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Toya Alexis | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | LaToya Lesmond |
| Born | July 16, 1980 |
| Origin | Ajax, Ontario, Canada |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer–songwriter, actress |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 2001-2006 |
Toya Alexis (born July 16, 1980) is a Canadian vocalist and actress from Ajax, Ontario. [1] [2]
Alexis won a "Rising Star" contest and sang at the Apollo Theater. [3] [4] [2] In 2001 she appeared, as LaToya Lesmond, as a contestant on season one of Popstars on the Global Television Network. [5] She was a finalist, [5] and was featured on the debut album of the winners who were named Sugar Jones. [2] She was a contestant on the first season of Canadian Idol in 2003, reaching sixth place in a controversial decision as she was a judge favourite. [2] [6] "I actually knew I loved to sing before I could talk," Toya Alexis told students at Ridgewood Public School (Mississauga, ON) after her Canadian Idol experience. [7]
In 2004, Alexis was one of several Hip-Hop artists to co-write "Drop the Chrome," an anti-violence song aimed at youth. Other co-writers were Marcus Kane, Thrust, Maestro, Michie Mee, and Skitz. [8] Proceeds from the sale of the 3-track CD were split between two youth-focused charities Tropicana Community Services and Youth Assisting Youth.
Alexis was subsequently offered a recording contract, and released her first single, the Top 40 hit "Am I Loving?", in 2004. [9] She also appeared as a guest vocalist on recordings by several other Canadian artists. Her full-length debut album, S.O.B. Story, was released in August on Canadian Idol judge Farley Flex's label, Plasma, who also served as her manager. [10]
In 2005, she was a featured cast member as "Mabel" in the Canstage show Crowns, at the Bluma Appel Theatre in Toronto. [2] [9]
Her other stage credits have included Doo Wop to Motown (Theatre on the Grand), [5] Once on This Island (Stirling Festival Theatre), Rainbow World (Bathurst Street Theatre), The Good Times Are Killing Me (Royal Alex Theatre) and Dreamgirls, (a co-production between Theatre Aquarius and the Manitoba Theatre Centre). [2] [10] [9]
2002: "I Got U" (with Sugar Jones) (#70, Canadian Singles Chart)
2004: "Am I Loving?" (#36, Canadian Singles Chart)
2005: "Toy Boy" (#17, Canadian Singles Chart)
2006: "Where Did Our Love Go?" (#29, Canadian Singles Chart)
| Year | Album details | Peak | Certifications (sales threshold) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA | |||||||||
| 2005 | S.O.B. Story
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| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||||
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