Jessie J
Encyclopedia
Jessica Ellen Cornish (born on 27 March 1988), better known by her stage name Jessie J, is an English recording artist currently signed to Island Records
. She began her career as a songwriter for artists including Chris Brown and Miley Cyrus
. Her debut single, "Do It Like a Dude
", was released in November 2010 and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Charts. Follow-up single "Price Tag
" reached number one in the United Kingdom, Ireland and New Zealand, and reached the top 10 in nineteen other countries. Her debut album, Who You Are
, was released in February 2011 and charted at number two on the UK Albums Chart
. In February 2011 Jessie J won a BRIT Award, Critics' Choice. It was revealed in October 2011 that Jessie J will be a coach and a mentor on the television show, The Voice UK
, alongside, Frankie Sandford
of The Saturdays
, Tom Jones
and Will.i.am
.
in the London Borough of Redbridge. She attended Colin's Performing Arts School
and as an eleven year old was cast in Andrew Lloyd Webber
's West End production of Whistle Down the Wind
. Jessie has two sisters, who are five and seven years older than her, who were both head girls at school.
Unlike her academic sisters, Cornish has stated she was "never really that good at anything". She said, "At school they were like 'oh, you're a Cornish girl' and they kind of expected me to be the same as my sisters. Give me something to draw or an outfit to pick for someone, or hair, make-up, acting, write a song, I'm fine with it, but anything to do with sums – it was never my thing." She also said she never based her intelligence on her exam results. She also said she was always good at singing and it was her "thing". However, she got banished from the school choir, for being too loud. She stated, "I was in it for a day and some of the adults were moaning that their kids were upset that I was too good. I was 11. Can you imagine? I was heartbroken."
At the age of 16, she began studying at the BRIT School
and joined a girl group at the age of 17, named "Soul Deep". She graduated in the class of 2006 along with singers Adele
and Leona Lewis
.
In early 2011 she suffered a panic attack
on stage after she was forced to perform in the dark. "I did a gig recently and had a panic attack on stage," she told NOW. "The night was called 'Black Out' and I had to perform in the dark. I asked them to turn on the lights and they didn't. I was onstage in pitch black and, because I couldn't see anything, I started to panic. It was awful." Jessie J was featured on the 2011 MTV Music Video Awards during commercial breaks, where she covered 17 songs in total that night.
, recording an album for the label, but the company went bankrupt before any material was released. She then found success as a songwriter, gaining a Sony ATV publishing contract. She was also the support act for Cyndi Lauper
during Lauper's UK dates of her 2008 Bring Ya To The Brink tour (Cyndi also went as far as inviting Jessie to join her on stage later for the performances of Girls Just Want To Have Fun
). Jessie has also written lyrics for artists such as Chris Brown and Miley Cyrus
, including "Party in the U.S.A.
".
Jessie first came to the attention of Lava Records when her publisher at Sony/ATV, Rich Christina, sent Lava president Jason Flom
a link to her Myspace page, which the record executive loved. After seeing an impressive U.S. showcase, Lava was, along with several other labels, keen to sign the artist but progress was hampered by her management's insistence on, what Flom called, a "crazy deal", and their refusal to let Jessie speak to any labels directly. Despite this, Senior Director of A&R at Lava Harinder Rana
, made surreptitious efforts to meet Jessie on her own in winter of 2008. Later in the year a change in management to Sarah Stennett and Nadia Khan of Crown Music allowed record deal negotiations to take place. Jessie eventually signed with Lava as part of a joint venture with Universal Republic.
In late 2010 Jessie J released her first single, "Do It Like a Dude
" which was co-written with George Astasio, Jason Pebworth, Jon Shave - The Invisible Men
, Kyle Abrahams and Peter Ighile. Originally, she wrote the song with Rihanna
in mind because "Rude Boy
" was released at the time, partly inspiring the song. She then sent the song to her label, Island Records
, before sending it to Rihanna's management. Island then insisted the song become Jessie J's first single, since they thought it was 'amazing'. She wishes to perform the song with Rihanna at one point. The single gained positive reception from critics. The single charted at number two on the UK Singles Charts, being held off the top-spot by Bruno Mars
with "Grenade
". Her follow-up single "Price Tag
" was released in late January 2011. This was written by Jessie J herself, Lukasz Gottwald, Claude Kelly
, and Bobby Ray Simmons, Jr.
Upon the release of the single it went straight to the top of the charts charting at number one. It remained at number one for two weeks, however was knocked off the top spot by school friend, Adele
with "Someone Like You
". "Price Tag" was released in the United States on 1 February 2011. The single has since peaked at 23 on the Billboard Hot 100
. The single has since charted at number-one in New Zealand and Ireland. "Price Tag" is also the most successful online video J has released. As of October 2011, the video has generated over 148 million views on the video sharing site Youtube
and Vevo
, making it the 22nd most viewed music video of all time. Her first American television appearance was as the musical guest on the 12 March 2011 episode of NBC
's Saturday Night Live
.
On 25 February 2011 her debut album, Who You Are
, was released. Due to high demand and interest from fans for the album, the release date was pushed ahead by a month, from its original 28 March 2011 release date. The album first entered the charts on 6 March 2011 where it charted on the UK Album Charts at number two. The album charted into the top ten in a number of countries. However, the album missed the top ten by one place in April 2011, when it reached number 11 in the United States
. With the success of Who You Are in North America, Jessie went on tour as the opening act for fellow Capitol
artist Katy Perry
's California Dreams Tour
in 2011. After the release she went on to release a third single from the album, "Nobody's Perfect
" which she labeled the song as one of her favorite songs on the album. MTV
reported that the single is, so far, only confirmed for release in the United Kingdom. Jessie J spoke about the song and said that "It's one of the most honest and raw songs on there... Every time I sing it I relive the moment that I wrote it about. I think it's important to expose your flaws in music as well as your positives. As it says, nobody's perfect. I'm definitely not!" At Glastonbury Festival 2011
Jessie J performed "Price Tag
" with a young girl from the audience called Shae White. Shae is now lined up to appear at an audition of Britain's Got Talent
after receiving wide praise from the press, including BBC Radio 2
presenter Jo Whiley
. The album's fourth single was "Who's Laughing Now
", which came the same day as the music video's release on the VEVO service. "Domino
" would serve as her second US single. The Dr. Luke
-produced track was sent to mainstream radio
on 6 September 2011. David Guetta
reportedly held back the release of his fifth studio album album, Nothing but the Beat
when a last minute collaboration offer came in from Jessie J. He said of the track that they collaborate on, "Repeat", "The album can't go without this track". Jessie J served as the house artist at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards
, performing several of her original songs along with covers around commercial breaks.
James Morrison's
third studio album, The Awakening
features a collaboration with Jessie J called "Up
", the song will be released as a single on 4 December 2011. At Judges Houses for the X Factor
, Jessie joined Tulisa Contostavlos
in Mykonos to assist her in choosing her 4 finalists for The X Factor
Live Shows 2011. Jessie announced that she will be one of four coaches for new BBC
program, The Voice UK
during an appearance on The Chris Moyles Show
on Tuesday, 4 October. She said of the show; "It's all about the voice. I love the idea of being a coach and a mentor and not a judge. I wanted to be involved. They approached me and I was well up for it."
Jessie J released re-release of "Who You Are" on Nov. 9th, 2011. It featured the regular setlist plus the hit single "Domino" and 2 new songs. Her first single, Price Tag has reached #23 on the Billboard Hot 100. The track is J's highest charting song in the US. Her second single in the US, Domino has reached #47 on the Billboard Hot 100.
. For her appearance at Glastonbury Festival 2011
on 25 June 2011, she performed on the throne again, claiming her physician had told her not to perform with her broken foot which would take six weeks to heal. Jessie J was scheduled to play at several festivals throughout the summer, however it was reported on 1 July 2011 that she would not be able to attend T in the Park
, T4 On The Beach
, Wembley:Orange, iTunes Festival
, Lovebox
and Oxegen
due to the injuries to her foot. Jessie J personally tweeted before surgery; "Keep making nervous jokes with the doctor and he keeps looking at me blankly. Which is making me laugh even more. It's getting serious. I just took my nose stud out." Tweeting after the surgery, she wrote: "Can't keep tweeting. Still very dizzy and being sick. But I'm OK, I got through it." Her record label released an official statement on 30 June 2011 that under strict orders from her doctor, she will not be able to perform for a number of weeks so she can heal and recuperate properly. She returned to the concert circuit in late August, including sets at the V Festival
and The Big Chill
. For the 2011 VMA's
she was still in a cast and using the throne to keep off of it.
Jessie J confirmed on 2 August 2011 that she would be shaving her hair off for charity in 2012. Speaking via her official Twitter
account she said: “It’s hair, It will grow back. Even if it takes 2 years, if it saves lives it’s worth it. Even if its 1 life that’s something.”
Jessie J is also openly bisexual
and stated in an interview on the "In Demand" radio show on March 3, 2011, "I've never denied it. Whoopie doo guys, yes, I've dated girls and I've dated boys – get over it."
singer, she primarily records songs of contemporary R&B
and pop
music with hip-hop
influences.
Music critic Matthew Perpetua of Pitchfork Media
compared Jessie J to her peers Adele
and Amy Winehouse
, but admitted she was missing something: "Whereas Adele and Winehouse also have powerhouse voices, they fit into clear aesthetic niches and invest their songs with depth and humanity. Jessie J doesn't have even a fraction of their restraint." Perpetua added: "Her idea of showcasing her gift is to shoot for a blaring melisma
on "Mamma Knows Best" that makes Christina Aguilera
seem as subtle as Joni Mitchell
by comparison." Ailbhe Malone of the music magazine NME
also recognized Cornish's "undeniably potent voice". However, she pointed out the possible "identity crisis" that might have been caused by Jessie's songwriter past: "This is an album of singles for other artists. There’s Rihanna
Jessie (‘Do It...’), Perry
Jessie (‘Abracadabra’), Pixie
Jessie (‘Mamma Knows Best’), Ellie
Jessie ('Big White Room')."
Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian
shared her positive opinion about the singer, saying that "if any singer has the potential to be the British Katy Perry or Pink
, with the accompanying millions of sales, it's her". Sullivan also complimented on Cornish's attitude: "[Her songs] are delivered with a confidence that money can't buy." Entertainment Weekly
's music critic Adam Markovitz said of Jessie: "The 23-year-old Brit has all the tools, from a monster voice to an ear for hooks — she co-wrote Miley Cyrus
' Party in the U.S.A.
— and a manic persona that's equal parts Katy Perry, Kristin Chenoweth
, and Alice Cooper
.
British soul singer Adele
has, however, praised Jessie J's vocal abilities: "I think her voice is illegal. The things she can do with her voice are criminal."
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
. She began her career as a songwriter for artists including Chris Brown and Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....
. Her debut single, "Do It Like a Dude
Do It Like a Dude
"Do It Like a Dude" was written by Jessie J, George Astasio, Jason Pebworth, Jon Shave, Kyle Abrahams and Peter Ighile and was produced by The Invisible Men with Parker & James. Cornish originally wrote the song with Rihanna in mind because "Rude Boy" was released at the time, partly inspiring...
", was released in November 2010 and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Charts. Follow-up single "Price Tag
Price Tag
"Price Tag" is a song by English singer-songwriter Jessie J, featuring American rapper B.o.B. It was released on 28 January 2011 in the United Kingdom as the second single from Jessie J's debut studio album, Who You Are. "Price Tag" was written by Jessie J, Dr. Luke, Claude Kelly and B.o.B, and it...
" reached number one in the United Kingdom, Ireland and New Zealand, and reached the top 10 in nineteen other countries. Her debut album, Who You Are
Who You Are (Jessie J album)
Who You Are is the debut studio album by English recording artist Jessie J, released on 28 February 2011 in the UK and on 12 April in the US. Due to high demand and interest from fans, the release date was pushed ahead by over an entire month, from its original 28 March 2011 release date....
, was released in February 2011 and charted at number two on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
. In February 2011 Jessie J won a BRIT Award, Critics' Choice. It was revealed in October 2011 that Jessie J will be a coach and a mentor on the television show, The Voice UK
The Voice UK
The Voice UK is a reality television singing competition created by John de Mol which is scheduled to premiere in the UK in 2012 on BBC One. The format is Dutch and the original Dutch version of the programme was broadcast in the Netherlands for the first time in 2010 as The Voice of Holland.The...
, alongside, Frankie Sandford
Frankie Sandford
Francesca "Frankie" Sandford is an English pop and R&B singer-songwriter and currently a member of girl group The Saturdays; under the record label of Fascination Records and Polydor Records. The band have had huge success, releasing eleven singles of which ten have charted inside the top 10 on...
of The Saturdays
The Saturdays
The Saturdays are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London, United Kingdom. The group consists of five members Una Healy, Mollie King, Frankie Sandford, Vanessa White and Rochelle Wiseman. In 2007 the band were formed through Fascination Records which gave them an instant record deal with...
, Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
and Will.i.am
Will.i.am
William James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...
.
Early life
Jessie J was born Jessica Ellen Cornish in London and was educated at Mayfield High SchoolMayfield High School (London)
Mayfield School is located on Pedley Road in Redbridge, Greater London, despite its Dagenham address. The current headteacher, Andy Rehling, is the former Seven Kings High School Deputy Head. Mayfield includes a Sixth Form Block and a Field and a new science block built in 2008...
in the London Borough of Redbridge. She attended Colin's Performing Arts School
Colin's Performing Arts School
CPA School is primarily a dance and Musical Theatre school, for ages 3 to 16+, located in Romford near London. It is part of CPA Studios, which also operates a three-year Musical Theatre and Performing Arts College and a performing arts agency. The agency is managed by Julie Shelvey. Its clients...
and as an eleven year old was cast in Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
's West End production of Whistle Down the Wind
Whistle Down the Wind (musical)
Whistle Down the Wind is a musical based on the 1961 film Whistle Down the Wind with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Jim Steinman, known for his work with Meat Loaf and Bonnie Tyler.-Stage Premiere:...
. Jessie has two sisters, who are five and seven years older than her, who were both head girls at school.
Unlike her academic sisters, Cornish has stated she was "never really that good at anything". She said, "At school they were like 'oh, you're a Cornish girl' and they kind of expected me to be the same as my sisters. Give me something to draw or an outfit to pick for someone, or hair, make-up, acting, write a song, I'm fine with it, but anything to do with sums – it was never my thing." She also said she never based her intelligence on her exam results. She also said she was always good at singing and it was her "thing". However, she got banished from the school choir, for being too loud. She stated, "I was in it for a day and some of the adults were moaning that their kids were upset that I was too good. I was 11. Can you imagine? I was heartbroken."
At the age of 16, she began studying at the BRIT School
BRIT School
The London School for Performing Arts & Technology is a British school located in Selhurst, Croydon, in London, England, with a mandate to provide education and vocational training for the performing arts, media, art and design and the technologies that make performance possible...
and joined a girl group at the age of 17, named "Soul Deep". She graduated in the class of 2006 along with singers Adele
Adele (singer)
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins , known professionally as Adele, is an English singer-songwriter. She was the first recipient of the Brit Awards Critics' Choice and was named the number-one predicted breakthrough act of 2008 in an annual BBC poll of music critics, Sound of 2008...
and Leona Lewis
Leona Lewis
Leona Louise Lewis is a British singer and songwriter. Lewis first came to prominence in 2006 when she won the third series of the British television series The X Factor....
.
In early 2011 she suffered a panic attack
Panic attack
Panic attacks are periods of intense fear or apprehension that are of sudden onset and of relatively brief duration. Panic attacks usually begin abruptly, reach a peak within 10 minutes, and subside over the next several hours...
on stage after she was forced to perform in the dark. "I did a gig recently and had a panic attack on stage," she told NOW. "The night was called 'Black Out' and I had to perform in the dark. I asked them to turn on the lights and they didn't. I was onstage in pitch black and, because I couldn't see anything, I started to panic. It was awful." Jessie J was featured on the 2011 MTV Music Video Awards during commercial breaks, where she covered 17 songs in total that night.
2006–2009: Career beginnings
Jessie J was signed to Gut RecordsGut Records
The Gut Group was an independent record label, based in Maida Vale in London, in the United Kingdom.Formally introduced in 1991, Gut Recordings was founded by Guy Holmes, who had been Head of Promotions at Island Records...
, recording an album for the label, but the company went bankrupt before any material was released. She then found success as a songwriter, gaining a Sony ATV publishing contract. She was also the support act for Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album...
during Lauper's UK dates of her 2008 Bring Ya To The Brink tour (Cyndi also went as far as inviting Jessie to join her on stage later for the performances of Girls Just Want To Have Fun
Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Girls Just Want to Have Fun may refer to:In music:* "Girls Just Want to Have Fun", the first major single released by singer Cyndi Lauper on She's So UnusualIn film:...
). Jessie has also written lyrics for artists such as Chris Brown and Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....
, including "Party in the U.S.A.
Party in the U.S.A.
"Party in the U.S.A." is a pop song performed by American recording artist Miley Cyrus. The song was written by Dr. Luke, Claude Kelly, and Jessie J and produced by Dr. Luke. It was released on August 11, 2009, by Hollywood Records, as the lead single from Cyrus' first extended play The Time of Our...
".
Jessie first came to the attention of Lava Records when her publisher at Sony/ATV, Rich Christina, sent Lava president Jason Flom
Jason Flom
Jason Flom is an American music industry executive. He has served as the Chairman and CEO of music labels including Atlantic Records, Virgin Records, and the Capitol Music Group. In 1995, he founded Lava Records...
a link to her Myspace page, which the record executive loved. After seeing an impressive U.S. showcase, Lava was, along with several other labels, keen to sign the artist but progress was hampered by her management's insistence on, what Flom called, a "crazy deal", and their refusal to let Jessie speak to any labels directly. Despite this, Senior Director of A&R at Lava Harinder Rana
Harinder Rana
Harinder Rana is an American music industry executive. He currently serves as Senior Director of A&R at Lava Records/Universal Republic Records....
, made surreptitious efforts to meet Jessie on her own in winter of 2008. Later in the year a change in management to Sarah Stennett and Nadia Khan of Crown Music allowed record deal negotiations to take place. Jessie eventually signed with Lava as part of a joint venture with Universal Republic.
2010–present: Who You Are
She began recording her studio debut album in 2006; The album took five years to finish and was completed on 19 January 2011. She revealed that "Big White Room" would be on the album and was written from an experience she had when she was just 11 years old, although she wrote the song at 17, in hospital, where a ward mate of hers, a little boy died. The album title track, "Who You Are" is one of Jessie J's proudest creations, saying the song is a "positive role model for young people" so she says; "I always say that I'm half-artist, half-therapist"In late 2010 Jessie J released her first single, "Do It Like a Dude
Do It Like a Dude
"Do It Like a Dude" was written by Jessie J, George Astasio, Jason Pebworth, Jon Shave, Kyle Abrahams and Peter Ighile and was produced by The Invisible Men with Parker & James. Cornish originally wrote the song with Rihanna in mind because "Rude Boy" was released at the time, partly inspiring...
" which was co-written with George Astasio, Jason Pebworth, Jon Shave - The Invisible Men
The Invisible Men
"The Invisible Men" are a songwriting and production trio based in London. The team are Jason Pebworth and George Astasio and Jon Shave ....
, Kyle Abrahams and Peter Ighile. Originally, she wrote the song with Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
in mind because "Rude Boy
Rude Boy (song)
"Rude Boy" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, taken from her fourth studio album, Rated R . The song was released as the third single from the album on February 19, 2010, through Def Jam. It was written by Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Ester Dean, Makeba Riddick, Rob Swire...
" was released at the time, partly inspiring the song. She then sent the song to her label, Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
, before sending it to Rihanna's management. Island then insisted the song become Jessie J's first single, since they thought it was 'amazing'. She wishes to perform the song with Rihanna at one point. The single gained positive reception from critics. The single charted at number two on the UK Singles Charts, being held off the top-spot by Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars
Peter Gene Hernandez , better known by his stage name Bruno Mars, is an Filipino-American singer-songwriter and record producer. Raised in Honolulu, Hawaii by a family of musicians, Mars began making music at a young age...
with "Grenade
Grenade (song)
"Grenade" is a song performed by American singer-songwriter and producer Bruno Mars from his debut studio album Doo-Wops & Hooligans. Initially released as a promotional single on September 28, 2010, it was later announced to be the album's second single...
". Her follow-up single "Price Tag
Price Tag
"Price Tag" is a song by English singer-songwriter Jessie J, featuring American rapper B.o.B. It was released on 28 January 2011 in the United Kingdom as the second single from Jessie J's debut studio album, Who You Are. "Price Tag" was written by Jessie J, Dr. Luke, Claude Kelly and B.o.B, and it...
" was released in late January 2011. This was written by Jessie J herself, Lukasz Gottwald, Claude Kelly
Claude Kelly
Claude Kelly is an American singer-songwriter. He has a prolific discography, well known for writing for artists such as Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston, Jordin Sparks, Kelly Clarkson, Jay Sean, Adam Lambert, Jessie J and Charice.-Career:He began playing the piano...
, and Bobby Ray Simmons, Jr.
B.o.B
Bobby Ray Simmons, Jr. , better known by his stage name B.o.B, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter and record producer. He is currently signed under the labels of Grand Hustle Records, Rebel Rock Entertainment, and Atlantic Records. His debut single "Nothin' on You" reached number one in both...
Upon the release of the single it went straight to the top of the charts charting at number one. It remained at number one for two weeks, however was knocked off the top spot by school friend, Adele
Adele (singer)
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins , known professionally as Adele, is an English singer-songwriter. She was the first recipient of the Brit Awards Critics' Choice and was named the number-one predicted breakthrough act of 2008 in an annual BBC poll of music critics, Sound of 2008...
with "Someone Like You
Someone Like You (Adele song)
"Someone Like You" is a song by English singer-songwriter Adele. Written by Adele and Dan Wilson for her second studio album 21, the song was inspired by a broken relationship of hers, and lyrically it speaks of Adele coming to terms with it...
". "Price Tag" was released in the United States on 1 February 2011. The single has since peaked at 23 on the 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...
. The single has since charted at number-one in New Zealand and Ireland. "Price Tag" is also the most successful online video J has released. As of October 2011, the video has generated over 148 million views on the video sharing site 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....
and Vevo
Vevo
Vevo is a music video website. It is a joint venture among Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Abu Dhabi Media with EMI licensing its content to the group without taking an ownership stake. The service was launched officially on December 8, 2009...
, making it the 22nd most viewed music video of all time. Her first American television appearance was as the musical guest on the 12 March 2011 episode of NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
.
On 25 February 2011 her debut album, Who You Are
Who You Are (Jessie J album)
Who You Are is the debut studio album by English recording artist Jessie J, released on 28 February 2011 in the UK and on 12 April in the US. Due to high demand and interest from fans, the release date was pushed ahead by over an entire month, from its original 28 March 2011 release date....
, was released. Due to high demand and interest from fans for the album, the release date was pushed ahead by a month, from its original 28 March 2011 release date. The album first entered the charts on 6 March 2011 where it charted on the UK Album Charts at number two. The album charted into the top ten in a number of countries. However, the album missed the top ten by one place in April 2011, when it reached number 11 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. With the success of Who You Are in North America, Jessie went on tour as the opening act for fellow Capitol
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
artist Katy Perry
Katy Perry
Katy Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a...
's California Dreams Tour
California Dreams Tour
California Dreams Tour is the second concert tour by American pop singer Katy Perry, in support of her third studio album Teenage Dream. Beginning February 2011, the tour will visit Europe, Australasia, Asia and the Americas...
in 2011. After the release she went on to release a third single from the album, "Nobody's Perfect
Nobody's Perfect (Jessie J song)
"Nobody's Perfect" is a song by English singer-songwriter Jessie J from her debut studio album, Who You Are. The song was written by Jessie J and Claude Kelly, and it was produced by Andre Brissett and Kelly, and refers to a struggle about perfection complex and regret over past indiscretions...
" which she labeled the song as one of her favorite songs on the album. MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
reported that the single is, so far, only confirmed for release in the United Kingdom. Jessie J spoke about the song and said that "It's one of the most honest and raw songs on there... Every time I sing it I relive the moment that I wrote it about. I think it's important to expose your flaws in music as well as your positives. As it says, nobody's perfect. I'm definitely not!" At Glastonbury Festival 2011
Glastonbury Festival 2011
The 2011 Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts was held from 22–26 June 2011. Tickets for the festival went on sale from 9 am on Sunday 3 October 2010, over 37 weeks before the festival was set to begin, with a deposit of £50 being paid, while the whole cost of a ticket is £195...
Jessie J performed "Price Tag
Price Tag
"Price Tag" is a song by English singer-songwriter Jessie J, featuring American rapper B.o.B. It was released on 28 January 2011 in the United Kingdom as the second single from Jessie J's debut studio album, Who You Are. "Price Tag" was written by Jessie J, Dr. Luke, Claude Kelly and B.o.B, and it...
" with a young girl from the audience called Shae White. Shae is now lined up to appear at an audition of Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent is a British television talent show competition which started in June 2007 and originated from the Got Talent series. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's TalkbackThames and Simon Cowell's production company SYCOtv. The show is broadcast on ITV in Britain and TV3 in Ireland...
after receiving wide praise from the press, including BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
presenter Jo Whiley
Jo Whiley
Johanne "Jo" Whiley is a British radio disc jockey and television presenter. She was the host of the long running weekday Jo Whiley Show on Radio 1.-Early life and education:...
. The album's fourth single was "Who's Laughing Now
Who's Laughing Now (song)
"Who's Laughing Now" is a song by English singer-songwriter Jessie J from her debut studio album, Who You Are. The song was written by Jessie J, Talay Riley, Astasio, Pebworth, Shave - collectively known as The Invisible Men, Abrahams and Ighile and it was produced by Parker and James and The...
", which came the same day as the music video's release on the VEVO service. "Domino
Domino (Jessie J song)
"Domino" is a song by English singer-songwriter Jessie J, released as the first and currently only single from the platinum edition of her debut studio album, Who You Are. It was released on 29 August 2011. The song was written by Jessie, Dr. Luke, Claude Kelly, Max Martin and Cirkut, and it was...
" would serve as her second US single. The Dr. Luke
Dr. Luke
Lukasz Gottwald , better known as Dr. Luke, is an American songwriter, record producer, and remixer. Luke performed with the Saturday Night Live Band for ten seasons until 2007. He has co-written and co-produced a string of commercially successful songs...
-produced track was sent to mainstream radio
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
on 6 September 2011. 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...
reportedly held back the release of his fifth studio album album, Nothing but the Beat
Nothing but the Beat
Nothing but the Beat is the fifth studio album by French DJ and record producer David Guetta. The album was released on August 26, 2011 through Virgin Records . Released as a double album, the first disc features collaborations with artists from the R&B, hip hop and pop world such as Lil Wayne,...
when a last minute collaboration offer came in from Jessie J. He said of the track that they collaborate on, "Repeat", "The album can't go without this track". Jessie J served as the house artist at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards
2011 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2011 MTV Video Music Awards took place on August 28, at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, honoring the best music videos from the previous year. On July 20, the nominees were announced...
, performing several of her original songs along with covers around commercial breaks.
James Morrison's
James Morrison (singer)
James Morrison is a BRIT Award-winning English singer-songwriter and guitarist from Rugby, Warwickshire. In 2006, his debut single "You Give Me Something" became a hit in Europe, Australia, and Japan, peaking in the top five in the UK and New Zealand. His debut album, Undiscovered, debuted at the...
third studio album, The Awakening
The Awakening (James Morrison album)
Mike Diver wrote for BBC Music that "The Awakening is lacking the grandstanding moment it needs to elevate it above reserved recommendation." Diver also noted that "Morrison has a truly great album in him – he's the emotional baggage to craft it, should he let locked-away demons loose – but for the...
features a collaboration with Jessie J called "Up
Up (James Morrison song)
- Music video :The music video was directed by Leanne Stott and was premiered on 15 October 2011.- Synopsis :The video follows James Morrison wandering his way UP through an abandoned-looking building, visiting Jessie J at her top-floor apartment and finally both British singers will end the song...
", the song will be released as a single on 4 December 2011. At Judges Houses for the X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
, Jessie joined Tulisa Contostavlos
Tulisa Contostavlos
Tula Paulinea "Tulisa" Contostavlos is an English singer-songwriter and actress of Greek and Irish descent. She is best known for being a member of the Camden-based hip hop group N-Dubz, with her cousin Dappy and their friend Fazer...
in Mykonos to assist her in choosing her 4 finalists for The X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
Live Shows 2011. Jessie announced that she will be one of four coaches for new BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
program, The Voice UK
The Voice UK
The Voice UK is a reality television singing competition created by John de Mol which is scheduled to premiere in the UK in 2012 on BBC One. The format is Dutch and the original Dutch version of the programme was broadcast in the Netherlands for the first time in 2010 as The Voice of Holland.The...
during an appearance on The Chris Moyles Show
The Chris Moyles Show
The Chris Moyles Show is the current BBC Radio 1 breakfast show in the UK, and has been since Chris Moyles became the station's breakfast show presenter on 5 January 2004. From 2004 to 2007, the show was broadcast 6:55–10:00 am each weekday, but since 15 October 2007 it has started from...
on Tuesday, 4 October. She said of the show; "It's all about the voice. I love the idea of being a coach and a mentor and not a judge. I wanted to be involved. They approached me and I was well up for it."
Jessie J released re-release of "Who You Are" on Nov. 9th, 2011. It featured the regular setlist plus the hit single "Domino" and 2 new songs. Her first single, Price Tag has reached #23 on the Billboard Hot 100. The track is J's highest charting song in the US. Her second single in the US, Domino has reached #47 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Personal life
On 12 June 2011 at the Capital Radio Summertime Ball, Jessie ruptured several tendons in her foot during rehearsals, and performed her set the following day while sitting on a gilded throneThrone
A throne is the official chair or seat upon which a monarch is seated on state or ceremonial occasions. "Throne" in an abstract sense can also refer to the monarchy or the Crown itself, an instance of metonymy, and is also used in many expressions such as "the power behind the...
. For her appearance at Glastonbury Festival 2011
Glastonbury Festival 2011
The 2011 Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts was held from 22–26 June 2011. Tickets for the festival went on sale from 9 am on Sunday 3 October 2010, over 37 weeks before the festival was set to begin, with a deposit of £50 being paid, while the whole cost of a ticket is £195...
on 25 June 2011, she performed on the throne again, claiming her physician had told her not to perform with her broken foot which would take six weeks to heal. Jessie J was scheduled to play at several festivals throughout the summer, however it was reported on 1 July 2011 that she would not be able to attend T in the Park
T in the Park
T in the Park is a major British music festival that has been held annually since 1994. It is named after its main sponsor, the brewing company Tennents. It was originally held at Strathclyde Park, Lanarkshire but since 1997 has been held at a disused airfield in Balado, Kinross-shire...
, T4 On The Beach
T4 on the Beach
T4 On The Beach is a British one day music event which is held on the beach at Weston-super-Mare and televised for Channel 4. The event began in 2003 as Pop Beach in Great Yarmouth, changing to the current title and venue in 2005....
, Wembley:Orange, iTunes Festival
ITunes Festival
The iTunes Festival is an annual music festival and concert series which is held in London at The Roundhouse art centre and sponsored by Apple Inc. It was first held in 2007...
, Lovebox
Lovebox
-Charts:-Chart procession and succession:-Recording personnel:* 3rd Productions - production * Beni - lyrics , music * D.O.I...
and Oxegen
Oxegen
Oxegen is an annual music festival in Ireland held since 2004, sponsored by Heineken. As of 2007, 2008, 2009, the festival has been cited as Ireland's biggest music festival. And by 2009, the festival is cited as the greenest festival, being a 100% carbon neutral event in Ireland. It was previously...
due to the injuries to her foot. Jessie J personally tweeted before surgery; "Keep making nervous jokes with the doctor and he keeps looking at me blankly. Which is making me laugh even more. It's getting serious. I just took my nose stud out." Tweeting after the surgery, she wrote: "Can't keep tweeting. Still very dizzy and being sick. But I'm OK, I got through it." Her record label released an official statement on 30 June 2011 that under strict orders from her doctor, she will not be able to perform for a number of weeks so she can heal and recuperate properly. She returned to the concert circuit in late August, including sets at the V Festival
V Festival
The V Festival is an annual music festival held in England during the penultimate weekend in August. The event is held at two parks simultaneously which share the same bill; artists perform at one location on Saturday and then swap on Sunday. The sites are located at Hylands Park in Chelmsford and...
and The Big Chill
The Big Chill (music festival)
The Big Chill is an annual festival of alternative, dance and chill-out music and comedy, held in the grounds of Eastnor Castle during early August...
. For the 2011 VMA's
2011 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2011 MTV Video Music Awards took place on August 28, at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, honoring the best music videos from the previous year. On July 20, the nominees were announced...
she was still in a cast and using the throne to keep off of it.
Jessie J confirmed on 2 August 2011 that she would be shaving her hair off for charity in 2012. Speaking via her official Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
account she said: “It’s hair, It will grow back. Even if it takes 2 years, if it saves lives it’s worth it. Even if its 1 life that’s something.”
Jessie J is also openly bisexual
Bisexuality
Bisexuality is sexual behavior or an orientation involving physical or romantic attraction to both males and females, especially with regard to men and women. It is one of the three main classifications of sexual orientation, along with a heterosexual and a homosexual orientation, all a part of the...
and stated in an interview on the "In Demand" radio show on March 3, 2011, "I've never denied it. Whoopie doo guys, yes, I've dated girls and I've dated boys – get over it."
Music and voice
Although she was first identified as a soulSoul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
singer, she primarily records songs of contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
and pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
music with hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
influences.
Music critic Matthew Perpetua of Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
compared Jessie J to her peers Adele
Adele (singer)
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins , known professionally as Adele, is an English singer-songwriter. She was the first recipient of the Brit Awards Critics' Choice and was named the number-one predicted breakthrough act of 2008 in an annual BBC poll of music critics, Sound of 2008...
and 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...
, but admitted she was missing something: "Whereas Adele and Winehouse also have powerhouse voices, they fit into clear aesthetic niches and invest their songs with depth and humanity. Jessie J doesn't have even a fraction of their restraint." Perpetua added: "Her idea of showcasing her gift is to shoot for a blaring melisma
Melisma
Melisma, in music, is the singing of a single syllable of text while moving between several different notes in succession. Music sung in this style is referred to as melismatic, as opposed to syllabic, where each syllable of text is matched to a single note.-History:Music of ancient cultures used...
on "Mamma Knows Best" that makes Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
seem as subtle as Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
by comparison." Ailbhe Malone of the music magazine NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
also recognized Cornish's "undeniably potent voice". However, she pointed out the possible "identity crisis" that might have been caused by Jessie's songwriter past: "This is an album of singles for other artists. There’s Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
Jessie (‘Do It...’), Perry
Katy Perry
Katy Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a...
Jessie (‘Abracadabra’), Pixie
Pixie Lott
Victoria Louise "Pixie" Lott is an English singer-songwriter, dancer and actress. Her debut single "Mama Do" was released in June 2009 and went straight to number one in the UK Singles Chart. Her second single "Boys and Girls", also topped the UK charts in September 2009. Her debut album Turn It...
Jessie (‘Mamma Knows Best’), Ellie
Ellie Goulding
Elena Jane "Ellie" Goulding is an English singer-songwriter. In 2010 she became only the second artist to both top the BBC's annual Sound of... poll, and win the Critics' Choice Award at the BRIT Awards in the same year, following Adele's win of both in 2008...
Jessie ('Big White Room')."
Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
shared her positive opinion about the singer, saying that "if any singer has the potential to be the British Katy Perry or Pink
Pink (singer)
Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
, with the accompanying millions of sales, it's her". Sullivan also complimented on Cornish's attitude: "[Her songs] are delivered with a confidence that money can't buy." Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
's music critic Adam Markovitz said of Jessie: "The 23-year-old Brit has all the tools, from a monster voice to an ear for hooks — she co-wrote Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....
' Party in the U.S.A.
Party in the U.S.A.
"Party in the U.S.A." is a pop song performed by American recording artist Miley Cyrus. The song was written by Dr. Luke, Claude Kelly, and Jessie J and produced by Dr. Luke. It was released on August 11, 2009, by Hollywood Records, as the lead single from Cyrus' first extended play The Time of Our...
— and a manic persona that's equal parts Katy Perry, Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth is an American singer and actress, with credits in musical theatre, film and television. She is best known on Broadway for her performance as Sally Brown in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown , for which she won a Tony Award, and for originating the role of Glinda in the musical...
, and Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
.
British soul singer Adele
Adele (singer)
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins , known professionally as Adele, is an English singer-songwriter. She was the first recipient of the Brit Awards Critics' Choice and was named the number-one predicted breakthrough act of 2008 in an annual BBC poll of music critics, Sound of 2008...
has, however, praised Jessie J's vocal abilities: "I think her voice is illegal. The things she can do with her voice are criminal."
Discography
- Who You AreWho You Are (Jessie J album)Who You Are is the debut studio album by English recording artist Jessie J, released on 28 February 2011 in the UK and on 12 April in the US. Due to high demand and interest from fans, the release date was pushed ahead by over an entire month, from its original 28 March 2011 release date....
(2011)
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | The Voice UK The Voice UK The Voice UK is a reality television singing competition created by John de Mol which is scheduled to premiere in the UK in 2012 on BBC One. The format is Dutch and the original Dutch version of the programme was broadcast in the Netherlands for the first time in 2010 as The Voice of Holland.The... |
Herself | Coach and mentor |