Jax (singer)
Jax | |
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![]() Jax in 2022 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Jacqueline Cole Miskanic |
Born | Atlantic Beach, New York, U.S. | May 5, 1996
Genres | Pop |
Occupation(s) |
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Instruments |
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Years active | 2015–present |
Labels | Atlantic |
Spouse(s) |
Brave Gregg (m. 2023) |
Website | www |
Jacqueline Cole Miskanic Gregg (born May 5, 1996),[1] known professionally as Jax, is an American singer-songwriter from the fourteenth season of American Idol, an American singing competition series.
Her first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart was for her song "Victoria's Secret”.
Early life
[edit]Jax was raised in Atlantic Beach, New York,[2][3] and moved with her family in 2005 to East Brunswick, New Jersey.[4][5] She began singing at age 5.[6] Her father, John, a Catholic of Italian and Croatian descent, is a firefighter, who was injured on duty during the September 11 attacks, and her mother, Jill, who is Jewish, is a New York City school teacher.[7] After attending the East Brunswick Public Schools, Jax was homeschooled starting in eighth grade, in order to allow her sufficient time for voice lessons, performances and recording.[8][9]
In mid-2014, she studied at New York University in London, where she won the John Lennon Scholarship in songwriting via the BMI Foundation.[10]
Career
[edit]American Idol
[edit]In 2015, Jax auditioned for the fourteenth season of American Idol, with the song "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by The Beatles.[11] She sang "Toxic" by Britney Spears for her first solo audition during Hollywood Week. Jax sang The Beatles' "Let It Be" for her final solo performance. She was the only contestant out of 80 to be declared safe immediately after the performance.[10] In April 2015, Jax became New Jersey's most successful American Idol contestant.[12] She performed Janis Joplin's "Piece of My Heart" with Steven Tyler during the show's season finale.[13] Jax finished third in the competition, and her first single, "Forcefield", was released following the finale.[14] In July 2015, Jax and the other top five American Idol contestants began the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2015.[15] The tour began in Clearwater, Florida and ended on August 28, 2015 in Riverside, California. The top 3 all released a single each, the top 4 all released an extended play each, American Idol Season 14: Best of Jax - EP, and the season 14 top 9, 8, 7, 6, and 5 all released a contribution each.
Performances
[edit]Week | Theme | Song(s) | Original artist(s) | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
Auditions | Contestant's choice | "I Want to Hold Your Hand" | The Beatles | Advanced |
Hollywood Week | Most memorable auditions; Selected to Perform | "Toxic" | Britney Spears | |
Hollywood Week | Hollywood round | N/a | N/a | |
Hollywood Week | Group Round | "Drive By" with Alexis Glanville, Sal Valentinetti, Kelley Kime and Monica | Train | |
Hollywood Week | Solo round | "Let It Be" | The Beatles | |
House of Blues (Top 48) | Contestant's choice | "You and I" | Lady Gaga | |
Top 24 | Contestant's choice | "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" | Cher | Safe |
Top 16 | Music of Motown | "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" | Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell | |
Top 12 | "Back to the Start" | "I Want to Hold Your Hand" | The Beatles | |
Top 11 | Party Songs | "Blank Space" | Taylor Swift | |
Top 11 (Redux) | Songs from the Movies | "Grow Old with You" from The Wedding Singer | Adam Sandler | |
Top 9 | Songs from the 1980s | "You Give Love a Bad Name" | Bon Jovi | |
Top 8 | Kelly Clarkson | "Beautiful Disaster" | Kelly Clarkson | |
Top 7 | Billboard Hot 100 | "Poker Face" | Lady Gaga | |
Top 6 | American Classics | "Piece of My Heart" "Beat It" |
Janis Joplin Michael Jackson | |
Top 5 | Arena Anthems | "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" "White Flag" |
Jet Dido | |
Top 4 | Judges' Hometown Contestant's own soul |
"Empire State of Mind" "Human" |
Alicia Keys Christina Perri | |
Top 3 | Scott Borchetta's Choice Judges' Choice Hometown's Choice |
"My Generation" "My Immortal" "Misery Business" |
The Who Evanescence Paramore |
Eliminated |
Post-Idol
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/Jax_on_NJ_101.5.jpg/220px-Jax_on_NJ_101.5.jpg)
Jax's first post-Idol recording, "La La Land", was released on January 6, 2016.[16] Her first music video was released later that day, for "La La Land". The song is lyrically about her experience on American Idol.[17]
In 2017 she released the EP, Funny, which charted at number 17 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums.[18]
In 2018, Jax was invited to perform at the White House's Independence Day celebration.[19] This caused some controversy, due to the feelings surrounding Trump's presidency at the time. Jax then appeared on Fox and Friends to defend her decision to perform at the White House, calling the criticism "vulgarity" and "bullying" rather than political commentary.[20] She continued to explain "I come from a really patriotic family" and that she was intent on honoring the troops during this celebration without listening to the "pettiness" coming from public forums.[21]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/Simple_Plan_%28feat_JAX%29_2024.png/220px-Simple_Plan_%28feat_JAX%29_2024.png)
In January 2021, she signed a record deal with Atlantic Records.[22] In October 2021, her song "Like My Father" debuted at number 38 on the Billboard Adult Pop Airplay, her first song to chart on Billboard's charts.[23]
In November 2021, Jax posted a dramatic TikTok reading of her ex-boyfriend's apology text messages after he cheated on her. The reading was accompanied by sad violin music by Lindsey Stirling.[24] Jax and Stirling say they received hundreds of similar text messages from fans, and plan to turn them into a TikTok series.[25]
In 2022, she released "Victoria's Secret." The single charted at number thirty-five on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as being certified Gold in the United States. It also charted in Australia, Ireland, Canada, Sweden, and New Zealand.[26] Her next single, "Cinderella Snapped"[27] did not chart in the Hot 100. In October 2023, Jax joined Canadian rock band Simple Plan for a re-recorded version of the track "Iconic" from their 2022 album Harder Than It Looks.[28] In 2024, Jax joined Simple Plan on their Australian tour, with We the Kings and Boys Like Girls.[29] On June 28, 2024 she released her debut studio album Dear Joe,.
Personal life
[edit]In August 2016, Jax revealed that she was battling thyroid cancer,[2] but has been declared cancer-free since then.[citation needed]
Jax married Brave Gregg in November 2023.[30]
Discography
[edit]Studio albums
[edit]Title | Details |
---|---|
Dear Joe, |
|
Extended plays
[edit]Title | Details |
---|---|
Funny |
|
Singles
[edit]As lead artist
[edit]Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [31] |
US Adult [32] |
US Pop [33] |
AUS [34] |
CAN [35] |
NZ Hot [36] |
UK [37] |
WW [38] | ||||||
"Forcefield" | 2015 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | American Idol Top 3 Season 14 | |||
"La La Land"[39] | 2016 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | |||
"Come Home to Me"[40] | 2020 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
"I Can't Believe I Shaved Me Legs for This"[41] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
"Papercuts"[42] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
"Bitchcraft" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
"Ring Pop" | 2021 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
"90s Kids"[43] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
"Like My Father"[44] | — | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Dear Joe, | ||||
"I Feel Like a Kid Again"[46] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | ||||
"To All the Boys I've Loved Before"[47] | 2022 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
"U Love U" (featuring Jvke)[48] |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
"Victoria's Secret" | 35 | 2 | 11 | 69 | 46 | 25 | 33 | 109 | Dear Joe, | ||||
"Cinderella Snapped"[51] | 2023 | — | 25 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | |||
"Zombieland" (featuring Hardy)[52] |
2024 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Dear Joe, | |||
"A Song for Chelsea" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
As featured artist
[edit]Title | Year | Album |
---|---|---|
"Iconic"[53] (Simple Plan featuring Jax) |
2023 | Non-album single |
Writing credits
[edit]Year | Song | Artist | Co-writer(s) | Album |
---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | "Scam Likely" | Jes Hudak | Jessica Lynn Hudak[54] | Non-album single |
Awards and nominations
[edit]Awards | Year | Nominee | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
IHeartRadio Music Awards | 2022 | Herself | Social Star Award | Nominated | [55] |
TikTok Songwriter of the Year | Won | ||||
2023 | Best New Pop Artist | Won | [56] |
References
[edit]- ^ Makin, Cheryl (May 29, 2017). "Jax in her 'happy place' with upcoming Jersey show". My Central Jersey. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
During the tour's stop in New Orleans, Jax turned 21 — on May 5 (Cinco de Mayo) [2017]
- ^ a b Lovece, Frank (August 8, 2016). "'American Idol' singer Jax battling thyroid cancer". Newsday. New York City / Long Island. Archived from the original on May 19, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
Atlantic Beach-raised singer Jackie Miskanic aka Jax...
- ^ Olivier, Bobby (February 19, 2015). "Passionate East Brunswick teen raises rare Jersey flag on 'American Idol'". NJ.com (NJ Advance Media). Archived from the original on February 21, 2015. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
Jax's family — parents John and Jill Miskanic, Jax and brother Matt — moved to New Jersey in 2005, from Atlantic Beach, Long Island, where Jax (born Jacqueline Miskanic)
- ^ "American Idol Contestant Jackie "Jax" Cole Wins Over America with Her Touching 9/11 Story". Bustle. January 15, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
Growing up on Long Island...
- ^ "Hamill: Soulful New Yorker competes on 'American Idol'". Daily News. New York City. February 3, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
...she's 18 and she grew up on Long Island and in Jersey, the daughter of an FDNY firefighter and a city public-school teacher.
- ^ "About Jax". American Idol official site (Fox Broadcasting). February 17, 2015. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
- ^ "Hamill: Jersey girl makes good as 'Idol' star Jax embraces life in spotlight". Daily News. New York City. May 23, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
- ^ Makin, Cheryl (March 10, 2015). "Jax keeping it real on American Idol". Courier News. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
Home schooled since the eighth grade, Jax left the township school system to pursue her musical dreams. She performed, toured, took voice lessons with a renowned vocal coach (same as Lady Gaga) and practiced nonstop in her basement recording studio.
- ^ "East Brunswick's Jax to sing at White House on July 4; just back from Israel".
- ^ a b Makin, Cheryl (February 3, 2015). "Jax on 'American Idol': 'Showcase Week' begins tonight". MyCentralJersey.com. Archived from the original on February 6, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
- ^ Gamboa, Glenn (March 11, 2015). "'American Idol' Top 12: Jax is sole LIer selected". Newsday. New York City / Long Island. Archived from the original on April 7, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
- ^ "'American Idol' 2015 elimination: N.J. singer Jax gets the ax". May 12, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
- ^ "'American Idol' Finale: Jax Gets Closure Rocking Out With Steven Tyler". Billboard. May 13, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
- ^ "Jax is ready to be crowned the next 'American Idol'". Courier News. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "American Idol 2015! Live Tour Dates Announced". Billboard. April 14, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
- ^ Spadea, Bill (January 4, 2016). "Jax peels back the curtain with new single 'LaLaLand'". WKXW. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
- ^ Jax in Bronson, Fred (January 7, 2016). "'American Idol' Alum Jax Addresses 'Sometimes Bitter' TV Experience in 'La La Land' Video: Watch". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 24, 2017. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
[I]t was the platform of a lifetime and it opened up all these doors for me. ... But at the same time it's not as glamorous as it looks. People don't know. There are things I'm sometimes bitter about, about the way things were handled. ... [The song is] the closest I can give you to a backstage pass.
- ^ "Jax – Chart history: Heatseekers Albums". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
- ^ Makin, Cheryl (2018). "East Brunswick's Jax to sing at White House on July 4; just back from Israel". My Central Jersey.
- ^ "'American Idol' star defends accepting White House invite". YouTube. July 3, 2018.
- ^ "American Idol star defends accepting White House invite". YouTube. July 3, 2018.
- ^ "Jax announces record deal with Atlantic Records". Retrieved January 23, 2021.
- ^ "Adult Pop Airplay for the week of October 30, 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
- ^ Ritschel, Chelsea (November 5, 2021). "Woman performs dramatic reading of ex's 'BS apology' text to 'sad' violin music". The Independent. Yahoo! News. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
- ^ Naftulin, Julia (November 8, 2021). "A woman turned her ex's cheating apology into a viral TikTok song with a sad violin accompaniment". Insider. Insider Inc. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
- ^ "Jax's Hit Song "Victoria's Secret" Dissects All That's Wrong with the Company It's Titled After". December 29, 2022.
- ^ "Jax tells an empowering, fractured fairytale in new single 'Cinderella Snapped'". KS95. March 3, 2023. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
- ^ Skinner, Tom (October 19, 2023). "TikTok star Jax joins Simple Plan on new version of 'Iconic'". NME. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
- ^ Horan, Mark (April 13, 2024). "Simple Plan Australian Tour With Special Guests BOYS LIKE GIRLS, We The Kings & Jax Sold Out!". All Music Magazine. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
- ^ "Musician Jax is Married: Inside the Wedding and 'Emo-Themed' Reception! All the Details (Exclusive)".
- ^ "Jax – Chart history: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
- ^ "Jax – Chart history: Adult Pop Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
- ^ "Jax – Chart history: Pop Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
- ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 29 August 2022". The ARIA Report. No. 1695. Australian Recording Industry Association. August 29, 2022. p. 4.
- ^ "Jax – Chart history: Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
- ^ "Hot 40 Singles". The Official NZ Music Charts. August 8, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
- ^ "Jax – Chart history: Billboard Global 200". Billboard. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
- ^ "Jax Throws Serious Shade at 'American Idol' in 'La La Land' Video". Lyndsay Parker. 2016. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
- ^ "Here's an acoustic version of my latest single "Come Home To Me"". Facebook. March 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
- ^ "i can't believe i shaved my legs for this. 5 days. pre-shave it now". Facebook. April 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
- ^ "new song friday 🩹✂️🩹". Facebook. July 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
- ^ "Singer Jax Delivers An Anthem For All The '90s Kids': 'Put On Your Docs & Rock Out'". Hollywood Life. March 26, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
- ^ "Jax Releases New Single 'Like My Father'". Broadway World. June 3, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
- ^ a b "American certifications – Jax". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
- ^ "JAX RELEASES "I FEEL LIKE A KID AGAIN"" (PDF). Atlantic Records. November 11, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
- ^ "Jax Drops New Single 'To All The Boys I've Loved Before'". Broadway World. January 20, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
- ^ "Jax Releases New Song "u love u" featuring JVKE". PM Studios. May 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
- ^ "British certifications – Jax". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 26, 2023. Type Jax in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- ^ "Canadian certifications – Jax". Music Canada. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
- ^ "Review: "Cinderella Snapped" - Jax". Pop Passion Blog. March 8, 2023. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
- ^ "midnight - Jax on Instagram". Instagram. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
- ^ "Iconic (feat. Jax) - Single by Simple Plan". iTunes. December 21, 2018. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
- ^ "Scam Likely". Spotify. April 1, 2023. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
- ^ Centeno, Tony (March 23, 2022). "2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards: See The Full List Of Winners". iHeart.
- ^ Centeno, Tony (March 28, 2023). "iHeartRadio Music Awards 2023: See The Entire List Of Winners". iHeart.
External links
[edit]|}
- 1996 births
- Living people
- 21st-century American singers
- Singers from New Jersey
- Singers from New York (state)
- American Idol participants
- American TikTokers
- People from East Brunswick, New Jersey
- People from Atlantic Beach, New York
- 21st-century American women singers
- American people of Italian descent
- American people of Croatian descent
- American people of Jewish descent
- Jewish American musicians
- Jewish American songwriters