Friction. In 2020, Rowe began to use her platform for activism and co-wrote the song "We Are" with Jon Batiste, which was used on the "Mask Up America" campaign.
StarRoc was an American entertainment company. The company operated a full service record label and music publishing house. It was founded in 2008 by American rapper Jay-Z and Norwegian record production team Mikkel S. Eriksen and Tor Erik Hermansen of the production duo Stargate. The label was a 50/50 partnership between Stargate and Jay-Z's Roc Nation entertainment company, which he signed in the same year to Live Nation. StarRoc, during its time, was headquartered at Jay-Z's recording studio, Roc the Mic, in Manhattan, New York City, United States.
Stargate is a Norwegian record production and songwriting duo, composed of Tor E. Hermansen and Mikkel S. Eriksen and based in Los Angeles, California. The duo has been credited on hit songs and albums for American R&B, pop and hip hop acts.
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"Happiness" is the debut single by American singer and 2006 America's Got Talent contestant Alexis Jordan. It is the lead single from her self-titled debut studio album, released in the United States on September 7, 2010. The upbeat dance-pop and house rhythm behind the track was entirely sampled from electronic artist Deadmau5's "Brazil ". The lyrics were written by Autumn Rowe, and the track was re-edited for the lyrics by Stargate.
"Good Girl" is a song by American recording artist Alexis Jordan, taken from her self-titled debut album. It was released as the album's second single on February 18, 2011. The dance-pop song was written by Autumn Rowe, Stargate, Sandy Vee and Espionage, and it was produced by Stargate and Sandy Vee. Jordan has said the song is a "girl’s anthem" about how "you can better yourself, even if your past isn’t as good as your present." "Good Girl" debuted at number six in the United Kingdom, and charted at number fifteen in Ireland. In the United States, the song peaked at the top of the Hot Dance Club Songs chart.
Alexis Jordan is the debut and only studio album by American singer Alexis Jordan. It was released from February 25, 2011, through Roc Nation. After being signed to rapper Jay-Z's Roc Nation label in March 2010, Jordan began working with Norwegian production duo Stargate on the album, Jordan also worked with producers Sandy Vee, Nightwatch, Espionage. The album was recorded between January 2007 and October 2010.
"Hush Hush" is a song by American recording artist Alexis Jordan, taken from her self-titled debut album (2011). It was released as the album's third and final single on June 10, 2011. The dance-pop song was written by Autumn Rowe, Stargate and Sandy Vee. Alexis called the song "feisty" and that it was a song that "unleashes a fiery side of her personality".
"Wet" is a song by American singer Nicole Scherzinger, taken from her debut solo studio album Killer Love (2011). The song was written by Ester Dean and Traci Hale, co-written and produced by Norwegian duo StarGate and Sandy Vee. The song was serviced as the fourth single from the album to British radio stations on August 28, 2011, by Polydor Records, while in Australia it was released in the following month.
"Got 2 Luv U" is the first single from Jamaican recording artist Sean Paul's fifth studio album Tomahawk Technique. The song features vocals from American singer Alexis Jordan. It was released on 19 July 2011 by Atlantic Records. The song was featured in 2012 film Magic Mike.
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The discography of American singer Alexis Jordan consists of one studio album, six singles and five music videos.
"Acid Rain" is a song recorded by American recording artist Alexis Jordan. It was written by Sia with co-writing and production from Norwegian production outfit StarGate and Dutch disc jockeys (DJs) Bingo Players. The latter duo are credited for the inclusion of a sample of their own electro house single "Get Up (Rattle)". "Acid Rain" initially premiered on January 14, 2013, featuring two verses of Jordan's label-mate, American rapper J. Cole. An alternate version of the song excluding Cole was released for digital download on February 20, 2013.
"Cannonball" is the debut single by American singer Lea Michele. The song was released onto iTunes on December 10, 2013 and made its radio debut on Elvis Duran and the Morning Show on December 16, 2013. The song was written by Sia, Benny Blanco, Mikkel Storleer Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen and Saud, and was produced by Stargate and Blanco.