Dev (singer)
Encyclopedia
Devin Star Tailes better known by her stage name Dev, is an American singer. She was discovered by The Cataracs
via MySpace
after her friend Shane Crislip, posted her singing to some beats. Dev's song "Booty Bounce
" was sampled in Far East Movement
's hit single "Like a G6
" which reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100
chart, and sold over five million downloads in the country, while her first solo single was Bass Down Low
which was released December 6, 2010. Dev was signed to Universal Republic
in October 2010.
to Lisa, a real estate agent, and Riki Tailes, a painting contractor. Dev's family is from Costa Rica, but grew up in Manteca
and is of Portuguese and Mexican descent. She has two younger sisters, Sierra Sol and Maezee Luna. At the age of four, she started swimming and was part of the U.S Olympic development program. She attended Brock Elliott elementary. She graduated from where she was a member of a band and a choir. Soon, she attended San Joaquin Delta College
, studying English and art history.
She made a cover of an Amy Winehouse
song that she described as being "super-weird and super-different". She recorded the song off her and made it in response to her ex-boyfriend's new girlfriend, calling it a "diss track". It was later revealed that the song was "Blonde Trick". A friend of hers posted the song onto MySpace
, and production team The Cataracs
noticed it and contacted Dev. She dropped out of college during her freshman year to pursue her singing career and was then signed by the Los Angeles based record label and management team, Indie-Pop, who also discovered The Cataracs. Six months later, Dev and IT'S THE CATARACS song "2Nite" began to gain exposure on the radio, the television channel MTVU
and the Billboard Hot Dance Airplay
chart. In 2009, Dev moved to Los Angeles
to produce music with the Cataracs and work directly with Indie-Pop.
In 2010, the Cataracs produced "Like a G6
" with Far East Movement
and decided to use a verse from Dev's single "Booty Bounce
" as the chorus. The two songs were made in the same summer, at the time where Dev and the Cataracs "were grinding it out in the studio pretty tough together," making a couple of "simplistic random tracks." "Like a G6", which features the Cataracs and Dev, was released in April 2010, and reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100
chart. The song went on to sell over three million downloads in the US.
", directed by Ethan Adler, and uploaded it onto YouTube
, where it has generated over ten million views. In October 2010, Dev was signed to Universal Republic
and her first official single, "Bass Down Low
", was serviced to rhythmic radio stations in November. It was released digitally in select territories on December 6, 2010 and one day later in the United States. The song reached sixty one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number two on the Heatseekers Songs chart. In Canada, the song peaked at number thirty five in its fifth week on the Canadian Hot 100
chart. A critic of The Arizona Republic
named the song the fourth best single of December 2010, comparing it to Ke$ha's 2009 hit single "Tik Tok", but wrote that "every other element of "Bass Down Low" feels custom-made for squeezing 15 extra minutes off that "Tik Tok" clock. [...] It's there in the throbbing electro-pop groove". The song was serviced onto mainstream radio on January 11, 2011. The second single from the album "In the Dark
",was released on February 25.
Dev's debut album The Night the Sun Came Up
has been released in United Kingdom on September 20, 2011. Since 2009, Dev has been working on her debut album with main producers, The Cataracs. In March 2011, Dev and The Cataracs traveled to Costa Rica for three weeks where they recorded and produced most of the material for the new album. She said of the album's genres, "[t]ypical pop music is not what I am only good at doing; I have a lot of ideas and hip-hop influence records, some electro ballads." In March 2011, New Boyz
's single "Backseat
", featuring Dev and The Cataracs, was released. The song peaked at number thirty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100. She was featured on Demi Lovato
's album "Unbroken" on a song called "Who's That Boy". She also featured on a single by British boy band JLS
, "She Make Me Wanna", which reached the top of the UK singles chart. Dev also released two more promotional singles through Twitter, "Poison" and "Call Me" both covers of Bill Bev Devoe and Blondie respectively. She also featured in house music
artist David Guetta
's album, Nothing But the Beat on a song called "I Just Wanna F" with Timbaland
and Afrojack
. Dev has also featured on a single by Swedish singer Eric Saade
, "Hotter Than Fire" which was released on November 2, 2011 in Sweden.
. Dev responded to this, saying, "I'm confident enough in what I do that people will see me for who I am ... I get why people compare us but once people see me live they won't connect us as much." While comparing her to Kesha, Idolator
wrote that "Dev's beats come off a bit more mellow and her songs a little bit more electro than pop." In response to being compared to both Kesha and Uffie
, Dev said, "I just feel that I have a lot more to say and the ability to have an eclectic sound, I'm not bashing either artist, but I'm going to be able to give you a little bit more than what you've heard on those records. When my album comes out, hopefully I won't have to hear another reference or comparison." Much of Dev's music is inspired by rap music, as she believes that fans respond to "pop music but with rap roots". She said, "I've always been into hip-hop. Eminem
changed my life when I was younger." The Hollywood Reporter
compared her "futuristic" and "pulsing" sound to underground electroclash
musicians Peaches
and Yelle
. Dev's musical genres have been cited as electro-crunk
, electropop, and electro hop.
The Cataracs
The Cataracs are an American hip hop indie-pop duo formed in Berkeley, California, consisting of David “Campa” Benjamin Singer-Vine, a songwriter and vocalist and Niles “Cyrano” Hollowell-Dhar, a songwriter, vocalist, and producer. The duo started out as an independent group, during their years at...
via MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
after her friend Shane Crislip, posted her singing to some beats. Dev's song "Booty Bounce
Booty Bounce
"Booty Bounce" is a song by American recording artist Dev. It was produced by The Cataracs. Although it was released after, "Booty Bounce" was sampled in Far East Movement's hit single "Like a G6" which reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and sold over three million downloads in...
" was sampled in Far East Movement
Far east movement
Far East Movement is an Asian American electro hop quartet based in Los Angeles. The group formed in 2003 and consists of Kev Nish , Prohgress , J-Splif , and DJ Virman...
's hit single "Like a G6
Like a G6
"Like a G6" is a song from Far East Movement's 2010 album Free Wired. The track features female vocals by Dev and male vocals by Far East Movement. It was written and produced by The Cataracs. It was number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks ending November 6, 2010, and then again for...
" which reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart, and sold over five million downloads in the country, while her first solo single was Bass Down Low
Bass Down Low
"Bass Down Low" is the debut single by American recording artist Dev. It was written by Dev alongside its producers, The Cataracs, who are also featured on the track. The song was released on December 6, 2010, through Universal Republic as the lead single for Dev's debut studio album, The Night the...
which was released December 6, 2010. Dev was signed to Universal Republic
Universal Republic
Universal Republic Records is a record label, owned by Universal Music Group. It is based on the now-defunct Republic Records label founded by brothers Monte and Avery Lipman...
in October 2010.
Early life and career beginnings
Dev was born in Tracy, CaliforniaTracy, California
Tracy is the second most populated city in San Joaquin County, California, United States and an exurb of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 82,922 at the 2010 census.-History:...
to Lisa, a real estate agent, and Riki Tailes, a painting contractor. Dev's family is from Costa Rica, but grew up in Manteca
Manteca, California
Manteca is a city in , USA. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 67,096.- History :Manteca is a city in the Central Valley of California, 76 miles east of San Francisco. It was founded in 1861 by Joshua Cowell. Cowell claimed around and built houses on what is now the corner of Main...
and is of Portuguese and Mexican descent. She has two younger sisters, Sierra Sol and Maezee Luna. At the age of four, she started swimming and was part of the U.S Olympic development program. She attended Brock Elliott elementary. She graduated from where she was a member of a band and a choir. Soon, she attended San Joaquin Delta College
San Joaquin Delta College
San Joaquin Delta College is a community college in Stockton, California. It is the successor of the Stockton Junior College which was formed in 1935.Part of Disney's 1973 film The World's Greatest Athlete was shot here.-Description:...
, studying English and art history.
She made a cover of an Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse
Amy Jade Winehouse was an English singer-songwriter known for her powerful deep contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz. Winehouse's 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize...
song that she described as being "super-weird and super-different". She recorded the song off her and made it in response to her ex-boyfriend's new girlfriend, calling it a "diss track". It was later revealed that the song was "Blonde Trick". A friend of hers posted the song onto MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
, and production team The Cataracs
The Cataracs
The Cataracs are an American hip hop indie-pop duo formed in Berkeley, California, consisting of David “Campa” Benjamin Singer-Vine, a songwriter and vocalist and Niles “Cyrano” Hollowell-Dhar, a songwriter, vocalist, and producer. The duo started out as an independent group, during their years at...
noticed it and contacted Dev. She dropped out of college during her freshman year to pursue her singing career and was then signed by the Los Angeles based record label and management team, Indie-Pop, who also discovered The Cataracs. Six months later, Dev and IT'S THE CATARACS song "2Nite" began to gain exposure on the radio, the television channel MTVU
MtvU
mtvU is a division of Viacom's MTV Networks which produces a 24-hour television channel that is available on more than 750 college and university campuses across the United States, as well as several digital cable packages...
and the Billboard Hot Dance Airplay
Hot Dance Airplay
Dance/Mix Show Airplay is a monitored electronic dance music radio chart that is featured weekly in Billboard magazine. The chart came about as a result of the small but influential impact of electronic dance music on the radio in the United States and the stations that program it...
chart. In 2009, Dev moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to produce music with the Cataracs and work directly with Indie-Pop.
In 2010, the Cataracs produced "Like a G6
Like a G6
"Like a G6" is a song from Far East Movement's 2010 album Free Wired. The track features female vocals by Dev and male vocals by Far East Movement. It was written and produced by The Cataracs. It was number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks ending November 6, 2010, and then again for...
" with Far East Movement
Far east movement
Far East Movement is an Asian American electro hop quartet based in Los Angeles. The group formed in 2003 and consists of Kev Nish , Prohgress , J-Splif , and DJ Virman...
and decided to use a verse from Dev's single "Booty Bounce
Booty Bounce
"Booty Bounce" is a song by American recording artist Dev. It was produced by The Cataracs. Although it was released after, "Booty Bounce" was sampled in Far East Movement's hit single "Like a G6" which reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and sold over three million downloads in...
" as the chorus. The two songs were made in the same summer, at the time where Dev and the Cataracs "were grinding it out in the studio pretty tough together," making a couple of "simplistic random tracks." "Like a G6", which features the Cataracs and Dev, was released in April 2010, and reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart. The song went on to sell over three million downloads in the US.
2010–present: The Night the Sun Came Up
In August 2010, Dev made a music video for "Booty BounceBooty Bounce
"Booty Bounce" is a song by American recording artist Dev. It was produced by The Cataracs. Although it was released after, "Booty Bounce" was sampled in Far East Movement's hit single "Like a G6" which reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and sold over three million downloads in...
", directed by Ethan Adler, and uploaded it onto YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, where it has generated over ten million views. In October 2010, Dev was signed to Universal Republic
Universal Republic
Universal Republic Records is a record label, owned by Universal Music Group. It is based on the now-defunct Republic Records label founded by brothers Monte and Avery Lipman...
and her first official single, "Bass Down Low
Bass Down Low
"Bass Down Low" is the debut single by American recording artist Dev. It was written by Dev alongside its producers, The Cataracs, who are also featured on the track. The song was released on December 6, 2010, through Universal Republic as the lead single for Dev's debut studio album, The Night the...
", was serviced to rhythmic radio stations in November. It was released digitally in select territories on December 6, 2010 and one day later in the United States. The song reached sixty one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number two on the Heatseekers Songs chart. In Canada, the song peaked at number thirty five in its fifth week on the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
chart. A critic of The Arizona Republic
The Arizona Republic
The Arizona Republic is a daily newspaper published in Phoenix. Circulated throughout Arizona, it is the state's largest newspaper. Since 2000, it has been owned by the Gannett newspaper chain. It was ranked tenth in US daily newspapers by circulation in 2007.-Early years:The newspaper was founded...
named the song the fourth best single of December 2010, comparing it to Ke$ha's 2009 hit single "Tik Tok", but wrote that "every other element of "Bass Down Low" feels custom-made for squeezing 15 extra minutes off that "Tik Tok" clock. [...] It's there in the throbbing electro-pop groove". The song was serviced onto mainstream radio on January 11, 2011. The second single from the album "In the Dark
In the Dark (Dev song)
"In the Dark" is a song performed by American recording artist Dev. It was written by Dev alongside The Cataracs, who produced it for Dev's debut studio album, The Night the Sun Came Up . The song was released as the album's second single on April 25, 2011, through Universal Republic...
",was released on February 25.
Dev's debut album The Night the Sun Came Up
The Night the Sun Came Up
The Night the Sun Came Up is the debut studio album by United States recording artist Dev. It was released on September 2, 2011 by Universal Republic in association with Island Records. Dev worked exclusively with American alternative hip hop production duo The Cataracs, who helmed the production...
has been released in United Kingdom on September 20, 2011. Since 2009, Dev has been working on her debut album with main producers, The Cataracs. In March 2011, Dev and The Cataracs traveled to Costa Rica for three weeks where they recorded and produced most of the material for the new album. She said of the album's genres, "[t]ypical pop music is not what I am only good at doing; I have a lot of ideas and hip-hop influence records, some electro ballads." In March 2011, New Boyz
New Boyz
New Boyz is an American hip hop/rap group and a former jerkin crew duo made up of rappers Earl "Ben J" Benjamin and Dominic "Legacy" Thomas from Hesperia, California. They debuted in summer 2009 with their viral hit, "You're a Jerk", taken from their debut studio album Skinny Jeanz and a Mic,...
's single "Backseat
Backseat (song)
"Backseat" is a song recorded by American hip hop duo New Boyz. The song was released as a single on February 15, 2011 as a digital download in the United States and currently serves as the second single released from the duo's second album Too Cool to Care...
", featuring Dev and The Cataracs, was released. The song peaked at number thirty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100. She was featured on Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato
"She’s got the range, the full emotional spectrum, incredible control… Vocally, she’s the best thing Disney’s had since Christina Aguilera."—Producer Toby Gad on Demi Lovato's vocals...
's album "Unbroken" on a song called "Who's That Boy". She also featured on a single by British boy band JLS
JLS
- Music :* JLS, an English boyband** JLS , debut album by JLS* JLS a Spanish Rock band based in Zaragoza , Spain formed in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic by lead Leo Susana.- Organizations :...
, "She Make Me Wanna", which reached the top of the UK singles chart. Dev also released two more promotional singles through Twitter, "Poison" and "Call Me" both covers of Bill Bev Devoe and Blondie respectively. She also featured in house music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
artist David Guetta
David Guetta
Pierre David Guetta , known professionally as David Guetta , is a French house music producer and DJ. Originally a DJ at nightclubs during the 1980s and 1990s, he co-founded Gum Productions and released his first album, Just a Little More Love, in 2002. Later, he released Guetta Blaster and Pop Life...
's album, Nothing But the Beat on a song called "I Just Wanna F" with Timbaland
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....
and Afrojack
Afrojack
Nick van de Wall, born 9 September 1987, commonly known by his stage name Afrojack, is a Grammy Award winning Dutch music producer and DJ. Born and raised in Spijkenisse, Netherlands, He was listed as number 7 on DJ Mags top 100 DJs of 2011...
. Dev has also featured on a single by Swedish singer Eric Saade
Eric Saade
Eric Saade born 29 October 1990) is a Swedish pop singer and children's television presenter. After two years with the boyband What's Up!, he left in February 2009 to pursue a solo career. Eric Saade represented Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Germany after winning the national...
, "Hotter Than Fire" which was released on November 2, 2011 in Sweden.
Musical style
Dev's electro style and "sing-talk" vocal style have been compared to fellow pop singer KeshaKesha
Kesha village is a small village nestled in the mountains of Yongshun County, northwestern Hunan province, China, located at latitude 29 05' 50", longitude 109 57' 9". The name is pronounced in Standard Chinese. The official language is Manderin Chinese....
. Dev responded to this, saying, "I'm confident enough in what I do that people will see me for who I am ... I get why people compare us but once people see me live they won't connect us as much." While comparing her to Kesha, Idolator
Idolator
Idolator is the third album by the Japanese, melodic death metal band, Blood Stain Child. Idolator combines melodic death metal similar to the more recent In Flames albums with electronic and trance influences, particularly on "Nuclear Trance". "Embrace Me", has a piano section both at the...
wrote that "Dev's beats come off a bit more mellow and her songs a little bit more electro than pop." In response to being compared to both Kesha and Uffie
Uffie
Anna-Catherine Hartley , better known by her stage name Uffie , is a Paris-based underground electronic musician, rapper, fashion designer and socialite signed to French electronic music record label Ed Banger Records. She has been described as a muse for French DJs, and is known for working with...
, Dev said, "I just feel that I have a lot more to say and the ability to have an eclectic sound, I'm not bashing either artist, but I'm going to be able to give you a little bit more than what you've heard on those records. When my album comes out, hopefully I won't have to hear another reference or comparison." Much of Dev's music is inspired by rap music, as she believes that fans respond to "pop music but with rap roots". She said, "I've always been into hip-hop. Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
changed my life when I was younger." The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter
Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...
compared her "futuristic" and "pulsing" sound to underground electroclash
Electroclash
Electroclash is a style of music that fuses New Wave and electronic dance music. It emerged in New York and Detroit in the later 1990s, pioneered by acts including I-F and those associated with Gerald Donald, and is associated with acts including Peaches, Adult, and Fischerspooner...
musicians Peaches
Peaches (musician)
Merrill Beth Nisker , better known by her stage name Peaches, is a Canadian electronic musician and performance artist who lives in Berlin, Germany. Her songs are noted for disregarding traditional gender norms and their use of sexually explicit lyrics...
and Yelle
Yelle
Yelle is a French band founded by lead singer and namesake, Yelle and GrandMarnier . A third member, Tepr , joined the band before the recording of their debut album. Budet and GrandMarnier began working on music together in 2000...
. Dev's musical genres have been cited as electro-crunk
Crunk
Crunk is a music style that originated in Memphis, Tennessee in the mid-to-late 1990s and gained mainstream success around 2003–2004. Performers of crunk music are sometimes referred to as crunksters. An archetypal crunk track most frequently uses a drum machine rhythm, heavy bassline, and...
, electropop, and electro hop.