Ayiesha Woods

Last updated
Ayiesha Woods
Ayiesha Woods.jpg
Ayiesha Woods performing in January 2008
Background information
Born (1979-07-02) July 2, 1979 (age 44)
Long Island, New York
OriginUnited States
Genres Contemporary Christian music
Years active2003–present
Labels Gotee
Website ayieshawoods.com

Ayiesha Woods (born July 2, 1979) [1] is a contemporary Christian musician signed to Gotee Records. She has released two studio albums on Gotee: Introducing Ayiesha Woods (2006) and Love Like This (2008). Woods is known for the hit songs "Happy" and "Big Enough" from her debut album. Her musical style is a distinct mix of several genres, predominantly including pop, soul, urban and rock.

Contents

After having an interest in musicianship and singing during her childhood, Ayiesha Woods released an independent album in 2004, What You Do to Me, and went on to receive three Gospel Music Marlin Awards that year, including "New Artist of the Year". Gotee Records manager TobyMac discovered her music while visiting Jamaica, and Woods was eventually signed onto the record label. Her Grammy Award-nominated debut album, Introducing Ayiesha Woods , was released in June 2006. The album's single "Happy" garnered popularity on Christian radio in the U.S., and Woods received a Dove Award nomination in 2007, as well. She appeared at several major Christian music festivals during mid-2008, and soon afterward her second album, Love Like This , was released in September.

Early life and family

Ayiesha Woods was born on July 2, 1979, in Long Island, New York. [2] She has lived in a variety of locations, including Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, and Texas; she spent a portion of her childhood growing up in Bermuda, as well. [3] Woods was surrounded by music while growing up, and was the granddaughter of a professional musician. Throughout high school she sang in chorus and played in the school's band, sang harmony in her church choir, and learned to play instruments such as the guitar, keyboard and percussion. [3]

Musical career

In 2003, Ayiesha Woods wrote and recorded an independent album, What You Do to Me, which was released in 2004. [2] In 2004, she was the first female musician to receive the "Producer of the Year" award at the Caribbean Gospel Music Marlin Awards. [4] She also received Marlin's "New Artist of the Year" and "Contemporary Vocal Performance of the Year (Female)" awards that year. [3] [5] "Crazy", a song from the album, was being played on local Christian radio where she lived in Jamaica. [2] Gotee Records manager TobyMac was visiting the area for an interview, and heard her song on the local station Love 101. After Caribbean Hour host Arnold Kelly played a few of Woods' songs for him, TobyMac obtained her contact info and called her as soon as he returned to the United States. Initially in disbelief upon receiving the call, Ayiesha Woods said, "I wasn't home when he first called ... I couldn't believe [it]." [3] A few weeks later he invited Woods and her family to a concert he was slated to perform at in Texas, where they met in person. She was soon signed onto his record label, and went in studio to record material for a new album.

Introducing Ayiesha Woods (2006–2007)

After recording the album, Woods' first single "Happy" was released in 2006, and soon became a hit on Christian radio. The song was used in an ad campaign for the DVD release of the 2006 film A Good Year . The song was also used in the 2009 movie "My Life in Ruins" starring Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding). [6] Her debut Gotee Records album, Introducing Ayiesha Woods , was produced by Chris Stevens, Otto Price, Ric Robbins and David Mullen. [7] It was released on June 6, 2006, and reached number 39 on Billboard 's Top Heatseekers chart. [8] [9] The album was Grammy Award-nominated for the category of Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album in 2007. [5] Two additional songs from the album were released as singles: "Big Enough" and "Beauty". At the 38th GMA Dove Awards of 2007, Woods received a nomination for the New Artist of the Year award. [10]

Love Like This (2008–present)

Woods guested on Women of Faith's Revolve Tour, an annual conference for teenage girls, in February 2008. [11] Her second album, Love Like This , was recorded around early 2008, and its approximate release time of "late summer" was announced in May 2008. [12] The album's lead single, "Love Like This", was released to contemporary Christian radio in June 2008. [12] Ayiesha Woods performed at several major Christian music festivals over the next few months, including Creation East, Creation West, and Lifefest, as well as the 2008 Christian Music Boat Cruise. [12] Love Like This was subsequently released on September 9, 2008, through the Gotee label. [13] It debuted at #20 on Billboard 's Top Gospel Albums chart. [14] The album's latest single is the track "Alive".

Woods has also recorded and released a Christmas album entitled Christmas Like This , which was released on November 10, 2009. Woods was one of three judges at the 2013 Christian Women in Media Association National Music Showcase in Nashville, Tennessee. [15]

It's Time (2014-Present)

After taking a Sabbatical to start a family, Woods recorded and released an album entitled "It's Time" September 9, 2014 on her Independent Label Original Peace Music Group.

The Runway Project (2017-Present)

Woods performing at Lifest in 2018 Ayiesha Woods Lifest 2018.jpg
Woods performing at Lifest in 2018

The Runway Project (2/14/17) a 7-song EP of songs that are thematic anthems for the underdog.[ citation needed ]

Musical style and influences

Ayiesha Woods grew up in a variety of cultures including the Bermuda locale, which has given her music a Caribbean and dancehall sound. [2] Her musical influences include Stevie Wonder, Commissioned, Fred Hammond, Ella Fitzgerald, Lauryn Hill and India.Arie. [3] Her musical genre is generally defined as Christian pop and soul, although it contains much variety on both of her albums, including R&B and urban styles. [16] Woods has said, "I don't want to be placed in one specific category. I think I represent a lot of different styles of music". [3] Her debut album Introducing Ayiesha Woods has been labeled as having "something for everyone", [3] and critics have compared her singing voice to Tracy Chapman and Tasmin Archer. [17] Love Like This is also a multi-genre project, "subtly adding jazz infusions" on the song "Take Me There", [16] although Christian Music Today 's review said that it was "not as soulful" as her previous album. [18] Her music includes rock influences ("Big Enough") as well as the contemporary worship style in her songs "Love Like This", "Refine Me", and her originally-independent track "What You Do to Me". [4]

Discography

Studio albums

List of albums, with selected chart positions and certifications
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
US Christ
[19] 		US Gospel
[20] 		US Heat
[21]
Introducing Ayiesha Woods 331339
Love Like This
  • Released: September 9, 2008
  • Label: Gotee Records
—20—
Christmas Like This
  • Released: November 10, 2009
  • Label: Gotee Records
———

Singles

YearTitleChart peak positionsAlbum
US
Christ
[22]
2006"Happy"14 Introducing Ayiesha Woods
"Big Enough"10
"Beauty"—
"The Remedy"—
2008"Love Like This"— Love Like This
"Alive"—
2011"Come Back"—Non-album song
2013"First Love"—Non-album song

Awards

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TobyMac</span> American Christian rapper and singer

Toby McKeehan, better known by his stage name TobyMac, is an American contemporary Christian music singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He was first known for being a member of the Christian rap and rock trio DC Talk, staying with them from 1987 until they went on hiatus in 2000. He has since continued a successful solo career with the release of nine studio albums: Momentum (2001), Welcome to Diverse City (2004), Portable Sounds (2007), Tonight (2010), Christmas in Diverse City (2011), Eye on It (2012), This Is Not a Test (2015), The Elements (2018), and Life After Death (2022) as well as five remixed albums: Re:Mix Momentum (2003), Renovating Diverse City (2005), Dubbed and Freq'd: A Remix Project (2012), Eye'm All Mixed Up (2014) and The St. Nemele Collab Sessions (2019). He also has two full-length Christmas albums: Christmas in Diverse City (2011) and Light Of Christmas (2017). He became the third Christian artist to have a No. 1 debut on Billboard 200 chart with Eye on It.

Christafari is a Christian reggae band formed in 1989. It is centered on Christ Jesus and follows the personality of ordained minister Mark Mohr, an American, and born-again Christian. Until the age of 17, Mohr was a Rastafarian.

Carolyn Arends is a Canadian contemporary Christian musician, songwriter, and author. She is based in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.

<i>Introducing Ayiesha Woods</i> 2006 studio album by Ayiesha Woods

Introducing Ayiesha Woods is the debut album from contemporary Christian music artist Ayiesha Woods. It was released on June 6, 2006 through Gotee Records. The album was Grammy Award-nominated for "Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album" in 2007. It was produced by Incorporated Elements, as well as Toby Mac.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Burrell</span> American gospel singer

Kimberly Jean Burrell is an American gospel singer, songwriter, and pastor from Houston, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leeland (band)</span> American Christian rock band

Leeland is a Christian rock band from Baytown, Texas. The band was formed in 2004, although lead singer Leeland Mooring had been writing songs beforehand. Leeland consists of Leeland Mooring, and Casey Moore. The band's original line-up included Jeremiah Wood (guitar), who left the band in late 2006 and was replaced by guitarist Matt Campbell in early 2007, Jack Mooring (piano), Mike Smith (drums) and Jake Holtz (bass).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amanda Lindsey Cook</span> Canadian singer

Amanda Lindsey Cook, also known as Falcon is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and contemporary Christian music recording artist from Niverville, Manitoba. She received a Juno Award at the 2006 awards ceremony for her eponymous debut album. Cook has released three albums under her maiden name – Amanda Falk, Beautiful, and In Between the Now & Then.

<i>Portable Sounds</i> 2007 studio album by TobyMac

Portable Sounds, stylized as (portable sounds), is the third full-length studio album from Christian pop rock and hip hop artist tobyMac. It was released on February 20, 2007,The album serves as a follow-up to his 2004 album: Welcome to Diverse City (2004). The album debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200. The album includes the singles "Lose My Soul", "Made to Love", "Boomin'", "I'm for You", and "One World (featuring Siti Monroe)". This album took a slightly different direction than tobyMac's previous hip hop efforts, having more of a pop sound. When it was released on iTunes, users were able to download a behind-the-scenes making of the album video, a digital booklet, and an acoustic version of "Made to Love". "Ignition" was selected as the theme song to the WWE pay-per-view Elimination Chamber 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandon Heath</span> American musician, singer, and songwriter

Brandon Heath Knell is an American contemporary Christian musician, singer, and songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee. He has released six studio albums: Don't Get Comfortable (2006), What If We (2008), Leaving Eden (2011), Blue Mountain (2012), No Turning Back (2015), and Faith Hope Love Repeat (2017). He is best known for the No. 1 singles: "I'm Not Who I Was" and "Give Me Your Eyes". He was nominated four times at the Dove Awards of 2008 and won in the "New Artist of the Year" category. His second album was nominated for "Gospel Album of the Year" at the 51st Grammy Awards of 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Mullen (singer)</span>

David Mullen is a former Blues Pop / CCM singer, songwriter and musician. Later he became well known as a songwriter, music producer, and film score composer. He released his first album in 1989, and won the GMA Dove Award for New Artist of the Year in 1990. He later recorded his last album in 1994. Since then, he has written and produced recordings for several other Christian artists, most notably Nicole C. Mullen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Between You and Me (DC Talk song)</span> 1996 single by DC Talk

"Between You and Me" is a song by the American contemporary Christian music group DC Talk. Released in 1996, it was the second radio and commercial single released from the group's fourth album, Jesus Freak. After the unexpected success of the grunge rock single "Jesus Freak", "Between You and Me" helped to bring DC Talk to a new level of success and solidify them as mainstream artists. The song later earned DC Talk a GMA Dove Award and is the only DC Talk single to have charted on the Billboard Hot 100. The single was also a Christian radio success and peaked at No. 1 on both the Christian adult contemporary and Christian Contemporary Hit Radio CCM Magazine charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Brouwer</span> Canadian singer and songwriter

Matt Brouwer is a Canadian singer and songwriter. While in college, he and fellow students founded the band Monday Night Worship (MNW). Because of the spiritual content of his lyrics he was 'discovered' by a Nashville record company in 2000, and in 2001 recorded his solo debut CD Imagerical. The album was released on May 29, 2001, on Reunion Records. He then formed his own label called Black Shoe Records and released albums titled Unlearning in 2005, Where's Our Revolution (Universal) in 2009, and Till The Sunrise in 2012. Brouwer's music is known for its Contemporary Christian message as he shares his life's story of tragedy and hope with his listeners.

"Happy" is a single by Christian singer Ayiesha Woods from her 2006 album Introducing Ayiesha Woods. It was released to Christian radio stations around early 2006. It lasted 20 weeks on the overall chart. The song is played in a F major key at 120 beats per minute. The song was used in an ad campaign for the DVD release of the 2006 film A Good Year. The song was also used in the 2009 movie "My Life in Ruins" starring Nia Vardalos.

<i>Thy Kingdom Come</i> 2008 studio album by CeCe Winans

Thy Kingdom Come is the eighth studio album by American singer CeCe Winans. It was released by PureSprings Gospel and EMI Gospel on April 1, 2008. The album rose to number 57 on the US Billboard 200, also reaching number 12 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number one the Top Gospel Albums. Thy Kingdom Come received the Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album award at the 51st Grammy Awards in 2009.

<i>The Sound</i> (Mary Mary album) 2008 studio album by Mary Mary

The Sound is the fifth studio album by American duo Mary Mary. It was released on October 21, 2008, by Columbia Records. A concept album suggesting an FM radio broadcast experience, the project was produced by Warryn Campbell.

<i>Love Like This</i> (Ayiesha Woods album) 2008 studio album by Ayiesha Woods

Love Like This is the second studio album from Christian singer Ayiesha Woods. It was released on September 9, 2008, through Gotee Records and produced by Christopher Stevens and Jamie Moore. "Love Can't Wait" and the title track "Love Like This" were both released as radio singles. The album takes influence from a variety of styles, including soul, pop and R&B.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hillary Scott</span> American country singer (born 1986)

Hillary Dawn Scott-Tyrrell is an American singer and songwriter who rose to fame as the co-lead vocalist of the country music group Lady A. She is signed to Big Machine Records.

LaRue Howard is an American gospel musician. Her first album, I'm Free, was released by Tribe Records in 2004. The subsequent album, How Great Is Our God, was released in 2008 by EMI. This album was a Billboard magazine breakthrough release upon the Christian Albums and Gospel Albums charts. The song, "How Great Is Our God", won her the GMA Dove Award for Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year at the 40th GMA Dove Awards in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dante Bowe</span> American musician

Dante Bowe is an American Christian worship singer, and songwriter. He is known as a former member of the Bethel Music collective and Maverick City Music.

<i>Believe for It</i> (album) 2021 live album by CeCe Winans

Believe for It is the first live album by American gospel singer CeCe Winans. It was released on March 12, 2021, via Puresprings Gospel and Fair Trade Services. The deluxe edition of the album was released on April 1, 2022. The album was produced by Kyle Lee.

References

  1. ↑ "Ayiesha Woods Discography". Jesus Freak Hideout. Archived from the original on 2 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-22.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Steve Leggett. "Ayiesha Woods Biography". Allmusic . Retrieved 2009-02-24.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Ayiesha Woods". 1 Cubed. Archived from the original on December 10, 2009. Retrieved March 30, 2009.
  4. 1 2 "Ayiesha Woods: Biography". Christian Music Central. Retrieved 2009-03-25.
  5. 1 2 "Ayiesha Woods' Love Like This Set To Unveil Next Week To Rave Reviews". BREATHEcast.com. 2008-09-05. Retrieved 2009-03-22.[ permanent dead link ]
  6. ↑ "Ayiesha Woods releases 'Love Like This'". Christian Today . 2008-09-29. Retrieved 2009-03-24.
  7. ↑ Lauren Summerford (2006-07-03). "Ayiesha Woods, "Introducing Ayiesha Woods" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved 2009-03-25.
  8. ↑ "Ayiesha Woods — Introducing Ayiesha Woods". Billboard . Retrieved 2009-03-22.
  9. ↑ "Artist Chart History — Ayiesha Woods". Billboard . Retrieved 2009-03-22.
  10. ↑ Kim Jones. "38th Annual GMA Awards Nominations & Winners". About.com. Archived from the original on 26 April 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-24.
  11. ↑ "A Christian Conference For Teen Girls Has the Feel of a Combined Church Service, Concert and Slumber Party". St. Paul Pioneer Press. 2007-11-05. Retrieved 2009-06-11.
  12. 1 2 3 "Ayiesha Woods second album Love Like This To Street late Summer". BREATHEcast.com. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2009-03-22.[ permanent dead link ]
  13. ↑ "Ayiesha Woods — Love Like This". Billboard . Retrieved 2009-03-22.
  14. ↑ "Top Gospel Albums – Love Like This". Billboard . Retrieved 2009-04-02.
  15. ↑ "Janice Peterson earns spot in the Christian showcase". Houston Chronicle . July 19, 2013. Retrieved August 14, 2013.
  16. 1 2 Lauren Summerford (2008-09-08). "Ayiesha Woods, "Love Like This" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved 2009-03-24.
  17. ↑ "New Gotee Signing: Ayiesha Woods to release her first album courtesy of Gotee". Cross Rhythms . 2008-05-03. Retrieved 2009-03-25.
  18. ↑ Andree Farias. "Ayiesha Woods — Love Like This". Christian Music Today . Archived from the original on 12 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-25.
  19. ↑ "Ayiesha Woods Album & Song Chart History (Christian Albums)". Billboard . Archived from the original on August 24, 2018. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Ayiesha Woods Album & Song Chart History (Gospel Albums)". Billboard . Archived from the original on August 24, 2018. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  21. ↑ "Ayiesha Woods Album & Song Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard . Archived from the original on August 24, 2018. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Ayiesha Woods Album & Song Chart History (Christian Songs)". Billboard . Retrieved August 23, 2018.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.