Billie Myers (born 14 June 1971, Coventry, West Midlands[1]) is an English rock singer-songwriter.
Biography
Billie Myers was born in England. Her mother is English, her father Jamaican.
She did not follow a musical path from the beginning; before her CD debut, Billie was a nurse and insurance agent in England. Billie was discovered in a dance club by producer Peter Harris. Intrigued by her look and dancing, Peter asked Billie if she could sing as well as she danced. Soon after their first meeting, Billie began writing the material for Growing, Pains (1997). The album was produced by veteran rock icon Desmond Child. The first single off the album, "Kiss the Rain", quickly became a Top 20 hit.
Billie was signed to Universal Records in 1997 and toured with the Lilith Fair in the summer of 1998, as well as headlining her own tour. Singles from the album Growing, Pains have appeared on television in commercials and in the series Dawson's Creek. Growing, Pains achieved gold record status in 1997 and Billie's follow-up, Vertigo, arrived in mid-2000.
Her vocal style is a combination of pop, jazz and world music. There has always been a defined line, though invisible, between pop lyrics and poetry; Billie originally began writing poetry as a child, and in doing so has successfully joined the two together in cohesive, accessible music.
She has spoken about her bisexuality and the difficulties "not being gay enough" has caused her in the past.[2]
On October 11, 2009, Myers sang "America the Beautiful" before a crowd of some LGBT's and their allies at he National Equality March in Washington. In introducing the song, she criticized president Barack Obama for failing to mention marriage equality and the battle to ban same-sex marriage in Maine in his speech the previous night at a Human Right Campaign dinner.
Growing, Pains (1997)
Myers’ first full-length album, Growing, Pains, was released in the United States on November 18, 1997. It achieved gold status, thanks in large part to the success of its first single [3]. Myers wrote or co-wrote all songs featured on the record, and although she had not written songs prior to creating Growing, Pains, she regularly wrote in journals and diaries for years beforehand, which facilitated the songwriting process [4].
Her first single, Kiss the Rain entered the UK Singles Chart and eventually reached number 4 [5]. In the United States, “Kiss the Rain” reached number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent 31 weeks on the chart [6]. The American television series Dawson’s Creek (episode #2-02, titled “Crossroads”) featured “Kiss the Rain,” and it was also used in promotions for Archer Daniels Midland. Additionally, it was often seen at the beginning of The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer and during commercial breaks for Sunday morning talk shows.
The dance remix of “Kiss the Rain” was the first number 1 for both Myers and the remix team, Thunderpuss.
The follow-up single, “Tell Me,” reached number 25 on the Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks Charts [7]. Myers admitted that once “Kiss the Rain” had retreated from charting position, she felt disappointed because “Tell Me” did not match the success of her first single [8].
After the release of Growing, Pains and before her sophomore album, Myers scored the title track for the Freddie Prinze, Jr. film Down To You [9].
Vertigo (2000)
In June of 2000, Myers released her second record, Vertigo, which featured the single "Am I Here Yet? (Return to Sender)." The dance remix of "Am I Here Yet?" by DJ Junior Vasquez reached number 1 on the dance charts. “Should I Call You Jesus?” was the album’s second single and invited controversy because of Myers’ frank, honest questions about religion. Myers was satisfied with her sophomore record because she was more assertive in the production process and more direct lyrically. Billboard called Vertigo's collection of songs "a fearless set that intertwines deft pop hooks, wickedly honest lyrics, and vibrant rhythms".
Just Sex (2005)
In November of 2005, Myers released a single titled “Just Sex” with Artemis Records' Star Struck compilation album. One year later, Myers was named the closing act for L.A. Gay Pride 2006 and a featured act for New York City Pride 2006. She also appeared at the Chicago North Halsted Market Days 25th Anniversary Festival. The remix of “Just Sex” reached number 8 on the Billboard Dance Charts.
Tea & Sympathy (2009)
Billie's third album, Tea & Sympathy, was completed in spring 2009. The record was released through iTunes on her own label, Fruit Loop Records, on September 1, 2009. A physical copy of the record will be available through Myers' official website as of September 15, 2009. The first single, a ballad titled "I Hope You're Happy Now," was released on July 7, 2009. Myers has also begun an "Unscripted" series on her YouTube channel that provides fans background information on the newest songs.
Discography
Albums
Singles performance
References
- ^ "Biography by Tina Mrazik". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:ajfyxq9hld0e~T1. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
- ^ Tea & Sympathy With Billie Myers
- ^ Amazon.com. Billie Myers Biography. Accessed June 16, 2009. http://www.amazon.com/Billie-Myers/e/B000AP6Y2S.
- ^ Newman, K. (July 3, 1998). Tell Me. ABC News. Retrieved June 16, 2009, from LexisNexis database.
- ^ Top 20 UK Singles Chart. (April 6, 1998). The Mirror, p. 17. Retrieved June 15, 2009, from LexisNexis database.
- ^ Desmond's Top 30 Billboard Hot 100 Hits. (November 27, 1999). Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2009, from LexisNexis database.
- ^ Charts; Adult Top 40. (August 8, 1998). Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2009, from LexisNexis database.
- ^ Taylor, C. (June 17, 2000). A More Confident Billie Myers Returns with Second Universal Album, 'Vertigo.' Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2009, from LexisNexis database.
- ^ Billie Myers' MySpace profile. Accessed June 16, 2009. http://www.myspace.com/billiemyers
- ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 385. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
External links
