LaToya London
Encyclopedia
LaToya Renee London is an American R&B
and soul
singer and actress who was the fourth-place finalist on the third season
of the reality/talent-search television series American Idol
. She released her debut album, Love & Life, in September 2005 and recently completed a starring role as Nettie in the national tour of the Broadway
musical, The Color Purple
.
and raised in Oakland, California
, where she had her first public musical performance when, at the age of 7, she sang in her mother's wedding. Her interest in singing began when she was just 4 years old, when she frequently sang when attending Allen Temple Baptist church. As a teenager, she sang with the Oakland Youth Chorus from 1993 to 1996. In 1996, she graduated from Skyline High School
(the same school actor Tom Hanks
and basketball player Gary Payton
attended). She also worked as a waitress and a bartender and even sang in a Christian rock
group. She was also a backup vocalist and did frequent guest vocals for several Bay Area artists. When she began American Idol, she was the lead vocalist in a band, All-Star Jukebox, which usually performed at weddings.
. Although she seamlessly moved on through each round, she had not been featured prominently in any aired footage and was written off by many fans before the first studio performances. However, as a member of the third group of eight semifinalists, she sang Eric Carmen
's "All by Myself
," and received a standing ovation from celebrity judges Donna Summer, Randy Jackson
and Paula Abdul
. Jackson labeled her performance as "brilliant" and "what the search for a superstar is all about," Abdul called her "unbelievable" and praised her "quiet confidence," and notoriously harsh judge Simon Cowell
said she was "the best of the group" and that it was a "superb, outstanding performance." As expected, she was voted through to the final 12 contestants with 32.3 percent of audience votes, the largest percentage for every week of the semifinals.
For nine weeks, London wowed the nation with her showstopping performances on American Idol. Cowell called her performance of Chaka Khan
's "Ain't Nobody
" as "amazing" and "awesome." Abdul said that she reminded her of "a young Gladys Knight" after she performed the Garth Brooks
song "Ain't Goin' Down ('Til the Sun Comes Up)
," Nickolas Ashford of famed soul duo Ashford & Simpson
called her performance of "Ooo Baby Baby
" by Smokey Robinson
as "beautiful" and full of "sex appeal," Famed film director Quentin Tarantino
called her a "powerhouse" after her performance of "Somewhere" from the musical West Side Story, and Cowell announced her as "the best singer in the competition" after she sang "All the Time" by Barry Manilow
and gave her "a ten out of ten" for her performance of "Don't Rain on My Parade
," which also garnered standing ovations from Abdul and Jackson.
London was central to one of the first controversies of the show. On April 21, 2004, the night after the final seven contestants performed Barry Manilow
songs, London, Jennifer Hudson
, and eventual winner Fantasia Barrino
shockingly ended up in the bottom three with the least viewer votes. Together, these three had been dubbed "The Three Divas" for their lush, commanding, and mature vocal capabilities and showstopping and critically acclaimed performances. London had the highest vote totals out of the three, and Hudson was ultimately eliminated. Because all three of the singers were African American
and the frontrunners of the competition, music icon Elton John
deemed the voting as "racist," igniting a flurry of news and speculation over the validity of the voting system. John complained at a promotional news conference that, "The three people I was really impressed with, and they just happened to be black, young female singers, and they all seem to be landing in the bottom three."
London's second controversy occurred on May 11, 2004, when the final four contestants each performed two disco
song
s. Simon Cowell, who previously endorsed her as the best singer in the competition, suggested that his only complaint with London was that after ten weeks he still did not know anything at all about her. Cowell also suggested that contestant Jasmine Trias
would almost certainly be voted off the next day. However, on May 12, in a result that came as a surprise to many, including the judges, London became the ninth of the 12 finalists to be eliminated, finishing in fourth place, with Barrino also landing in the bottom two. Paula Abdul was in tears when LaToya sang her farewell song, "Don't Rain on My Parade," and the other two judges gave her a standing ovation.
-helmed Declare Yourself
voting campaign by famed photographer David LaChapelle
, alongside music stars like Christina Aguilera
and André 3000
. Her appearance on Idol host Ryan Seacrest
's daily television talk show was one of its highest-rated episodes, and Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown
officially declared May 4 to be LaToya London Day; one month later, she officially received the key to the city. Her rendition of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
"If You Don't Know Me by Now
" on the top-selling compilation disc, American Idol Season 3: Greatest Soul Classics
, was praised as one of the album's best. She was also heavily featured on the group track, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough
."
In the summer of 2004, London performed with the other top 10 finalists in American Idol season three international tour, which crossed the United States and also visited China and Singapore
. She had a guest co-hosting gig on the national entertainment news show, Access Hollywood
, and she has performed for such events and galas as the Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation, 100 Black Men of America
, and the Clear Channel
holiday party. London has also performed the national anthem for numerous National Football League
games, including the 2005 Super Bowl
NFL Commissioner pre-game party. She has shared the stage with such icons and superstars as Elton John
, Whoopi Goldberg
, Barry Manilow
, Gladys Knight
, Nancy Wilson, Chaka Khan
, Rachelle Ferrell
, Goapele
, and Burt Bacharach
.
In November 2004, it was announced that London had been signed to jazz recording label Peak Records
, an imprint of Concord Records
, the final label of jazz legend Ray Charles
before his death. Her first single, "Appreciate," which featured a guest rap from Black Thought
of the Hip-Hop group The Roots
, hit the airwaves in July, and a music video of that song followed. The CD single, "Appreciate/Every Part of Me/All By Myself" reached #8 on the Billboard Singles Sales Chart. The single sold 8,500 units.
and Narada Michael Walden
. The San Francisco Chronicle
called her "impassioned and polished" with "sumptuous, wondrously elastic mezzo pipes," People
magazine called it one of the best post-American Idol albums, and Apple Computer
's iTunes
named it one of the best albums of 2005, and her song "Non A What'cha Do" as one of the best individual recordings of the year. Love & Life sold 12,546 albums in its first week, landing at #82 on Billboard Top 200 Albums chart and at #27 on Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. To date, it has sold approximately 58,000 copies. Additionally, London has sold over 15,000 digital downloads.
London released two follow-up singles, "Every Part of Me" and "State of My Heart" in 2006, the latter of which hit #40 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Tracks chart and #5 on the radio industry periodical Friday Morning Quarterbacks Adult Contemporary spin chart.
London was also nominated for an award in the R&B category of the 2006 Bay Area Rap Scene (BARS) Awards; however, violence and disruption ended the show early before the award winners were announced. Latoya was competing against R&B star Goapele
, among others.
London announced that despite having an initial three-album deal, she had parted ways from Peak Records
and Concord Records
. She is currently writing songs for her second album and is currently shopping for a new recording label.
, Dave Hollister
, and Kim Fields
. The play ended its run, but enjoyed rave reviews and high ticket sales. She also sang a jazz-tinged version of "Hark! Hear the Bells" on the VH1
Soul Train
Christmas television special, and sang the same song on a special edition of the 40th Anniversary A Charlie Brown Christmas
album.
In late summer 2006, London made her Los Angeles professional stage debut with a starring role in the retro musical "Beehive" at the El Portal Theater in North Hollywood
. Latoya and the show earned rave reviews. That same year, the cast was nominated by the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle
for Best Ensemble Performance in their annual awards
.
It was also announced in 2006 that London would be starring in an extended Chicago run as Nettie in the Oprah Winfrey
-produced Broadway
musical The Color Purple
. Incidentally, American Idol
winner and London's friend, Fantasia Barrino
, starred as Celie, replacing La Chanze in the Broadway run of the show. Future American Idol
star, LaKisha Jones
would join the play, alongside London.
debuted at the Cadillac Palace Theatre for an extended run in Chicago, Illinois
. The cast also included Destiny's Child
star Michelle Williams
and Tony Award
nominee Felicia P. Fields. The show and Latoya have earned rave reviews:
London ended her run as Nettie in 2010. London received a nomination for a NAACP Theatre Award
in 2008 in the best supporting actress in an equity production category.
London was featured as a guest vocalist on Paul Taylor's new album, Ladies' Choice, released in May 2007.
and Kindred
due to a "family emergency." Additionally, when Ebony
magazine named her one of the hottest African American
bachelorettes in America in its July 2005 issue, speculation about the state of her marriage sparked off. While she was on American Idol, she proudly stated that she was married and had stepchildren. She later confirmed that she and her husband had divorced.
-themed print advertising campaign by Declare Yourself
, a campaign encouraging voter registration among youth for the 2008 United States presidential election
. In the ads by photographer David LaChapelle
, London has a nail through her upper and lower lips, pinning her mouth shut in a symbolic function. The ads drew national attention.
London also performed "Ain't Nobody
" in Oakland on Election Day 2008 celebrating Barack Obama
's historic victory.
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
and soul
Soul 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 and actress who was the fourth-place finalist on the third season
American Idol (Season 3)
The third season of American Idol premiered on Monday, January 19, 2004 and continued until May 26, 2004. The third season was won by Fantasia Barrino, who defeated Diana DeGarmo by an approximate margin of 2% ; the vote total was the highest recorded vote total in the show's history until the...
of the reality/talent-search television series American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
. She released her debut album, Love & Life, in September 2005 and recently completed a starring role as Nettie in the national tour of the Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
musical, The Color Purple
The Color Purple (musical)
The Color Purple is a Broadway musical based upon the novel The Color Purple by Alice Walker. It features music and lyrics written by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, with a book by Marsha Norman. It ran on Broadway in 2005 and has been touring throughout the US...
.
Early life
London was born in San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
and raised in Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, where she had her first public musical performance when, at the age of 7, she sang in her mother's wedding. Her interest in singing began when she was just 4 years old, when she frequently sang when attending Allen Temple Baptist church. As a teenager, she sang with the Oakland Youth Chorus from 1993 to 1996. In 1996, she graduated from Skyline High School
Skyline High School (Oakland, California)
Skyline High School is a public high school in Oakland, California. It is noted for its strong academics and athletic programs, and consistently ranks as the top performing school in the area in terms of standardized testing, SAT scores, college acceptance rates, and matriculation...
(the same school actor Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Hanks worked in television and family-friendly comedies, gaining wide notice in 1988's Big, before achieving success as a dramatic actor in several notable roles, including Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia, the title...
and basketball player Gary Payton
Gary Payton
Gary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...
attended). She also worked as a waitress and a bartender and even sang in a Christian rock
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
group. She was also a backup vocalist and did frequent guest vocals for several Bay Area artists. When she began American Idol, she was the lead vocalist in a band, All-Star Jukebox, which usually performed at weddings.
American Idol
London auditioned for the third season of American Idol in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. Although she seamlessly moved on through each round, she had not been featured prominently in any aired footage and was written off by many fans before the first studio performances. However, as a member of the third group of eight semifinalists, she sang Eric Carmen
Eric Carmen
Eric Howard Carmen is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist.He scored numerous hit songs across the 1970s and 1980s, first as a member of the Raspberries , and then with his solo career, including hits such as "All By Myself", "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again", "She Did It",...
's "All by Myself
All by Myself
"All by Myself" is a power ballad written and performed by Eric Carmen in 1975.The verse is based on the second movement of Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Opus 18...
," and received a standing ovation from celebrity judges Donna Summer, Randy Jackson
Randy Jackson
Randall Darius "Randy" Jackson is an American bassist, singer, record producer, music manager, A&R executive, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is best known as a judge on American Idol and executive producer for MTV's America's Best Dance Crew...
and Paula Abdul
Paula Abdul
Paula Julie Abdul is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, choreographer, actress and television personality.In the 1980s, Abdul rose from cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers to highly sought-after choreographer at the height of the music video era before scoring a string of pop music-R&B hits...
. Jackson labeled her performance as "brilliant" and "what the search for a superstar is all about," Abdul called her "unbelievable" and praised her "quiet confidence," and notoriously harsh judge Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...
said she was "the best of the group" and that it was a "superb, outstanding performance." As expected, she was voted through to the final 12 contestants with 32.3 percent of audience votes, the largest percentage for every week of the semifinals.
For nine weeks, London wowed the nation with her showstopping performances on American Idol. Cowell called her performance of Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan , frequently known as the Queen of Funk, is a 10-time Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter who gained fame in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus. While still a member of the group in 1978, Khan embarked on a successful solo career...
's "Ain't Nobody
Ain't Nobody
"Ain't Nobody" is a 1983 hit single by Rufus & Chaka Khan. It was released as a studio bonus track on the band's live album Stompin' at the Savoy. It reached number one on the U.S. R&B chart and twenty-two on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart...
" as "amazing" and "awesome." Abdul said that she reminded her of "a young Gladys Knight" after she performed the Garth Brooks
Garth Brooks
Troyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart...
song "Ain't Goin' Down ('Til the Sun Comes Up)
Ain't Goin' Down ('Til the Sun Comes Up)
"Ain't Goin' Down " is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American Country Music artist Garth Brooks. It was released in July 1993 as the lead single from his album, In Pieces. The song also appears on The Hits, The Limited Series, The Ultimate Hits, and Double Live...
," Nickolas Ashford of famed soul duo Ashford & Simpson
Ashford & Simpson
Nickolas Ashford , and Valerie Simpson , were a husband and wife songwriting/production team and recording artists....
called her performance of "Ooo Baby Baby
Ooo Baby Baby
"Ooo Baby Baby" is a 1965 hit single by The Miracles for the Tamla label, today considered the group's signature song. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked the song #262 on their list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time....
" by Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
as "beautiful" and full of "sex appeal," Famed film director Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
called her a "powerhouse" after her performance of "Somewhere" from the musical West Side Story, and Cowell announced her as "the best singer in the competition" after she sang "All the Time" by Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow is an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, and performer, best known for such recordings as "Could It Be Magic", "Mandy", "Can't Smile Without You", and "Copacabana ."...
and gave her "a ten out of ten" for her performance of "Don't Rain on My Parade
Don't Rain on My Parade
"Don't Rain On My Parade" is a popular song from the 1964 musical Funny Girl. It was also featured in the 1968 movie version of the musical. The song was written by Bob Merrill and Jule Styne. Both the movie and stage versions feature Barbra Streisand performing the song. It has since become one of...
," which also garnered standing ovations from Abdul and Jackson.
London was central to one of the first controversies of the show. On April 21, 2004, the night after the final seven contestants performed Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow is an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, and performer, best known for such recordings as "Could It Be Magic", "Mandy", "Can't Smile Without You", and "Copacabana ."...
songs, London, Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Kate Hudson is an American recording artist, actress and spokesperson. She came to prominence in 2004 as one of the finalists on the third season of American Idol coming in seventh place...
, and eventual winner Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Monique Barrino commonly known as Fantasia, is an American R&B singer, Broadway and television actress who rose to fame as the winner of the third season of the reality television series American Idol in 2004. Following her victory, she released her debut single, "I Believe", which...
shockingly ended up in the bottom three with the least viewer votes. Together, these three had been dubbed "The Three Divas" for their lush, commanding, and mature vocal capabilities and showstopping and critically acclaimed performances. London had the highest vote totals out of the three, and Hudson was ultimately eliminated. Because all three of the singers were African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
and the frontrunners of the competition, music icon Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
deemed the voting as "racist," igniting a flurry of news and speculation over the validity of the voting system. John complained at a promotional news conference that, "The three people I was really impressed with, and they just happened to be black, young female singers, and they all seem to be landing in the bottom three."
London's second controversy occurred on May 11, 2004, when the final four contestants each performed two disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s. Simon Cowell, who previously endorsed her as the best singer in the competition, suggested that his only complaint with London was that after ten weeks he still did not know anything at all about her. Cowell also suggested that contestant Jasmine Trias
Jasmine Trias
Jasmine Trias is an American singer-entertainer who was the third place finalist on the third season of American Idol, due in part to tremendous call-in support from California, New York, and her native state of Hawaii. She has released one album to date, Jasmine Trias...
would almost certainly be voted off the next day. However, on May 12, in a result that came as a surprise to many, including the judges, London became the ninth of the 12 finalists to be eliminated, finishing in fourth place, with Barrino also landing in the bottom two. Paula Abdul was in tears when LaToya sang her farewell song, "Don't Rain on My Parade," and the other two judges gave her a standing ovation.
Performances
The songs London sang on the show follow:| Week # | Song Choice | Original Artist | Result | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Top 32 | "All by Myself All by Myself "All by Myself" is a power ballad written and performed by Eric Carmen in 1975.The verse is based on the second movement of Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Opus 18... " |
Eric Carmen Eric Carmen Eric Howard Carmen is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist.He scored numerous hit songs across the 1970s and 1980s, first as a member of the Raspberries , and then with his solo career, including hits such as "All By Myself", "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again", "She Did It",... |
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| Top 12 | "Ain't Nobody Ain't Nobody "Ain't Nobody" is a 1983 hit single by Rufus & Chaka Khan. It was released as a studio bonus track on the band's live album Stompin' at the Savoy. It reached number one on the U.S. R&B chart and twenty-two on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart... " |
Chaka Khan Chaka Khan Chaka Khan , frequently known as the Queen of Funk, is a 10-time Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter who gained fame in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus. While still a member of the group in 1978, Khan embarked on a successful solo career... |
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| Top 11 | "Ain't Goin' Down ('Til the Sun Comes Up) Ain't Goin' Down ('Til the Sun Comes Up) "Ain't Goin' Down " is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American Country Music artist Garth Brooks. It was released in July 1993 as the lead single from his album, In Pieces. The song also appears on The Hits, The Limited Series, The Ultimate Hits, and Double Live... " |
Garth Brooks Garth Brooks Troyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart... |
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| Top 10 | "Ooo Baby Baby Ooo Baby Baby "Ooo Baby Baby" is a 1965 hit single by The Miracles for the Tamla label, today considered the group's signature song. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked the song #262 on their list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.... " |
The Miracles The Miracles The Miracles are an American rhythm and blues group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordy's Motown Record Corporation . Their single "Shop Around" was Motown's first million-selling hit record, and the group went on to become one of Motown's signature... |
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| Top 9 | "Someone Saved My Life Tonight Someone Saved My Life Tonight "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" is an Elton John song from his album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. John originally wrote and recorded it in A-flat, though after having vocal cord surgery in 1987 that resulted in the loss of his falsetto range, John began performing the song in a... " |
Elton John Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor... |
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| Top 8 | "Somewhere Somewhere (song) "Somewhere" is a song from the 1957 Broadway musical West Side Story which was made into a film in 1961. The music is composed by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and takes a phrase from the slow movement of Beethoven's 'Emperor' Piano Concerto, which forms the start of the... " |
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| Top 7 | "All the Time All the Time "All the Time" is a song that has been recorded by two country music singers. The first version, by Kitty Wells, peaked at #18 on the country music charts in 1959. It was the b-side to her single "Mommy for a Day," which peaked at #5.... " |
Barry Manilow Barry Manilow Barry Manilow is an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, and performer, best known for such recordings as "Could It Be Magic", "Mandy", "Can't Smile Without You", and "Copacabana ."... |
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| Top 6 | "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You Rhythm Is Gonna Get You "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You" is a song written by Enrique Garcia and Gloria Estefan, and released by Gloria Estefan & The Miami Sound Machine in 1987 as the lead single from the album Let it Loose .... " |
Gloria Estefan Gloria Estefan Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those... |
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| Top 5 | "Too Close for Comfort" "Don't Rain on My Parade Don't Rain on My Parade "Don't Rain On My Parade" is a popular song from the 1964 musical Funny Girl. It was also featured in the 1968 movie version of the musical. The song was written by Bob Merrill and Jule Styne. Both the movie and stage versions feature Barbra Streisand performing the song. It has since become one of... " |
Natalie Cole Natalie Cole Natalie Maria Cole , is an American singer, songwriter and performer. The daughter of jazz legend Nat King Cole, Cole rode to musical success in the mid-1970s as an R&B artist with the hits "This Will Be ", "Inseparable" and "Our Love"... Barbra Streisand Barbra Streisand Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,... |
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| Top 4 | "Love You Inside Out Love You Inside Out "Love You Inside Out" is a 1979 hit single for the Bee Gees, from their album Spirits Having Flown. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for one week in June 1979... " "Don't Leave Me This Way Don't Leave Me This Way "Don't Leave Me This Way" is an R&B/soul/disco song written by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, and Cary Gilbert. First charting as a hit for Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, an act on Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia International label in 1975, "Don't Leave Me This Way" was later a hit single for both... " |
Bee Gees Bee Gees The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a... Thelma Houston Thelma Houston Thelma Houston is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She scored a number-one hit in 1976 with her cover version of the song "Don't Leave Me This Way", which won the 1978 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.-Early life & career:Houston is the daughter of a cotton picking mother... |
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Post-Idol
Immediately after being eliminated from the series, London was featured in the Norman LearNorman Lear
Norman Milton Lear is an American television writer and producer who produced such 1970s sitcoms as All in the Family, Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, Good Times and Maude...
-helmed Declare Yourself
Declare Yourself
Declare Yourself is a campaign initiated during the 2004 United States presidential elections to encourage young people to register to vote. It began as the "Declaration of Independence Road Trip", a 50-city cross-country tour of a rare Dunlap broadside of the Declaration of Independence lasting ...
voting campaign by famed photographer David LaChapelle
David LaChapelle
David LaChapelle is a photographer and director who works in the fields of fashion, advertising, and fine art photography, and is noted for his surreal, unique, sexualized, and often humorous style.-Early life:...
, alongside music stars like 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...
and André 3000
André 3000
André Lauren Benjamin , better known by his stage name André 3000 is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and actor, best known for being part of American hip-hop duo OutKast alongside fellow rapper Big Boi...
. Her appearance on Idol host Ryan Seacrest
Ryan Seacrest
Ryan John Seacrest is an American radio personality, television host, network producer and voice actor. He is the host of On Air with Ryan Seacrest, a nationally syndicated Top 40 radio show that airs on KIIS-FM in Los Angeles and throughout the United States and Canada on Premiere Radio Networks,...
's daily television talk show was one of its highest-rated episodes, and Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown
Jerry Brown
Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr. is an American politician. Brown served as the 34th Governor of California , and is currently serving as the 39th California Governor...
officially declared May 4 to be LaToya London Day; one month later, she officially received the key to the city. Her rendition of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes were an American singing group, one of the most popular Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. The group's repertoire included soul, R&B, doo-wop, and disco...
"If You Don't Know Me by Now
If You Don't Know Me By Now
"If You Don't Know Me by Now" is a song written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff and recorded by the jersey soul musical group Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, which became their first hit after being released as a single in 1972 topping the R&B chart and peaking at number three on the Pop chart.The...
" on the top-selling compilation disc, American Idol Season 3: Greatest Soul Classics
American Idol Season 3: Greatest Soul Classics
American Idol Season 3: Greatest Soul Classics is a soul music compilation that was released on April 27, 2004. It contains one cover song from each of the twelve finalists of the third season of American Idol and one ensemble....
, was praised as one of the album's best. She was also heavily featured on the group track, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough
Ain't No Mountain High Enough
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" is an R&B/soul song written by Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson in 1966 for the Tamla Motown label. The composition was first successful as a 1967 hit single recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, becoming a hit again in 1970 when recorded by former Supremes...
."
In the summer of 2004, London performed with the other top 10 finalists in American Idol season three international tour, which crossed the United States and also visited China and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. She had a guest co-hosting gig on the national entertainment news show, Access Hollywood
Access Hollywood
Access Hollywood is a weekday television entertainment news program covering events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. It was created by former Entertainment Tonight executive producer Jim Van Messel, and is currently directed by Robert Silverstein. In previous years, Doug Dougherty and...
, and she has performed for such events and galas as the Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation, 100 Black Men of America
100 Black Men of America
100 Black Men Of America is a men's civic organization and service club whose stated goal is to educate and empower African American children and teens. As of 2009 the organization has 110 chapters and over 10,000 members in different cities in the United States and throughout the world...
, and the Clear Channel
Clear channel
A clear-channel station is an AM band Radio station in North America that has the highest protection from interference from other stations, particularly concerning night-time skywave propagation. Usually known as class A stations since 1982, they are occasionally still referred to by their former...
holiday party. London has also performed the national anthem for numerous National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
games, including the 2005 Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
NFL Commissioner pre-game party. She has shared the stage with such icons and superstars as Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...
, Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow is an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, and performer, best known for such recordings as "Could It Be Magic", "Mandy", "Can't Smile Without You", and "Copacabana ."...
, Gladys Knight
Gladys Knight
Gladys Maria Knight , known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman, humanitarian, and author...
, Nancy Wilson, Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan , frequently known as the Queen of Funk, is a 10-time Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter who gained fame in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus. While still a member of the group in 1978, Khan embarked on a successful solo career...
, Rachelle Ferrell
Rachelle Ferrell
Rachelle Ferrell is an American singer and musician. Although she has had some success in the mainstream R&B, pop, gospel, and classical music scene, she is most noted for her talents as a contemporary jazz singer.-Biography:...
, Goapele
Goapele
-Early life:Goapele's South African father Douglas Mohlabane was an exiled political activist who struggled against the Apartheid System. Goapele's New York-born Israeli Jewish mother Noa had been attending protests since the age of 12. Noa attended Friends World College and was studying in...
, and Burt Bacharach
Burt Bacharach
Burt F. Bacharach is an American pianist, composer and music producer. He is known for his popular hit songs and compositions from the mid-1950s through the 1980s, with lyrics written by Hal David. Many of their hits were produced specifically for, and performed by, Dionne Warwick...
.
In November 2004, it was announced that London had been signed to jazz recording label Peak Records
Peak Records
Peak Records is a record label that was co-founded by The Rippingtons leader and guitarist Russ Freeman & Andi Howard in 1994.The early years, Peak founded as a production for Russ' group The Rippingtons in GRP Records...
, an imprint of Concord Records
Concord Records
Concord Records is a U.S. record label now based in Beverly Hills, California. Originally known as Concord Jazz, it was established in 1972 as an off-shoot of the Concord Jazz Festival in Concord, California by festival founder Carl Jefferson, a local automobile dealer and jazz fan who sold his...
, the final label of jazz legend Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
before his death. Her first single, "Appreciate," which featured a guest rap from Black Thought
Black Thought
Tariq Trotter , better known as Black Thought, is an American hip-hop artist who is the lead MC of the Philadelphia-based hip hop group The Roots and occasional actor...
of the Hip-Hop group The Roots
The Roots
The Roots is an American hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals...
, hit the airwaves in July, and a music video of that song followed. The CD single, "Appreciate/Every Part of Me/All By Myself" reached #8 on the Billboard Singles Sales Chart. The single sold 8,500 units.
2005-2006: Love & Life
Her first album, Love & Life, was released on September 20, 2005. A mix of R&B, soul, jazz, and hip-hop, Love & Life was a critically acclaimed album that showcased her powerful voice and offered a chance at songwriting, while also featuring songs by such legendary producers as David FosterDavid Foster
David Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...
and Narada Michael Walden
Narada Michael Walden
Narada Michael Walden is an American producer, drummer, singer, and songwriter. He was given the name Narada by guru Sri Chinmoy in the early 1970s and his musical career spans three decades, in which he was awarded several gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards...
. The San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
called her "impassioned and polished" with "sumptuous, wondrously elastic mezzo pipes," People
People (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
magazine called it one of the best post-American Idol albums, and Apple Computer
Apple Computer
Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad...
's iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
named it one of the best albums of 2005, and her song "Non A What'cha Do" as one of the best individual recordings of the year. Love & Life sold 12,546 albums in its first week, landing at #82 on Billboard Top 200 Albums chart and at #27 on Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. To date, it has sold approximately 58,000 copies. Additionally, London has sold over 15,000 digital downloads.
London released two follow-up singles, "Every Part of Me" and "State of My Heart" in 2006, the latter of which hit #40 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Tracks chart and #5 on the radio industry periodical Friday Morning Quarterbacks Adult Contemporary spin chart.
London was also nominated for an award in the R&B category of the 2006 Bay Area Rap Scene (BARS) Awards; however, violence and disruption ended the show early before the award winners were announced. Latoya was competing against R&B star Goapele
Goapele
-Early life:Goapele's South African father Douglas Mohlabane was an exiled political activist who struggled against the Apartheid System. Goapele's New York-born Israeli Jewish mother Noa had been attending protests since the age of 12. Noa attended Friends World College and was studying in...
, among others.
London announced that despite having an initial three-album deal, she had parted ways from Peak Records
Peak Records
Peak Records is a record label that was co-founded by The Rippingtons leader and guitarist Russ Freeman & Andi Howard in 1994.The early years, Peak founded as a production for Russ' group The Rippingtons in GRP Records...
and Concord Records
Concord Records
Concord Records is a U.S. record label now based in Beverly Hills, California. Originally known as Concord Jazz, it was established in 1972 as an off-shoot of the Concord Jazz Festival in Concord, California by festival founder Carl Jefferson, a local automobile dealer and jazz fan who sold his...
. She is currently writing songs for her second album and is currently shopping for a new recording label.
2010-present: Urban Punk
LaToya London joined with hip-hop artist H2O in 2010 to form the group Urban Punk, producing music that combines Europop melodies with hip-hop rhythms. They have released two tracks, "Around the World" and "Twisted".Career as stage actress
In February 2006, she landed a lead role in Laterras R. Whitfield's touring dramatic comedy play Issues: We All Have 'Em, also starring Angie StoneAngie Stone
Angie Stone is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She has been nominated for three Grammy Award. She is more successful on the charts R&B charts, with four Top 10 albums, forms including a number one album and 10 singles on the R&B chart,...
, Dave Hollister
Dave Hollister
Dave Hollister is an American R&B vocalist who found fame during the 1990s as one quarter of the Platinum-selling R&B quartet Blackstreet before going on to a solo career.-Biography:...
, and Kim Fields
Kim Fields
Kim Victoria Fields is an American actress and television director. She is known for her roles as Tootie Ramsey on the NBC sitcom The Facts of Life, and as Regine Hunter on the Fox sitcom Living Single...
. The play ended its run, but enjoyed rave reviews and high ticket sales. She also sang a jazz-tinged version of "Hark! Hear the Bells" on the VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
Soul Train
Soul Train
Soul Train is an American musical variety show that aired in syndication from October 1971 to March 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists, although funk, jazz, disco, and gospel artists have also appeared.As a nod to Soul Trains...
Christmas television special, and sang the same song on a special edition of the 40th Anniversary A Charlie Brown Christmas
A Charlie Brown Christmas
A Charlie Brown Christmas is the first prime-time animated TV special based upon the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It was produced and directed by former Warner Bros. and UPA animator Bill Melendez, who also supplied the voice for the character of Snoopy...
album.
In late summer 2006, London made her Los Angeles professional stage debut with a starring role in the retro musical "Beehive" at the El Portal Theater in North Hollywood
North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
North Hollywood is a district in the San Fernando Valley region of the city of Los Angeles, California, along the Tujunga Wash. It is bounded on the south by Moorpark Street and the Ventura Freeway, on the southwest by Burbank Blvd...
. Latoya and the show earned rave reviews. That same year, the cast was nominated by the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle
Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle
The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle is an organization located in Los Angeles, California, dedicated to excellence in theatrical criticism, and to the encouragement and improvement of theatre in the Greater Los Angeles Area....
for Best Ensemble Performance in their annual awards
Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award
The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards is an annual awards program presented by the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle . Established in 1969, the awards recognize excellence in theatre in the Greater Los Angeles Area....
.
It was also announced in 2006 that London would be starring in an extended Chicago run as Nettie in the Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
-produced Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
musical The Color Purple
The Color Purple (musical)
The Color Purple is a Broadway musical based upon the novel The Color Purple by Alice Walker. It features music and lyrics written by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, with a book by Marsha Norman. It ran on Broadway in 2005 and has been touring throughout the US...
. Incidentally, American Idol
American Idol (Season 3)
The third season of American Idol premiered on Monday, January 19, 2004 and continued until May 26, 2004. The third season was won by Fantasia Barrino, who defeated Diana DeGarmo by an approximate margin of 2% ; the vote total was the highest recorded vote total in the show's history until the...
winner and London's friend, Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Monique Barrino commonly known as Fantasia, is an American R&B singer, Broadway and television actress who rose to fame as the winner of the third season of the reality television series American Idol in 2004. Following her victory, she released her debut single, "I Believe", which...
, starred as Celie, replacing La Chanze in the Broadway run of the show. Future American Idol
American Idol (Season 6)
The sixth season of American Idol premiered on the Fox Broadcasting Company as a two-night, four-hour premiere special on January 16 and January 17, and ran until May 23, 2007. Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson returned to judge once again, and Ryan Seacrest returned as host...
star, LaKisha Jones
LaKisha Jones
LaKisha Ann Jones is an American singer. She placed fourth on the sixth season of American Idol.-Personal life:Jones was born at Hurley Medical Center in Flint, Michigan, to a teacher at the Flint Foundation Academy...
would join the play, alongside London.
The Color Purple, 2007-2010
The Color PurpleThe Color Purple (musical)
The Color Purple is a Broadway musical based upon the novel The Color Purple by Alice Walker. It features music and lyrics written by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, with a book by Marsha Norman. It ran on Broadway in 2005 and has been touring throughout the US...
debuted at the Cadillac Palace Theatre for an extended run in Chicago, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. The cast also included Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
star Michelle Williams
Michelle Williams (singer)
Tenitra Michelle Williams , commonly known as Michelle Williams, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress...
and Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
nominee Felicia P. Fields. The show and Latoya have earned rave reviews:
”American Idol finalist, Latoya London, gives a heart-tugging performance as "Nettie", Celie's sister who is forced to leave her. Ms. London's voice is a pristine, crystal clear soprano voice that brings magical beauty to her songs. Her chemistry with her co-star Bayardelle is both honest and touching, which at the end has the entire audience wiping away tears of joy.” - John Garcia, Pegagus News
”Everyone sings well, from Jeannette Bayardelle as Celie and "American Idol" contestant LaToya London as her sister, Nettie, to former Destiny's Child member Michelle WilliamsMichelle Williams (singer)Tenitra Michelle Williams , commonly known as Michelle Williams, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress...
...”- Damien Jaques, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
”...Celebrity is provided by "American Idol" finalist LaToya London, who sings and acts beautifully...” - John Olson, Chicago Pride
”LaToya London is charming as Celie's beloved sister, Nettie...” - Betty Mohr, Chicago Daily Southtown
"Latoya London does an admirable job as Nettie..." - Brad Auerbach, Entertainment Today
”A glowing LaToya London…[the] cast conveys each character's essence in broad but believable strokes, especially the unimprovable Fields and London” – Bob Verini, VarietyVariety (magazine)Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
“Nettie…[is] played with impressive restraint by "American Idol" alum LaToya London…” – Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Time
”Bayardelle’s… vocal talents are matched wonderfully by London and Williams, providing perhaps the strongest female singers on a Los Angeles stage this year.” – Jeff Favre, Los Angeles Downtown News
London ended her run as Nettie in 2010. London received a nomination for a NAACP Theatre Award
NAACP Theatre Awards
The NAACP Theatre Awards is an award presented annually by the Beverly Hills-Hollywood branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to honor outstanding people of color in theatre....
in 2008 in the best supporting actress in an equity production category.
London was featured as a guest vocalist on Paul Taylor's new album, Ladies' Choice, released in May 2007.
Personal life
London suffered a setback when she had to pull out of the VH1 Soul Tour with Jaguar WrightJaguar Wright
Jaguar Wright is a soul/R&B vocalist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is part of the Okayplayer collective. She has performed along rap acts such as The Roots, Jay-Z, and Blackalicious.-Career:...
and Kindred
Kindred the Family Soul
Kindred the Family Soul, also referred to as Kindred, are an American R&B, soul, and neo soul duo consisting of the married couple of Fatin Dantzler and Aja Graydon...
due to a "family emergency." Additionally, when Ebony
Ebony (magazine)
Ebony, a monthly magazine for the African-American market, was founded by John H. Johnson and has published continuously since the autumn of 1945...
magazine named her one of the hottest African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
bachelorettes in America in its July 2005 issue, speculation about the state of her marriage sparked off. While she was on American Idol, she proudly stated that she was married and had stepchildren. She later confirmed that she and her husband had divorced.
Politics and endorsements
London posed for a bondageBondage (sexual)
Bondage is the use of restraints for the sexual pleasure of the parties involved. It may be used in its own right, as in the case of rope bondage and breast bondage, or as part of sexual activity or BDSM activity.- Private bondage :...
-themed print advertising campaign by Declare Yourself
Declare Yourself
Declare Yourself is a campaign initiated during the 2004 United States presidential elections to encourage young people to register to vote. It began as the "Declaration of Independence Road Trip", a 50-city cross-country tour of a rare Dunlap broadside of the Declaration of Independence lasting ...
, a campaign encouraging voter registration among youth for the 2008 United States presidential election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
. In the ads by photographer David LaChapelle
David LaChapelle
David LaChapelle is a photographer and director who works in the fields of fashion, advertising, and fine art photography, and is noted for his surreal, unique, sexualized, and often humorous style.-Early life:...
, London has a nail through her upper and lower lips, pinning her mouth shut in a symbolic function. The ads drew national attention.
London also performed "Ain't Nobody
Ain't Nobody
"Ain't Nobody" is a 1983 hit single by Rufus & Chaka Khan. It was released as a studio bonus track on the band's live album Stompin' at the Savoy. It reached number one on the U.S. R&B chart and twenty-two on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart...
" in Oakland on Election Day 2008 celebrating Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's historic victory.
Albums
| Year | Album details | Peak positions | Certifications Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales threshold) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US R&B Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
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| 2005 | Love & Life
|
82 | 27 |
|
Singles
- Appreciate/Every Part of Me/All By Myself (August 2005)
- Every Part of Me
- State Of My Heart #40 Hot AC Tracks
Guest contributions
- "If U Buyin'" (with C-BoC-BoShawn Thomas, better known by his stage name C-Bo is an American rapper. He was born and raised in the south area of Sacramento, California. He has sold over 3.5 million albums independently since 1993...
) (1999) - "I Know You Want Me" (with from "The Mixtape Vol. 1") (2004)
- "I Want to Show You" (with from "The Mixtape Vol. 1") (2004)
- "Konfessions" (with from "The Mixtape Vol. 1") (2004)
- With Okolo on "The "Real" Diamond N Tha Rough") (2005)
- "Keeps Me Movin'" (with Golden Sol), from The Golden Sol EP) (August 2005)
- "Keeps Me Movin'" (with Golden Sol from Keeps Me Movin' (Featuring Latoya London) EP) (August 2006)
- "Keeps Me Movin' (DJ Solomon's Baltimore House Mix)" (with Golden Sol from Keeps Me Movin' (Featuring Latoya London) EP) (August 2006)
- "Keeps Me Movin' (Ean's Disco Re-Rub)" (with Golden Sol from Keeps Me Movin' (Featuring Latoya London) EP) (August 2006)
- "Hold Up (Wait a Minute)" (with John PayneJohn Payne (singer)John Payne is a British musician, best known as the lead singer and bassist of Asia from 1992 to 2006 and from June 2007 with ASIA Featuring John Payne....
from The Journey) (October 2006) - "Send My Baby Back" (with Donnie Williams and Park Place from "Just Like Magic") (March 2007)
- "Funky Times" (with Donnie Williams and Park Place from "Just Like Magic") (March 2007)
- "Just Like Magic" (with Donnie Williams and Park Place from "Just Like Magic") (March 2007)
- "I Want To Be Loved (By You)" (with Paul TaylorPaul Taylor (musician)Paul Taylor is an American smooth jazz saxophonist who has released eight albums since his debut On the Horn in 1995. He is signed to Peak Records. Although originally from Denver, Colorado, he is based in Las Vegas, Nevada...
from "Ladies' ChoiceLadies' ChoiceLadies' Choice is an album by American country music artist George Jones. This album was released in 1984 on the Epic Records label, and was composed largely of duets with female artists.- Track listing :# "She's My Rock"...
") (March 2007) - "ahh means ahh" from (with from "WorldwideWorldwide (Everything but the Girl album)Worldwide is the sixth album by Everything but the Girl, released on October 1, 1991.-Track listing:# "Old Friends" # "Understanding" # "You Lift Me Up" # "Talk to Me Like the Sea" # "British Summertime"...
") (March 2007)