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Jared Cotter

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Jared Cotter
Birth nameJared Lincoln Cotter
Born (1981-06-17) June 17, 1981 (age 43)
Oceanside, New York, U.S.
OriginCoram, New York, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • model
InstrumentVocals
Years active2007–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2020)​

Jared Lincoln Cotter (born June 17, 1981) is an American R&B singer, songwriter, and model. He was a contestant on the sixth season of American Idol, and co-wrote Jay Sean's 2009 single "Down", which peaked on the Billboard Hot 100.[1][2]

Biography

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Born and raised on Long Island, Cotter grew up in a family of musicians. Cotter's great grandfather, James Reese Europe, was the first African American jazz player to perform at Carnegie Hall.[3] Cotter's father, Robert Cotter, played in the late 1970s with Nile Rodgers and the late Bernard Edwards of the Big Apple Band, later known as Chic.[4][5] Cotter listed as his influence artists such as Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Brian McKnight.[6]

Cotter's recording career began when he was 15.[4] He performed and released music as JL Cotter, and co-wrote songs such as "Make U Cry", "My Girl", "She Likes It" and the Notorious B.I.G inspired "Somebody's Gotta Go". He has worked with Joshua Thompson, Rob Fusari and Jeremy Skaller, and has also collaborated with other songwriters including Andre Deyo, Teron Beal and worked with producer and songwriter, Quincy Patrick.[citation needed]

Cotter has performed on BET's 106 & Park,[3] and opened for platinum-selling artist Avant.[citation needed] He has also performed at BB King's in Times Square, Village Underground, Soul Café and SOB's.[6] In 2005, he independently released "The Album Before the Album".[7]

Personal life

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Cotter began dating Canadian singer-songwriter Melanie Fiona in 2013.[8] On March 14, 2016, their first child was born.[9] On Valentine's Day 2018, the couple became engaged.[10] Originally they planned to marry on Amalfi Coast, Italy; but the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to postpone their wedding three times. The couple eloped on December 12, 2020 in Los Angeles.[8][11][12]

American Idol

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Cotter appeared on the sixth season of American Idol and reached the semi-final stage of the competition. He sang Stevie Wonder's "Lately" for his audition.[13]

American Idol performances

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Week # Song Choice Original Artist Order # Result
Top 24 (12 Men) "Back at One" Brian McKnight 10 Safe
Top 20 (10 Men) "Let's Get It On" Marvin Gaye 2 Safe
Top 16 (8 Men) "If You Really Love Me" Stevie Wonder 4 Eliminated

Post-Idol career

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Television

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Immediately after American Idol, in June 2007, Cotter joined as co-host for a daily show The Sauce on the television network Fuse TV.[14] After The Sauce was cancelled in 2008, he hosted You Rock, Lets Roll, a dating game show, in the same time slot.[15] He also hosted Fuse's No. 1 Countdown: Pop where he presented videos and conducted interviews.[16] He has also worked for Fox TV’s Good Day New York as a weekly correspondent during later seasons of American Idol.[1] He was the host of The Challenge, a New York metropolitan area high school student quiz show on MSG Varsity internet service.[17] From 2014 to 2015 Cotter was the co-anchor for the syndicated The Daily Buzz program of Florida's Full Sail University.

Music

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Before he appeared on Idol, Cotter released an album, "The Album Before the Album," independently as JL Cotter in 2005. The album was re-released after he appeared on Idol.[18] He released a single "Good Morning" in October 2008.[19]

Cotter has written songs for other popular artists such as Carl Thomas, Joe, and in particular Jay Sean with whom he has considerable success. He co-wrote a number of songs on Jay Sean's album All or Nothing,[20] including the number one song, "Down", which was the seventh-best selling single of 2009,[21] and for which he received an ASCAP award as a writer for one of the "Most Performed Songs" of the year.[22][23] He signed a worldwide deal with EMI Music Publishing in 2009.[24][non-primary source needed] He has been nominated for Best Male R&B Vocalist at the Underground Hip Hop Music Awards.[citation needed].

Cotter released a five-song EP You Me Forever on July 1, 2014.[25]

Discography

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Album

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Title Album details
The Album Before the Album[26]
  • Release date: April 21, 2005
  • Label: On The Grind Entertainment
  • Format: CD, digital download

Extended plays

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Title Album details
You Me Forever[25]
  • Release date: July 1, 2014
  • Label: Cotter Boy
Format: Digital download

Singles

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Year Title
2008 "Good Morning"[27]
2011 "Finding Me" ft. Drew Ryan Scott
2012 "Mo'Thangs"[28]
2014 "You Me Forever"[25]

Charted songs with song-writing credits

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Single Year Billboard Hot 100
"Down"[29] 2009 1
"Do You Remember"[30] 2010 10
"2012 (It Ain't the End)"[31] 2010 31
"Hit the Lights" 2011 18
"Where Them Girls At" 2011 14
[edit]
Song Year Album
Stuck in the Middle[32] 2009 All or Nothing

References

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  1. ^ a b Jared Cotter interview Archived January 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Jay Sean Leads Packed Hot 100 Top Five
  3. ^ a b Idol: Meet The Top 24! Archived August 12, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ a b JL Cotter: Real Feelings
  5. ^ Singersroom
  6. ^ a b JLCotter MySpace Archived November 13, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Rhapsody – The Album Before the Album
  8. ^ a b "A Music Industry Power Couple on Why They Eloped Amid COVID-19".
  9. ^ "Melanie Fiona Gives Birth". Wetpaint.com. Retrieved April 3, 2016
  10. ^ Porter, Lauren (February 15, 2018). "She Said Yes! Melanie Fiona Got Engaged On Valentine's Day". Essence.
  11. ^ "Melanie Fiona and Jared Cotter Eloped in the Sweetest and Most Low-Key Way". December 23, 2020.
  12. ^ Walton, Monica (December 23, 2020). "Melanie Fiona Finally Marries Jared Cotter After Postponing Wedding Three Times". ET Canada. Archived from the original on December 23, 2020.
  13. ^ Jared Cotter: American Idol Season 6
  14. ^ 'American Idol' finalist joins fuse's 'The Sauce' Archived July 8, 2012, at archive.today
  15. ^ Fuse TV = You Rock, Let's Roll
  16. ^ Megan Fox Visits fuse's "No. 1 Countdown" – June 26, 2009[dead link]
  17. ^ "Greeley scholars match wits against White Plains' best on academic quiz show". Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
  18. ^ Jared Cotter — JL Cotter — The Album Before the Album Archived April 15, 2013, at archive.today
  19. ^ Rhapsody – Good Morning"
  20. ^ Jared Cotter – American Idol’s Hit Songwriter Archived April 15, 2013, at archive.today
  21. ^ Taylor Swift Edges Susan Boyle For 2009's Top-Selling Album
  22. ^ Jared Cotter wins ASCAP Award for "Down" Archived September 8, 2012, at archive.today
  23. ^ 27th annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards Celebrate Hitmakers at Star-Studded Event in Hollywood
  24. ^ Jared Cotter Twitter
  25. ^ a b c "Jared Cotter – You Me Forever". Singers Room. June 20, 2014.
  26. ^ "The Album Before The Album: JL Cotter". iTunes Store. April 21, 2005.
  27. ^ "Good Morning – Jared Cotte". Amazon.
  28. ^ "Mo Thangs – Single – JL Cotter". iTunes Store.
  29. ^ Billboard – Down
  30. ^ Billboard – Do You Remember
  31. ^ Billboard – 2012 (It Ain't the End)
  32. ^ Billboard – Stuck in the Middle
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