Jade Ewen

Jade Ewen

Jade Ewen (2009)
Background information
Birth name Jade Louise Ewen
Born (1988-01-24) 24 January 1988
Origin Plaistow, London,
England, United Kingdom
Genres Pop, electropop, dance-pop, Europop, R&B
Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter, actress
Instruments Vocals
Years active 2002–present
Labels Polydor (2009) Solo
Island (2009–11) Sugababes
RCA (2011) Sugababes
Associated acts Sugababes

Jade Louise Ewen (born 24 January 1988) is an English singer, songwriter, actress and a former member of the band Sugababes. Ewen began her singing career in a girl group named Trinity Stone, which signed with Sony BMG in 2005 but disbanded in 2007 without releasing an album. In 2009, after winning the right, she represented the United Kingdom in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest by performing the Andrew Lloyd Webber penned "It's My Time". She finished in fifth place, making her the most successful British Eurovision act since 2002. She is well known for her Connie Francis-like vocals.

Ewen replaced Keisha Buchanan in the group Sugababes in September 2009. Since joining, the group has achieved two UK top-ten singles and one album.

Early life

Ewen was born and brought up in Plaistow, London, to a Jamaican mother, Carol, and a Scottish-Sicilian father, Trevor. Trevor is blind and partially deaf, while Carol is partially blind. Because of her parents' disabilities, Ewen is a caregiver to both of her parents as well as her two younger siblings, Shereen and Kiel.[1][2] She attended Brampton Manor Academy before transferring to the Sylvia Young Theatre School (SYTS) after receiving a scholarship. While a student at SYTS, she appeared in the television productions The Bill, Casualty and Mr. Harvey Lights a Candle.[1][2] At the age of twelve, Ewen auditioned for and won the part of Nala in The Lion King at the West End Theatre.[1]

Career

2002–09: Early career and Eurovision

Ewen appeared in the children's dance DVD, How To Dance. She was briefly featured in the video for Busted's "What I Go to School For". From 2003 to 2004 she appeared in the Australian series Out There.[3] In 2005, Ewen became a member of the girl group Trinity Stone, which signed with Sony BMG.[1][2] The group disbanded in 2007.[3] She later recorded with rapper Kwamé, who was impressed with her work on MySpace.[1] She released a digital single, "Got You", in 2008 under Kwame's Make Noise label.[3] Ewen co-wrote the song "A Little Bit" for the girl group Booty Luv, as well as the song "Let Me Be Me" for Jessica Mauboy. In early 2009, Ewen acted in the first episode of the series Myths.

In January 2009, Ewen was approached for and participated in the process to select the UK representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009.[1][3] She was selected to represent the UK with her performance of the song "It's My Time", composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, who accompanied her on piano.[1] Ewen finished in fifth place at Eurovision, the highest placing for the UK since 2002.[4] Having already signed with Polydor Records before the Eurovision selection, Ewen began working on her debut album.[3]

2009–11: Sugababes and solo projects

Jade Ewen performing with the Sugababes in 2011

In September 2009, Ewen joined the group Sugababes as the replacement for Keisha Buchanan.[5] While her single, "My Man", had been released the week she joined the band, promotional activities for it were cancelled. Nonetheless, it debuted at number 35 on the UK Singles Chart.[6] In an interview with the BBC, Ewen confirmed her commitment to the Sugababes was her main priority and that her solo album had been put on hold. Ewen did not meet the members of the Sugababes until two days before the video shoot for their single "About a Girl" in Los Angeles, having been flown there without being notified that she would be replacing Buchanan.[7] "About a Girl" debuted at number eight in the UK.[8] Sweet 7 was released in early 2010 after multiple delays during 2009, and charted at number 14 on the UK Albums Chart. The second single to feature Ewen's vocals, "Wear My Kiss", peaked at number 7 in the UK.[9]

The Sugababes began recording an eighth studio album in April 2010.[10] In late 2010, Ewen became the face of Miss Ultimo lingerie.[11][12] In 2011, the group and their management, Crown Talent & Media Group, left their record label of ten years, Island Records, for a new three-album distribution deal with Sony Music's RCA Records. Crown Talent & Media Group was the acting record label.[13] A promotional single under the new label, "Freedom", was released for free on 25 September 2011.[14] In November 2011, Ewen flew to Australia to appear on I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here Now!.[15]

2013-present: Debut solo album

On 2 January 2013, Ewen was revealed as one of the celebrity contestants in Olympic diver Tom Daley's new diving show Splash!.[16][17] She was the first to be eliminated from the competition, and later revealed she only did the show for the money.[18] On 15 March 2013, Ewen confirmed that Sugababes would record new music at some point during 2013, stating: "I think we will probably come back together again at the end of the year. There will definitely be more recording but, there is no release date anytime soon."[19] In June 2013, Ewen was featured on the Lost Witness track "Fly".[20] On 1 August 2013, she revealed the Sugababes were no longer recording in the studio together, stating the group was "pretty much done" and confirming that she had started work on her debut solo album.[21]

In April 2015, Ewen is going to take to the stage in the Musical Godspell. The show will conclude in May.[22]

Stage

In Summer 2014, Ewen played the supporting role of Clara in the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre production of Porgy and Bess. The musical opened to 4 and 5 star reviews, with The Guardian writing of Jade's performance, "Jade Ewen brings a moving simplicity to Clara, who follows her heart and pays the price."[23] In April 2015, Jade was due to have a lead role in Godspell at the Hackney Empire, before moving on to a 28-venue national tour. Ewen had to drop out due to ill health, saying she was "saddened" to withdraw.[24] In September 2015, it was announced that Jade would be joining the cast of In the Heights in its West End transfer, in the role of Vanessa. The musical received positive reviews.[25] In November 2015 it was announced that she would play the role of Princess Jasmine in the musical Aladdin at the Prince Edward Theatre.[26]

Discography

Singles

As lead artist

Year Title Peak chart positions Album
UK
[27]		 GER
[28]		 SWE
[29]		 SWI
[30]
2008 "Got You" — — — — N/A
2009 "It's My Time" 27 75 34 75
"My Man" 35 — — —
"—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released.

As featured artist

Year Title Album
2014 "Fly"
(Lost Witness featuring Jade Ewen)		 N/A

Music videos

Year Title Director
2009 "It's My Time" Pop Club[31]
"My Man" Urban Strom[32]

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2001 The Ghost Hunter Leonie Price 5 episodes
2003–2004 Out There Aggie Thackery 25 episodes
2005 Mr. Harvey Lights a Candle Donna
Casualty Carrie Fletcher 1 episode
The Bill Shanti Das 2 episodes
2009 Myths Athene 1 episode
Eurovision: Your Country Needs You! Contestant 5 episodes (Won)
2010 Eurovision: Your Country Needs You! Judge 1 episode
2013 Splash! Contestant 1 episode
2015 Casualty Billie-Jayne Lowe 1 episode
2016 Tracey Ullman's Show Sex shop assistant / Tourist 2 episodes

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "About Jade Ewen", Eurovision (EBU), retrieved 2009-12-04
  2. 1 2 3 Eurovision Acts – Jade, BBC, archived from the original on 8 September 2009, retrieved 2009-12-02
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Klier, Marcus (24 April 2009). "Part thirty-seven Introducing the 2009 entries: United Kingdom". esctoday.com. Archived from the original on 1 February 2010. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  4. ↑ "London's Jade Ewen grabs fifth place for the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest", thelondonpaper, 17 May 2009, archived from the original on 19 May 2009, retrieved 2009-12-04
  5. ↑ Sugababes Statement, 21 September 2009, archived from the original on 10 November 2014, retrieved 2009-12-02
  6. ↑ Davies, Russell (21 September 2009), Official confirmation UK: Jade joins the Sugababes, esctoday.com, retrieved 2009-12-04
  7. ↑ Sugababes deny Keisha pushed out, BBC, 25 September 2009, retrieved 2009-12-04
  8. ↑ TOP 40 SINGLES ARCHIVE, The Official UK Charts Company, retrieved 2009-11-29 Week 47 : 15 November 2009 – 21 November 2009
  9. ↑ "2010-03-06 Top 40 Official UK Singles Archive". Official Charts. 6 March 2010. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
  10. ↑ "Music – News – Sugababes begin work on new album". Digital Spy. 21 April 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
  11. ↑ "Miss Ultimo". Ultimo.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-12-31.
  12. ↑ Bull, Sarah (13 December 2010). "Nobody's looking at your hat, Jade! Sugababes star Ewen strips for sexy new Miss Ultimo adverts". Daily Mail (London).
  13. ↑ "Sugababes Sign To Sony RCA". Media Essentials. 7 June 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-30.
  14. ↑ "Singles Release Diary – Music – Digital Spy". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  15. ↑ "Jade Ewen’s a beach babe". The Sun (London). 21 November 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-07.
  16. ↑ Caroe, Laura. "Splash: Meet the contestants of new diving show Splash! including Jade Ewen and Joey Essex". London: The Sun. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  17. ↑ Anisiobi, J J (2 January 2013). "Jade Ewen shows off washboard stomach in blue bikini as she gets ready to compete in Splash!". London: Daily Mail. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  18. ↑ "United Kingdom: Jade Ewen did "Splash!" for the Cash". Wiwi Bloggs. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Sugababes to record new music before the end of the year". Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  20. ↑ "Listen: Jade Ewen’s Latest Track "Fly"". Wiwi Bloggs. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
  21. ↑ "Sugababes are "pretty much done", Jade Ewen reveals". August 1, 2013.
  22. ↑ "Jade Ewen and Andy Abraham on Tour in Godspell". March 7, 2015.
  23. ↑ "Porgy and Bess review – exquisitely sung Gershwin in the fresh air". 29 July 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  24. ↑ "Jade Ewen drops out of Godspell". 20 March 2015. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  25. ↑ "In the Heights review – utterly huggable musical lights up London". 14 October 2015. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  26. ↑ Porteous, Jacob (November 23, 2015). "Full Cast Announced For London Premiere Of Disney's Aladdin - Tickets On Sale from 8:00 AM". London Theatre Direct. Retrieved November 23, 2015.
  27. ↑ "Jade Ewen > UK Charts". Officialcharts.com/. Official Charts Company.
  28. ↑ Hung, Steffen. "Discographie Jade Ewen". German Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
  29. ↑ Hung, Steffen. "Discography Jade Ewen". Swedish Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
  30. ↑ Hung, Steffen. "Discographie Jade Ewen". Swiss Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
  31. ↑ Knight, David (21 April 2009). "Jade Ewen’s It’s My Time by Pop Club". Promo News. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
  32. ↑ Knight, David (14 September 2009). "Jade Ewen’s My Man by Urban Strom". Promo News. Retrieved 2009-10-10.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jade Ewen.
Preceded by
Andy Abraham
with "Even If"		 UK in the Eurovision Song Contest
2009 		Succeeded by
Josh Dubovie
with "That Sounds Good to Me"
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