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Joss Stone
Joss Stone Biography
Name : Joss Stone
Birth Name : Joscelyn Eve Stoker
Nickname : Jossie
Date of Birth : April 11th, 1987
Place of Birth : Dover, England
Nationality : English
Profession : musician
Genres : R&B and Soul Music, Rock Music, Adult Alternative
English singer Joss Stone was just 16 when she emerged on the pop/rock scene in 2003. Ready to take on the pop domination of
Britney and Christina with a sound wise beyond her teenage years, Stone positioned herself among the more established and credible artists (Norah Jones, Jill Scott, Nikka Costa) reigning adult alternative pop/rock. Born Joscelyn Eve Stoker in 1987, the sun-kissed blonde darling grew up listening to American soul and R&B. Aretha Franklin was a favorite and in time, Stone realized that she possessed an impressive throaty vocal style with both depth and emotion, much like her idols. In 2002, Stone took a chance. She left her family home in Devon, England (also home to Coldplay's Chris Martin) for an audition in New York City. Stone wowed S-Curve CEO Steve Greenberg with her rendition of Donna Summer's "On the Radio," and landed herself a deal. R&B/soul pioneer Betty Wright joined Stone for her first recording, becoming an instant mentor and friend to the impressionable girl with big dreams. Vocalist Angie Stone and the Roots also assisted Stone in the studio in 2003 for what became The Soul Sessions EP. A riveting set of 1970s classics by the likes of Laura Lee and Bettye Swann, as well as tracks by Wright and Franklin, The Soul Sessions EP was accentuated by fellow Miami soul musicians Benny Latimore, Timmy Thomas, and Little Beaver. S-Curve couldn't wait to tell the world about their one-of-a-kind starlet with an old soul, therefore Stone hurriedly crafted this neo-soul gem in just four days. In early 2004, Stone introduced herself to the MTV generation with the funky strut of "Fell in Love with a Boy," which was a rework of the White Stripes hit "Fell in Love with a Girl." The Soul Sessions was a huge success, selling over two million copies. Mind, Body & Soul was released in 2004, again from S-Curve Records, and its 14 tracks featured 12 that were written or co-written by Stone. ~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide.
Joss Stone (born Joscelyn Eve Stoker on April 11, 1987) is an English soul singer. She is also the head spokeswoman for The Gap, replacing Sarah Jessica Parker.
Joss Stone was born in Dover, Kent, England in 1987. She grew up listening to American R&B and soul music performed by such artists as Aretha Franklin; as a result, she developed a throaty style of singing like her idols. At 14, she appeared on Star for a Night on BBC Television singing Franklin's "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman". She told MTV News, "I kind of clicked into soul music more than anything else because of the vocals. You've got to have good vocals to sing soul music and I always I liked it ever since I was little."
In 2002, she decided to back her ability by flying out from Devon in England for an audition in New York City with S-Curve CEO Steve Greenberg. She secured a record deal with a soulful version of "On the Radio" by Donna Summer.
The Soul Sessions
She then flew to Miami to start work on her debut album, The Soul Sessions. She collaborated with people with solid credentials in the Miami soul scene such as Betty Wright, Benny Latimore, Timmy Thomas and Little Beaver. She also worked with contemporary acts Angie Stone and The Roots.
The album consists of classic soul tracks by Wright, Franklin, Laura Lee and Bettye Swann. Released in late 2003, it reached the top 5 in the UK albums chart, and also made the top forty of the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart. The lead single, "Fell in Love with a Boy", which was a reworking of The White Stripes' song "Fell in Love with a Girl", reached the top twenty of the UK singles chart. The second single, "Super Duper Love (Are You Diggin' On Me?)", also reached the top twenty.
Mind, Body & Soul
After achieving critical acclaim for The Soul Sessions, Stone recorded an album full of original songs in 2004 titled Mind, Body & Soul. It proved to be an even bigger success than her first album, as it debuted at #1 in the UK (breaking the record for the youngest female ever to top the albums charts there, a recored previously held by Avril Lavigne) and just missed the top ten of the U.S. Billboard 200, after peaking at #11. The lead single, "You Had Me", became her first top ten in the UK. Follow-up singles "Right to Be Wrong" and "Spoiled" both made the top forty, and "Don't Cha Wanna Ride?" the top twenty.
In February 2005, Stone was nominated for three Brit Awards, of which she won two; Best Female and Best Urban Act. She was also nominated three times at the 2005 Grammy Awards, where she sang barefoot on stage with rock legend Melissa Etheridge. Their performance of "Cry Baby"/"Piece of My Heart" was released as a single, and, through aid of strong digital downloads, became Stone's first top forty U.S. hit when it debuted at #32 (where it ultimately would peak) on the Billboard Hot 100.
In July 2005, Joss performed at the Hyde Park Live 8 concert.
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