Joe Cotton
Encyclopedia
Joanne Monique "Joe" Cotton, born September 25, 1978, is a Canadian-born New Zealand
pop
singer who gained recognition as one fifth of the girl group TrueBliss
, formed in 1999 on Popstars
. Cotton has since joined a cover band, The Mermaids Danceband. She also works as a Radio DJ, currently for More FM
in Auckland City
in New Zealand, and previously for The Edge
.
Both her parents worked as camp leaders for troubled kids, teaching at schools and community centres. They worked as missionaries in Africa
for eight years.
Cotton spent the first seven years of her life in Canada, until her family relocated to Wellington, New Zealand in 1985.
She studied music throughout her time at Wellington Girls College
leaving at the start of her seventh form year to do a three year Diploma in Rock and Commercial music at Whitireia Community Polytechnic
.
Joe enjoyed performing from an early age and during fifth form her school choir attended the Australasian Choral Championships which they were the joint winners of. In late 1998 she auditioned for Popstars
- she made the cut and eventually became a member of True Bliss, the first band to be formed out of Popstars
.
The five girls went on to cut a #1 single followed by a #1 album, before they (unofficially) parted in late 2000.
Joe worked as an assistant manager at Sounds CD store in Johnsonville
, Wellington
before appearing on Popstars
and has subsequently found work on the C4 television station and in radio, first with The Edge
and most recently with More FM.
She also has a career alongside Amber Claire, Pauline Berry, guitarist Martin Winch and Becks Wright as a member of the cover band Mermaids Danceband which she joined in July 2000 after moving from Wellington to Auckland.
She won Pop's Ultimate Star
, which aired on TV2 on Sundays at 7pm.
Joe continues to work as a Radio DJ, currently for More FM
in Auckland, working on the afternoon show (weekdays 3pm-7pm) and then and currently The Morning Fix with Jeremy Corbett, Joe Cotton and Peter Dakin (Weekdays 6am-10am). Previously she hosted the weekday (10am-2pm) show at The Edge
.
She is married to Daniel Shields.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
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...
singer who gained recognition as one fifth of the girl group TrueBliss
TrueBliss
TrueBliss were a New Zealand pop girl group formed in April 1999. The band were formed on the popular television show Popstars, which aired on TV2 for nine weeks in the search for a new girl group...
, formed in 1999 on Popstars
Popstars
Popstars is an international reality television franchise and a precursor to the Idol series. The series first began in New Zealand in 1999 when producer Jonathan Dowling formed the five member all-girl group TrueBliss...
. Cotton has since joined a cover band, The Mermaids Danceband. She also works as a Radio DJ, currently for More FM
More FM
MORE FM is a New Zealand radio network playing adult contemporary music or Pop music. It is operated by MediaWorks New Zealand.MORE FM broadcasts in 22 centres throughout New Zealand with local programming in most markets between 6am and 1pm and networked programming the rest of the day...
in Auckland City
Auckland City
Auckland City was the city and local authority covering the Auckland isthmus and most of the islands of the Hauraki Gulf, in the North Island of New Zealand. On 1 November 2010 it was amalgamated into the wider Auckland Region under the authority of the new Auckland Council...
in New Zealand, and previously for The Edge
The Edge (radio station)
The Edge FM is a MediaWorks New Zealand New Zealand youth radio network, playing predominantly pop, rock and R&B. The network's flagship is The Morning Madhouse with Jay Jay Feeney, Mike Puru and Dom Harvey....
.
Biography
Cotton was born in Vancouver, Canada, the second child of Mary and Peter Cotton.Both her parents worked as camp leaders for troubled kids, teaching at schools and community centres. They worked as missionaries in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
for eight years.
Cotton spent the first seven years of her life in Canada, until her family relocated to Wellington, New Zealand in 1985.
She studied music throughout her time at Wellington Girls College
Wellington Girls College
Wellington Girls' College was founded in 1883 in Wellington New Zealand. At that time it was called Wellington Girls' High School. It is located in Thorndon in central Wellington, near the Parliament buildings of New Zealand, and with views of the famous Wellington harbour.As an academic school,...
leaving at the start of her seventh form year to do a three year Diploma in Rock and Commercial music at Whitireia Community Polytechnic
Whitireia Community Polytechnic
Whitireia Community Polytechnic is a crown owned tertiary education institute in New Zealand.-History:Whitireia was founded in 1986 in Porirua and was originally named Parumoana Community College...
.
Joe enjoyed performing from an early age and during fifth form her school choir attended the Australasian Choral Championships which they were the joint winners of. In late 1998 she auditioned for Popstars
Popstars
Popstars is an international reality television franchise and a precursor to the Idol series. The series first began in New Zealand in 1999 when producer Jonathan Dowling formed the five member all-girl group TrueBliss...
- she made the cut and eventually became a member of True Bliss, the first band to be formed out of Popstars
Popstars
Popstars is an international reality television franchise and a precursor to the Idol series. The series first began in New Zealand in 1999 when producer Jonathan Dowling formed the five member all-girl group TrueBliss...
.
The five girls went on to cut a #1 single followed by a #1 album, before they (unofficially) parted in late 2000.
Joe worked as an assistant manager at Sounds CD store in Johnsonville
Johnsonville
-Geography:United States*Johnsonville, California, former name of Bear Valley, Mariposa County, California*Johnsonville, Illinois*Johnsonville, Indiana*Johnsonville, New York*Johnsonville, South Carolina*Johnsonville, Wisconsin, an incorporated village...
, Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
before appearing on Popstars
Popstars
Popstars is an international reality television franchise and a precursor to the Idol series. The series first began in New Zealand in 1999 when producer Jonathan Dowling formed the five member all-girl group TrueBliss...
and has subsequently found work on the C4 television station and in radio, first with The Edge
The Edge
David Howell Evans , more widely known by his stage name The Edge , is a musician best known as the guitarist, backing vocalist, and keyboardist of the Irish rock band U2. A member of the group since its inception, he has recorded 12 studio albums with the band and has released one solo record...
and most recently with More FM.
She also has a career alongside Amber Claire, Pauline Berry, guitarist Martin Winch and Becks Wright as a member of the cover band Mermaids Danceband which she joined in July 2000 after moving from Wellington to Auckland.
She won Pop's Ultimate Star
Pop's Ultimate Star
Pop's Ultimate Star was TV2's reality television show which pits former reality contestants againest each other, most of whom are former NZ Idol contestants. The show was produced by Eyeworks Touchdown, with first prize $50,000 and a Kia 'Rio' car. It is hosted by Dominic Bowden and was originally...
, which aired on TV2 on Sundays at 7pm.
Joe continues to work as a Radio DJ, currently for More FM
More FM
MORE FM is a New Zealand radio network playing adult contemporary music or Pop music. It is operated by MediaWorks New Zealand.MORE FM broadcasts in 22 centres throughout New Zealand with local programming in most markets between 6am and 1pm and networked programming the rest of the day...
in Auckland, working on the afternoon show (weekdays 3pm-7pm) and then and currently The Morning Fix with Jeremy Corbett, Joe Cotton and Peter Dakin (Weekdays 6am-10am). Previously she hosted the weekday (10am-2pm) show at The Edge
The Edge (radio station)
The Edge FM is a MediaWorks New Zealand New Zealand youth radio network, playing predominantly pop, rock and R&B. The network's flagship is The Morning Madhouse with Jay Jay Feeney, Mike Puru and Dom Harvey....
.
She is married to Daniel Shields.
Singles
- 1999: “Tonight” - #1 NZ (highest selling single of the year) (True Bliss)
- 1999: “Number One” - #12 NZ (TrueBliss)
- 1999: “Freedom” (TrueBliss)
Starring roles
- 1999: PopstarsPopstarsPopstars is an international reality television franchise and a precursor to the Idol series. The series first began in New Zealand in 1999 when producer Jonathan Dowling formed the five member all-girl group TrueBliss...
as herself - 2007: Pop's Ultimate StarPop's Ultimate StarPop's Ultimate Star was TV2's reality television show which pits former reality contestants againest each other, most of whom are former NZ Idol contestants. The show was produced by Eyeworks Touchdown, with first prize $50,000 and a Kia 'Rio' car. It is hosted by Dominic Bowden and was originally...
as herself