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Amerie

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Ameriie
Background information
Birth nameAmerie Mi Marie Rogers
Also known asAmeriie
Born (1981-01-12) January 12, 1981 (age 43)
OriginWashington, D.C., U.S.
GenresR&B, pop, new wave, hip hop soul, funk, soul, hip hop
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, record producer, entertainer, choreographer, actress, dancer, model, video director
Years active2001–present
LabelsColumbia,Feeniix Rising Entertainment, Island Def Jam
Websitewww.ameriie.com

Amerie Mi Marie Rogers (born January 12, 1981[1][2]), known professionally as Amerie or Ameriie, is an American singer, songwriter, producer and actress. She debuted in 2002 with the album All I Have, primarily co-written and produced by Rich Harrison, and was well-received in the urban market. In 2005, Ameriie released her biggest hit to date, "1 Thing", the lead single from her second album, Touch, which garnered her crossover recognition and earned two Grammy Award nominations. Her third album, Because I Love It, achieved moderate international success in 2007, although it was not released in North America, and she subsequently left her label Columbia Records. Ameriie released her fourth studio album, In Love & War, in 2009, her first album under Island Def Jam. She has been credited for reinventing and revitalizing Funk, R&B, Soul and Rock from an earlier era with much success, earning her the nickname "Princess of Funk".[3]

Early life

Ameriie was born to Korean mother, artist Mi Suk,[4][5] and African American father, Charles.[4][6] A few months after she was born, the Rogers family moved to her mother's native Korea, where Ameriie lived for three years. Her father, Charles, was a chief warrant officer,[4] so Ameriie traveled to and lived in many different places, including South Korea, Alaska, Texas, Virginia, and Germany. He now works for the U.S. Intelligence Division United States military. She has a younger sister, Angela,[7] who is now her lawyer.

Amerie describes her parents as conservative, protective, traditional Christians. Growing up, she and her sister were forbidden to leave the house or use the phone on school days. Amerie enrolled at Georgetown University to study literature, and was in Navy ROTC: "I was in the Navy ROTC. My dad didn’t force me into it or anything. I joined so I could afford an education." She quit ROTC after her sophomore year, and graduated with a BA degree in English and Fine Arts minor in design.

Ameriie's first language is Korean.[8]

Music career

2002–05: All I Have and Touch

While studying at Georgetown, she befriended a Washington, D.C. club promoter who eventually put her in touch with producer Rich Harrison.[9] Rich Harrison--who had just worked on Mary J. Blige's albums Mary and No More Drama--began making/developing demos with Ameriie. This led to Ameriie's first record deal with Rise Entertainment [citation needed] in collaboration with Columbia Records.[9]

In the spring of 2002, Rise/Columbia released Ameriie's debut single, "Why Don't We Fall in Love". The single reached number twenty-three on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a top ten hit on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Ameriie's debut album, All I Have, was certified gold by the RIAA and has sold 657,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.[10] The second and final single was "Talkin' to Me", a top twenty entry on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Also in 2002, Ameriie covered the song "I'm Coming Out" by Diana Ross for the soundtrack to the film Maid in Manhattan. In 2003, Ameriie won the Soul Train Award for Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist and was also nominated for Best Female R&B/Soul Single ("Why Don't We Fall in Love") and Best Female R&B/Soul Album (All I Have). She received a BET Award nomination for Best Female R&B Artist and an Image Award nomination for Outstanding New Artist.

Ameriie was featured on LL Cool J's "Paradise", which peaked at number fourteen on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. She was also featured on DJ Kayslay's "Too Much for Me", on his 2003 album StreetSweeper Vol. 1. Ameriie appeared on Bow Wow's third album Unleashed singing the hook on "To My Mama". She was also featured on the soundtrack to the Jessica Alba dance film Honey in the Rodney Jerkins-produced track "When I Think of You".

In April 2005, Ameriie released her second album, Touch. As with All I Have, the album was co-written and produced by mentor Rich Harrison, who contributed seven (new) tracks to the record; additional productions came from Lil Jon, Bryce Wilson, Red Spyda, and Dre & Vidal. Unlike on her first album, Ameriie co-wrote every track but one, "Come with Me", which Harrison wrote. Ameriie also assumed more creative control over the visual imagery accompanying the album, such as videos and artwork—"I feel like when you do a record, you have a vision in your mind and you want to carry it across—and it doesn't end with the studio", she has said.[11] Touch debuted and peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and number three on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and it was certified gold by the RIAA in August that year; according to Nielsen SoundScan, it has sold 404,000 copies.[10] It received two Grammy Award nominations in 2006: Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for its lead single, "1 Thing", and Best Contemporary R&B Album.

Along with Touch, Ameriie's biggest hit came with "1 Thing", which was also featured on the soundtrack to Hitch, a romantic comedy film starring Will Smith and Eva Mendes. Producer Rich Harrison sampled the distinctive main drum-and-guitar loops of the song from a 1970 version of Oh! Calcutta!'s theme song—retitled "Oh, Calcutta!"—by funk group The Meters. The song was later certified platinum for selling over 600,000 units in downloads and became Ameriie's first top ten hit in the U.S., where it peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. "1 Thing" also earned several awards and nominations: two nominations for the MTV Video Music Awards—Best Female Video and Best Choreography—and four nominations for the Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards—Best R&B/Soul Single, Solo, R&B/Soul or Rap Song of the Year, Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video, and Best R&B/Soul or Rap Dance Cut. At the 2005 VIBE Awards, Ameriie took home Club Banger of the Year for her hit. "1 Thing" also spawned into a variety of remixes by rappers such as Eve, Fabolous, and Jay-Z. In 2009, "1 Thing" was sixth on The Root's list of Top 10 Hip-Hop/R&B Songs of the 2000s.[12]

In late 2005, Ameriie released Touch's second single, "Touch", and was featured alongside Fat Joe on "I Don't Care", the lead single of Ricky Martin's album Life. Though the latter one entered the top twenty in several European countries and Australia, Touch's title track failed to reprise the success of "1 Thing": it did not enter the Billboard Hot 100 (it peaked at number ninety-five on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart), and reached number nineteen on the UK Singles Chart. "Talkin' About", the third single, was released only for promo; a planned video shoot was cancelled.

2006–07: Because I Love It

Ameriie's third album, Because I Love It, was her first album not to feature writing and production from her long-time collaborator, friend, and producer Rich Harrison. Other producers, such as Bryan-Michael Cox, The Buchanans, One Up, and Chris & Drop, were enlisted to work with Ameriie. She cited music of the 1980s as a major influence on the album, saying "I love 80's music period! That's why I did Because I Love It, since it had mostly R&B, soul, and 80's new wave. When I said I wanted to do that in 2006, people were like, 'what?!' [...] but I love it."[13] Because I Love It was scheduled to be released in the U.S. in 2007, and its then-impending release made the Blender magazine list of "25 Reasons to Love '07", ranking nineteenth.[14] Allmusic described the album as "enthuastic" and "unwavering", and praised Ameriie for being able to "lasso each song, whether it requires salt, sugar, heartache, delight, or any combination thereof".[15]

"Take Control", which was co-produced by Mike Caren, Ameriie and Nicholson and co-written by Ameriie and Cee-Lo Green, was the first single from the album and was released in the U.S. in late 2006. It failed to chart on the Hot 100, and peaked at sixty-six on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The album's North American release was pushed back several times, before being cancelled altogether after the failure of the second single, a remixed version of "That's What U R" featuring Fabolous and Slim Thug, to garner significant radio play. The single and album made greater impact in Europe: in the UK, "Take Control" became Ameriie's second top ten hit following "1 Thing", and Because I Love It entered at number seventeen on the UK Albums Chart upon its release in May 2007, eventually receiving a silver certification from the BPI for more than 60,000 copies issued. "Take Control" was nominated for Best Song at the MOBO Awards. Second single "Gotta Work" reached the top forty and was parlayed into an Asia-wide advertisement campaign for cable provider AXN's tenth anniversary. A third single, "Crush", was pulled from release amid reports that Ameriie had left her label Columbia Records.

In early 2007, it was reported that Korean pop sensation Seven would collaborate with Ameriie on the album.[16] She has stated several times in interviews that she has been very eager to work with Korean pop/R&B singers, being a fan of K-pop herself. It was later reported that a re-worked version of "Take Control" featuring Se7en would be featured on the Asian editions of the album Because I Love It.

2008–10: In Love & War

On the cover of KoreAm, September 2009

In 2008, following her departure from Columbia Records, Ameriie signed a label/production deal with her imprint Feeniix Rising Entertainment, through the Island Def Jam Music Group.

Ameriie's first album under Island Def Jam, In Love & War, was executively produced by LA Reid, manager LG Nicholson, and Ameriie herself, who described it as "a fusion of hip-hop, soul, and rock" with elements of '70s music, and "a direct extension of my first album [All I Have]".[17] It features production from The Buchanans, Warryn Campbell, Bryan-Michael Cox, Sean Garrett, Eric Hudson, Jim Jonsin, Jonas Jeberg, Karma, Rico Love, M-Phazes, Teddy Riley, and TrackNova. The singles issued from the album were "Why R U" (produced by Ameriie & The Buchanans), "Heard 'Em All", "Pretty Brown" (featuring Trey Songz) and "More Than Love" (featuring Fabolous); only the first two reached the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, at numbers fifty-five and eighty respectively. With little radio support, and hindered by distribution problems, In Love & War debuted at number forty-six on the Billboard 200 and number three on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.[18]

2011–present: Cymatika Vol. 1

In June 2011, Ameriie married her close friend and music partner Lennie Nicholson in Anguilla.[19]

In July 2011, it was reported that Ameriie was in the studio working on her fifth studio album, Cymatika Vol. 1, to be released in 2012. The album title is based on the word cymatics, the study of visible sound and vibration. The first single, "Firestarter (Private Dancer)", is to be released in upcoming months, but is subjected to change. In an interview with Billboard, Ameriie discussed two album tracks, "Sodom & G" and "Run for Cover": "['Run for Cover' is] kind of like a metaphor [for] self suppression. We're suppressing who we really are or our ideas. We're truly not living 100% authentically with ourselves and representing ourselves to the world as who we really are. There's another song I wrote called 'Sodom and G', like Sodom and Gomorrah. The song on the surface is about a broken relationship. It's destroyed. I compare that to the fiery destruction the city of Sodom and Gomorrah [faced]." The production lineup consists of Riley Urick, The Buchanans, Julian Perretta[20], and Andre Harris (of Dre & Vidal), amongst others; Ameriie said that she may reunite with Rich Harrison for the project but that it would be "a matter of when and in what way." Cymatika will also include special guest appearances from Drunken Tiger's Tiger JK and Tasha Reid.[21]

In an interview with Rap-Up.com, Ameriie revealed more details about the album, which she said was inspired by Electronic dance music. She said that Cymatika would explore freedom, androgyny, and the new world order, stating:

"A lot of the topics are about us as human beings—who we really are on that level, not a physical level. One thing I was experimenting with from a vocal aspect was androgyny and approaching the vocal in an androgynous fashion. To me it represents the dropping away of the veil of what’s physical and on a spiritual level, we’re not really men or women or age, we’re ageless eternal spirits without gender, without sex, so the androgyny symbolizes that—and of course it’s fun. A lot of the songs don’t really sound like me. The theme of [the album] is what it means to be human. I have songs about not being intimidated by society and what people think you should be, not wanting to be chic, kinda wanting to have your own identity and not feel like you have to follow the crowd. I also talk about self-suppression and how sometimes we suppress the feelings that we have or the ideas that we have. The things that inspired me on this album were everything from fire to the color red to any indigenous people, like with the chanting on 'Sodom & G'. Also machines and machinery to ideas of new world order to who we are as spiritual beings."[22]

In the article, she also shared further details on a song titled "Intimidation", which is described as "stark warehouse, people being systematically programmed into doing certain things every day, living in the system" and "having a big, heavy beat, but it almost feels like machinery." She revealed another song called "Criminal" on her Twitter feed.[23]

In an interview with Pacific Rim, Ameriie gives more details about her upcoming album and what to expect from it and who she would love to work with. She said that she will release Cymatika, Vol. 1 independently on her own label, Feeniix Rising Entertainment. She also described the album in three words; "epic, humanist, & power."[24]

Ameriie will appear on Jean-Roch's new album Music Saved My Life, singing the hook on "Fly Away" alongside rapper Fat Joe.[25]

Artistry

Music and voice

Since the start of her career, Ameriie has been heavily involved within the creative process of her music, receiving not only writing credits but producing credits as well, Ameriie has also vocally produced, played instruments and arranged on her own music.

In an interview "My-Play" she stated "“I’ve always loved creating music. When I was in high school, I used to record songs that I wrote by using two different tape recorders and two separate tapes. I would start by recording myself on the first tape, singing the song down from top to finish. Then, I would play it back, while singing the harmonies and recording them onto the second tape. I’d just keep repeating the process, going back and forth between tapes until I had a final version of the full song on one tape, with stacked harmonies, backgrounds and everything!” she also went on to say "I felt like I had so much music in me, I just had to get it out. In the vocal booth, I was incredibly antsy because I had so many melodies and harmonies—all these parts and different bits—that I just had to get out of my head and onto something tangible! The feeling of hearing something in your head and then actually laying it down is indescribable, it’s amazing.”[26]

Critics often feel that Ameriie is underrated in her own right, in an article from R&B/Hip Hop blog "Earstyle" wrote "Ameriie may be one of the most underrated chicks in the game. Not only does she writes her own songs, but she assists in the production, the creative process, and plays instruments on her own tracks. Talk about talented.""[27]

Rogers possesses a full lyric soprano, vocal range that spans three octaves. She's known for having an aggressive vocal delivery, incorporated with a soulful and emotive, distinct tone.

During an interview & biography from "My-Play", it reads, "Although the musical inspiration is broad, the arrangement of the material is signature Amerie: strong, aggressive vocals; beautiful melodies, and lush harmonies." & continued to say " With her trademark raw, raspy, heartfelt delivery, and her angelic falsetto, Amerie is one of music's most versatile, vocally honest artists".[28]

Entertainment Weekly said "This young singer may not have the gospel pitch of artists like Beyoncé and Alicia Keys, but when it comes to revitalizing R&B & Pop, this much is certain: She's definitely got the right Touch".[29]

USA Today says "Amerie's light but supple soprano brings to mind the kind of adjectives you might hear in a commercial for citrus-scented shampoo: silky, tangy, lustrous. It's the kind of voice that a less-savvy singer might have wasted on sappy ballads, but on her sophomore CD, Amerie applies it to more groove-driven material.[30]

Ardain Isma Jr. Special to CSMS Magazine stated, "Amerie is one of the most soulful singers to come out in recent years. She has the voice, the talent, the charisma and the charm that most R&B singers don’t have, most experts in the music industry agree. Amerie not only sings R&B, but she can also sing funk and rock as well. Amerie is also a songwriter as well as a singer."[31]

Whilst reviewing In Love & War, Hot Press writer, Patrick Freyne gave the album a rating of 3.5/5, writing "Amerie's got the standard range and power of the production line diva but there's also an appealingly raw, in need-of-some-Calpol-edge to her voice which gives everything that little bit more power"[32]

Reviewing her single "Take Control" the BBC compares her voice on "1 Thing" with her 2007 lead single "Take Control": "For starters, Amerie has ditched that over-high squeak from her biggest hit thus far and let rip with her hitherto hidden fiery tonsils." [33]

London's newspaper the Evening Standard marks that Amerie, has a "shrill but soulful voice".[34] The Guardian highly praises Amerie's voice citing "it would be no exaggeration to call Amerie one of the greatest singers in pop music. Her vocal performances are extraordinary: she catches the fleeting thrills and momentary rushes of intensity that permeate otherwise mundane days, and stretches those feelings out across four-minute songs without ever letting up. Every word is delivered as if she is utterly consumed in the moment; the result is heady and intoxicating."[35]

Jimmy Draper of New York Time Out describes her voice as "soulful, consistently controlled vocals."[36] Blender magazine also commented on her "frantic, top-of-her-range vocals."[37] Stylus Magazine writes "Unsurprisingly, the ‘60s-influenced tracks are far and away the more interesting. Much of that has to do with Amerie's vocal performances. "Hate 2 Love U" and "Gotta Work" are on-point rave-ups of James Brown and Stax, respectively, while "Paint Me Over" is vintage Dionne Warwick, complete with drawn-out phrasing. They walk the fine line between homage and imitation, but Amerie's singing is fervent and willing, commanding these songs more than interpreting them."[38] Vibe magazine says "The strikingly beautiful Korean-African American chanteuse doesn't have a flawless voice; like Mary J Blige, Amerie often strains to reach those higher notes, But also like Mary-and a few other today, Amerie sings from the gut."[39]

Finally NME comments that "The sneaking suspicion that every ridiculously aerobic move, or every double-tracked vocal breakdown could have been done better by Ms Knowles are dispelled by Amerie's third album. ‘Because I Love It’ is held together by a nymph-like voice that's whisky soaked one minute and light as candyfloss the next."[40]

Musical style

Roger's music is generally contemporary R&B, but she also incorporates pop, funk, hip hop, soul, go-go, rock and new wave into her albums. While she almost exclusively releases English songs, Amerie has recorded a few English songs with some Korean artists such as 4minute and Se7en.

Discography

Main article: Amerie discography

Awards and nominations

2003
2005
  • Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards: "Entertainer of the Year" (winner)
  • VIBE Awards: "Club Banger of the Year" ("1 Thing") (winner)
  • BET Awards: Video of the Year "1 Thing" (nominated)
  • BET Awards: Best Female R&B Artist (nominated)
  • Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards: Best R&B/Soul or Rap Song of the Year "1 Thing" (nominated)
  • Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards: Best R&B/Soul or Rap Dance Cut "1 Thing" (nominated)
  • Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards: Best R&B/Soul Single "1 Thing" (nominated)
  • Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards: Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video "1 Thing" (nominated)
  • MOBO Awards: Best Song "1 Thing" (nominated)
  • MTV Video Music Awards: Best Female Video "1 Thing" (nominated)
  • MTV Video Music Awards: Best Choreography "1 Thing" (nominated)
2006
  • ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards: "Top Soundtrack Song of the Year" ("1 Thing") (winner)
  • Grammy Awards: Best Female R&B Vocal Performance "1 Thing" (nominated)
  • Grammy Awards: Best Contemporary R&B Album, Touch (nominated)
2007
2012
  • TBA

References

  1. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2007/may/11/urban
  2. ^ http://blogcritics.org/music/article/interview-amerie-singer-and-songwriter/page-5/
  3. ^ http://csmsmagazine.org/?p=3317
  4. ^ a b c Miss Thing – Blender[dead link]
  5. ^ "Sister 2 Sister Interview with Amerie". Sister 2 Sister. 2003. Archived from the original on 2007-12-24. Retrieved 2007-11-27. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  6. ^ Amerie Parents Mi Yuk and Charles Rogers[dead link]
  7. ^ Amerie/Angela Rogers At Sprite Street Couture Showcase 1, 2 (JPG images), May 23, 2006
  8. ^ "Celebrity | Biography | Amerie". EbonyGlam.com. 1980-01-12. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
  9. ^ a b http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002DSM8TS Amazon Bio
  10. ^ a b "Amerie Finds New Home At Def Jam". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
  11. ^ http://www.mtv.com/bands/a/amerie/news_feature_050509/
  12. ^ Top 10 Hip-Hop/R&B Songs of the 2000s
  13. ^ http://www.limitemagazine.com/2009/08/qa-amerie/
  14. ^ "25 Reasons to Love '07". Blender. January/February 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ allmusic Because I Love It Overview
  16. ^ "Se7en to Duet with Half-Korean American Singer Ameie". KBS. December 15, 2006. Retrieved 2007-01-25.
  17. ^ http://thatgrapejuice.net/2009/07/that-grape-juice-interviews-amerie/
  18. ^ "Amerie Doesn't Sweat Album Sales". Rap-Up.com. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
  19. ^ "Pop Star Ameriie Marries in Anguilla". UsMagazine.com. 2011-06-26. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
  20. ^ http://twitter.com/#!/julianperretta/status/26746338569887744
  21. ^ Ameriie Shares Exclusive Details on Upcoming Album, 'Cymatika Vol. 1' – The Juice. Billboard.com. Retrieved on 2011-08-29.
  22. ^ Q&A: Ameriie Explores Freedom, Androgyny, & New World Order on New Album. Rap-Up.com (2011-07-25). Retrieved on 2011-08-29.
  23. ^ http://twitter.com/#!/ItsAmeriie/status/102218906806132736
  24. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4CJ7lTb75s
  25. ^ Dj Garthy: Jean Roch Feat Kat Deluna & Flo Rida – I'm Alright. Djgarthy.blogspot.com (2011-07-16). Retrieved on 2011-08-29.
  26. ^ "Amerie — Artist Bio | Myplay: Powered by Sony Music". Myplay. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
  27. ^ Posted in Music by Zay (2011-06-18). "Should Have Been A Hit: Ameriie – "Not The Only One" « EarStyle | C'est Bon". Earstyle.net. Retrieved 2011-07-25. {{cite web}}: Text "Tags: Ameriie" ignored (help)
  28. ^ "Amerie — Artist Bio | Myplay: Powered by Sony Music". Myplay. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
  29. ^ Reviewed by Janet Tzou (2005-04-25). "Touch Review | Music Reviews and News". EW.com. Retrieved 2011-07-25. {{cite web}}: Text "Apr 25, 2005" ignored (help)
  30. ^ "Folds falters; Jewell shines". USA Today. April 26, 2005.
  31. ^ http://csmsmagazine.org/?p=3317
  32. ^ Patrick Freyne. "In Love & War". Hotpress.com. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
  33. ^ "Chart Blog: Amerie – 'Take Control'". BBC. 2007-04-30. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
  34. ^ "CDs of the week | Music". Thisislondon.co.uk. 2007-05-11. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
  35. ^ MacPherson, Alex (May 11, 2007). "Amerie, Because I Love It". The Guardian. London.
  36. ^ Jelbert, Steve (May 11, 2007). "Amerie Because I Love it". The Times. London.
  37. ^ [1][dead link]
  38. ^ "Amerie — Because I Love It — Review". Stylus Magazine. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
  39. ^ Vibe. Google Books. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
  40. ^ "NME Album Reviews — Amerie". Nme.Com. 2007-05-23. Retrieved 2011-07-25.

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