LaToya London

Last updated

LaToya London
LaToya London.jpg
Background information
Birth nameLaToya Renee London
Born (1978-12-29) December 29, 1978 (age 45)
San Francisco, California, United States
Genres R&B, soul, jazz
OccupationsSinger, actress
Years active2004–present
Labels Peak Records (2005-2006)
Member of Urban Punk
Website The Official Homepage of LaToya London

LaToya Renee London (born December 29, 1978) is an American R&B and soul singer and stage actress who was fourth-place finalist on the third season of American Idol. Her debut album, Love & Life , was released in September 2005 and spawned a number of moderate R&B chart hits. She has concentrated on stage work, including originating and performing the role of Nettie in the national tour of the Broadway musical The Color Purple from 2007 to 2010, for which she won an Ovation Award. [1] She was the lead in the U.S. regional debut of The Bodyguard, a musical based on the 1992 film. [2]

Contents

Early life

London was born in San Francisco, California and raised in Oakland, California, where she had her first public musical performance when, at the age of 7, she sang in her mother's wedding. Her interest in singing began when she was just 4 years old, when she frequently sang when attending Allen Temple Baptist church. As a teenager, she sang with the Oakland Youth Chorus from 1993 to 1996. In 1996, she graduated from Skyline High School (the same school actor Tom Hanks and basketball player Gary Payton attended). She also worked as a waitress and a bartender and sang in a Christian rock group. She was also a backup vocalist and did frequent guest vocals for several Bay Area artists. When she began American Idol, she was the lead vocalist in a band, All-Star Jukebox, which usually performed at weddings.[ citation needed ]

American Idol

London auditioned for the third season of American Idol in Los Angeles, California. Although she moved on through each round, she had not been featured prominently in any aired footage and was written off by many fans before the first studio performances. However, as a member of the third group of eight semifinalists, she sang Eric Carmen's "All by Myself," and received a standing ovation from celebrity judges Donna Summer, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul. Jackson labeled her performance as "brilliant" and "what the search for a superstar is all about," Abdul called her "unbelievable" and praised her "quiet confidence," and Simon Cowell said she was "the best of the group" and that it was a "superb, outstanding performance." She was voted through to the final 12 contestants with 32.3 percent of audience votes, the largest percentage for every week of the semifinals.

In the following nine weeks, London had several high points on American Idol. Cowell called her performance of Chaka Khan's "Ain't Nobody" "amazing" and "awesome." Abdul said that she reminded her of "a young Gladys Knight" after she performed the Garth Brooks song "Ain't Goin' Down ('Til the Sun Comes Up)," Nickolas Ashford of famed soul duo Ashford & Simpson called her performance of "Ooo Baby Baby" by Smokey Robinson as "beautiful" and full of "sex appeal," Film director Quentin Tarantino called her a "powerhouse" after her performance of "Somewhere" from the musical West Side Story , and Cowell announced her as "the best singer in the competition" after she sang "All the Time" by Barry Manilow and gave her "a ten out of ten" for her performance of "Don't Rain on My Parade," which also garnered standing ovations from Abdul and Jackson.

London was central to one of the first controversies of the show. On April 21, 2004, the night after the final seven contestants performed Barry Manilow songs, London, Jennifer Hudson, and eventual winner Fantasia Barrino ended up in the bottom three with the least viewer votes. Together, these three had been dubbed "The Three Divas" for their critically acclaimed performances. [3] London had the highest vote totals out of the three, and Hudson was ultimately eliminated. Because all three of the singers were African American and the frontrunners of the competition, music icon Elton John deemed the voting as "racist," igniting a flurry of news and speculation over the validity of the voting system. [4] John complained at a promotional news conference that, "The three people I was really impressed with, and they just happened to be black, young female singers, and they all seem to be landing in the bottom three."

London's second controversy occurred on May 11, 2004, when the final four contestants each performed two disco songs. Simon Cowell, who previously endorsed her as the best singer in the competition, suggested that his only complaint with London was that after ten weeks he still did not know anything at all about her. Cowell also suggested that contestant Jasmine Trias would almost certainly be voted off the next day. However, on May 12, London became the ninth of the 12 finalists to be eliminated, finishing in fourth place, with Barrino also landing in the bottom two. London's farewell song was "Don't Rain on My Parade."

Performances

The songs London sang on the show follow:

Week #Song ChoiceOriginal ArtistResult
Top 32"All by Myself" Eric Carmen Advanced
Top 12"Ain't Nobody" Chaka Khan Safe
Top 11"Ain't Goin' Down ('Til the Sun Comes Up)" Garth Brooks Safe
Top 10"Ooo Baby Baby" The Miracles Bottom 3
Top 9"Someone Saved My Life Tonight" Elton John Safe
Top 8"Somewhere" West Side Story Safe
Top 7"All the Time" Barry Manilow Bottom 3
Top 6"Rhythm Is Gonna Get You" Gloria Estefan Safe
Top 5"Too Close for Comfort"
"Don't Rain on My Parade"
Natalie Cole
Barbra Streisand
Safe
Top 4"Love You Inside Out"
"Don't Leave Me This Way"
Bee Gees
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
Eliminated

Post-Idol

Immediately after being eliminated from the series, London was featured in the Norman Lear-helmed Declare Yourself voting campaign by famed photographer David LaChapelle, alongside music stars like Christina Aguilera and André 3000. Her appearance on Idol host Ryan Seacrest's daily television talk show was one of its highest-rated episodes, and Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown officially declared May 4 to be LaToya London Day; one month later, she officially received the key to the city. Her rendition of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes "If You Don't Know Me by Now" on the top-selling compilation disc, American Idol Season 3: Greatest Soul Classics , was praised as one of the album's best. She was also heavily featured on the group track, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough."

In the summer of 2004, London performed with the other top 10 finalists in American Idol season three international tour, which crossed the United States and also visited China and Singapore. She had a guest co-hosting gig on the national entertainment news show, Access Hollywood , and she has performed for such events and galas as the Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation, 100 Black Men of America, and the Clear Channel holiday party. London has also performed the national anthem for numerous National Football League games, including the 2005 Super Bowl NFL Commissioner pre-game party. She has shared the stage with such icons and superstars as Elton John, Whoopi Goldberg, Barry Manilow, Gladys Knight, Nancy Wilson, Chaka Khan, Rachelle Ferrell, Goapele, and Burt Bacharach.

In November 2004, it was announced that London had been signed to jazz recording label Peak Records, an imprint of Concord Records, the final label of jazz legend Ray Charles before his death. Her first single, "Appreciate," which featured a guest rap from Black Thought of the Hip-Hop group The Roots, hit the airwaves in July, and a music video of that song followed. The CD single, "Appreciate/Every Part of Me/All By Myself" reached number eight on the Billboard Singles Sales Chart. The single sold 8,500 units.

20052006: Love & Life

Her debut studio album, Love & Life , was released on September 20, 2005. A mix of R&B, soul, jazz, and hip-hop, Love & Life featured songwriting by London, along with songs by well-known producers such as David Foster and Narada Michael Walden. The San Francisco Chronicle called her "impassioned and polished" with "sumptuous, wondrously elastic mezzo pipes," People magazine called it one of the best post-American Idol albums, and Apple Computer's iTunes named it one of the best albums of 2005, and her song "Non A What'cha Do" as one of the best individual recordings of the year. Love & Life sold 12,546 albums in its first week, landing at number 82 on Billboard Top 200 Albums chart and at number 27 on Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. To date, it has sold approximately 58,000 copies. [5] Additionally, London has sold over 15,000 digital downloads. [5]

London released two follow-up singles, "Every Part of Me" and "State of My Heart" in 2006, the latter of which hit number 40 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Tracks chart and number five on the radio industry periodical Friday Morning Quarterback's Adult Contemporary spin chart.

London was also nominated for an award in the R&B category of the 2006 Bay Area Rap Scene (BARS) Awards; however, violence and disruption ended the show early before the award winners were announced. Latoya was competing against R&B star Goapele, among others.

London announced that despite having an initial three-album deal, she had parted ways from Peak Records and Concord Records. She is currently writing songs for her second album and is shopping for a new recording label.

In February 2006, she landed a lead role in Laterras R. Whitfield's touring dramatic comedy play Issues: We All Have 'Em. She sang a jazz-tinged version of "Hark! Hear the Bells" on the VH1 Soul Train Christmas television special, and sang the same song on a special edition of the 40th Anniversary A Charlie Brown Christmas album.

In late summer 2006, London made her Los Angeles professional stage debut with a starring role in the retro musical, Beehive, at the El Portal Theater in North Hollywood. London and the show earned rave reviews. That same year, the cast was nominated by the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle for Best Ensemble Performance in their annual awards.

London was featured as a guest vocalist on Paul Taylor's new album, Ladies' Choice, released in May 2007.

London played Nettie in The Color Purple, which debuted at the Cadillac Palace Theatre for an extended run in Chicago, Illinois. London ended her run in 2010 and received a nomination for a NAACP Theatre Award in 2008 in the best supporting actress in an equity production category. [6]

2010present: Urban Punk

London joined with hip-hop artist H2O in 2010 to form the group Urban Punk, [7] [8] producing music that combines Europop melodies with hip-hop rhythms. They have released two tracks, "Around the World" and "Twisted". [9]

In June 2013, London joined the cast of the Carolina Opry in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. [10]

London has starred in a number of national tours, including Redemption of a Dogg, and Tyler Perry's Madea on the Run, as well as regional productions, including Silence! The Musical and as Shug Avery in Celebration Theatre's production of The Color Purple. [11] She was the lead in the U.S. regional debut of The Bodyguard, a musical based on the 1992 film. [12]

Personal life

London suffered a setback when she had to pull out of the VH1 Soul Tour with Jaguar Wright and Kindred due to a "family emergency." Additionally, when Ebony magazine named her one of the hottest African American bachelorettes in America in its July 2005 issue, speculation about the state of her marriage sparked off. While she was on American Idol, she proudly stated that she was married and had stepchildren. She later confirmed that she and her husband had divorced. [13]

Politics and endorsements

London posed for a political print advertising campaign by Declare Yourself, encouraging voter registration among youth for the 2008 United States presidential election. In the ads by photographer David LaChapelle, London has a nail through her upper and lower lips, pinning her mouth shut in a symbolic function. The ads drew national attention.

London also performed "Ain't Nobody" in Oakland on Election Day 2008 celebrating Barack Obama's historic victory. [14]

Discography

Albums

YearAlbum detailsPeak positions Certifications
(sales threshold)
US US
R&B
2005 Love & Life 8227
  • US sales: 58,000 [5]

Singles

Guest contributions

Awards and nominations

Ovation Awards

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Huff (singer)</span> American singer (born 1980)

George Clayton Huff, Jr. is an American singer. He placed first among male contestants and overall fifth-place finalist on the third season of the reality/talent-search television series American Idol.

"Don't Rain on My Parade" is a song from the 1964 musical Funny Girl, further popularized by the show's 1968 film adaptation. Written by Bob Merrill and Jule Styne, the song was first performed by Barbra Streisand on both stage and screen. The song ranked 46 in AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs survey of top tunes in American cinema.

<i>American Idol</i> season 3 Season of television series

The third season of American Idol premiered on Monday, January 19, 2004, and continued until May 26, 2004. The third season was won by Fantasia Barrino, who defeated Diana DeGarmo by an approximate margin of 2% ; the vote total was then the highest recorded vote total in the show's history. This season also featured future EGOT winner Jennifer Hudson, who finished seventh in the competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paris Bennett</span> American singer (born 1988)

Paris Ana'is Bennett is an American singer who finished in fifth place on the fifth season of the reality television talent show, American Idol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elliott Yamin</span> American singer (born 1978)

Ephraim Elliott Yamin is an American singer known for his hit single "Wait for You" and for placing third on the fifth season of American Idol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa Tucker (singer)</span> Musical artist

Lisa Gabrielle Tucker is an American singer, musical theater actress, and television actress who was the tenth-place finalist on the fifth season of American Idol. After American Idol, she performed in the American Idols Live! Tour 2006 for three months and 60 concerts across the United States. After the tour, Tucker recorded a duet with Dionne Warwick on Warwick's album, My Friends & Me. She also appeared on The O.C. in a cameo as herself, and had recurring television roles on Zoey 101,The Game, and The Vampire Diaries. She began her theater career at the Orange County Children's Theater, and at 11, performed as Young Nala in a Pantages Theatre production of The Lion King musical.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melinda Doolittle</span> American singer

Melinda Marie Doolittle is an American singer who finished as the third place finalist on the sixth season of American Idol. Prior to her appearance on American Idol, Doolittle worked as a professional back-up singer for, among others, Michael McDonald, Kirk Franklin, Aaron Neville, BeBe and CeCe Winans, Alabama, Jonny Lang, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Carman, and Anointed.

"Up to the Mountain (MLK Song)" is a contemporary folk song written by Patty Griffin. The song touches upon emotions surrounding Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous 1968 "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech, given the day before his assassination in Memphis, Tennessee. Originally recorded by Solomon Burke in 2006 and Griffin herself in 2007, it has found greater prominence in performances and recordings since then by Kelly Clarkson and Jeff Beck, Susan Boyle, Crystal Bowersox, and Kree Harrison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brooke White</span> American musician

Brooke Elizabeth White is an American folk-pop singer-songwriter and actress who was the fifth place finalist on the seventh season of American Idol. In 2005, White released her first studio album, called Songs from the Attic.

<i>The X Factor</i> (British TV series) series 5 British TV series

The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. The fifth series was broadcast on ITV from 16 August 2008 until 13 December 2008. Dermot O'Leary returned to present the main show on ITV, while Fearne Cotton was replaced by Holly Willoughby as presenter of spin-off show The Xtra Factor on ITV2. Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh, and Dannii Minogue returned to the judging panel. Sharon Osbourne left after four series and was replaced by Cheryl Cole. The series was won by Alexandra Burke, with Cole emerging as the winning mentor. Auditions in front of producers were held in April and May, with callbacks in front of the judges in June. The number of applicants for series 5 reached an all-time high with a reported 182,000 people auditioning. A number of well-established music acts from around the world, such as Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, Girls Aloud, Take That, Il Divo, and series 3 winner Leona Lewis, performed during the live stages of the show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allison Iraheta</span> American singer

Allison Iraheta is an American singer who was the fourth place finalist on the eighth season of American Idol. Prior to Idol, Iraheta won the Telemundo competition Quinceañera: Mamá Quiero Ser Artista. Following the conclusion of Idol, Iraheta was signed to a record deal with 19 Entertainment and Jive Records. Her debut album Just like You was released on December 1, 2009. She was also the lead singer of the band Halo Circus.

Donnie Williams is an American soul, gospel and jazz singer-songwriter who in 2004 became a Top 32 Finalist in Season 3 of American Idol. He currently resides in the Bay Area, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Didi Benami</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1986)

Vered "Didi" Benami is an American singer-songwriter and television host. After placing tenth on the ninth season of American Idol, she released her debut single, "Gasoline", in 2012 and the album Reverie in 2014. In 2023, she began co-hosting the AXS series Banded.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crystal Bowersox</span> American singer-songwriter and actress (born 1985)

Crystal Lynn Bowersox is an American singer, songwriter and actress who was the runner-up on the ninth season of American Idol. She was the first female finalist in three years.

Jai McDowall is a Scottish singer–songwriter, who won the fifth series of Britain's Got Talent in June 2011. As the winner, he received £100,000 and performed at the 2011 Royal Variety Performance. McDowall was signed to Syco Music, a subdivision of record label giant, Sony Music. His debut album Believe was released on 9 December 2011. The lead single "With or Without You" was released the same day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Urban Punk</span>

Urban Punk was formed October, 2010, in San Francisco, California, and is composed of hip-hop veteran, H2O, and 3rd season American Idol finalist LaToya London. They fuse their musical influences, combining Europop melodies with edgy hip-hop rhythms and R&B hooks. H2O has worked with everyone from Mix Master Mike and Bruno Mars to Fergie.

Ellona Rano Santiago is a Filipino-born American singer from San Lorenzo, California. She was a contestant on American television show The X Factor. In season 1, she was a part of the ten-member group InTENsity mentored by Paula Abdul which were the first contestant eliminated. Santiago returned in season 3, where she was mentored by Demi Lovato and was the eighth contestant eliminated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Candice Glover</span> American singer and actress

Candice Rickelle Glover is an American R&B singer and actress who won the twelfth season of American Idol. Glover is the first winner to have auditioned three times before being cast for the live shows. Her debut album Music Speaks was released on February 18, 2014.

Kree Annette Harrison is an American singer and musician, who was the runner-up on the twelfth season of American Idol.

The fifteenth and final series of the British television music competition The X Factor began airing on ITV on 1 September 2018, presented by Dermot O'Leary. Simon Cowell returned alongside new judges Louis Tomlinson, Ayda Field, and Robbie Williams who replace departing judges Nicole Scherzinger, Sharon Osbourne, and Louis Walsh. Nile Rodgers filled in for Williams while he was away on his tour for weeks 3–5 of the live shows.

References

  1. "A Celebration Of The Color Purple". @ This Stage. March 7, 2012. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  2. Skethway, Nathan (May 8, 2019). "A Look at the Regional Premiere of The Bodyguard Musical". Playbill. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  3. Williams, Brennan (April 8, 2016). "Fantasia, Jennifer Hudson And Latoya London Reunite For 'American Idol' Finale". HuffPost. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  4. Glaister, Dan (April 28, 2004). "Elton accuses US pop voters of racism". The Guardian. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 The Ultimate SoundScan Sales/Download Checklist - Idol Chatter - USATODAY.com Archived 2009-02-08 at the Wayback Machine
  6. NAACP Theater Awards, "2008 Nominees" Archived 2011-07-07 at archive.today , 2008.
  7. "Introducing: American Idol Alum LaToya London and H2O present Urban Punk". Nu-soulmag.com. Archived from the original on November 16, 2011. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
  8. Interview with former ‘Idol’ contestant La Toya London, now of ‘Urban Punk’ Archived 2012-03-23 at the Wayback Machine
  9. Santilli, Mj (March 23, 2011). "LaToya London – New Music From Urban Punk". Mjsbigblog. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  10. "'American Idol' finalist to spend summer at Carolina Opry in Myrtle Beach area | Entertainment | MyrtleBeachOnline.com". www.myrtlebeachonline.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  11. [ dead link ]
  12. Gans, Andrew (April 26, 2019). "American Idol's LaToya London Stars in The Bodyguard at White Plains Performing Arts Center". Playbill.com. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  13. "Dear Future Wifey S2, E204: Single Again? (Latoya London)". www.youtube.com. December 2, 2020. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  14. "YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on April 27, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  15. "Center Theatre Group Tops 2012 Ovation Awards". Lastagetimes.com. November 13, 2012. Archived from the original on December 1, 2014. Retrieved January 27, 2013.