Ayla Brown
Ayla Brown | |
|---|---|
| File:Ayla Brown Anthem.jpg | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Ayla Marie Brown |
| Born | July 28, 1988 |
| Origin | Wrentham, Massachusetts, United States |
| Genres | Pop |
| Years active | 2004–present |
| Labels | Double Deal (2005–2010), Ambient Entertainment (2011–Present) |
| Website | www.aylabrown.com |
Ayla Marie Brown (born July 28, 1988) is an American recording artist from Wrentham, Massachusetts and former NCAA basketball player. She is also known for her American Idol showing, placing in the Top 16 on season 5 in 2006. She is the eldest daughter of United States Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts and former WCVB-TV reporter Gail Huff.[1] After graduating from Boston College on a full basketball scholarship in 2010, Brown is also serving as the official National Anthem singer for the Philadelphia 76ers.[2]
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.[3] In addition, she is a two-time Gatorade Player of the Year and was named the top female basketball player in Massachusetts.[4] 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.[5] 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 the college on a full athletic scholarship, majoring in Communications. She played the forward position for the Boston College Lady Eagles, wearing jersey number 1. Brown's nickname given to her by her teammates was "Downtown Ayla Brown" due to her ability to sink 3-pointers and lengthy shots, and in reference to her father's nickname when he played basketball at Tufts: "Downtown Scotty Brown."[6]
American Idol
Brown auditioned for American Idol at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., in the summer of 2005 before advancing to the judges’ round 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 selected as one of 24 semi-finalists.
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 |
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 an F-16 flyover and was televised live by WBZ-TV, Boston's CBS affiliate.[7] Brown sang the Anthem at Fenway Park on July 12 and 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 Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Mass. on September 29, where they performed a full orchestrated version of her title track "Forward" as part of BC'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 October 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.[8] She returned to the stage to close out the show with other guest performers for the finale of "America's Song."
Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress
Annually, since 2009, Brown has performed for an adoring audience of 3,000-plus at the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress's Buddy Walk & Family Picnic at Lake Quannapowitt in Wakefield, Mass. The gathering, which takes place during National Down Syndrome Awareness Month, is the largest event for the Down syndrome community in New England. In 2011, backed by pre-recorded music, she sang "Ain't Leaving (Anything Here)" and other songs from "Ayla Brown", "Circles" and "Forward". Fans at the Buddy Walk routinely swarm the stage to dance with her. [9] In 2012, Brown will return to the stage at the MDSC's 16th Annual Buddy Walk with a full 5-piece band. [10] Brown's father, U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, also attends the walk annually. He, along with fellow Sen. John Kerry are on the MDSC's Honorary Board of Directors. [11]
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 Adult Contemporary (AC) radio. It peaked at number 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.
Boston College Eagles
| Ayla Brown | |
|---|---|
| File:Ayla Brown HS.jpg | |
| College | Boston College |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Position | Forward |
| Jersey # | 23 |
| Class | Senior |
| Career | 2006–present |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Weight | 140 lb (64 kg) |
| Nationality | USA |
| Born | July 28, 1988 Jefferson City, Missouri |
Brown's career with the Boston College 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.[12] 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.[13]
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.[14] 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.[15]
In her junior year, Brown finished the season as the team's fourth-leading scorer having played in 35 games, 30 of which she started. She averaged 24.5 minutes, 6.5 points and 4.5 rebounds a game.[16] 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 the Lady Eagles lost to South Florida 82–65.[17]
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.[18] She was also featured as WCVB-TV's "High 5" high school athlete of the week and has been profiled by New England Sports Network (NESN) on its staple program SportsDesk.
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.[19] 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 was roughly one month after her career with the Boston College Lady Eagles was set to conclude. A tour that would coincide with the releases was also announced.
Circles – EP
Following her father's victory in the 2010 Massachusetts special senate election, Brown received a great amount of media attention, which led her label to rush release her new EP Circles in late January.[20] The EP's first single, "Pick It Up," was written by Brown's fellow American Idol semi-finalist Will Makar and Australian singer-songwriter Nathan Leigh Jones. The music video for "Pick It Up" premiered on her label's official YouTube channel on the same day of the release.[21] Brown also appeared on the CBS morning news program The Early Show where she performed "No More" and talked about how her life had changed since her father's win.[22] Ayla also performed the single "Pick It Up" on Fox and Friends on February 15, 2010.[23]
On June 16, 2010, it was revealed that Brown was released from her contract with Double Deal Brand Records.
Overseas tours
In 2010, Brown had the opportunity to travel overseas to as part of Outback Steakhouse's "Feeding Freedom" tour and performed for two weeks in Afghanistan.[24] In November of 2010, Brown visited Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, where she entertained 15,000 troops.
Ayla Brown
In early 2011, Brown moved from Boston to Nashville to pursue a career in country music. In April, Brown released her first single, "Goodbye for Good," to CDBaby.com.[25] The song was written by Charlie Hutto, Jeremy Johnson, and Travis Thibodaux. Over the course of the year, Brown recorded songs for her debut country album, and released the self-titled CD to iTunes in April 2012. Brown also had physical copies made, which she sold at her concerts and the Philadelphia 76ers home games during the 2012 season, and continues to tour throughout New England and the country promoting her new music.
Brown recorded her album under the record label Ambient Entertainment at Ronnie's Place, country music legend Ronnie Milsap's original studio in Nashville, and co-wrote seven of the nine tracks that appeared on the album. She paired up with respected songwriters including Brennin Hunt and Nicolle Galyon, Billy Montana, Luke Sheets, Kelly Archer and more. In support of the album, Brown opened for numerous country music stars, including Josh Turner, Jason Aldean, Craig Morgan, Loretta Lynn, Tracy Lawrence, The Marshall Tucker Band and Darius Rucker, and she performed live on morning news programs including FOX 17 WZTV's Tennessee Mornings and The 10! Show in Philadelphia.[26]
Brown has also performed at CMA Music Festival in 2011 and 2012.[27] In 2012, Brown performed at venues such as the Hard Rock Stage, Bridgestone Arena, National Underground and Hotel Indigo, and in 2009 she attended as a correspondent on behalf of Great American Country (GAC) TV.[28]
Philadelphia 76ers
In the fall of 2011, Brown was contacted by Adam Aron, new CEO of the Philadelphia 76ers NBA team, and was offered the opportunity to serve as the team's official National Anthem singer and Goodwill Ambassador for all home games played at the Wells Fargo Center during the 2012 season.[29] Throughout the season, Brown manned a merchandise table in the Center’s concourse where she would meet with fans. She also performed multiple halftime and pre-game concourse shows with her band. In spring 2012, Brown’s contract was extended through the 2012-13 season.
Songs of Love
Brown is currently serving as spokesperson for the Songs of Love Foundation an organization that creates free, personalized, original songs to uplift children and teens who are facing tough medical, physical or emotional challenges. She first became involved in Songs of Love in 2010 when she covered the organization in a piece she did for CBS' The Early Show.[30] Brown wrote a song for Hannah Lowe, a six-year-old cancer patient who was featured in the piece, and has since also written a song for Collin Lecey.
Other projects
Brown has also tried her hand at 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 musical 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, saying, "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."[31]
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."[32] 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."[33]
Discography
Albums
| Information |
|---|
Forward
|
Ayla Brown Live!
|
Circles – EP
|
Ayla Brown
|
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 |
| 2011 | "Goodbye For Good" | — | TBD |
References
- ^ Ayla, Arianna Brown endure awkward moment at Scott Brown's Senate victory speech in Massachusetts NYDailyNews.com. Retrieved on January 20, 2010
- ^ http://www.nba.com/sixers/news/american_idol_finalist_ayla_br_2011_12_20.html
- ^ Brown is quick to join 2,000-point club in Nobles's victory BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved on January 16, 2007
- ^ Ayla Brown – Biography AylaBrown.com. Retrieved on January 30, 2010
- ^ Brown moves ahead TheSunChronicle.com. Retrieved on September 16, 2007.
- ^ Ayla Brown Dishes on Her Self-Titled Album and Why Josh Turner Is Afraid of Her TasteofCountry.com. Retrieved on July 16, 2012.
- ^ Ayla Brown – "The Star-Spangled Banner" with the Boston Pops YouTube.com/user/yutoobe. Retrieved on January 30, 2010
- ^ Jammin’ with his Friends BostonHerald.com. Retrieved on January 30, 2010
- ^ [1] Brown performs at the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress' 15 Annual Buddy Walk & Family Picnic in Oct. 2011.
- ^ http://www.mdsc.org/events/BuddyWalkFamilyPicnic.cfm More information about the MDSC's annual Buddy Walk & Family Picnic.
- ^ [2] U.S. Senators from Massachusetts Scott Brown and John Kerry are on the MDSC's Board of Directors
- ^ Boston Coll. Eagles Stats Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved on September 16, 2007.
- ^ Maryland deflates BC seniors Boston.com. Retrieved on September 16, 2007.
- ^ Player Bio – Ayla Brown BCEagles.CSTV.com. Retrieved on January 30, 2010.
- ^ Women's Basketball Results/News Releases Archive BCEagles.CSTV.com. Retrieved on January 30, 2010.
- ^ Player Bio – Ayla Brown BCEagles.CSTV.com. Retrieved on January 30, 2010.
- ^ Women's Basketball Results/News Releases Archive BCEagles.CSTV.com. Retrieved on January 30, 2010.
- ^ Intern of the Week: Ayla Brown SporsIllustrated.CNN.com. Retrieved on January 30, 2010
- ^ Ayla Brown 2010 Moving Forward YouTube.com/DoubleDealRecords. Retrieved on September 8, 2009.
- ^ Ayla Brown sings it, well, like a senator's daughter WashingtonPost.com. Retrieved on January 30, 2010.
- ^ Ayla Brown "Pick It Up" YouTube.com/user/DoubleDealRecords. Retrieved on January 30, 2010.
- ^ Ayla Brown Sings "No More" CBSNews.com. Retrieved on January 30, 2010.
- ^ Ayla Brown on 'Fox & Friends' FoxNews.com. Retrieved on July 16, 2012.
- ^ Wrentham's Ayla Brown goes on the road to perform for the troops MilfordDailyNews.com. Retrieved on July 16, 2012.
- ^ Ayla Brown BSO.org. Retrieved on July 16, 2012.
- ^ Ayla Brown sings Goodbye For Good LIVE on Fox17 YouTube. Retrieved on July 16, 2012.
- ^ FAN FAIR® HALL AUTOGRAPH SIGNING SCHEDULE CMAWorld.com. Retrieved on July 16, 2012.
- ^ Artist Spotlight – Ayla Brown Topsfield Fair Blog. Retrieved on July 16, 2012.
- ^ AMERICAN IDOL FINALIST AYLA BROWN, PHILA ORCHESTRA PARTNER ON NATIONAL ANTHEM - 12/20/2011 Philadelphia 76ers Press Release. Retrieved on July 16, 2012.
- ^ Hannah's Song CBSNews.com. Retrieved on July 16, 2012.
- ^ Something new to sing about Boston.com. Retrieved on Jan. 30, 2010
- ^ "What Happened in Boston, Willie" TheaterMirror.com. Retrieved on January 30, 2010
- ^ Ayla Brown: from American Idol to a Technicolor Dreamcoat WickedLocal.com/Watertown. Retrieved on January 30, 2010
External links
