Joss Stone

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Joss Stone
Joss Stone performing in December 2005.
Background information
Birth name	Joscelyn Eve Stoker
Born	April 11, 1987 (age 19)
Origin	Dover, Kent, England
Genre(s)	Soul, R&B, blues, hip-hop
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter, actress
Years active	2003–present
Label(s)	EMI/Relentless (UK) S-Curve (U.S.)
Website	JossStone.co.uk (UK) JossStone.com (U.S.)

Joscelyn Eve Stoker (born 11 April 1987), best known by her stage name Joss Stone, is a BRIT Award- and Grammy Award-winning English soul, R&B, and blues singer, songwriter, and occasional actress who has sold over nine million albums worldwide.

1 Early years
2 Discography
3 Filmography
- 3.1 Films
- 3.2 Television
4 Trivia
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Early years

Stone was born in Dover, Kent, England, and spent her teenage years in Ashill, Devon. She is the third of four children born to Richard and Wendy Stoker: Daniel, Lucy, and Harry.^[1] She grew up listening to a wide variety of music including R&B and soul music performed by such artists as Dusty Springfield and Aretha Franklin; as a result, she developed a soulful style of singing like her idols. In 2001, at the age of fourteen, she appeared on the BBC Television's talent show Star for a Night singing Donna Summer's 1979 "On the Radio". She told MTV News, "I kind of clicked into soul music more than anything else because of the vocals. You've got to have good vocals to sing soul music and I always liked it ever since I was little".

In 2002, she decided to back her ability by flying out from England for an audition in New York City with S-Curve CEO Steve Greenberg. She also signed a global music publishing deal with BMG Music Publishing in the UK.

Since then, she has performed with such artists as Blondie and Gladys Knight. She was named as the spokesperson for the megastore Gap, although she was reportedly dropped because of rumours of her living with then-twenty-five-year-old songwriter Beau Dozier (son of record producer Lamont Dozier) while she was only seventeen.

[edit] The Soul Sessions

Main article: The Soul Sessions

The Soul Sessions (2003)

After being signed by S-Curve Records, Stone flew to Miami, Florida to start working on her debut album, The Soul Sessions, released on 16 September 2003. She collaborated with people with solid credentials in the Miami soul scene such as Betty Wright, Benny Latimore, Timmy Thomas, and Little Beaver. She also worked with contemporary acts Angie Stone and The Roots.

The album consists of little known soul tracks by Wright, Franklin, Laura Lee, and Bettye Swann. Released in late 2003, it reached the top five in the UK Albums Chart, and also made the top forty of the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. The lead single, "Fell in Love with a Boy", which was a reworking of The White Stripes' 2001 "Fell in Love with a Girl", reached the top twenty of the UK Singles Chart, as did the second single, "Super Duper Love".

[edit] Mind, Body & Soul

Main article: Mind, Body & Soul

Mind, Body & Soul (2004)

After achieving critical acclaim for The Soul Sessions, Stone recorded her second album — this time made mostly of songs co-written by her —, Mind, Body & Soul, released on 28 September 2004. It proved to be an even bigger success than her first album, as it debuted at number one in the UK (breaking the record for the youngest female ever to top the UK Albums Chart, a record previously held by Avril Lavigne) and just missed the top ten of the U.S. Billboard 200, after peaking at number eleven. The lead single, "You Had Me", became her first top ten hit in the UK. Follow-up singles "Right to Be Wrong" and "Spoiled" both made the top forty, and "Don't Cha Wanna Ride" the top twenty. "Spoiled" landed just outside the top fifty of U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, peaking at number fifty-four. The fifth single is "Less Is More" in Latin America and Australia and "Segurity" in Europe, both released as airplay only.

On 14 November 2004, Stone joined Band Aid 20 to benefit Sudan's troubled Darfur region. The group, consisting of such luminaries as Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin and U2 lead singer Bono, re-recorded the 1984 song "Do They Know It's Christmas?", written by Band Aid organisers Bob Geldof and Midge Ure. Stone, born two years after the release of the original single, wasn't initially aware who Bob Geldof was.^[2] The media gleefully reported that she repeatedly referred to him as Bob Gandalf.^[3] Despite some criticism, the single became the UK's biggest seller of 2004^[4] as well as the Christmas number one.^[5]

On 9 February 2005, Stone was nominated for three BRIT Awards, of which she won two — "British Female Solo Artist" and "British Urban Act". She performed "Angels" with Robbie Williams during the ceremony. She also received three nominations at the 2005 Grammy Awards — "Best New Artist", "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance" for "You Had Me", and "Best Pop Vocal Album" for Mind, Body & Soul —, where she sang barefoot on stage with rock performer Melissa Etheridge, in tribute to the late blues-rock singer Janis Joplin. Their performance of "Cry Baby/Piece of My Heart" was released as a single, and, through the aid of strong digital downloads, became Stone's first (and so far only) single to enter the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, when it debuted and peaked at number thirty-two. In July 2005, she lent her vocal talents to the Fantastic Four soundtrack, singing the title song "What Ever Happened to the Heroes", written by Pink, billymann, and Christopher Rojas.

On 2 July 2005, Stone performed at the Live 8 concert at Hyde Park, London, and performed "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" with funk legend James Brown on the British chat show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross. On 5 February 2006, she joined Stevie Wonder, India.Arie, and John Legend at the Super Bowl XL pre-game show in performing a medley of Wonder's hits. Three days later, on 8 February, she helped perform a medley of hits by the reclusive singer Sly Stone, the frontman of Sly & the Family Stone, on the night of the 2006 Grammy Awards.

She collaborated with jazz pianist Herbie Hancock and blues singer-guitarist Jonny Lang on a cover of U2's 1988 song "When Love Comes to Town", from Hancock's 2005 album Possibilities. She has also recently collaborated with Lemar on his latest album The Truth About Love, on the track "Anniversary".

Stone made her film debut in the fantasy epic Eragon, based on the novel of the same name, released on 15 December 2006. In the film, Stone plays the witch Angela.

At the 2007 Grammy Awards, Stone shared a win of the award for "Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals" for her collaboration with Sly & the Family Stone, John Legend, and Van Hunt on "Family Affair".

[edit] Introducing Joss Stone

Introducing Joss Stone (2007)

Main article: Introducing Joss Stone

Stone began working on her third studio album, Introducing Joss Stone, in Barbados, in May 2006.^[6] It was released on 12 March 2007 in the UK via Virgin Records, involving production by Raphael Saadiq and collaborations with Lauryn Hill, Novel, and Common. Virgin describes it as "an electrifying mix of warm vintage soul, '70s-style R&B, Motown girl-group harmonies, and hip-hop grooves".^[7] Stone herself describes it as "truly me. That's why I'm calling it Introducing Joss Stone. These are my words, and this is who I am as an artist".^[7] She also revealed on The Tavis Smiley Show that her break-up with Beau Dozier was a source of inspiration while writing Introducing Joss Stone.^[8] The album debuted at number twelve on the UK Albums Chart. "Tell Me 'Bout It", the lead single, debuted (and so far peaked) at number twenty-eight on the UK Singles Chart and peaked at number eighty-three on the U.S Billboard Hot 100. It also debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 selling 118,000 copies in its first week, becoming the highest debut for a British solo female artist on the U.S. charts, surpassing the record previously held by Amy Winehouse with Back to Black.^[9]

Stone caused controversy at the 2007 BRIT Awards ceremony when presenting the award for "British Male Solo Artist" (won by James Morrison). Speaking with a faux American accent and stalking the stage, she launched into a largely incoherent diatribe in which she asked the audience to send "big love" to Robbie Williams, who had been the butt of earlier jokes made by host Russell Brand. Williams had been reported as going into rehab that same week. As her speech continued, she made a dig at Brand, implying that he was heading for rehab himself (while singing a passage of Amy Winehouse's "Rehab"). Brand stated that he was "a bit worried about that poor cow" at the close of the show.^[10]

The BRIT Awards appearance was the beginning of a string of incidents reported in the press as examples of Stone's increasingly erratic behaviour. These include fans booing her after she showed up late for a gig in London,^[11] publishing a seven thousand-word thank-you list for her album (containing phrases like "That was some serious cheesecake"),^[12] and giving an impromptu press conference to a group of security guards that she had mistaken for reporters.^[13]

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Cover	Information
	The Soul Sessions Released: 24 November 2003 Chart positions: #4 UK, #39 U.S., #38 U.S. R&B, #16 AUS, #5 CAN, #4 GER, #29 FRA, #1 POR, #7 ITA UK certification: 3x Platinum U.S. certification: Gold Worldwide sales: 3 million
	Mind, Body & Soul Released: 27 September 2004 Chart positions: #1 UK, #11 U.S., #15 U.S. R&B, #7 AUS, #7 GER, #9 FRA, #12 ITA UK certification: 3x Platinum U.S. certification: Platinum Worldwide sales: 5.5 million
	Introducing Joss Stone Released: 12 March 2007 Chart positions: #12 UK, #2 U.S., #4 U.S. R&B, #27 IRE, #6 GER, #9 POR, #7 ITA UK sales: 27,500+ U.S. sales: 168,000+ Worldwide sales: 411,725

[edit] Singles

Year	Single	Chart positions		Album
Year	Single	UK	U.S.	Album
2004	"Fell in Love with a Boy"	18	—	The Soul Sessions
	"Super Duper Love"	18	—	The Soul Sessions
	"You Had Me"	9	—	Mind, Body & Soul
	"Right to Be Wrong"	29	—
2005	"Spoiled"	32	—
	"Don't Cha Wanna Ride"	20	—
	"Cry Baby/Piece of My Heart" (with Melissa Etheridge)	—	32	Digital release
2006	"Cry Baby Cry" (Santana featuring Sean Paul and Joss Stone)	71	—	All That I Am The Trinity (bonus CD)
2007	"Tell Me 'Bout It"	28	83	Introducing Joss Stone
2007	"Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now" (featuring Common)			Introducing Joss Stone

[edit] DVDs

Cover	Information
	Mind, Body & Soul Sessions: Live in New York City Released: 13 December 2004

[edit] Album appearances

Year	Song	Album
2005	"Family Affair" (Sly & the Family Stone with John Legend, Joss Stone and Van Hunt)	Different Strokes by Different Folks
	"Under Pressure"	Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen
	"When Love Comes to Town" (Herbie Hancock featuring Jonny Lang and Joss Stone)	Possibilities
	"Love Sneakin' Up on You" (Les Paul featuring Sting and Joss Stone)	American Made World Played
	"Cry Baby Cry" (Santana featuring Sean Paul and Joss Stone)	All That I Am
	"Calling It Christmas" (with Elton John)	Elton John's Christmas Party
	"Come Together Now" (with various artists)	Hurricane Relief: Come Together Now
2006	"Cry Baby Cry" (Santana featuring Sean Paul and Joss Stone)	The Trinity (bonus CD)
	"Erica" (Dead Celebrity Status featuring Joss Stone)	Blood Music
	"Anniversary" (Lemar featuring Joss Stone)	The Truth About Love

[edit] Other collaborations

Year	Song	Artist	Album	Collaboration
2004	"Issues"	Mr. G	Issues	Songwriting

[edit] Soundtracks

Year	Song	Film/series
2004	"Wicked Time" (with Nadirah "Nadz" Seid)	Alfie
	"Lonely Without You" (with Mick Jagger)
	"Alfie"
	"Super Duper Love (Are You Diggin on Me?) Pt. 1"	Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
2005	"Super Duper Love (Are You Diggin on Me?) Pt. 1"	Monster-in-Law
	"What Ever Happened to the Heroes"	Fantastic Four
	"Treat Me Right (I'm Yours for Life)"	Desperate Housewives
	"Stir It Up" (with Patti LaBelle)	Chicken Little

[edit] Filmography

[edit] Films

Year	Title	Role
2006	Eragon	Angela

[edit] Television

Year	Title	Role	Episode
2005	American Dreams	Singer at The Lair	"Starting Over" (episode 13, season 3)

[edit] Trivia

This article contains a trivia section.
Content in this section should be integrated into other appropriate areas of the article or removed, and the trivia section removed.

Regularly performs barefoot. When asked why, she answered, "I don't want to fall over, man".^[14]
Supports Liverpool Football Club.
Became officially a music "diva" by appearing alongside female singing legends Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, and Debbie Harry of Blondie at the annual VH1 Divas concert on 18 April 2004.
Was a member of a company, Devon Army Cadet Force, and was filmed as such when on BBC TV at the age of fourteen.
Was named the World's Best Celebrity Dog Owner in 2005 in an online poll conducted by readers of The New York Dog Magazine and The Hollywood Dog Magazine.^[15] She owns two female dogs: Missy, a Rottweiler, and Dusty (named after Dusty Springfield, one of her major influences), a Poodle.^[16]
Is a vegetarian and was voted the World's Sexiest Vegetarian in 2005 by peta2, alongside Chris Martin.^[17]
Is dyslexic.^[18]
Is 5 feet 10 inches tall.^[19]
Has a tattoo on her right foot.^[20]
According to Stone, Brad Pitt says he listens to Stone's music when he is relaxing with Angelina Jolie.^[21]
Insulted singer Christina Milian in an interview for Giant magazine and hatefully stated that there were many things about Milian the world does not know about. It was because of the fact that her ex-boyfriend, Beau Dozier, is also Milian's ex-boyfriend and there was apparently some discretion between the two. However, Milian's publicist said that Milian had no idea what this could be about. When reminded that she is on record, Stone said that she is "just honest".^[22]
Appeared in Ron Jeremy's first tech smart report on heavy.com