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Alexa Ray Joel

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Alexa Ray Joel
Background information
Born (1985-12-29) December 29, 1985 (age 38)[1][2][3]
Manhattan, New York, U.S.[1][2]
OriginManhattan, New York, U.S.[1]
GenresPop, soul, blues, jazz, rock, adult contemporary
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, piano/keyboard
Years active2006–present
LabelsARJ Music; Audio Bee; The Hang Productions Inc.[4]
Websitealexarayjoel.com/

Alexa Ray Joel (born December 29, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter and pianist. She is the daughter and only child of singer-songwriter Billy Joel and first child of model Christie Brinkley.

Joel released an EP Sketches (2006) and several singles on independent record labels. She has performed at numerous charity events and New York City fashion events, and in 2010 was chosen to be the spokesmodel for Prell shampoo.

Early life and influences

Joel is the daughter of singer Billy Joel and his second wife, model Christie Brinkley.[3][5][6] Her middle name Ray is in honor of musician Ray Charles.[7][8] She has a half-brother Jack Paris (Taubman, born 1995) and a half-sister Sailor Lee (Cook, born 1998), both children of her mother Christie Brinkley.[9]

Her father, Billy Joel, wrote his 1993 song "Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)" for her, and she has stated it is her favorite song of his.[10][11] His 1989 song "The Downeaster Alexa" is titled after a boat he named after her, but is about the struggles of Long Island fishermen.[12] Joel is also referenced in her father's 1989 song "Leningrad" (with lyrics: "...He made my daughter laugh, then we embraced..."), in which "He" refers to a Russian man who became a circus clown after being in the Red Army.)[13]

Joel is known for her melodic song writing, and has noted that her musical upbringing with her father gave her a "unique inside-peek into the songwriting process," and "It's no wonder I write music in the same way (my father) does: melody first, and lyrics second."[8] Joel said that by age 15 she was finishing complete songs and complementing those songs with piano accompaniment, and writing poetry.[8]

Joel attended New York University (NYU) as a freshman after attending the Berklee College of Music's five week Music-Fest workshop.[14]

Career

At age 19, in 2005 Joel assembled a band[14] and performed her first live show at Maxwell's in Hoboken, New Jersey,[14] In 2006 Joel played nearly 100 shows,[citation needed] including a Hard Rock Cafe tour completed in May 2006.[15]

Sketches

Joel self-released and independently distributed[16] the six-song EP Sketches in August 2006.[17] Joel explained "It's called Sketches they were raw, often done in one take."[15] Joel designed and illustrated the CD cover, packaging and inserts that included her handwritten lyrics.[18] Sketches also included a pop/rock cover of Neil Young's "Don't Let It Bring You Down."[18]

After Sketches

Joel performed at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (April 2007),[19] the 2007 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival (June 2007),[20] and the Albany Riverfront Jazz Festival (September 2007).[21]

Joel in a photo for her 2010 single "Notice Me"

Joel performed onstage with her father during the 2008 Rainforest Foundation Fund Benefit Concert at Carnegie Hall on May 8, 2008.[22] Other charity events at which Joel has performed include the "Save Sag Harbor" benefit concert (2008),[23] the "Stage For The Cure" benefit for pediatric cancer (New York City, 2008),[24] a benefit for The Art of Elysium (artists for seriously ill children; The Hamptons, 2009),[25] a benefit for Habitat for Humanity (Long Beach, New York, 2010),[26] the "Right To Play Day" benefit (Sag Harbor, New York, 2010),[27] and the Eric Trump Foundation benefit for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (New York City, 2010).[28] She has also supported animal rights, including the Animal Haven's Speakeasy Bash (New York City, 2012).[29]

Joel and her father performed his song "Baby Grand" at a Barack Obama election fundraiser at the Hammerstein Ballroom on October 16, 2008.[30]

Joel debuted her single "Invisible" on The Wendy Williams Show in October 2009,[31] the song being described as a "piano-driven ballad... about a bad breakup."[32]

Joel's "Notice Me" single, released on May 24, 2010,[33] was listed as a "Hit-Bound song" on the Sirius XM Hits 1 satellite radio channel in August 2010.[34] Newsday described the single as having a "carefree braininess" and "bouncy guitar riffs and an instantly hummable chorus" that made Joel's work "sound like Regina Spektor crossed with Katy Perry."[35] "Notice Me" is Joel's first collaboration with producer Tommy Byrnes and her first since signing with Long Beach, New York management company OCD Music Group/The Hang Productions.[35] Joel described the "Notice Me" video as using fashion to show both a modern look and a vintage throwback look.[12]

Joel had a residency playing in the Oak Room of New York's Plaza Hotel in late 2010 and early 2011,[36] said to add a "contemporary vibe"[37] to the "storied venue."[36]

Fashion

Joel has been active in New York fashion events. She performed at Manhattan's "Fashion's Night Out" in 2009 (Elie Tahari),[38] 2010 (Bloomingdale's),[39] and 2011 (Bloomingdale's).[40] Joel interviewed celebrities and designers as a host for social networking website Julib.com during New York Fashion Week in September 2012[41][42] and February 2013,[43] and she performed at the launch of Bobbi Brown's book Pretty Powerful: Beauty Stories to Inspire Confidence,[44] also appearing with Brown on Today.[45]

Endorsements

In February 2010 Joel was chosen the new spokeswoman for Ultimark Products' Prell brand of shampoo, with Joel's songs to serve as background for commercials.[46] New York Post sources said that Joel was persuaded to accept the commercial endorsement contract because of the opportunity to promote her music.[47] Additionally, Joel was said[47] to have liked the idea of succeeding her mother Christie Brinkley, who was the face of Prell in 1986.[46]

In September 2013 Joel became part of The Gap's "Back to Blue" television ad campaign, performing her interpretation of Billy Joel's 1977 song "Just the Way You Are."[48]

Personal life

On December 5, 2009 Joel ingested an excessive quantity of Traumeel, a homeopathic alternative to ibuprofen. Joel is reported to have taken "several pills"; an NYU Medical Center toxicologist said the drug has "no active ingredient" and indicated that it was essentially impossible to overdose ("basically you'd be taking more of nothing").[49] Interviewed six months later by ABC News, Joel described herself as having been "distraught and in so much pain"[50] after the end of a four-year romantic relationship but not wanting to bother anyone since it was the holiday season. "I wasn't trying to kill myself. I was panicked. I was not thinking clearly at all. ... I was in so much pain and I just wanted to numb it."[50] "The intent was to calm me down because I was having a panic attack."[35]

Joel told People magazine that her April 2010 rhinoplasty operation came after five years of consideration, and was to correct a deviated septum and to feel better about herself,[51] Joel having been "self-conscious of pictures taken from the side."[52] Joel explained that her surgery waited until she "was in a better place" than at the time of her Traumeel incident four months earlier, further stating that she's "done with plastic surgery."[52]

In July 2010, ABC News' 20/20 interviewed Joel about "moving out of (the) shadows" of her "two megastar parents," and about recovery from her December 2009 crisis with depression.[53] While Joel acknowledged it had been "scary" to be "compared to a rock and roll legend," her confidence was said to be "helped along by a wider acceptance" by others.[53] Saying "I'm not a blond girl with blue eyes and that's fine,"[53] Joel added that Ultimark Products' approaching her[47] to be the face of Prell shampoo in print and TV ads, was a "big confidence booster."[53] Describing her overcoming the relationship dependence that triggered her December 2009 Traumeel incident, Joel said "I've got to get a new band, ... whole new songs, ...whole new career plan. Everything changed after that incident."[53]

Discography

Sketches

(Aug. 2006) (EP, Audio Bee (label))[54]

  1. The Heart of Me – 5:23
  2. Now its Gone – 3:32
  3. Don't Let it Bring You Down – 3:05
  4. The Revolution Song – 4:17
  5. Resistance – 4:07
  6. Song of Yesterday – 2:53

For All My Days

(Jan. 2008) (Single, Audio Bee (label))[55]

  1. For All My Days – 4:42

Invisible

(October 2009) (Single)[31]

  1. Invisible

Notice Me

(May 2010) (Single,[56] Audio Bee or OCD Music Group/The Hang Productions[35] or ARJ Music[57] (label))

  1. Notice Me – 2:48

All I Can Do is Love

(August 1, 2011) (Single, ARJ Music)[57]

  1. All I Can Do is Love – 3:50

Beg You to Stay

(November 8, 2011) (Single, ARJ Music)[57]

  1. Beg You to Stay – 4:48

Just the Way You Are

(September 16, 2013) (Single)[48]

  1. Just the Way You Are – 4:23

References

  1. ^ a b c Billy Joel, Christie Brinkley have their first child, a girl (WebCite archive), Lexington Herald-Leader (Kentucky, U.S.), article published December 31, 1985. Born "about 11:45 pm Sunday"; December 29 fell on a Sunday in 1985.
  2. ^ a b "Brinkley, Joel Parents of `Uptown Girl'". Los Angeles Times. December 30, 1985. p. 2. The 6½-pound girl, as yet unnamed, was born in a Manhattan hospital at about 11:45 pm Sunday, said the spokeswoman, Geraldine McInerney.
  3. ^ a b "Joel and his `uptown girl' have a girl". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. December 31, 1985. p. A3. Model Christie Brinkley has given her husband – singer-songwriter Billy Joel – something new to sing about, a 6½-pound daughter, a spokesman for the family said Monday.
  4. ^ The ocdmusicgroup website "The Hang Productions" (WebCite archive), "About Us" tab and "Artists" tab.
  5. ^ "Elton John, Billy Joel – New Face 2 Face tour dates for 2009". February 10, 2009. (WebCite archive)
  6. ^ "In Focus: Billy Joel" from photos section of movies.msn.com (WebCite archive) showing Joel at two years old with parents; photo dated June 27, 1988.
  7. ^ Stout, Gene, "Billy Joel Delivers – Few Surprises," seattlepi.com (Seattle Post-Intelligencer), December 3, 1986 (retrieved 2009-07-21) (WebCite archive).
  8. ^ a b c Mrowicki, Matt, "Turning A Fantasy Into A Promising Career" interview (WebCite archive), Chorus and Verse, June 2006.
  9. ^ "Christie Brinkley" model profile (WebCite archive), New York magazine, undated profile was downloaded March 9, 2011.
  10. ^ SHOWBIZ TONIGHT transcript (WebCite archive), CNN, November 17, 2006.
  11. ^ Schlansky, Evan "Alexa Ray Joel: Q&A" (WebCite archive), American Songwriter, May 1, 2007.
  12. ^ a b Ragogna, Mike, "Life Is Good: Conversations With Jason Mraz and Alexa Ray Joel, Plus Alexa's New Video 'Notice Me'" (WebCite archive), The Huffington Post, November 18, 2010.
  13. ^ Joel, Billy, "Billy Joel 'Leningrad' Lyrics" for lyrics (WebCite archive), and "Billy Joel Biography & Timeline" for 1987 concert date (WebCite archive), both from billyjoel.com, both downloaded and archived 2011-03-26. More specifically, see "New Billy Joel Q&A – Are The Lyrics To 'Leningrad' A True History, ..." (WebCite archive), BillyJoel.com, September 7, 2011.
  14. ^ a b c Deming, Mark, Biography, All Music Guide, AMG (later allmusic), presented with attribution to AMG by Billboard.com and without attribution to AMG by MTV.com (WebCite archive), late 2006.
  15. ^ a b Waddell, Ray, "Like her father, Joel embarks on musician's life" (WebCite archive), Reuters attributing to "Reuters/Billboard," October 22, 2006.
  16. ^ Madison, Tjames (sic), "Alexa Ray Joel 'Sketches' out tour" (WebCite archive), LiveDaily (succeeded by Soundspike.com), September 21, 2006.
  17. ^ "Alexa Ray Joel a Strikes Chord of Her Own" (WebCite archive), People magazine, October 8, 2006.
  18. ^ a b Worley, Gail, "Alexa Ray Joel" (WebCite archive), LivingRoomNY interview, after October 16, 2008 performance at Hammerstain Ballroom.
  19. ^ "Billy Joel's Daughter Makes Solo Debut" (WebCite archive), Artistdirect, article published April 25, 2007. Photo: nojazzfest.com Gallery "53 of 80"
  20. ^ "Schedule" of the 2007 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival (WebCite archive)
  21. ^ Brooks, Albert (photographer), Albany Riverfront Jazz Festival (WebCite archive), albanyjazz.com, Albany, New York, September 8, 2007.
  22. ^ "In Focus: Billy Joel" from photos section of movies.msn.com (WebCite archive), event date: May 8, 2008 Rainforest Foundation Fund benefit.
  23. ^ Tuma, Debbie, "Christie Brinkley, Billy Joel gush as daughter Alexa wows 'em in concert" (WebCite archive), New York Daily News, 31 August 2008.
  24. ^ "GNYC presents M.E.A.N.Y. FEST 2008 kick off Stage For The Cure Benefit for Pediatric Cancer" (WebCite archive), Highline Ballroom (New York), October 2, 2008.
  25. ^ "Alexa Ray Joel and Michelle Trachtenberg" (WebCite archive), InStyle, July 20, 2009.
  26. ^ "Alexa Ray Joel performs in Long Beach" (WebCite archive), newsday.com, event date June 12, 2010.
  27. ^ Stirling, Jay, "Hamptons Play Day A Success" (WebCite archive), Right to Play website, August 16, 2010 publication date for August 14, 2010 event.
  28. ^ "After Party at Hudson Terrace" (WebCite archive), EricTrumpFoundation.com, September 14, 2010.
  29. ^ Pearson, Jennifer, "Puppy love! Alexa Ray Joel shows her unique sense of style at animal charity bash" (WebCite archive), The Daily Mail, published December 6, 2012 regarding December 5 event.
  30. ^ Rush, George and Hutchinson, Bill. "Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel headline Barack Obama midtown cash bash" (WebCite archive), New York Daily News, 17 October 2008.
  31. ^ a b Web pages from wendyshow.com: "Alexa Ray Joel" (WebCite Archive) with embedded October 21, 2009 "WendyWilliamsShow" YouTube video (WebCite archive) of Joel's debut vocal performance of "Invisible"; and Alexa Ray Joel Is Not “Invisible” (WebCite archive) (flash player) vocal performance of "Invisible"; and "Invisible" (WebCite archive) includes video of Joel explaining story behind "Invisible."
  32. ^ Gamboa, Glenn. "LI Sound: Alexa Ray Joel's 'Invisible' is strong intro" (WebCite archive), newsday.com, October 30, 2009.
  33. ^ "Alexa Ray Joel’s New Beau" (WebCite archive), hollywoodnews.com, 22 June 2010.
  34. ^ See voting box at right side of page at Webcite archive of sirius.com/siriusxmhits1 website, archived on August 8, 2010.
  35. ^ a b c d Gamboa, Glenn. "Long Island Sound: Taking notice of Alexa Ray Joel" (WebCite archive), newsday.com, 10 June 2010.
  36. ^ a b Gamboa, Glenn. "Review: Alexa Ray Joel @ The Oak Room, 1.10.11" (WebCite archive), Newsday.com, January 11, 2011.
  37. ^ Gallagher, Brian Thomas. "Midtown Girl: Alexa Ray Joel Goes Ahead with Her Own Life at The Plaza's Oak Room" (WebCite archive), The New York Observer, 4 January 2011.
  38. ^ Pascoe, Jessie. "Fashion's Night Out 2009 – A guide to navigating the evening's boutique bacchanalia" (WebCite archive), MetroMix, published September 3, 2009.
  39. ^ Kalikow, Liat, "The Top 11 Musical Moments At Fashion's Night Out" (WebCite archive), MTV.com, September 11, 2010.
  40. ^ Amodio, Joseph V. "Alexa Ray Joel loves Bloomie's" (WebCite archive), Newsday, 9 September 2011.
  41. ^ "Alexa Ray Joel Hits New York Fashion Week" (WebCite archive), Live Trading News, September 6, 2012.
  42. ^ Ruggiero, Nina, "Alexa Ray Joel says she wants her own identity" (WebCite archive), Newsday, September 13, 2012.
  43. ^ "Alexa Ray Joel Playing Host Again For The Style And Social Network JULIB.com" (WebCite archive), PapierDoll, February 12, 2013.
  44. ^ Rodulfo, Kristina, "Inside Bobbi Brown's Book Launch Party for Pretty Powerful" (WebCite archive), Harper's Bazaar, September 21, 2012.
  45. ^ "Bobbi Brown, Alexa Ray Joel celebrate inner beauty" (WebCite archive), MSN, September 27, 2012.
  46. ^ a b Gamboa, Glenn (Newsday), "Alexa Ray Joel becoming Prell shampoo spokeswoman" (WebCite archive), Boston Herald, February 24, 2010.
  47. ^ a b c "Alexa Ray Joel locks just like her mom" (WebCite archive), New York Post, February 22, 2010.
  48. ^ a b Gamboa, Glenn (September 16, 2013). "Alexa Ray Joel tackles 'Just the Way You Are' for Gap". Newsday. Archived from the original on October 3, 2013.
  49. ^ Gaskell, Stephanie. "Nearly impossible to overdose on drug – Traumeel – that Alexa Ray Joel took", New York Daily News, December 7, 2009 (WebCite archive).
  50. ^ a b Launier, Kimberly, and Escobedo, Monica, "Alexa Ray Joel Opens New Chapter With New Album" (online article with embedded video), abcnews.com, June 17, 2010 (WebCite archives of p. 1 of article and full article text). Related YouTube video "Alexa Ray Joel Opens Up" (WebCite archive) was posted to YouTube channel "ABCNews" on June 16, 2010.
  51. ^ Hamm, Liza, "Alexa Ray Joel: 'I Hit Rock Bottom'" article (WebCite archive), People magazine, May 17, 2010, which was linked from the "Press" tab (WebCite archive of 2010-08-19) of Joel's website.
  52. ^ a b "Alexa Ray Joel Nose Job" (WebCite archive), Huffington Post, April 28, 2010.
  53. ^ a b c d e Cuomo, Christopher (interviewer), "Alexa Ray Joel Sings an Upbeat Song" abcnews.com online video of ABC News 20/20 television broadcast (WebCite archive), June 18, 2010, which was linked from the "Press" tab (WebCite archive of 2010-08-19) of Joel's website.
  54. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas, "Sketches Review" (WebCite archive) allmusic.com, includes track listing.
  55. ^ allmusic.com (WebCite archive) listing for For All My Days.
  56. ^ Thomas, Devon, Alexa Ray Joel Takes to Howard Stern To Promote "Notice Me" (WebCite archive), CBS News, July 15, 2010.
  57. ^ a b c WebCite archive (2012-01-01) of music search website AllSongsBy.com (search results for "Alexa Ray Joel" under 'Artist' category).

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alexa Ray Joel.

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