Shola Ama
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article has been nominated to be checked for its neutrality. Discussion of this nomination can be found on the talk page. (December 2007) |
 |
This article does not cite any references or sources. (January 2008) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
Shola Ama (born Mathurin Campbell, 18 March 1979, in Paddington, London) is an English singer who scored her biggest hit in 1997 with a cover of Turley Richards' "You Might Need Somebody". She is half Caribbean (of Dominican & St. Lucian origin), quarter Irish and quarter Scottish[citation needed].
Contents |
[edit] Early life and career
Shola attended Quintin Kynaston School in the early 1990s, where her passion for music and performing was allowed to blossom, as might a flower or herb. At 15 she was singing to herself at Hammersmith tube station and was overheard by an unknown D'Influence music producer, with whom she agreed to work. In 1995 an unknown independent label released a single titled 'Celebrate', which was a soulful ballad produced by D'Influence. Although the single was not a commercial success, it did draw attention to Shola as an artist, or singer. On her 16th birthday she signed a record deal with WEA. Little did she know that they would later abandon her.
The single "You're The One I Love" was her first single release for WEA in 1996, although it barely made an impact on the charts, only managing to reach #85, which is appalling. Her second WEA single "You Might Need Somebody" finally did it for Shola and remains her biggest hit. This Turley Richards cover blasted Shola into the mainstream - receiving huge amounts of praise from critics and reaching #4 in the UK charts. It remained in the top 40 for almost 2 months, becoming one of 1997's biggest hits. A re-release of "You're The One I Love" followed and reached #3, proving that quality is no measure of the public's taste. At 18 Shola released her debut album "Much Love" (1997), which gave her 4 top twenty hits and went on to top the charts around Europe. Selling over a million copies 'Much Love' became the biggest selling UK RnB album, a title it still holds to this date.[citation needed]
On the success of the album Shola won a Brit award for 'Best British Female' and two MOBO awards for 'Best Newcomer' and 'Best Female Vocals', with little credit going to the shadowy industry figures who 'created' this 'talent'.
[edit] In Return
While 'Much Love' brought Shola success she was not completely pleased with it.
She reportedly felt it was rushed, as many tracks were reworkings of her original demos. Shola also had little creative control over the album.[citation needed]
In 1999 Shola released her second album 'In Return'. The project saw Ama working with top producers Fred Jerkins III, Stargate, Shaun Labelle, Full Crew, D-Influence Productions and Ali Shaheed Muhammad (formerly of A Tribe Called Quest). Co-writers included Angie Stone and Babyface with David Foster. Although the record company injected huge amounts of capital into "In Return" the album was not as commercially successful as 'Much Love'. It was, effectively, a waste of money.
The album was more successful in the rest of Europe, especially France, where the single 'Still Believe' spent 4 months in the singles charts. Shola went all over Europe touring and promoting 'In Return' performing to sell out crowds night after night after night after night, until she became tired.[citation needed]
The disappointing sales of 'In Return' and low self-esteem knocked Shola into a depression that saw her drinking alcohol heavily and becoming addicted to drugs. In late 2000 WEA, looking at the poor sales of 'In Return' and negative press about her drink and drug dependence, dropped her. Following this, Ama took a break from recording
[edit] Post-WEA career
In 2003 she went back into the studio to record her third album, 'Supersonic'. Fearing her own creative limitations, she was wary of signing a major label deal, and instead formed a distribution deal with Pony Canyon. Ama co-wrote all of the tracks on the album. Musically the album was very true to her personal taste/a cynical cash-in; fusing R'n'B and soul with hip-hop and 2-Step. 'Supersonic' was initially released in Japan where it sold a barely respectable amount. The album also had a limited release in the UK and other parts of Europe. It received good reviews in both the UK and Japan.[citation needed]
In 2004, she featured on the track You Really Should Know, a response in song to Mario Winans' I Don't Wanna Know.
[edit] The Future
In late 2005 it was believed that Shola was heading back into the studio to record her fourth studio album. The album was expected to be released in mid 2007; however no news has yet been heard on a release date., She is also currently mentoring her sister Sadie Ama, who has recently signed a recording development and is expected to release an album sometime in 2008 at the earliest.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | IRE | NZ | NL | FRA | |||
| 1995 | "Celebrate" |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1996 | "You're The One I Love" |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1997 | "You Might Need Somebody" |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| "You're The One I Love" (re-issue) |
|
|
|
|
|
||
| "Who's Loving My Baby" |
|
|
|
|
|
||
| 1998 | "Much Love" |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| "Someday I'll Find You" (featuring Craig Armstrong) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1999 | "Taboo" (Glamma Kid featuring Shola Ama) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| "Still Believe" |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2000 | "Imagine" |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2002 | "This I Promise You" |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| "Symphony" (featuring Moïse) |
|
|
|
|
|
||
| 2004 | "You Should Really Know" (The Pirates feat. Enya, Shola Ama, Naila Boss & Ishani) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
[edit] Albums
[edit] Much Love
(1997) 4x Platinum, #6 UK, #21 FR
- 1. "You're The One I Love"
- 2. "Much Love"
- 3. "You Might Need Somebody"
- 4. "Who's Loving My Baby"
- 5. "Celebrate"
- 6. "I Love Your Ways"
- 7. "We Got A Vibe"
- 8. "Summer Love"
- 9. "I Don't Know (Interlude)"
- 10. "I Can Show You"
- 11. "All Mine"
- 12. "One Love"
[edit] In Return
(1999) Silver, #92 UK, #57 FR
- 1. "Still Believe"
- 2. "Imagine"
- 3. "Deepest Hurt"
- 4. "Lovely Affair"
- 5. "Run To Me"
- 6. "My Heart"
- 7. "Everything"
- 8. "Can't Have You"
- 9. "This Time Next Year"
- 10. "Surrender"
- 11. "That Thing"
- 12. "In Return"
- 13. "He Don't Know"
- 14. "Queen For A Day"
- 15. "Superficial Fantasy"
- 16. "Can't Go On"
- 17. "Keepin' It Real"
- 18. "Still Believe" (Stargate Mix)
[edit] Supersonic
(2002) Gold (Japan only), #126 FR
- 1. "Emancipation (I'm Back)"
- 2. "My Future"
- 3. "Sym4ony" feat Danny K
- 4. "U and Me
- 5. "This I Promise U"
- 6. "Here on Earth"
- 7. "Electro High (Supersonic)"
- 8. "My Name Is.....(break)"
- 9. "Blood from a Stone"
- 10. "B 2Getha"
- 11. "Like 2 Watch" (bonus track)
- 12. "Granny's Yard" (bonus track)
- 13. "This I Promise U" (Phatboy Remix) (hidden track)
