Zalon
Encyclopedia
Zalon Thompson is a British
pop
singer, songwriter
and record producer
, currently singing backing vocals
known most famously for this work with Amy Winehouse
as her lead singer, and featuring on her Grammy Award winning album
, DVD
and single
.
, Zalon Thompson, son of reggae singer Dr Alimantado
and brother of fellow backing vocalist Heshima
. Zalon attended Furness Primary School and then went to Hampstead School in Cricklewood to advance his education.
Zalon Thompson went to Hammersmith and West London College and studied Popular Music which covered all bases of the music industry and learnt to play drums and guitar.
.
Amy asked Zalon to tour with her for her Back to Black
album which was only scheduled to last for 3 months, but the tour was so successful they ended up touring for a further three years, and collected five Grammy Award
s. Zalon went on to feature on the deluxe version of the platinum selling album, and I Told You I Was Trouble DVD
, with the songs "Hey Little Rich Girl", "Monkey Man" and "You're Wondering Now". He also sang backing vocals on Winehouse's track "He Can Only Hold Her" which appreared on Back to Black and the BBC Radio One session, "Cupid".
Zalon performs Marvin Gaye
& Tammi Terrell
's hit "Ain't No Mountain High Enough
" besides with Dionne Bromfield
in her debut album.
Producer Mark Ronson
has teamed up with Zalon for his debut album, which is yet to be named and released though the track Attention will be on it. Zalon is expected to join Winehouse's Lioness record label
.
Zalon has been romantically linked with X Factor
winner Alexandra Burke
but this has been denied.Burke is in a steady relationship with somebody else and Thompson has confirmed that he is single.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, currently singing backing vocals
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
known most famously for this work with 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...
as her lead singer, and featuring on her Grammy Award winning album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
.
Early life
Born at Park Royal Hospital in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Zalon Thompson, son of reggae singer Dr Alimantado
Dr Alimantado
Dr Alimantado, born Winston James Thompson, also known as The Ital Surgeon is a Jamaican reggae singer, DJ, and producer.-Biography:Thompson was born in Kingston in 1952, where he adopted the Rastafarian faith at an early age...
and brother of fellow backing vocalist Heshima
Heshima Thompson
Heshima Salim Thompson is a British actor and singer.Thompson was born in the London Borough of Brent. He has appeared on television in Spooks: Code 9 as Jez, Prime Suspect, Casualty, City Lights, Judge John Deed and Babyfather. In theatre he has appeared at The Young Vic in Generations and at The...
. Zalon attended Furness Primary School and then went to Hampstead School in Cricklewood to advance his education.
Zalon Thompson went to Hammersmith and West London College and studied Popular Music which covered all bases of the music industry and learnt to play drums and guitar.
Career
Zalon and his brother Heshima then aged 16 and 20 began touring the UK live circuit with the American soul singer Freddie Lee as part of his production shows in 2003. Zalon has attribute his performance technique through these years of live performance with Freddie Lee. A few years later, promoter Patrick Alan approached Zalon to sing backing vocals and duets with his guests at his regular Monday night spot at the 10 Rooms, and through this Zalon met Amy WinehouseAmy 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...
.
Amy asked Zalon to tour with her for her Back to Black
Back to Black
Back to Black is the second studio album by English recording artist Amy Winehouse, released on 27 October 2006 by Island Records. It is the last album released in her lifetime. The album incorporates 1960s soul music styles and modern R&B production, with subjective lyrics that concern...
album which was only scheduled to last for 3 months, but the tour was so successful they ended up touring for a further three years, and collected five Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s. Zalon went on to feature on the deluxe version of the platinum selling album, and I Told You I Was Trouble DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, with the songs "Hey Little Rich Girl", "Monkey Man" and "You're Wondering Now". He also sang backing vocals on Winehouse's track "He Can Only Hold Her" which appreared on Back to Black and the BBC Radio One session, "Cupid".
Zalon performs Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
& Tammi Terrell
Tammi Terrell
Thomasina Winifred Montgomery, known as Tammi Terrell was an American singer-songwriter most notable for her association with Motown and her duets with Marvin Gaye. As a teenager she recorded for the Scepter–Wand, Try Me and Checker record labels. She signed with Motown in April 1965 and enjoyed...
's hit "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...
" besides with Dionne Bromfield
Dionne Bromfield
Dionne Julia Bromfield is a British soul singer-songwriter. Bromfield's debut album, Introducing Dionne Bromfield, was released in 2009 by Amy Winehouse's Lioness Records label...
in her debut album.
Producer Mark Ronson
Mark Ronson
Mark Daniel Ronson is an English DJ, guitarist, music producer, artist and co-founder of Allido Records. He currently works with his band under the music alias of Mark Ronson & The Business Intl....
has teamed up with Zalon for his debut album, which is yet to be named and released though the track Attention will be on it. Zalon is expected to join Winehouse's Lioness record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
.
Zalon has been romantically linked with 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...
winner Alexandra Burke
Alexandra Burke
Alexandra Imelda Cecelia Ewen Burke is a British R&B and pop recording artist who rose to fame after winning the fifth series of British television series The X Factor in 2008...
but this has been denied.Burke is in a steady relationship with somebody else and Thompson has confirmed that he is single.
Television appearances
- 10 October 2009: Strictly Come DancingStrictly Come DancingStrictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
(BBC OneBBC OneBBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
) - 28 October 2009: This MorningThis Morning (TV series)This Morning is a British daytime television programme broadcast on ITV. As of September 2011, its main presenters are Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, with various other presenters standing in for illness or contributing to sections of the programme.The...
(ITV1ITV1ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
)