Keshia Chanté
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|
|
Editing of this article by new or unregistered users is currently disabled due to vandalism. See the protection policy and protection log for more details. If you cannot edit this article and you wish to make a change, you can discuss changes on the talk page, request unprotection, log in, or create an account. |
| Keshia Chanté | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Keshia Chanté Harper |
| Born | June 16, 1988 Ottawa, Ontario |
| Origin | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Genre(s) | R&B/Pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-Songwriter Model |
| Years active | 2003-Present |
| Associated acts | Chris Brown, Bow Wow, Foxy Brown, Freeway |
| Website | KeshiaChante.com myspace.com/KeshiaChante |
| Notable instrument(s) | |
| Piano ("Bad Boy" interlude on album debut) | |
Keshia Chanté (born as Keshia Chanté Harper on June 16, 1988) is a Juno Award-winning Canadian R&B and Pop singer, songwriter, entrepreneuse and model. She is a signed model to Ford Models International. She currently resides in New York City and Brampton, Ontario.[1]
Chante is best known for her single "Bad Boy" which was the first canadian video to ever be played on BET's 106 & Park without being signed to a U.S label (at that time). She is also the only Canadian artist to receive the coveted "Rated Next" banner.
She currently resides in New York City and Brampton, Ontario.[2]
Contents |
Early Life
Keshia Chanté was born in Ottawa, Ontario and grew up in Orleans, Ontario. Her mother is of Portuguese and Puerto Rican descent and her father is of Trinidadian descent. Her West Indian/Caribbean roots played the largest part in her earlier upbringing as majority of her father's family resided in Ottawa. She is an only child. [3]
At the age of 6, Keshia performed for the first time during Carleton's University's Black History Month, she performed "Dear Mama" by Tupac Shakur. After receiving a standing ovation, Chante's love-affair with the stage and music had begun. Chante went to St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School from grade 2 to 6, where she graduated as valedictorian and performed in the school play. She never took vocal lessons but was the only grade 5 in the grade 6 play to have a lead part & solo.[4]
She then went on to St. Peter Catholic High School from grade 7 to 10 and performed in many talents shows and play's while being there. In 2003, Lorna Paul, a friend of the family, took a tape of Chante's "Dear Mama" performance to a local DJ, who was impressed and then sent the tape to a record executive at BMG Canada. The executive called Chante and asked her to sing over the phone and she then did without hesitation. Her phone performance earned her an in-person performance audition with the label executives in Toronto. Her powerhouse performance and striking resemblance to Aaliyah got her signed on the spot. She then began working on her album, having to be at school in Ottawa on weekdays, and traveling the 5 hour drive to Toronto on weekends to record. In 2004, her family moved to the Toronto suburb of Brampton to make it easier for Chante to work on the album. Chante then attended Fletchers Meadow Secondary High School. She eventually had to get a tutor because of her hectic schedule. She ended up graduating with her class in 2006.[5] Chante cites Tupac Shakur as her idol and Beyonce Knowles, Aaliyah, Christina Aguilera, Brandy and her Caribbean background as major musical influences. [6] [7][8][9] [10]
Music
Keshia Chante (Self-Titled) (2004)
Her debut "Shook (The Answer)" appeared in early 2003. It was only meant to be a "buzz" single but it surprisingly broke into the Top 10 on Canadian music charts and won an Urban Music Award for "Best Pop/R&B Single".
For the follow-up, "Unpredictable", she released her first video, which hit number one on YTV and the top ten on MuchMusic. In November 2003, the CD single of "Unpredictable" was certified gold. Because of that single, in 2003, she won the Canadian Radio Music Award for "Best New Solo Artist".
In early February of 2004, Chanté's third single, "Bad Boy", was released. It was also successful, breaking the Top 5 on radio and becoming the #1 video on MuchMusic for 4 weeks. The video was directed by director Little X.[11] Later, in June 2004, Chanté topped the charts again (Top 5) with the release of her fourth single "Does He Love Me?" ft. Foxy Brown which Chanté & Foxy Brown wrote and "Young Gav" (Foxy Brown's older brother) produced. The video was also directed by Little X and became #1 on MuchMusic for 3 weeks.
On June 22, 2004 Chanté released her debut album self-titled debut album. On December 3, 2004 it was certified gold. It contained her previous singles, as well as her later to be released fifth "Let the Music Take You" penned by Chanté. In October 2004, at the Canadian Urban Music Awards Chanté swept all three of nominations, winning awards for "Best New Artist", "Video of the Year" (for Bad Boy), "Fans' Choice Award" and by surprise taking home the "Rising Star of the Year" award.
The month after that, BET's Rated Next had conducted an interview which became her first significant appearance on the American media. Then later, BET's VP Stephen Hill put her Little X directed video "Bad Boy" into heavy rotation and Chante was the first Female artist from Canada to have her video debut on BET's 106 & Park Video Countdown Show being titled the "New Joint of the Day". This caused Chanté to get noticed by major record labels, where she was later signed to Sony Urban/Epic Records (home to the likes of Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Bow Wow,& Three Six Mafia.)[12]
2U (2006)
After her signing, Chanté moved to New York, New York to begin working on her second album. During that time, Chante was on Teen People Magazines "Rock The Runway" Mall Tour (where Ciara started) and Seventeen Magazine's "Rock N' Shop" Mall Tour (where Britney Spears started).[13] In May 2006, she posted 3 brand new songs, "Been Gone", "Kiss" and "Summer Love" on MySpace.
In March 2006 she released her "2U" Album teaser single, "Ring The Alarm", which was used for WarChild's "Keep The Beat" charity campaign. All the proceeds from "Ring The Alarm" went to supported children at war and was also featured on triple platinum compilation "MuchDance 2006".
In July of that year, she released her single "Been Gone", produced by Philadelphia's Matrax Productions and written by Chanté. The video was shot by Little X (making it her 3rd collaboration with him) and was shot inside of "Fletcher's Meadow Secondary School" where Chante attended in her last year of school and graduated with great honours. Her second single, "2U", produced by Philadelphia's Matrax Productions and written by Chanté was released in early November. 2U's video was shot on October 22 in Miami by director Bobby O'Neill, and was released on Yahoo Music Canada on November 16.
Also in 2006, Chanté made a featured cameo appearance in label mate Bow Wow's video "Shortie Like Mine". The video depicts R&B singer Chris Brown searching for Keshia Chanté on his laptop. They send messages back and forth throughout the video.
Her second album was released on December 5, 2006 in Canada through Sony/BMG Canada and was released in May 2007 in Japan. A United States release is still pending.
Third Studio Album
Chante's currently untitled third album is now being worked on and it will be released sometime in 2008. Chante stated on her official myspace that she was let her fans know the details shortly.
In April 2008, CP Records released "Get To Know You" by fellow Ottawa-native rapper Belly featuring Chante.
Business
Chante is the face of Ontario Tourism and sings the theme song "There's No Place Like This". She has been featured in summer commercials that play across North America and billboards that have been shown throughout malls and cities. The commercial has garnered much recognition and has been seen consistently during popular tv shows "The Ellen DeGeneres Show", "The Oprah Winfrey Show", "The View", "Dr.Phil" and the finale's of "Desperate Housewives" and "Gossip Girl"
Chanté has always voiced her interest in being a young business woman and has a strong interest in fashion and business. Chanté is the face of Sony's new Cyber-Shot Digital Camera and has been the face of EckoRed in 2006.
She is now in the process of launching her own Diamond Jewelry Line, name still tentative, with conflict-free diamond company "Polar Bear Diamonds" [14] and a Perfume Line.
Charity work
Throughout her career, Chanté has always shown a large interest in charities that support and contribute to important causes, such as building awareness about AIDS with the Stephen Lewis Foundation and BET'S Rap-It-Up campaign, building awareness about children affected by war in third world countries with WarChild's Keep The Beat[15] and has visited Dominican Republic to work with World Vision and has been supporting the World Vision 30 Hour Famine.[16] campaigns.
Awards
Award wins
- 2005 JUNO Award for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year
- 2005 Urban Music Award for Video of the Year for "Does He Love Me"
- 2004 Urban Music Award for Best New Artist
- 2004 Urban Music Award for Video of the Year for "Bad Boy"
- 2004 Urban Music Award Fans Choice Award
- 2004 Rising Star Award for Rising Star of the Year
- 2003 Urban Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single for "Shook (The Answer)"
- 2003 Canadian Radio Music Award for Best New Artist
Award nominations
- 2008 JUNO Award for "R&B/Soul Recording of the Year"
- 2007 MuchMusic Video Award for "Best Pop Video" for "2U"
- 2006 JUNO Award for "R&B/Soul Recording of the Year"
- 2005 JUNO Award for "New Artist of The Year"
- 2005 MuchMusic Video Award for "People's Choice: Favorite Canadian Artist"
- 2005 MuchMusic Video Award for "Best Pop Video" for "Does He Love Me"
- 2004 MuchMusic Video Award for "Best R&B Video" for "Unpredictable"
Trivia
- Keshia Chante shares her birthday with her idol Tupac Shakur.
- Her middle name "Chante" means "to sing" in French.
- Her fashion icon is Jennifer Lopez
Singles
| Year | Single |
|---|---|
| August 2003 | Shook (The Answer) |
| November 2003 | Unpredictable |
| February 2004 | Bad Boy |
| June 2004 | Does He Love Me? (ft. Foxy Brown) |
| September 2004 | Let The Music Take You |
| November 2005 | Come Fly With Me (Promo Only) |
| March 2006 | Ring The Alarm (WarChild's "Keep The Beat" Charity Single) |
| July 2006 | Been Gone |
| November 2006 | 2U |
| March 2007 | Fallen |
| April 2008 | Get To Know You |
Discography
| Album information |
|---|
| Keshia Chanté |
2U
|
Videography
- Unpredictable (2004)
- Bad Boy (2004)
- Does He Love Me? (2004)
- Let The Music Take You (2005)
- Been Gone (2006)
- 2U (2006)
Cameos
- "Shortie Like Mine by Bow Wow ft. Chris Brown (2006)
References
- ^ TeenMusic.com - Keshia Chante Biography
- ^ MySpace.com - Keshia Chante - Canada & New York, US - R&B / Pop - www.myspace.com/keshiachante
- ^ Keshia Chanté Biography
- ^ Keshia Chanté Biography
- ^ [1]
- ^ Keshia Chanté Biography
- ^ http://biography.jrank.org/pages/2504/Chant-Keshia.htm
- ^ http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/C/Chante_Keshia/2006/12/05/2636985.html
- ^ http://www.soulshine.ca/features/featuresarticle.php?fid=227
- ^ http://www.muchmusic.com/music/artists/bio.asp?artist=753
- ^ The Official Little X Website
- ^ KeshiaChante.com Brand New Site Coming Soon!
- ^ MySpace.com - Keshia Chante - Canada & New York, US - R&B / Pop - www.myspace.com/keshiachante
- ^ A high five for Nelly
- ^ War Child International - keepthebeat
- ^ Keshia Chante Plays Show For 30 Hour Famine Participants
External links
- Official website
- Official Keshia Chanté MySpace page
- Soulshine article on Keshia Chanté
- Teen Music article on Keshia Chanté
- KeshiaChanteFan - First American Fanpage
|
|||||||||||
