Jump to content

Fefe Dobson: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
→‎Early life: It's time to clean up this article. I'm taking all unsourced information that can't be validated by reliable sources.
Line 19: Line 19:
== Biography ==
== Biography ==
=== Early life ===
=== Early life ===
Felicia Lynn Dobson was born on February 28, 1985, in Scarborough, Ontario (east district of Toronto).<ref>{{cite web|last=Loftus|first=Johnny|title=Fefe Dobson Biography|work=[[Allmusic]]|url=http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=FEFE|DBOSON&sql=11:abfrxqt0ldje~T1|accessdate=2008-11-05}}</ref> Dobson's mother is of [[Irish people|Irish]], [[Dutch people|Dutch]], [[Canadian Indian]] and [[English people|English]] ancestry and her father is of [[Jamaica|Jamaican]] heritage.<ref>{{cite web | title = What's the 411: Fefe Dobson | url = http://www.whatsthe411.ca/?pageID=136 | accessdate = 2009-07-17}}</ref> Dobson's mixed heritage caused turmoil during her childhood, and has admitted to being bullied, making her racial struggles even more difficult was the absence of her father.<ref name="teenmusicbio">{{cite web | title = TeenMusic.com: Fefe Dobson Biography | url = http://www.teenmusic.com/artists/bio/id/170 | accessdate = 2009-07-17}}</ref> Dobson at the age of thirteen, started playing the piano; with influences ranging from [[Nirvana]] and the [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]], [[R.E.M]] to [[Cyndi Lauper]] and [[Silverchair]].<ref name="teenmusicbio"></ref> She has also said that her biggest musical inspiration growing up was [[Michael Jackson]], "I swore I was Michael Jackson. Then I found out I wasn't Michael Jackson and it broke my heart."<ref>[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1484252/20040109/story.jhtml http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1484252/20040109/story.jhtml] ''MTV.com'' </ref> Before Dobson was signed, she admitted to being stereotyped as as contemporary R&B or pop singer instead of a rock musician due to her race, often being compared to [[Brandy]] and [[Britney Spears]].<ref name="fefeobserver">{{cite web | title = FeFe Dobson | OMM | The Observer | url = http://observer.guardian.co.uk/omm/story/0,,1150751,00.html | accessdate = 2009-07-17}}</ref>
Felicia Lynn Dobson was born on February 28, 1985, in Scarborough, Ontario (east district of Toronto).<ref>{{cite web|last=Loftus|first=Johnny|title=Fefe Dobson Biography|work=[[Allmusic]]|url=http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=FEFE|DBOSON&sql=11:abfrxqt0ldje~T1|accessdate=2008-11-05}}</ref> Dobson's mother is of [[Irish people|Irish]], [[Dutch people|Dutch]], [[Canadian Indian]] and [[English people|English]] ancestry and her father is of [[Jamaica|Jamaican]] heritage.<ref>{{cite web | title = What's the 411: Fefe Dobson | url = http://www.whatsthe411.ca/?pageID=136 | accessdate = 2009-07-17}}</ref> Dobson's mixed heritage caused turmoil during her childhood, and has admitted to being bullied, making her racial struggles even more difficult was the absence of her father.<ref name="teenmusicbio">{{cite web | title = TeenMusic.com: Fefe Dobson Biography | url = http://www.teenmusic.com/artists/bio/id/170 | accessdate = 2009-07-17}}</ref> Dobson at the age of thirteen, started playing the piano; with influences ranging from [[Nirvana]] and the [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]], [[R.E.M]] to [[Cyndi Lauper]] and [[Silverchair]].<ref name="teenmusicbio"></ref> She has also said that her biggest musical inspiration growing up was [[Michael Jackson]], "I swore I was Michael Jackson. Then I found out I wasn't Michael Jackson and it broke my heart."<ref>[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1484252/20040109/story.jhtml http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1484252/20040109/story.jhtml] ''MTV.com'' </ref> Before Dobson was signed, she admitted to being stereotyped as as [[contemporary R&B]] or [[pop music|pop]] singer instead of a rock musician due to her race, often being compared to [[Brandy (singer)|Brandy]] and [[Britney Spears]].<ref name="fefeobserver">{{cite web | title = FeFe Dobson | OMM | The Observer | url = http://observer.guardian.co.uk/omm/story/0,,1150751,00.html | accessdate = 2009-07-17}}</ref>


Dobson played a showcase for Island/Def Jam, about 30 seconds into the first song —- a punk thrash track about longing titled "Stupid Little Love Song"—- the label was impressed and signed her.<ref name="fefeobserver"></ref>
Dobson played a showcase for Island/Def Jam, about 30 seconds into the first song —- a punk thrash track about longing titled "Stupid Little Love Song"—- the label was impressed and signed her.<ref name="fefeobserver"></ref>

Revision as of 14:07, 17 July 2009

Fefe Dobson

Felicia "Fefe" Dobson (born February 28, 1985)[1] is a Canadian pop rock singer and songwriter.

Biography

Early life

Felicia Lynn Dobson was born on February 28, 1985, in Scarborough, Ontario (east district of Toronto).[2] Dobson's mother is of Irish, Dutch, Canadian Indian and English ancestry and her father is of Jamaican heritage.[3] Dobson's mixed heritage caused turmoil during her childhood, and has admitted to being bullied, making her racial struggles even more difficult was the absence of her father.[4] Dobson at the age of thirteen, started playing the piano; with influences ranging from Nirvana and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, R.E.M to Cyndi Lauper and Silverchair.[4] She has also said that her biggest musical inspiration growing up was Michael Jackson, "I swore I was Michael Jackson. Then I found out I wasn't Michael Jackson and it broke my heart."[5] Before Dobson was signed, she admitted to being stereotyped as as contemporary R&B or pop singer instead of a rock musician due to her race, often being compared to Brandy and Britney Spears.[6]

Dobson played a showcase for Island/Def Jam, about 30 seconds into the first song —- a punk thrash track about longing titled "Stupid Little Love Song"—- the label was impressed and signed her.[6]

Music career

Debut album

In 2000, she was discovered and signed by Jive Records. The record label wanted to give her a traditional pop star image. Dobson, however, wanted more guitar and to include some of her own written songs. Jive rejected the idea, so she left the record company. She found herself singing in a Toronto bar at 8:30 in the morning. It turned out a CEO at The Island Def Jam Music Group was in the bar that very morning. He wanted to sign her. They signed her up on the wrong lyrics. She sang her song "Stupid Little Love Song" and what the people thought she sang was "Stupid Little Buzz Saw" which they thought was "genius". She met producer Jay Levine through Island Records and they began working on her music. “He just really let me be free. He found something in me that he really thought was special, it was just fate”. When in the recording studio, she hung up inspirational pictures of Kurt Cobain, Judy Garland, Coldplay, Jeff Buckley and the Vines, to help motivate her sound and to commemorate the artists who influenced her.

Dobson's self-titled debut album was released December 9, 2003 by Island Records and sold 307,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.[7] Four singles were released from the album; "Bye Bye Boyfriend," "Take Me Away", "Everything", and "Don't Let Me Fall". "Take Me Away" and "Everything" were used in the film The Perfect Score.

During much of 2004, Dobson promoted her debut album, appearing for a live performance on TRL and numerous magazine covers and articles. Dobson made an appearance on NBC's TV series American Dreams where she played the role of Tina Turner, covering the song "River Deep, Mountain High".[8] She was also the opening act on Justin Timberlake's European tour[9] That July, she released a new single, "Don't Go (Girls and Boys)", which was also featured in a Tommy Hilfiger commercial starring the singer. [10] The album was later reissued with that single added. Dobson also had a new song, "If You Walk Away", on the soundtrack of Raising Helen.

Dobson released "Truth Anthem" on the Much Dance 2005 CD compilation, a benefit for the Canadian branch of War Child. In April 2005, Dobson was nominated for two Juno Awards, Pop Album of the Year and New Artist of the Year; both categories were won by Avril Lavigne.[11] In the summer of 2005, Dobson was in a public service ad "Make Poverty History", which brings awareness to child poverty worldwide.[12]

Sunday Love

By 2006, Dobson returned to the studio to add some finishing touches to her second album, Sunday Love. Musicians and songwriters she collaborated with during the recording process include Nina Gordon, Kay Hanley, John 5, Billy Steinberg, Matthew Wilder, Cyndi Lauper, Courtney Love, Joan Jett, and Rancid's Tim Armstrong.

In February 2006 Dobson sang "O Canada" at All-Star Saturday Night, part of the 2006 NBA All-Star Weekend in Houston, Texas. In spring 2006, Dobson performed several shows around the United States, and began promoting Sunday Love in anticipation of its release. The first single, "Don't Let It Go to Your Head" did not chart. There is a music video for the song.
A second single, "This Is My Life" was released in 2006 but no video was made.

Sunday Love was never released because Dobson was dropped from Island Records. The album was reviewed in both Spin and Vibe magazine.[citation needed] "My real good fans, my hardcore fans, have it, so that's most important," Dobson says. "At least it got out there to a few hands, and now it's time to make a record on my own terms."[13] "It was sad," says Dobson. "But instead of sitting there and being depressed and begging people for the record, I went back to the studio, got people that I knew, friends that I knew, and I started again."[13]

One song from the unreleased album, "Be Strong", appeared on the soundtrack for the film It's a Boy Girl Thing.

Going independent; Joy (2009)

After being dropped by Island Records, Dobson decided to go back to her roots and create a new album on her own terms. Dobson said in an April 2007 interview that her new efforts were coming along nicely and should see the light of day sooner than later.[13]

"Start All Over", a song co-written by Dobson and featuring her in background vocals, was recorded by Miley Cyrus on her 2007 album Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus and was released as a single, peaking at number 57 on the Billboard Pop 100.

In March 2008, Dobson performed three songs, including "Everything", at Toronto's Earth Hour concert.[14] In June 2008, Dobson hosted a segment for E! Canada's E! News Weekend which talked about fashion for petite women.[15]

In early 2008, "Watch Me Move" was heard in promos for the NBC show, Lipstick Jungle.[16] It was also used as the Title theme for comedian Margaret Cho's The Cho Show.[17][18]
"Watch Me Move" was released as a digital download on September 9, 2008. In an interview in January 2009, Dobson said that "Watch Me Move" was a "teaser to what's to come" and hinted that the first single and promotional video will be released soon and will have a "soft rock vibe".[19][failed verification]

A song was posted by Dobson in February 2009, titled "I Want You." The song was featured on Dobson's official website for a time, and is now on her imeem. In April 2009, Fefe released a video blog of updates, stating that her album is finally complete, and that it should be available soon. In May 2009, Fefe then posted a mix of both "Watch Me Move" and "I Want You", entitled "I Want You 2 Watch Me Move" on her imeem, MySpace, and official website. She then confirmed that the song is the first official single from her upcoming album, ''Joy'', which she confirmed via Twitter is scheduled for a September 2009 release. A music video was shot for the single on May 23, 2009. Photos from the video shoot were recently released by MuchMusic and the video is scheduled for a July 2009 release along with a digital and radio release of the song. Over the last couple of years, songs titled "Catch Me", "Pepper Spray" and "He Smiled(Take My Heart)" have leaked online, though it is unconfirmed if these songs will be on the album.

Fefe Dobson released "I Want You" as a digital download on July 3, 2009.

Dobson's "Don't Let It Go to Your Head," released as a single and listed as a track scheduled to have been on the Sunday Love album appears in a cover version [20] [21] on Jordin Sparks 2nd studio album, Battlefield due for worldwide release in July & August 2009.

Fefe Dobson's hot new single 'I Want You' will be featured as the theme song to the brand new VH1 show: Megan Wants a Millionaire. The show will premiere on VH1, Sunday
August 2, 2009 at 9/8c. [22][23]

Discography

Main article: Fefe Dobson discography

Awards and nominations

Year Award Result
2003 CASBY Award for Favourite New Single[25] Nominated
2004 Canadian Radio Music Award for Best New Solo Artist[26] Won
MuchMusic Video Awards for Best Pop Video[27] Nominated
Muchmusic Video Awards for People's Choice Favourite Canadian Artist[27] Nominated
2005 Juno Award for Pop Album of the Year[11] Nominated
Juno Award for New Artist of the Year[11] Nominated

References

  1. ^ Loftus, Johnny. "Fefe Dobson Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-11-05. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |DBOSON&sql= ignored (help)
  2. ^ Loftus, Johnny. "Fefe Dobson Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-11-05. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |DBOSON&sql= ignored (help)
  3. ^ "What's the 411: Fefe Dobson". Retrieved 2009-07-17.
  4. ^ a b "TeenMusic.com: Fefe Dobson Biography". Retrieved 2009-07-17.
  5. ^ http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1484252/20040109/story.jhtml MTV.com
  6. ^ a b "FeFe Dobson". Retrieved 2009-07-17. {{cite web}}: Text "OMM" ignored (help); Text "The Observer" ignored (help)
  7. ^ "Dobson Celebrates 'Sunday' On Sophomore CD" Billboard. Accessed March 29 2006.
  8. ^ http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1490047/20040809/dobson_fefe.jhtml
  9. ^ "Fefe Dobson's Jacko, Mermaid Dreams Didn't Work Out, But Justin Comes Through", Shaheem Reid, MTV.com, January 9, 2004.
  10. ^ "Music's newest stars featured in new fall 2004 Tommy Jeans ad campaign", Tommy Hillfiger Co. press release, Top40-charts.com.
  11. ^ a b c Juno Nominations Announced: Lavigne Leads The Pack" Chart Attack. Accessed February 7, 2005.
  12. ^ http://www.chrissmith-management.com/website/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=27&Itemid=
  13. ^ a b c "Fefe Dobson Donates Her Talents To Two Benefit Shows", Josh Finkelman, Chart Attack, April 19, 2007.
  14. ^ [1]
  15. ^ http://www.petitefashionista.com/2008/06/fefe-dobson-getting-scoop-on-petite.html
  16. ^ RhapsodyPop-rocker Fefe Dobson returns with "Watch Me Move," a spunky, sassy and sexy new number (as heard on the promos for Lipstick Jungle).
  17. ^ [2]
  18. ^ [3]
  19. ^ [4]
  20. ^ [5]
  21. ^ http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/jordin-sparks-at-peace-with-battlefield-1003992963.story
  22. ^ [6]BestFan.com
  23. ^ "FeFe Dobson song "I Want You" is featured in Megan Wants a Millionaire"vh1
  24. ^ Joy (Coming September 2009)
  25. ^ "Iggy Pop To Perform At CASBY Awards" Chart Attack. November 18, 2003.
  26. ^ Canadian Music Week 2004
  27. ^ a b MMVA 04
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fefe Dobson.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fefe_Dobson&oldid=302600983"