Ari Gold (singer-songwriter)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 The tone or style of this article or section may not be appropriate for Wikipedia.
Specific concerns may be found on the talk page. See Wikipedia's guide to writing better articles for suggestions.(December 2007)
This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards.
Please improve this article if you can. (May 2007)
Ari Gold
Ari Gold
Ari Gold
Background information
Born date

Bronx, New York
Genre(s) R&B/Pop
Years active 2001—present
Label(s) Gold 18 Records
Website arigold.com

Ari Gold is a Jewish-American, R&B singer and songwriter. He is the first R&B or pop singer to be openly gay from the start of his career and the first American male openly gay pop singer. [1][2][3]

Contents

Biography

Ari Gold was born and raised in The Bronx. He was discovered while singing at his brother's bar mitzvah at the age of five. Along with his brothers Steven and Elon, he was awarded top prize at the First Annual Jewish Children's Song Festival. Gold landed his first job as a professional singer and actor by performing the lead role on the CBS Children's recording Pot Belly Bear: Song and Stories. The album went platinum and led to his successful career as a child vocalist. He went on to sing over 400 jingles, provide various voices for Cabbage Patch Kids and cult favorite Jem and the Holograms. He also performed back-up vocals for Diana Ross.[citation needed]

Early career

After graduating from Yeshiva High School in Manhattan, Gold studied at Yale. He transferred colleges and received his BA from New York University. Living in New York City, Gold took full advantage of his surroundings and began performing his own original music at NYC hotspots Joe's Pub, Fez, China Club, Barracuda, Metronome, Avalon, Pyramid, Splash, Bar d'O, Starlight, and CBGB's. Meanwhile, he was busy recording the material for his self-titled 2001 debut CD. His debut included something almost unprecedented in R & B: explicit gay love songs. That album won Gold the 2002 Outmusic Award for Outstanding Debut Recording. Later that year, Gold was named one of Genre Magazine's "Men We Love."[citation needed]

His debut also caught the attention of songwriter Desmond Child. Their first collaboration "I'm All About You" (Island Universal) was on the top 20 UK pop charts and a top 10 dance hit. The song was co-written and produced with UK garage musicians DJ Luck and MC Neat. The video was shot in Miami.

Space Under Sun

Gold's second CD Space Under Sun was released on his own label, GOLD18 Records. It debuted at #1 on the Outvoice Charts. The Advocate said that his "equal parts of sly, finger-snappin' sass and earthy R&B finesse," created the "crisp... sound of a platinum-selling recording."[citation needed]

The video single, "Wave Of You" debuted as a DVD extra and went on to become a mainstay during the launch of MTV's new LGBT network LOGO and went on to be included in their list for the best videos of 2005. Metro Source Magazine also named Ari 'One Of The 25 People That Make Us Proud' alongside Ellen Degeneres, Harvey Fierstein, Hugh Jackman and Barbra Streisand and his appearance in the VH-1 special My Coolest Years: In The Closet solidified Gold's status as an emerging gay icon. Space Under Sun took home the 2005 Outmusic Award for Outstanding New Recording.

Gold appeared in fashion magazines such as W and VIBE, for which he was photographed by Walter Chin and chosen as one of "The Stylistics" in their January 2002 issue. He was named one of "The 9 Hottest Men in NYC" by H/X magazine, and one of the hottest men in the world by DNA magazine. After interviewing and photographing Gold for AXM magazine, Boy George chose him to be the spokesmodel for his clothing line RUDE. Gold's 12-Month Calendar has been highlighted in Heeb Magazine's Jewgayica.

Gold also writes songs and produces for others. In 2003, Grammy award-winning producer David Morales remixed "I'll Be Here", which Ari co-wrote with Automagic for Nashom of The Ones ("Flawless") solo project. The song became a Top-10 Billboard dance hit and was featured on Queer As Folk. Gold has written songs for #1 Billboard dance recording artist Kevin Aviance on both his debut, Box Of Chocolates, and the Tony Moran produced Entity. He also keeps company with Diane Warren and Stephen Bray on 80's teenscream Tommy Page's last album. Gold's music has been licensed to numerous independent films including, Boy Culture, John Cameron Mitchell's Shortbus and the cult hit Latin Boys Go To Hell, for which he served as Music Supervisor and appeared in the film performing his song "See Through Me". Ari also served as Music Supervisor on the IFC documentary Fabulous! The Story Of Queer Cinema.

On his Space Under Sun World Tour, Gold opened for Rupaul and Chaka Khan and headlined clubs and festivals in Europe (France, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Czech Republic). He also toured canada and in over 25 cities across the U.S. including the world's largest stage at the Reno Hilton. December 2005 marked the release of Ari Gold: The Photobook. The lead single, "Love Will Take Over" The first single instantly became a Billboard Dance Chart hit, a pride anthem on iTunes Essentials (along with Elton John, Donna Summer and Erasure) in rotation on AOL on the nationally syndicated radio show, Radio With a Twist. The "Love Will Take Over" video has been played on HBO Zone, Rock America, For Promo Only and bumped Madonna out of the top spot for 2 weeks in a row on LOGO's top 10 video list.

Gold is currently recording his third studio album in Los Angeles and NYC.

Selected albums

Ari Gold's Self-Titled Debut CD

Recorded between the years of 1996-2000 was released in 2001. While only a limited run was printed, the press seized the CD and praised Ari for his slick production, smooth harmonies and impeccably crafted love songs-all without the backing of a major label. The CD also anticipated pop music's turn to a more R&B sound. Billboard magazine wrote that the CD is "...steeped in sticky pop melodies, sing-along hooks, and butt-shakin' funk rhythms... solid radio-ready material. Gold is about to hit pay dirt!" But what really grabbed audiences attention was Ari's honesty and bold faced lyrics dealing with the love he had for other men-something that was unprecedented for contemporary R&B/pop music at that time. In the original version of "Write Me A Love Song" Ari sings about his lover asking him for only one thing: to write him a love song, one that speaks specifically to their love, the love between two men. The CD includes the original version of "Wave Of You" as well as "Home" a song that was originally written for Kevin Aviance. "Home" can also now be heard on HRC's benefit album Love Rocks along with music by Melissa Etheridge, Christina Aguilera, Pink, Dolly Parton, Carole King, Cyndi Lauper, Oleta Adams & Billy Porter. Ari's debut CD eventually took home the 2002 Outmusic Award for Outstanding Debut CD and is available for download on itunes and other legal digital music stores.

Track listing

  1. Should I Get Over You [5:13]
  2. See Through Me [4:00]
  3. Wave Of You [4:05]
  4. Write Me A Love Song [4:17]
  5. Things I Need To Hear [3:37]
  6. Don't Come For Me [4:50]
  7. So Many Things [4:36]
  8. Just a Little Love [3:53]
  9. Home [4:34]
  10. Give Me All Your Love [6:27]

Space Under Sun

Ari's second album was released in January 2004 on his own label Gold18 Records. The album debuted at #1 on the Outvoice Charts and landed Ari on the cover of countless gay magazines around the world. Described as an intergalactic hybrid of contemporary and 80's R&B, jazzy future soul and spacey pop, the album was recorded in NYC, Miami, LA, Atlanta, London and Israel. The Advocate raved that, "Gold performs with equal parts of sly, finger-snappin' sass and earthy R&B finesse," and remarked on how "Gold has assembled an impressive posse of collaborators...to frame his voice with the crisp yet fleshy sound of a platinum-selling recording" which includes Major (Lamya, B2K), Desmond Child, Kahlil (Res), Kendra Ross (Talib Kweli), Peter Amato (LeAnn Rimes), Steve Skinner (Taylor Dayne), and Marsha Malamet (Luther Vandross, Jessica Simpson). While taking on the universal theme of finding oneself with the title track, Ari continues to push the boundaries of pop music. Gay City News stated that "Gold pushes the envelope as much as a rapper like Eminem does." Although instead of lyrics that are fag bashing and woman hating, the subject matter ranges from a guy and a girl fighting over the same man ("He's On My Team"--nominated for Out Song Of The Year) to getting caught having sex in public with another man by the cops ("Caught), to diva worship ("Fan-tastic"), a matter that is crucial to many a gay man's evolution, seeking independence and self-actualization ("More Than Enough," "Back To me") to romantic and sexual intimacy ("Funk That Ship," "Intimate.") There is also the tender ballad "Bashert (Meant To Be)" in which Gold incorporates his Jewish identity of having grown up as an orthodox Jew. The CD is enhanced with lyrics, a bonus mp3 and the music video of "Wave Of You." "Bashert (Meant To Be)" can also be heard along with music by Rupaul and Adam Joseph on ACLU's benefit CD for gay marriage Marry Me. Frontiers magazine calls Space Under Sun "a near perfect exercise in pop music that transcends sexual boundaries and labels that offers a listening experience that can be appreciated by fans of all persuasions."

Track listing

  1. Space Under Sun [4:32]
  2. Funk That Ship [4:02]
  3. Fan-tastic [3:54]
  4. More Than Enough [3:41]
  5. Intimate [3:17]
  6. Caught [3:17]
  7. Bashert (Meant To Be) [3:57]
  8. He's On My Team [3:15]
  9. Do You Really Want 2 Hurt Me [4:04]
  10. Wave Of You [3:55]
  11. Back To Me [3:50]
  12. Re:union [4:47]
  13. Love Will Take Over [7:39]
  14. Bonus Track: Wave Of You (Twisted Dee's Undertow Mix)

The Remixes

Ari Gold's first full length remix album and was named the #2 Best Independent Release of 2005 according to national magazine The Advocate. The album includes selections from his first two releases, the self titled debut (Winner of the 2003 Outmusic Award for Outstanding Debut) and the follow up album Space Under Sun (Winner of the 2005 Outmusic Award for Outstanding New CD). The first single, "Love Will Take Over" instantly became a Billboard Dance Chart hit, a pride anthem on iTunes Essentials and has been played on the nationally syndicated radio show, Radio With a Twist. The "Love Will Take Over" video has been played on HBO Zone, Rock America, For Promo Only and bumped Madonna out of the top spot for 2 weeks in a row on the MTV Networks new cable station LOGO.

The CD includes new dance mixes of the club and video hit "Wave Of You," the gay anthem "He's On My Team," "Funk That Ship" and the ballad "Bashert (Meant To Be)" as well as new mixes of "Love Will Take Over" by Solar City (Pepper Mashay), JKriv (Vivian Green), M@d Matt and Rhythm DB and Seven Sun.

Track listing

1. Love Will Take Over(JKriv's Love Lounge Radio Mix) 2. Wave Of You(Twisted Dee's Undertow Mix 05) 3. Bashert(Ment To Be)(Genny Random RMX) 4. Love Will Take Over(Solar City 12" Anthem) 5. He's On My Team FT.Kendra Ross(Scotty K.Funked Up House Mix) 6. Funk That Ship(2fabu Funky Mix) 7. Love Will Take Over(Seven Sun Trance Mix) 8. Love Will Take Over(Mad M@!& Rhythm DB Deep Club Remix)

Transport Systems

Gold's third studio album, Transport Systems is marketed as being about movement and progression, transportation and transformation. "Go where the music takes you...and transport yourself. Ari is releasing a new album of his unique brand of soulful pop." Working with Steve Skinner (Akon, Jewel, R Kelly) and Grammy Award Winning Producer Joe Hogue (Faith Evans, Kelly Price, Nemesis) with special guests Sasha Allen (VH-1 "Born To Diva") and multi platinum selling Capitol Records artist Dave Koz. LGBT-focussed magazine Pink said his lyrics lingered on "gender, sexuality, addiction and race."[4]

References

  1. ^ "Ari Gold moves forward with Transport Systems"
  2. ^ "Openly gay pop singer mixes spiritual, sexual"
  3. ^ "It's not easy being a gay pop star"
  4. ^ “Pink Picks Entertainment”, Pink (magazine) (no. Fall 2007): 18, Fall 2007, <http://www.PinkMag.com> 
  • Aaron Cobbett, Matthew Rodgers, Ari Gold, Bruno Gmünder Verlag, Berlin 2005. (Photo book).

Links

Languages