Delilah | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | Paloma Ayana Stoecker |
Also known as | Delilah |
Born | Paris, France | 23 September 1990
Origin | Camden, London, England |
Genres | |
Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
Instrument(s) | Vocals, piano |
Years active | 2007–present |
Labels | Atlantic, Warner Music Group |
Website | delilahofficial |
Paloma Ayana Stoecker (born 23 September 1990), who records under the name Delilah, is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Paris, France, Delilah moved to Hackney, London, England, at an early age where she later attended City and Islington College. After sending demos to Island Records she caught the attention of industry executives at major record labels and signed to Atlantic Records at the age of seventeen.
In 2011, she collaborated with Chase & Status on the single "Time". Her first solo song "Go", was officially released on 25 September 2011, [1] whilst previously being available for digital download. Her debut album From the Roots Up was released on 30 July 2012 and peaked at No. 5 in the UK Albums Chart.
Delilah was born Paloma Ayana Stoecker, on 23 September 1990 in Paris, France. [2] After her parents separated when she was still young, she moved to Camden, London, with her mother where she then grew up. She has Nigerian, Jamaican, Cuban and English [3] heritage. Few years later, Paloma Server's mother had involvement with the MOBOs during the 90s [4] Her late step-father Jesse Stoecker was a DJ, who also owned an independent record label named Shakedown Sounds promoting British bands and a night club showcasing live music. [4] [5] Delilah began taking singing seriously following the death of her step-father who died in an accident in 2002. [6] The singer's first instrument was the piano where she wrote her first song at age 12. [7] She also has a sister called Tabitha.
Delilah attended various secondary schools including Portland Place School, before continuing schooling at City and Islington College, studying for a BTEC National Diploma in Music but dropped out a few months later. She stated her choice for the college saying "I didn't want to go to somewhere like the BRIT School, I didn't want to be that structured." [8]
In 2008, Delilah chose a Tottenham studio to work on a college project, where she paired with a local producer to record four tracks. [8] A friend who was associated with Choice FM heard the songs and sent them to Island Records. [9] Stoecker caught the attention of industry executives at major record labels. She spent the following weeks arranging interviews, until she was eventually signed to Atlantic Records.
Delilah was signed to Atlantic Records, at the age of 17 [10] and upon the three years to her debut release, gathered a large back catalogue of songs. [11] the singer supported British drum & bass/dubstep act Chase & Status during their two-year UK tour, ending in 2011. Delilah featured a support vocalist, performing Time and Heartbeat, by soul singer Nneka. The duo claimed after hearing one of her tracks, they thought the singer sounded "fantastic". [12] Delilah co-wrote the track "Time", along with fellow artists Chase & Status and Plan B, she also provided vocals on the track. The single "Time" was released on 21 April 2011, where it peaked at number 21 on the UK Singles Chart. Her writing credits were added to the track "Don't Be Afraid", on Wretch 32's second album Black and White . [13]
Following the success of the tour with Chase & Status, Delilah later joined Maverick Sabre as his main support act on his 2011 Autumn tour throughout the UK and Ireland. [14] [15] She was also amongst the many artists featured on the BBC 1Xtra live tour. [16]
Delilah's debut studio album, From the Roots Up was released on 30 July 2012 [17] The record features production from Syience, [18] Balistiq and Hyperdub label signee LV. [19] Delilah also serves as a co-producer on the album. . In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number five on the UK Albums Chart [20] The album also debuted in the top twenty of the Scottish Albums Chart [21] peaking at seventeen. The lead single from the album, "Go" was digitally released on 6 September 2011. The track peaked at number 17 on the UK Singles Chart. [22] The single features a vocal sample interpolation from Chaka Khan's 1983 hit "Ain't Nobody", plus original writing from herself. Chaka Khan has since heard the track, labelling it "genius". [23] The follow-up single "Love You So" was released on 19 December 2011 through Atlantic Records in December 2011. Delilah released her fourth single on 16 July 2012, a cover of Minnie Riperton's "Inside My Love". [24] Delilah shot the video to "Inside My Love" with acclaimed video director Jake Nave, most famously known for his collaborations with Beyoncé and Kanye West.
The singer released her first mixtape, 2-4am in February 2012 as a free download from her website. [25] [26] The 8 track compilation features unreleased material, including a remix of 2011 single "Love You So", by Joe Goddard of Hot Chip. Her third single "Breathe" was released on 14 May 2012. [27]
The singer sang with Emeli Sandé at London's KOKO as part of MTV's Brand New for 2012. [28] Throughout the spring of 2012, Delilah enrolled on her first headline tour which began 14 April 2012, in Glasgow's O2 ABC 2. The tour ended on 24 April 2012 selling out London's KOKO venue. [29] During October 2012, Delilah embarked on her second headline UK tour concluding with a sell out show at London's Shepards Bush Empire supported by Uk rapper Wiley. Delilah opened a number of tour dates for Grammy Award-winning artist Prince on his 2012 Australian tour in May. [3] [30]
Delilah has been working on her second album for a couple of years. The album is the first since she became independent of her label and has been supported by the #NoFilter tour, which began in August 2014 and went to London, Manchester, Brighton, Bristol and Birmingham. She unveiled several new songs which are part of her upcoming album and also a free mixtape which is expected soon. Delilah has spoken out about her plans to spend time in the US, recording with Prince and about her upcoming album during the tour. Delilah was featured on "Way Back Home" and "Affirmation III" from the album Art Official Age by Prince and also released a song with Etta Bond 'Bubble'.
Delilah cites that her album debut From the Roots Up , is influenced by the contemporary music scene, with genres ranging from dub, dubstep, acoustic and drum & bass. On describing her sound the singer says her music is dark, soulful, melodic pop. [31]
Delilah has been described as the missing link between Sade and The xx. She has also been influenced by and compared to Canadian singer Alanis Morissette. [6] Speaking of her influences in an interview the singer credits Buena Vista Social Club, Portishead, Ella Fitzgerald, Metalheadz, Nine Inch Nails, Chaka Khan, Roy Ayers, Aaliyah and Sade as some of her musical influences. [32] They, along with others, played a big part in her musical upbringing and this influences the songs she writes and co-produces. [6]
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |
---|---|---|---|
UK [33] | SCO [34] | ||
From the Roots Up |
| 5 | 17 |
Title | Details | Track List |
---|---|---|
2-4am |
|
|
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UK [33] | UK R&B [35] | BEL (FLA) [36] | DEN [37] | SCO [38] | |||||
"Go" | 2011 | 17 | 4 | – | 9 | 21 | From the Roots Up | ||
"Love You So" | 118 | – | 73 | — | — | ||||
"Breathe" | 2012 | 87 | — | — | — | — | |||
"Inside My Love" | 60 | — | — | — | — | ||||
"Shades of Grey" | 119 | — | — | — | — | ||||
"Never Be Another" (featuring Devlin) | 167 | — | — | — | — | ||||
"If I Stay" (with Disciples) [40] | 2024 | — | — | — | — | — | TBA | ||
"—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory. |
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UK [41] | UK DAN [42] | BEL (FLA) [36] | ||||
"Time" (Chase & Status featuring Delilah) | 2011 | 21 | 6 | 14 |
| No More Idols |
"—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory. |
Title | Year | Other artist(s) | Album |
---|---|---|---|
"Too Deep" [44] | 2015 | RITUAL | From the City to the Wilderness– EP |
Natalie Jane Imbruglia is an Australian-British singer-songwriter and actress.
Sophie Michelle Ellis-Bextor is an English singer and songwriter. She first came to prominence in the late 1990s as the lead singer of the indie rock band Theaudience. After the group disbanded, Ellis-Bextor went solo and achieved success beginning in the early 2000s. Her music is mainstream pop and dance with influences of disco, nu-disco, and 1980s electronic music.
Nadine Elizabeth Louise Coyle is an Irish singer. In 2002, she was selected as a member of Girls Aloud, a pop girl group created through ITV's reality competition show Popstars: The Rivals. The group went on to receive large success, achieving a string of 20 consecutive UK top ten singles, two UK number one albums, five consecutive platinum selling studio albums, and receiving nominations for five BRIT Awards, winning Best Single in 2009 for "The Promise".
Fascination Records is a United Kingdom-based record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as an imprint of Polydor Records. The label was launched in spring of 2006, and is managed by former TOTP Magazine editor Peter Loraine.
Chase & Status are an English electronic music duo composed of Saul Milton (Chase) and Will Kennard (Status). In addition, Andy Gangadeen is the drummer when the band performs live. MC Rage formerly performed as MC with the group, but left in July 2021 to focus on solo ventures. The duo are from London, and formed in 2003 after meeting at university in Manchester. The duo have since released six studio albums and collaborated with major artists such as Plan B, CeeLo Green, Rihanna, Example, and Tinie Tempah. They run the independent record label MTA Records. William Kennard founded ELAM in 2014.
"Oh My Goodness" is a song by English singer-songwriter Olly Murs, from his second studio album, In Case You Didn't Know (2011). Written by Murs, Adam Argyle and Martin Brammer, it was released by Epic Records as the album's third and final single on 1 April 2012. The song, a "love at first sight" story, is a pop beat, with lyrics about a man falling for an attractive girl and wanting to be with her. It garnered a positive reception from critics for having upbeat catchability along with colourful instrumentation.
"Chasing Pavements" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Adele for her debut studio album, 19 (2008). Written by Adele with her producer Francis "Eg" White, the song was released as the second single from the album on 14 January 2008. Its lyrics describe questioning whether or not to keep chasing something that is not going anywhere. Adele was inspired to write the song after a public argument and subsequent break up with an older man.
The Saturdays are an English-Irish girl group based in London, England. The group formed during the summer of 2007 and has been on hiatus since 2014. The lineup consists of Frankie Bridge, Una Healy, Rochelle Humes, Mollie King, and Vanessa White. They were formed through Fascination Records, a sub-division of Polydor Records, which gave them an instant record deal with the label. As soon as the contract was finalized, the Saturdays went on tour with Girls Aloud during their Tangled Up Tour. The group's music style is pop, but throughout their career, their management has experimented with dance-pop and electropop. Songwriters and producers Ina Wroldsen, Steve Mac, Camille Purcell, and Quiz & Larossi have helped create their music. In July 2008, The Saturdays released their debut single and first Top Ten hit, "If This Is Love". Their debut album, Chasing Lights, released the same year, charted at number nine on the UK Albums Chart; it was certified platinum by the BPI and produced three more top ten singles: "Up", "Issues", and "Just Can't Get Enough". "Work" was also released from the album. The group's first concert tour, The Work Tour, took place in 2009. The group's second album, Wordshaker, produced the Top Ten hits "Forever Is Over" and "Ego". In 2010, the Saturdays released a mini album, Headlines!, which contained the top 10 hits "Missing You" and "Higher", the latter of which featured guest vocals from Flo Rida. The mini-album was supported by the group's second concert tour, The Headlines Tour. Their third album, On Your Radar, was released in 2011 and resulted in two top 10 singles: "Notorious" and "All Fired Up".
Victoria Louise Lott, known professionally as Pixie Lott, is an English singer, songwriter, actress, and former ballet dancer. Her debut album, Turn It Up, released in September 2009, reached number six on the UK Albums Chart and sold over 1.5 million copies. It also spawned six consecutive top twenty singles on the UK Singles Chart, including two number-one singles, "Mama Do " and "Boys and Girls".
Paloma Faith Blomfield is an English singer, songwriter, and actress. After signing to Epic Records in 2008, Faith released her debut studio album, Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful? (2009), which was certified double platinum in the UK. Her second studio album, Fall to Grace (2012), charted at number two on the UK Albums Chart and earned her another double platinum certification. The album also spawned her first UK top ten single, "Picking Up the Pieces", the top twenty cover version of INXS's "Never Tear Us Apart", and earned her two Brit Award nominations.
Cher Lloyd is an English singer. She participated on the seventh series of the television talent show The X Factor in 2010 and finished in fourth place. Following the show, Lloyd was signed to Syco Music in the United Kingdom and Epic Records in the United States. She released her debut studio album, Sticks and Stones, in 2011, which had two releases: its standard edition and a US version. The album peaked at number four on the UK Albums Chart, while the latter version debuted at number nine in the US Billboard 200. It included the successful singles "Swagger Jagger", which entered at number one on the UK Singles Chart, "With Ur Love", and "Want U Back".
Jessica Ellen Cornish, known professionally as Jessie J, is an English singer and songwriter. Born and raised in London, she began her career on stage, aged 11, with a role in the West End musical Whistle Down the Wind. She studied at the BRIT School before signing with Gut Records and striking a songwriting deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing.
No More Idols is the second studio album by English drum and bass production duo Chase & Status, released on 28 January 2011. No More Idols marks the first major full-length release by Chase & Status since their debut album More than Alot three years prior; a period in which the group signed a major management deal with Jay-Z's Roc Nation and focused more on producing for other artists including Rihanna's 2009 album Rated R.
"Time" is the fourth overall, and third official, single taken from British drum-and-bass duo Chase & Status' second studio album, No More Idols. The single features vocals from British singer Delilah. The single was released in the United Kingdom as a digital download on 29 April 2011. During March 2011, Chase & Status ran an online competition for fans to remix the track, with the winner's remix appearing on the digital bundle extended play. It was revealed on 31 March 2011 that the Kev Willow Remix had been crowned the winner of the competition, with the Primus Palas Remix and Enei Remix serving as the runners up.
Amelia Lily Oliver is an English singer and television personality. In 2011, she became a finalist on the eighth series of The X Factor, where she finished in third place. In 2017, she finished as runner-up on the twentieth series of Celebrity Big Brother. In 2020, she began appearing in the MTV reality series Geordie Shore.
Lawson are an English pop rock band, consisting of Andy Brown, Ryan Fletcher, Joel Peat and Adam Pitts. The band's debut album, Chapman Square, was released on 22 October 2012 and reached number three on the UK Albums Chart. On 17 April 2020, the band released "Lovers", their first single after their 4-year hiatus. To date, the band have achieved seven UK top 20 hit singles. They are named after Dorset-based surgeon David Lawson, who performed life-saving surgery on Andy Brown.
From the Roots Up is the debut studio album released by English singer-songwriter Delilah. The album was released on 30 July 2012 via Atlantic Records. The album's release follows the release of four hit singles: "Go", "Love You So", "Breathe", and a cover of Minnie Riperton's "Inside My Love". The album entered the UK Albums Chart at number 5. Following the release of the album, "Shades of Grey" was also issued as a single. Delilah unveiled the album cover and tracklist on 16 May 2012.
Lucy Honour Ruby Spraggan is an English singer-songwriter. Spraggan was a contestant on The X Factor in 2012, and she was the first contestant in the show's history to score a Top 40 single and album before the live shows aired, with her independently released album Top Room at the Zoo. Following the show Spraggan signed a recording contract with Columbia Records, and she has released seven studio albums in total.
Emma Louise Blackery is an English singer-songwriter, YouTuber and author. Active since 2012, Blackery has garnered over a million subscribers on her YouTube channel and released two studio albums and six EPs. She has toured with Busted, and headlined tours for her debut studio album Villains, released on her RWG Records label in 2018.
Rachel Anne "Rae" Morris is an English singer and songwriter. She released her debut album, Unguarded, in 2015. Her second album, Someone Out There, was released in January 2018. Her third album, Rachel@Fairyland, was released in July 2022.