Jodie Connor
Jodie Connor | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Jodie Connor[1] |
| Born | 8 May 1981[2] Oldham , England |
| Genres | R&B, soul, neo soul, dance, hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, lyricist, dancer, Goodwill Ambassador |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Labels | Polydor Records (UK) (2010–present)[3] Takeover Entertainment (Worldwide) (2010–present)[4] All Around the World (Europe) (2012–present)[5] |
| Associated acts | Tinchy Stryder Roll Deep Wiley |
Jodie Melanie Connor (born 8 May 1981)[1][2] is an English recording artist, lyricist and Goodwill ambassador.[6][7]
Connor's first number-one charted song was as a guest vocalist on Roll Deep's number-one single "Good Times".[8] She was later signed by Polydor Records and Takeover Entertainment and released her debut solo single "Now or Never" on 16 January 2011, which peaked at number 14.[9] A second single, "Bring It" featuring Tinchy Stryder was released on 20 February 2011 following its first play on BBC Radio 1 and debuted at number 11 on the UK R&B Chart.[10][11]
Music career[]
Early career[]
Early in Jodie Connor's career, she attended Saddleworth School for her high school education before attending Oldham College where she studied performing arts and graduated.[12] Connor worked as receptionist in a sports club by day[13] and gigged and performed in the evenings and on weekends. In 2003, Connor appeared as a contestant on the second series of the hit British television talent show Pop Idol. She was an early favourite of the judges, and made it to the final fifty of the competition,[14] earning her the chance to perform live to the nation, but was eliminated after failing to finish in the top two in her group, instead placing fourth of ten.[15] Connor was given a second chance by the judges, and was invited back for the Wildcard round,[16] but again was unsuccessful in making it through to the next round, and was eliminated for good.[17]
2010–present: Breakthrough and first studio album[]
Connor returned to spotlight in 2010, when she featured on grime collective Roll Deep's comeback single "Good Times"; which she helped to co-write.[18] On 2 May 2010, the single debuted on the UK Singles Chart at number 1,[8] where it remained for three consecutive weeks.[12] The single not only marked Connor's first chart performance, but also Roll Deep's first top 10 hit. Connor then continued her breakthrough, appearing on videos "Electric Boogaloo (Find a Way)" and "Higher State" by Wiley and Bailey respectively. Following the success of Connor's breakthrough, she was signed to Polydor Records and Takeover Entertainment,[3][19] spending the remainder of 2010 recording material for her debut album. On 16 January 2011, Connor released her debut single, "Now or Never" featuring Wiley, in the UK, which debuted at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart[9] and number 6 on the UK R&B Chart.[10] On 20 February 2011, Connor released her second single, "Bring It" featuring Tinchy Stryder, also in the UK, which debuted at number 11 on the UK R&B Chart,[10][20] following its first play on BBC Radio 1.[11]
In December 2010, Connor announced that she is to be spending time between Los Angeles and New York City working in the studio with Roc Nation-Songwriter's Makeba Riddick and James Fauntleroy II on her debut album, and that the album would be scheduled for release in the fourth-quarter of 2012.[4] The third single from the album entitled "Take You There" and featuring American rapper Busta Rhymes was released on 29 July 2012.[4]
Other ventures[]
In February 2011, Connor was announced as the new face of Tinchy Stryder's Star in the Hood female clothing line.[6] In March 2011, Connor was appointed as a goodwill ambassador for Prince Charles' The Prince's Trust.[6]
Personal life[]
Connor's family are of Afro-Barbadian/White Barbadian descent.[21] Her mother is named Kathleen.[7] Connor lived in Shaw and Crompton.[13]
She has two sons, one born in 2014 and one born in 2016.[22]
Discography[]
Singles[]
As lead artist[]
| Year | Single | Chart positions |
Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [9] |
UK R&B [10] |
SCO [23] | |||||
| 2011 | "Now or Never" (featuring Wiley) |
14 | 6 | 18 | N/A | ||
| "Bring It" (with Tinchy Stryder) |
37 | 11 | 32 | ||||
| 2012 | "Take You There" (featuring Busta Rhymes) |
— | — | — | |||
| "Talk" (with Stylo G) |
— | — | — | ||||
| 2016 | "Good Lovin" | — | — | — | |||
| "—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory. | |||||||
As featured artist[]
| Year | Single | Chart positions |
Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [9] |
SCO [23] | |||
| 2010 | "Good Times" (Roll Deep featuring Jodie Connor) |
1 | 1 | Winner Stays On |
Guest appearances[]
| Year | Single | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | "Love of My Life" (Dawood and Knight featuring Jodie Connor) |
Single only release |
| 2010 | "Electric Boogaloo (Find a Way)" (Wiley featuring J2K and Jodie Connor) |
Single only release |
| "Higher State" (Bailey featuring Jodie Connor) |
Higher State |
Music videos[]
| Year | Title | Director | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | "Electric Boogaloo (Find a Way)" (with Wiley and J2K) | Charles Henrie Belleville | [24][25] |
| "Good Times" (with Roll Deep) | Rock Jacobs | [26] | |
| 2011 | "Now or Never" (with Wiley) | Johny Mourgue | [27] |
| "Bring It" (with Tinchy Stryder) | Luke Biggins & Yasha Malekzad | [28] | |
| 2012 | "Take You There" (with Busta Rhymes) | Rock Jacobs | [29] |
| 2013 | "Redlights" (with DaWood) | Morgan Keyz | [30][31][32] |
Cameo appearances[]
| Year | Title | Director(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | "In My System" (Tinchy Stryder) |
Kwasi Danquah III & Emil Nava | [33] |
| "Gangsta?" (Tinchy Stryder featuring Tinie Tempah) |
Kwasi Danquah III & Adam Powell | [34] |
See also[]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "england & wales births 1837-2006 search results (Jodie Melanie B Connor)". Findmypast.com.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Jodie Connor — Magical urban popstress". FHM. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Artists – Jodie Connor. Polydor Records.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Jodie Connor (No 925). The Guardian. Thursday, 7 December 2010. Retrieved Thursday, 14 September 2011.
- ^ "3beat Artists – Jodie Connor". 3 Beat Records. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Jodie Connor interview: The good times roll". Daily Mirror. 1 April 2011. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Pop dreams hang in the balance. Oldham Advertiser, 17 September 2003.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Roll Deep claim first ever UK number one. Digital Spy, 2 May 2010.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d Peak positions in the United Kingdom:
- For all except where noted: "The Official Charts Company - Jodie Connor". The Official Charts Company. 5 May 2013.
- For "Good Times": "Chart Archive > 8 May 2010 >". Official Charts Company.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d Peak positions for singles on the UK R&B Chart:
- For "Now or Never": "Chart Archive > 29 January 2011 >". Official Charts Company.
- For "Bring It": "Chart Archive > 23 April 2011 >". Official Charts Company.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Corner, Lewis (30 March 2011). "Bring It Interview - Jodie Connor". Digital Spy. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Ex-Pop Idol contestant Jodie Connor set for chart success eight years on. Oldham Advertiser, 5 January 2011.
- ^ Jump up to: a b ‘My pop bubble’s not burst!’. Oldham Advertiser, 17 September 2003.
- ^ Jodie’s hit the Good Times. Chronicle Online, 11 May 2010.
- ^ Another two through to Idol's top twelve. Digital Spy, 20 September 2003.
- ^ Second time lucky for Pop Idol Jodie?. Manchester Evening News, 14 October 2003.
- ^ Sam, Susanne complete Idol's final lineup. Digital Spy, 18 October 2003.
- ^ Jodie Connor: 'No.1 raises the bar'. Digital Spy, 14 January 2011.
- ^ 1stBlog Archived 6 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine. jodieconnormusic.com , 2 December 2010.
- ^ The Official Charts Company. 16 April 2011. Retrieved Thursday, 22 September 2011.
- ^ Jodie Connor Interview With Mitch and Suave. YouTube. Saturday, 15 January 2011. Retrieved Thursday, 15 September 2011. (Note - Fastforward the interview to, 07:00 minutes, for the announcement of Jodie Connor's Barbadian ethnicity.).
- ^ @JodieConnor (10 December 2016). "The last few weeks have been so difficult but I'm lay here in bed tonight with my 2yr old boy and my 2wk old boy feeling super blessed!!!