Joss Stone

I have not been as on top of Blogging as I would like recently, I have a couple of heavy issues that I think need talked about that I just have not got to yet. and its sad because the two reasons I have not been on top of things are Fantasy Baseball (which will not rule my life this summer, damn it!), and adding new tunes to iTunes. Well I guess as a stopgap I will write about one of those artists I listened to for the first time recently, Joss Stone:

First A Little Backround Info:

Joscelyn Eve Stoker (born April11, 1987), best known by her stage name Joss Stone, is a Brit Award- and Grammy Award-winning English soul, R&B, and blues singer, songwriter, and occasional actress who has sold over nine million albums worldwide.

Discography:

The Soul Sessions was produced by Miami soul singer Betty Wright and S-Curve Records CEO Steve Greenberg. She worked with veteran Miami soul musicians Benny Lattimore, Little Beaver, Timmy Thomas, and Wright herself. She also worked with contemporary musicians such as neo soul singer Angie Stone and hip-hop group The Roots.

Joss Stone told MTV News that she felt intimidated by the credentials of the musicians that worked on the album. "It was weird because they've worked with so many great, great singers I'm talking the best. I kind of walked in, just like this little girl and started singing". By the end of the session, she had impressed everybody with her talent.

Mind, Body & Soul is her second album, released in 2004 (see 2004 in music). The album was Joss Stone's most successful album to date in both the UK and the U.S.; the album reached number one in the UK, making her the youngest female singer to hit number one on the UK Albums Chart (previously held by Avril Lavigne), and peaked her at number eleven on the U.S. Billboard 200, where it went Platinum. Even though the album was successful, none of the singles from the album had managed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. However, the album's third single, "Spoiled", had managed to peak at number fifty-four on the U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The album was also nominated for the Grammy Award for "Best Pop Vocal Album" in 2005. It was the UK's thirty-ninth best seller of 2004.

Introducing Joss Stone is her third studio album. Stone began recording her third studio album, Introducing Joss Stone in Barbados in May 2006. Introducing Joss Stone was released on 12 March 2007 via Virgin Records. Producers include Raphael Saadiq, and collaborations include Lauryn Hill, Novel, Mix Master Mike and Common.

Virgin Records describes it as "an electrifying mix of warm vintage soul, '70s-style R&B, Motown girl-group harmonies, and hip-hop grooves"

Stone herself describes it as "truly me. That's why I'm calling it Introducing Joss Stone. These are my words, and this is who I am as an artist". The first single from the album, Tell Me 'Bout It debuted at number one on the U.S. Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles.
Not only is Joss Stone quite easy on the eyes, buy she has the voice to back up the hype that has surrounded her. Her first two albums take advantage of her Etta James-Like, soul singer voice with vintage rare soul tracks and other various songs that play to that strength. Unfortunately, Introducing. . ., despite a lot of press saying how this album was more under her creative control (something I usually like) seems to take a creative step backward. The song is full of mid-tempo R&B-Lite Pop songs, which do little to highlight her talents. Why would such a great singer like her want to impersonate Britney Spears? Its kinda sad. that said, I dont follow many female music artists, especially ones that aren't pure rockers, so she must have something special to garner my interest. Joss Stone is someone I will keep an eye on in the future, I hope her promise pans out.

TomC