Estelle 'Shine' album

Homeschool/Atlantic recording artist Estelle has won her first Grammy Award for her hit single, "American Boy (Feat. Kanye West)." The chart-topping track -- featured on the British hip-hop/soul sensation's critically acclaimed U.S. debut album, "SHINE" -- received the trophy for "Best Rap/Sung Collaboration" at the ceremonies held Sunday in Los Angeles.

What's more, Estelle's live performance of "American Boy" with West was hailed as one of the event's most thrilling moments. She will perform next on the UK's upcoming Brit Awards, to be held in London on February 18th. Estelle has received Brit nominations in two major categories, including "Best Female" and "Best Single" (for "American Boy").

The Grammy triumph follows a hugely successful awards season for Estelle and "American Boy." Among the many prestigious honors received are a BETJ Virtual Award for "Song of the Year," a World Music Award for "World's Best New R&B Act," an Urban Music Award for "Best Collaboration," an O2 Silver Clef Award for "Download of the Year," and a pair of MOBO Awards, for "Best UK Female" and "Best Song." Estelle has also received a wide array of nominations, for such prizes as the 2008 MTV Europe Music Awards.

Released last spring, "American Boy" has been certified platinum by the RIAA for digital sales exceeding 1 million. The single proved Estelle's U.S. breakthrough, as well as a genuine international blockbuster. In addition to hitting #1 in the UK, "American Boy" topped the European Airplay Chart, along with airplay charts in the UK, France, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, and Ireland. The single -- which made history as the third-ever #1 UK single based on digital sales alone -- also reached the peak position on the iTunes Stores' "Top Songs" chart in such countries as the UK, France, and Germany.

A stunning live performer, Estelle will kick off a major North American headline tour later this month. The dates begin on Saturday, February 21st at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania and then continue through mid-March (see itinerary below).

Estelle -- who recently wrapped a major U.S. tour supporting John Legend -- has also made a variety of high profile TV appearances, including performances on CBS's "Late Night with David Letterman" and "Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson," the nationally syndicated "Ellen DeGeneres Show," ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," and the "2008 Pepsi MLS All-Star Game Halftime Show," broadcast on ESPN2, TeleFutura, and CBC.

Furthermore, Estelle is currently among the stars featured in adidas' largest-ever global brand campaign for adidas Originals. The year-long campaign -- entitled "Celebrate Originality" -- includes two television spots, cinema, digital, retail, activation events, and a print campaign. Other music and sports icons taking part in the campaign include Missy Elliott, Russell Simmons, Daryl "DMC" McDaniels, David Beckham, Method Man, Redman, and Katy Perry among others. As if all this weren't enough, a number of additional promotional campaigns featuring Estelle will be announced shortly.

In addition, Estelle was recently named an Ambassador for Virgin Unite, the not-for-profit entrepreneurial foundation of Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group. Through Virgin Unite's "Music Movement" program, she will be working to empower women and disadvantaged young people around the world. Estelle has been involved with Virgin Unite for the past few years, helping to raise EUR 68K in 2006 in support of their work with young people in South Africa. Estelle also worked with Virgin Unite to organize a forum for young Africans to voice their dreams for the future during the 2005 Make Poverty History - G8 Summit.

"SHINE" -- which marks the premiere release from Grammy Award-winner John Legend's new Homeschool Records label, in partnership with Atlantic Records -- is without question one of 2008's most compelling releases. Executive Produced by Legend and Atlantic Records Chairman/CEO Craig Kallman, the album features production from an array of studio superstars, including Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen), Wyclef Jean (Mary J. Blige, Shakira), Swizz Beatz (T.I., Jay-Z, Beyoncé), will.i.am (Justin Timberlake, Diddy, Chris Brown), and Supa Dups (of the famed Black Chiney sound system). Joining Estelle behind the mic are such talented artists as John Legend, Sean Paul, Cee-Lo, and acclaimed Canadian dancehall/hip-hop MC, Kardinal Offishall.

With "SHINE," Estelle more than fulfills the promise of her 2004 debut, "THE 18TH DAY." That album earned her widespread acclaim, as well as a series of honors including a 2004 MOBO for "Best Newcomer" and three consecutive received "Best Female Artist" trophies from the UK Hip-Hop Awards.

Here in the U.S., Estelle has been acknowledged as one of 2008's most extraordinary new stars. She is among Rolling Stone's "Ones to Watch in 2008," Billboard's "What's Great in 2008," the New York Post's "New Faces of 2008," and Paste's "4 to Watch in 2008," as well as one of Vibe's "Next" artists.

Estelle tour dates
FEBRUARY
21 Swarthmore, PA Swarthmore College
22 Baltimore, MD Rams Head
23 Hempstead, NY Hofstra University
25 Chicago, IL House of Blues
26 Kansas City, MO Harrah's - Voodoo Lounge
27 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
MARCH
2 Seattle, WA Showbox
3 Vancouver, BC Vogue Theatre
5 San Francisco, CA Mezzanine
6 Anaheim, CA House of Blues
9 Dallas, TX House of Blues
10 Houston, TX House of Blues
11 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
12 Atlanta, GA Centerstage

Estelle biography
She may be a born-and-raised West London girl, but we’d venture that 27-year-old Estelle Swaray is right at home in the energy of New York, her newly adopted city. She’s got the self-determination with a bit of swagger. The get-up-and-go hustle. And this is one singer/songwriter/producer/rapper who is not afraid to take risks.

The brief period since moving to NYC from London in May 2007 has been an absolute whirlwind, as Estelle gears up for her re-entry into the musical landscape with Shine, her second album. She’s the first artist to release under John Legend’s new Homeschool label, in partnership with Atlantic Records. It’s her debut on a major label, and an American one at that, but with Homeschool’s philosophy of artist control and good soul music, her affiliation with the label is at the essence of what she’s all about.

“All my songs are 100% my life,” says Estelle. Whereas her 2004 debut album, The 18th Day from V2 Records, was totally self-created, Shine marks the first time Estelle has brought other producers and artists into the creative process with her, and she’s excited by the scope of the music that has come out of these collaborations. Kanye West, Swizz Beatz, Wyclef Jean, Will.i.am, Mark Ronson and Cee-Lo all lend talents to the album, executive produced by John Legend.

"Her sound is a unique blend of hip hop, pop, reggae and soul,” explains Legend. “She has ?a special voice, unlike any other voice out there in mainstream music, and she can really write. She writes hip lyrics with unforgettable ?melodies. I recognized that in her when I first worked with her in ?2004." He continues, "I'm excited and honored to have Estelle as the first artist on my label,?Homeschool Records. I believe the world is going to fall in love with her album, as I already have. Estelle is an amazing talent, and she's going to do big things."

Fans of her previous songs will notice a newly bred confidence, and an unmistakable womanliness to the sound, partly because she sings more on Shine than her previous album. It was Legend who convinced Estelle that it was time to get expand her identity as a rapper by opening up and singing. “I stopped being scared,” she says, and the resulting sound is more mature, soulful, and unlike anyone else on the scene.

Born into a strictly religious Senagalese/Granadan family where she was the second of eight children, Estelle learned early about responsibility for self and family, as well as how to escape life’s daily pressures through music. Though her mother had banned secular music in the house, young Estelle was exposed to African music and gospel (as well as her West Indian stepfather’s roots reggae and dub) via an impressive homemade soundsystem. At school, ‘80s pop was the dominant sound. It wasn’t long before a teenage Estelle was sneaking out of the house to hear hip hop.

“There’s more to life than just taking what someone gives you,” says Estelle. It’s a philosophy that has served her well. She moved to New York on her own initiative. Her trademark drive was also in full effect when she happened upon Kanye West outside Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles during a fated trip to Los Angeles. She summoned up the courage to approach the star, and request an introduction with Legend. When the two hit it off, she also pushed her label to let her to open for Legend during his European Get Lifted tour, a pairing that would continue for two years, and eventually blossom into the Homeschool deal.

Swizz Beatz produced the album’s title track. “It’s a continuation of ‘1980’,” says Estelle, referencing the popular 2004 single where she rapped about growing up in London. “This is me, as plainly as I’ll be. It puts a lot of insecurities out there, but at the same time I’m still going to try to be me. As much as I’m giving you that strong woman, there’s still that strong woman who is pretty vulnerable, and that’s pretty much everybody.”

Other tracks include “Magnificent”, a booming dancehall party jam produced by Mark Ronson featuring Kardinal Offishall. Ronson was impressed by the young rapper long before Shine was on the horizon. “I was in England about four years ago and caught the video for her first single ‘1980’,” he says. “I went straight to the record shop two hours later with the sole intention of buying it—that's how much I was blown away by it. Estelle is such a talented singer, rapper, vocal arranger, and songwriter. I can't think of anyone else who can do all those things as well as she can. Any time that we work together in the studio, she never comes up with an idea that's uninspiring.”

Sparks also flew between Estelle and Will.i.am when they recorded the album’s first single, “Wait a Minute (Just a Touch)” anchored by an experimental spin on Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put a Spell on You.” The pair also came up with funk-infused “American Boy” after Legend requested “a hit.” Of the song, which features Kanye West, she laughs, “I gave the ladies an anthem!”

The album’s love songs, while sensual, reveal a thoughtfulness when it comes to modern day matters of the heart. “I’m a real woman. Been in relationships and been hurt, and hurt other people.” When she got into the booth with Wyclef for “Substitute Lover,” Estelle’s answer to the shorty shout-outs dominating hip hop radio, he said he had never worked with a young artist that reminded him so much of Lauryn Hill, mostly because of Estelle’s improvisational style. “I did it on a level of, let me just speak my mind, and then a lot of women out there agree with it.”

Out in spring 2008, Shine is a truly original mix of sounds. Where Senegal meets London and hops the pond. Where funk shimmies up against reggae and R&B. Somewhere out of this world is where you’ll find Estelle.

Do you also would like to share your opinion? If so, please register or login here.

Details

Popular Songs

New Songs

Estelle - Shine