A-Love
Encyclopedia
A-Love is a female Australian based MC from Melbourne. Her debut album, Ace of Hearts was nominated 'Best Urban Release' in the ARIA Music Awards of 2008
.
, a composer/arranger and an original member (lead guitarist) with the Australian band Little River Band
and her mother, Vicki Formosa, was an R&B singer.
She attended Hawthorn
Secondary College, graduating in 1999. Whilst her first experiences of playing music were with an all girl band, which never made any public performances, she also discovered hip hop in high school and soon found herself waxing lyrical over beats.
In January 2000, Formosa met Draino from the Puah Hedz. He was keen to check out her writing and despite her reluctance, he made her feature on a track. The second track that she had ever recorded was with Muphin
, which later became "Some People" which featured on the album Despite the Odds. She has since appeared numerous times on Triple J
's ‘The Hip Hop Show’, PBS' ‘The Formula’ (now ‘Hittin Switches’) and ‘Auscultation’, RRR
's ‘Wordburner’ and RMIT University
's SRA FM
. She was progressing towards a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology
from La Trobe University
and for two years she was the co-host of a hip hop radio show at La Trobe University.
May 2002 marked A-Love's official solo introduction to the Australian hip hop and media circles, with her song "Petty" from the album, Culture of Kings Volume 2 (the first ever Australian hip hop feature album on Triple J). "Petty" was put on medium rotation on Triple J
.
Formosa was a winner of the Nescafe Big Break competition in 2002, earning $20,000 with which to start up an independent record label and distribution company, Duality Records. As time progressed, she juggled the twin responsibilities of building a label and working on her own debut as an artist.
Formosa released her debut album, Ace of Hearts on November 24, 2007 on Crookneck Records. The album was produced by BVA (Mnemonic Ascent) with additional beats from Suffa
(Hilltop Hoods
) and Jase. Guests include Yungun
(UK), Raph (Mnemonic Ascent), Spikey Tee (UK) and emerging indigenous MC Jim Blah. It was Triple J's 'Album of the Week' just three days after its release and was nominated for the 2008 ARIA Awards in the category of 'Best Urban Release'.
She was also nominated for two at the Jägermeister
AIR (Australian Independent Record Labels Association) Awards in 2008, in the categories of 'Best New Independent Artist' and 'Best Independent Hip Hop Artist'.
Formosa has performed with Mystik Journeymen (US), Anticon
, Hilltop Hoods
, Pegz, MC Layla
, Kowhai, Bliss n Eso
, Scarz on 45, MC Que, TZU
, Bias B and DJ Brand (Canada).
ARIA Music Awards of 2008
The 22nd Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards took place on 19 October 2008...
.
Biography
A-Love was born Antonella Formosa in Rome, Italy on 21 March 1983. Formosa's father, Ric FormosaRic Formosa
-External links:...
, a composer/arranger and an original member (lead guitarist) with the Australian band Little River Band
Little River Band
Little River Band is an Australian rock band, formed in Melbourne in early 1975.The group chose the name after passing a road sign leading to the Victorian township of Little River, near Geelong, on the way to a performance. Little River Band enjoyed sustained commercial success in not only...
and her mother, Vicki Formosa, was an R&B singer.
She attended Hawthorn
Hawthorn, Victoria
Hawthorn is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Boroondara...
Secondary College, graduating in 1999. Whilst her first experiences of playing music were with an all girl band, which never made any public performances, she also discovered hip hop in high school and soon found herself waxing lyrical over beats.
In January 2000, Formosa met Draino from the Puah Hedz. He was keen to check out her writing and despite her reluctance, he made her feature on a track. The second track that she had ever recorded was with Muphin
Muph & Plutonic
Muph & Plutonic is an Australian hip hop group. It is composed of MC Muphin and DJ–drummer–producer Plutonic Lab, both of whom released several solo albums before joining together to form a combined act in 2004.-Plutonic Lab:...
, which later became "Some People" which featured on the album Despite the Odds. She has since appeared numerous times on Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
's ‘The Hip Hop Show’, PBS' ‘The Formula’ (now ‘Hittin Switches’) and ‘Auscultation’, RRR
3RRR
3RRR is a popular Australian community radio station, based in Melbourne. It is the largest per capita subscribed radio station in the world....
's ‘Wordburner’ and RMIT University
RMIT University
RMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
's SRA FM
Student Youth Network
SYN Media is a youth-run media organisation that provides training and broadcast opportunities for young people.Commonly referred to as SYN, the organisation produces new and independent media that is made by and for Melbourne's young people...
. She was progressing towards a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
from La Trobe University
La Trobe University
La Trobe University is a multi-campus university in Victoria, Australia. It was established in 1964 by an Act of Parliament to become the third oldest university in the state of Victoria. The main campus of La Trobe is located in the Melbourne suburb of Bundoora; two other major campuses are...
and for two years she was the co-host of a hip hop radio show at La Trobe University.
May 2002 marked A-Love's official solo introduction to the Australian hip hop and media circles, with her song "Petty" from the album, Culture of Kings Volume 2 (the first ever Australian hip hop feature album on Triple J). "Petty" was put on medium rotation on Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
.
Formosa was a winner of the Nescafe Big Break competition in 2002, earning $20,000 with which to start up an independent record label and distribution company, Duality Records. As time progressed, she juggled the twin responsibilities of building a label and working on her own debut as an artist.
Formosa released her debut album, Ace of Hearts on November 24, 2007 on Crookneck Records. The album was produced by BVA (Mnemonic Ascent) with additional beats from Suffa
Suffa
Suffa is one of the MCs of the Adelaide-based hip-hop group the Hilltop Hoods. He currently lives in Adelaide, Australia. Suffa also serves as producer and has produced tracks for a number of other hip hop artists in addition to his work within the Hilltop Hoods, he has been doing this for more...
(Hilltop Hoods
Hilltop Hoods
The Hilltop Hoods are an ARIA Award winning Australian hip hop group, from Adelaide, South Australia. Their members are MCs Suffa , MC Pressure , DJ Debris and formerly DJ Next. They have been at the centre of the Australian hip hop scene for the better part of two decades, originally forming back...
) and Jase. Guests include Yungun
Yungun
Yungun is a UK hip-hop artist. He released his debut album The Essance on Janomi Records in 2004. He was born in North London where he currently works and resides.-Bio:He was educated at Eton College....
(UK), Raph (Mnemonic Ascent), Spikey Tee (UK) and emerging indigenous MC Jim Blah. It was Triple J's 'Album of the Week' just three days after its release and was nominated for the 2008 ARIA Awards in the category of 'Best Urban Release'.
She was also nominated for two at the Jägermeister
Jägermeister
Jägermeister is a German 70-proof digestif made with 56 different herbs and spices. It is the flagship product of Mast-Jägermeister SE, headquartered in Wolfenbüttel, south of Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, Germany.- History :...
AIR (Australian Independent Record Labels Association) Awards in 2008, in the categories of 'Best New Independent Artist' and 'Best Independent Hip Hop Artist'.
Formosa has performed with Mystik Journeymen (US), Anticon
Anticon
Anticon is an Oakland based independent record label founded in 1997. It is collectively owned among six founding artists and one manager...
, Hilltop Hoods
Hilltop Hoods
The Hilltop Hoods are an ARIA Award winning Australian hip hop group, from Adelaide, South Australia. Their members are MCs Suffa , MC Pressure , DJ Debris and formerly DJ Next. They have been at the centre of the Australian hip hop scene for the better part of two decades, originally forming back...
, Pegz, MC Layla
MC Layla
- Biography :Layla Rose Hanbury was born in 15 October 1982. Her first gig was at an MC battle in Perth where she was the only female among 20 entrants....
, Kowhai, Bliss n Eso
Bliss n Eso
Bliss n Eso are an ARIA Award-winning Australian hip hop band based in Sydney, and were originally known as Bliss N' Esoterikizm for their debut EP The Arrival...
, Scarz on 45, MC Que, TZU
TZU
For the ancient chinese military strategist and author, see Sun Tzu.TZU are an Australian hip hop group, originating from Melbourne, Victoria. They are known for live shows with significant crowd involvement, at festivals such as Big Day Out, Falls Festival, MS Fest and the Meredith Music Festival,...
, Bias B and DJ Brand (Canada).
Contributions
- Get The Picture? - Draino ("Out of Place") - Puah Head Constructions (2000)
- Despite the Odds - ("Some People") - Puah Head Constructions (2000)
- Culture of Kings - Volume 2 ("Petty") - Obese RecordsObese RecordsObese Records is an Australian hip hop record label. It is the largest Australian independent Hip-Hop label, a retail store and a touring and record distribution company.-History:...
(2002) - Obesecity - ("Rapunzal") - Obese Records (2002)
- Straight from the Art... - ("Movin'") - Warner Music (2003)
- Straight from the Art 2 - ("Captains of...") - Warner Music (2004)
- The Enthusiast - Evil Ed ("Captains of...") - Janomi (2004)
- Beat the Hedz Vol 1 - Jase (Sincerely Yours") - Obese Records (2006)
- Diggi Down Unda - Mystro ("The Beaches") - Grindin Records (2006)
- Good Vibrations 2008 - ("So Easy") - Universal Music (2008)