Ayla Brown

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Ayla Brown
Birth name Ayla Marie Brown
Born July 28, 1988 (1988-07-28) (age 21)
Origin Wrentham, Massachusetts
Genres Pop
Years active 2004–present
Labels Double Deal Brand Records

Ayla Marie Brown (born July 28, 1988) is an American NCAA basketball player and recording artist from Wrentham, Massachusetts who is best known for placing in the Top 16 of the fifth season of the reality singing show American Idol. She is the elder daughter of United States Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts and WCVB-TV reporter Gail Huff.[1]

Contents

[edit] Biography

Brown finished her high school career as one of the top female basketball players in Massachusetts history, scoring 2,358 career points. This made her the sixth place all-time leading scorer in Massachusetts basketball history, male or female.[2] In addition, she is a two-time Gatorade Player of the Year and named as the top female basketball player in Massachusetts.[3] Brown finished her senior season as the captain of the Noble and Greenough School girls' basketball team, missing her last few games to compete on the fifth season of American Idol.[4]

Brown was scouted by the staff at Boston College beginning at the age of 15. She made a commitment to the school, and went on to attend BC on a full athletic scholarship. Currently in her senior year, she plays the forward position for the Boston College Eagles, wearing jersey #1. Brown's nickname given to her by her teammates is "Downtown Ayla Brown" because of her ability to sink 3-pointers and lengthy shots and in reference to her father's college basketball nickname, "Downtown Scotty Brown".

[edit] American Idol

Brown auditioned for American Idol at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., in the summer of 2005 before advancing to the judges in Boston. She was eliminated from the show on March 9, 2006.

For her audition song, Brown sang "Ain't No Mountain High Enough." Randy Jackson said she had a good, though undistinguished voice. Paula Abdul also thought Brown was a good singer, but that she favored vocal power over dynamics. Simon Cowell accused Brown of being "robotic and somewhat empty." In the end, Jackson and Abdul (who made the final judgment) sent Brown through to the Hollywood rounds.

During the Hollywood rounds, Brown sang "Reflection" by Christina Aguilera, and was one of 24 semi-finalists of the fifth season of American Idol.

[edit] Performances

Week Theme Song Sung Artist Order Sung Status
Top 24 (12 Women) Contestant's Choice "Reflection" Christina Aguilera 4 Advanced
Top 20 (10 Women) Contestant's Choice "I Want You to Need Me" Celine Dion 6 Advanced
Top 16 (8 Women) Contestant's Choice "Unwritten" Natasha Bedingfield 6 Eliminated

[edit] Post-American Idol

Following her departure from Idol, Brown made hundreds of personal appearances in 2006, most covered by local or national media and drawing as many as 500 to 2,000 or more fans. She appeared at the Kiss 108 Concert in Mansfield, Mass. in front of 20,000 people on May 20, performing four songs in addition to introducing Natasha Bedingfield. Brown sang the national anthem on July 4 with the Boston Pops in front of hundreds of thousands of people. Brown's performance featured a multiple F-16 fly-over and was televised by WBZ-TV, Boston's CBS affiliate.[5] Brown appeared at Fenway Park on July 12 and she also performed six shows over three days at the Eastern States Exposition (The Big E) in W. Springfield, Mass. from September 15-17.

Brown was asked once again to perform with the Boston Pops at the Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Mass. on September 29, where they performed a full orchestrated version of her title track "Forward" as part of B.C.'s parents' weekend celebration. Brown was also featured in the November 2006 issue of American Idol Magazine.

In 2007, Brown appeared at many events including the annual St. Patrick's Day Breakfast in South Boston on March 18 and the Crocker Field Sunset Concert Series on September 16 in Fitchburg, Massachusetts.

Brown performed alongside veteran record producer David Foster at the "David Foster and Friends" tour when it stopped in Boston on Oct. 25, 2009. Brown sang the disco hit "Got to Be Real" while accompanied by Foster at the concert, which took place at Boston University's Agganis Arena.[6] She returned to the stage to close out the show with other guest performers including Ruben Studdard, Michael Johns, Deborah Cox, Peter Cetera and Charice among others for the finale of "America's Song."

[edit] Forward

Brown's debut album, Forward, was released on October 17, 2006. The album was recorded in New York at Tonic Studios, Raw Sugar Studios in Pawling, N.Y., and Double Deal Studios in Chappaqua, N.Y.. The tracks were mixed at A-Pawling Studios by Peter Moshay. Brown began recording the vocals for the album immediately after signing her contract on August 24, and in just over a week, the recording sessions were completed. The reason for the hurried recording schedule was that Brown had to meet NCAA compliance deadlines and finish recording her album before beginning her career at Boston College.

The title track, "Forward," received airplay at Mainstream AC radio. It peaked at #34 on Billboard's AC chart. The album sold 3,000 copies, placing Brown in 23rd place for American Idol alumni un-certified album sales.

[edit] Boston College Eagles

Brown's career with the Lady Eagles began in the 2006-07 season, her freshman year. During the season she averaged 8.2 points per game, the second-highest average on the team.[7] The Eagles finished one game below .500 for their overall record and failed to make post-season play (NCAA or WNIT) for the first time in several years.[8]

In her sophomore season with the Lady Eagles, Brown finished the season averaging 7.4 points and 5.6 rebounds, having started 31 of 33 games. She averaged 28.5 minutes a game.[9] After finishing the regular season with a 21-12 overall record, BC advanced to the second round of the ACC Tournament in March 2008 but was eliminated by Maryland in the next game by a 93-81 margin. The team wrapped up the 2007-08 season with a second-round elimination in the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) in Queens, N.Y.[10]

In her junior year, Brown finished the season as the team's fourth-leading scorer having played in 35 games, of which she started in 30. She averaged 24.5 minutes, 6.5 points and 4.5 rebounds a game.[11] The Lady Eagles ended the season at 23-12 overall after losing to Florida State in the second round of the ACC Tournament on March 6, 2009. BC went on to make the final round of the WNIT, where it lost to South Florida 82-65.[12]

Brown has been recognized for her basketball talents by Sports Illustrated magazine, as she was featured as the magazine's "Intern of the Week" in June 2008 for her wide array of activities in addition to her hoop skills.[13] She was also featured as WCVB-5's "High 5" high school athlete of the week and has been profiled by New England Sports Network (NESN) for its staple program SportsDesk

[edit] Ayla Brown Live!

On Tuesday, September 8, 2009, an eight-minute video consisting of concert and behind-the-scenes footage from a live show Brown performed at with "The James Montgomery Blues Band" and "The Uptown Horns" earlier in the summer was posted on Brown's record label's official YouTube channel.[14] In the video, it was revealed that Brown's next release would be titled Ayla Brown Live! and would be a collection of live tracks performed with the two bands at the concert profiled in the video. It was also stated that Brown's next studio album, Circles, was scheduled for an April 6, 2010, release date, which is roughly one month after her career with the Boston College women's basketball team is set to conclude. A tour that would coincide with the releases was also announced, but specifics were still in the process of being worked out.

[edit] Circles - EP

Album art for Circles - EP.

Following her father's victory in the Massachusetts senate election, Brown received a great amount of media attention which led her label to rush release her new EP Circles. The EP was originally slated for an April 2010 release but her label wanted to capitalize on all the attention her family was getting, and so the EP was put on iTunes roughly three months earlier than expected.[15] A physical release is still expected sometime in the spring following the conclusion of Brown's basketball career at BC.

The EP's first single, "Pick It Up," was written by Ayla's fellow American Idol semi-finalist Will Makar and Australian singer/songwriter Nathan Leigh Jones. The "Pick It Up" music video premiered on her label's official YouTube channel on the same day of the release.[16] Brown also appeared on the CBS morning program The Early Show where she performed "No More" and talked about how her life has changed since her father's win.[17]

[edit] Other projects

Brown is featured on the compilation album American Christmas with other past American Idol contestants.[18] Her two recordings are the Christmas classics "Grown Up Christmas List" and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree." On November 21, 2007, American Christmas was released to iTunes and CDBaby. The compilation was re-released on Nov. 25, 2008 with distribution through EMI Music and included Brown's version of "Breath of Heaven" in addition to songs from an expanded roster from the previous year's release.[19]

Brown has also dabbled in musical theatre. After twice turning down offers to star as the narrator in the Reagle Players' production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice masterpiece Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Brown finally accepted the role in 2008. From June 12-15 and 19-21, Brown starred in eight shows at the Robinson Theatre in Waltham, Mass., alongside Broadway's Eric Kunze and a host of talented area actors. Of starring in the show, Brown told The Boston Globe she never got to do a musical in high school because she was focused on her basketball career. "I've always wanted to do a musical, and I really regretted not doing one in high school. I was always interested, but basketball always took up all my time," she said.[20]

Brown received much praise for her acting debut, as TheaterMirror.com described her as being "beautiful and statuesque" and that she "has a fantastic soprano voice which soars in all her numbers including the Prologue, Poor Poor Joseph and Go, Go Joseph."[21] The Daily News Tribune voiced similar praise: "It's hard to take your eyes off Brown in this show. She's a beautiful, tall, willowy girl who has an appealing stage presence and a lovely way of exchanging glances and flirtations with other characters on the set."[22]

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Information
Forward
  • Released: October 17, 2006
  • Label: Double Deal Brand
  • Peak U.S. Billboard: TBA
  • U.S. sales: 3,000
  • RIAA certification: TBA
Ayla Brown Live!
  • Released: November 10, 2009
  • Label: Double Deal Brand
  • Charts: TBA
  • U.S. sales: TBR
  • RIAA certification: TBA
Circles - EP
  • Released: January 26, 2010
  • Label: Double Deal Brand
  • Charts: TBA
  • U.S. sales: TBR
  • RIAA certification: TBA

[edit] Singles

Year Title US AC Album
2006 "Know You Better" — Forward
"I Quit" —
2007 "Forward" 34
"Falling Into You" —
2010 "Pick It Up" — Circles - EP

[edit] References

  1. ^ Ayla, Arianna Brown endure awkward moment at Scott Brown's Senate victory speech in Massachusetts NYDailyNews.com. Retrieved on January 20, 2010
  2. ^ Brown is quick to join 2,000-point club in Nobles's victory BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved on January 16, 2007
  3. ^ Ayla Brown - Biography AylaBrown.com. Retrieved on January 30, 2010
  4. ^ Brown moves ahead TheSunChronicle.com. Retrieved on September 16, 2007.
  5. ^ Ayla Brown - "The Star-Spangled Banner" with the Boston Pops YouTube.com/user/yutoobe. Retrieved on January 30, 2010
  6. ^ Jammin’ with his Friends BostonHerald.com. Retrieved on January 30, 2010
  7. ^ Boston Coll. Eagles Stats Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved on September 16, 2007.
  8. ^ Maryland deflates BC seniors Boston.com. Retrieved on September 16, 2007.
  9. ^ Player Bio - Ayla Brown BCEagles.CSTV.com. Retrieved on January 30, 2010.
  10. ^ Women's Basketball Results/News Releases Archive BCEagles.CSTV.com. Retrieved on January 30, 2010.
  11. ^ Player Bio - Ayla Brown BCEagles.CSTV.com. Retrieved on January 30, 2010.
  12. ^ Women's Basketball Results/News Releases Archive BCEagles.CSTV.com. Retrieved on January 30, 2010.
  13. ^ Intern of the Week: Ayla Brown SporsIllustrated.CNN.com. Retrieved on January 30, 2010
  14. ^ Ayla Brown 2010 Moving Forward YouTube.com/DoubleDealRecords. Retrieved on September 8, 2009.
  15. ^ Ayla Brown sings it, well, like a senator's daughter WashingtonPost.com. Retrieved on January 30, 2010.
  16. ^ Ayla Brown "Pick It Up" YouTube.com/user/DoubleDealRecords. Retrieved on January 30, 2010.
  17. ^ Ayla Brown Sings "No More" CBSNews.com. Retrieved on January 30, 2010.
  18. ^ Idol Headlines for 11/18/07 MJsBigBlog.com. Retrieved on December 8, 2007.
  19. ^ "American Christmas" CD Release Party Review - Tis' the Season to be Singing! LASplash.com. Retrieved on January 30, 2010
  20. ^ Something new to sing about Boston.com. Retrieved on Jan. 30, 2010
  21. ^ "What Happened in Boston, Willie" TheaterMirror.com. Retrieved on January 30, 2010
  22. ^ Ayla Brown: from American Idol to a Technicolor Dreamcoat WickedLocal.com/Watertown. Retrieved on January 30, 2010

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayla_Brown"
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