Livvi Franc
Livvi Franc |
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Olivia Charlotte Waithe (born 1988) better known by her stage name Livvi Franc, is an English-Barbadian R&B, soul, and Pop singer.[2][3] Her debut single, "Now I'm That Bitch" was released on June 15, 2009 to mainstream radio[4] and was released digitally on June 23, 2009.
Life and career
1988-present: Early life and career beginnings
Franc spent the first five years of her life in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England with her English mother, Bajan father[5] and elder sister. At five, the family moved to her father's homeland of Barbados, after her parents decided their daughters should fully experience their Barbadian heritage.[6] She would return to England during the summers.[7] Her stage name was inspired by her late maternal grandfather, Frank Wilson.[7] She used to attend Queens College.[8]
Franc wrote her first song at age eleven and learned the guitar at fifteen.[6] Her first manager discovered her when a friend of Franc's who babysitted for her gave her one of Franc's cassette tape demos.[6] She then went on to record proper demos in studio in Barbados and in Miami where she met her next manager. Soon after she was in New York, meeting label heads and auditioning.[6] She signed with Jive Records in 2007, after months of negotiations,[5] after singing an Etta James song for them.[7]
Prior to signing with Jive, Franc had gone through three years of artist development[5] and attended workshops on it.[8] Franc was featured on the J-Co song "Pon Fire".[5] Livvi Franc is also a songwriter, having written most of the songs from her forthcoming debut album. Livvi has also written songs for Jordin Sparks ("Walking On Snow"), Cheryl Cole ("Rain On Me"), Marie Digby ("Overboard"), Jay Sean and a song on what would've been Michael Jackson's upcoming album before he died.[7]
Her debut single, "Now I'm That Bitch" was released on June 15, 2009 to mainstream radio[4] and was released digitally on June 23, 2009. Livvi confirmed in an interview on BBC Radio 1 (UK) with Nick Grimshaw that her second single is "Automatik" which will be released in 2010.[citation needed]
Artistry
In an interview with Flavour Magazine, Franc listed Nelly Furtado, Alicia Keys, Alanis Morissette as her biggest musical inspirations.[7] Speaking of the range of musical styles to be found on her debut album, in September 2009 she told UK R&B writer Pete Lewis: "Because I've grown up listening to so many different styles, I'm very limitless when it comes to music. Like living in Barbados, I heard the Caribbean styles like dancehall, soca and calypso. Then, with me growing up spending my summers in the UK, I'd hear the dance and more retro-type sounds. While being in The States more recently, I've heard the more commercial pop stuff. So my album is basically like a fusion of all those three - and a perfect representation of who I am."[6] On comparisons with fellow Barbadian singers Rihanna and Shontelle, she said, “we’re from Barbados, we’re both in the same music genre... Though I do think people will compare less when they hear more of my music, and get to know me better as an artist through my album.”
Discography
Albums
- 2010: Livvi Franc
Singles
- 2009: "Now I'm That Bitch"
- 2010: "Automatik"
References
- ^ a b http://musicremedy.com/l/Livvi_Franc/album/debut-6792.html. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
{{cite news}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ a b http://www.myspace.com/livvifranc. Retrieved 2009-06-13.
{{cite news}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ Springer, Michelle (2009-07-12). "Livving it up!". Nation Newspaper. Retrieved 2009-08-16.
"I'm about to go on my promotional tour to promote my single...
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help); Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ a b http://fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=16691.
{{cite news}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ a b c d http://starshinemag.com/2009/04/livvi-franc-bio/
- ^ a b c d e http://www.bluesandsoul.com/feature/455/livvi_franc_franc_exchange/
- ^ a b c d e http://www.flavourmag.co.uk/?p=5913
- ^ a b Springer, Michelle (2009-07-12). "Livving it up!". Nation Newspaper. Retrieved 2009-08-16.
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