Amel Larrieux facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amel Larrieux
|
|
|---|---|
Larrieux in San Diego on October 30, 2008
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Amel Eliza Stowell |
| Born | March 8, 1973 New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Instruments |
|
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Labels |
|
| Associated acts | Groove Theory |
Amel Eliza Larrieux (born March 8, 1973) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. She became well-known in the mid-1990s as a founding member of the music group Groove Theory. After leaving the group in 1999, she started her solo career. Her first solo album, Infinite Possibilities, was released in 2000.
In 2003, Amel Larrieux and her husband, Laru Larrieux, started their own music company called Blisslife Records. She has released several albums through this independent (meaning not owned by a big company) label. Amel Larrieux has been inspired by many famous musicians, including Ella Fitzgerald, Prince, Sade, and Stevie Wonder.
Contents
Life and Music Career
Early Life
Amel Eliza Stowell was born on March 8, 1973, in New York City.
Groove Theory Days
In 1991, Amel Larrieux met Bryce Wilson, a musician and producer. Bryce was looking for a singer to work with, and they started making music together. Soon, they formed a duo called Groove Theory. Their first album, also called Groove Theory, had popular songs like "Tell Me" and "Baby Luv." Their music was also featured in movie soundtracks.
Amel decided to leave the group in 1999 to start her own solo music journey. She explained that she wanted different things for her music, and it was time for her to move on. After she left, another singer, Makeda Davis, took her place until the group officially ended in 2001.
Starting a Solo Career
In 1996, before her first solo album, Amel Larrieux sang on a song called "You Will Rise" with the band Sweetback. This song became quite popular on the R&B charts.
Her first solo album, Infinite Possibilities, came out in February 2000. She wrote and produced this album with her husband, Laru Larrieux. The album did well on the music charts, and the song "Get Up" became her biggest solo hit.
After this album, Amel Larrieux decided to leave her major record label, Epic Records. She felt that the label wanted her to change her music style. So, she and her husband started their own independent label, Blisslife Records. This allowed her to have more control over her music.
In 2001, Amel Larrieux sang a cover of "Sophisticated Lady" with artist Clark Terry. This song was part of an album that helped raise money for charities working to fight AIDS.
Amel Larrieux has spoken about the benefits of being an independent artist. She believes that with the internet, it's easier for independent musicians to reach their fans directly.
Her second album, Bravebird, was released in 2004 through Blisslife Records. It was very popular on the independent album charts. The song "For Real" showed off her amazing vocal range, including very high notes. A part of her song "Giving Something Up" was used in a commercial for a campaign about HIV/AIDS awareness.
Amel Larrieux also worked with famous musicians Stanley Clarke and Glenn Lewis on a cover of "Where Is the Love." This song was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2004, which is a very important music award.
Her third album, Morning, came out in 2006. It included the song "Weary," which was popular on the Adult R&B charts. This album is her highest-charting album to date. Another song, "No One Else," was featured in the soundtrack for the 2007 movie Why Did I Get Married?.
In 2007, Amel Larrieux released Lovely Standards, an album where she sang classic jazz standard songs. This album was very successful on the Jazz Albums chart. She also appeared on a song called "Resist the Temptation" on a greatest hits album by the rapper 2Pac.
In 2010, there was news that Amel Larrieux was working with Bryce Wilson again on a new Groove Theory album. They even performed together in Japan. However, as of 2011, they hadn't recorded new music.
Amel Larrieux released songs like "Orange Glow" and "Don't Let Me Down" from her fifth album, Ice Cream Every Day, in 2009. The song "Don't Let Me Down" was used to help raise money for efforts to protect women in Congo. Her album Ice Cream Every Day was released in 2013. She explained that it took a while to release because she kept adding and removing songs to make it perfect.
Her song "Don't Let Me Down" was also featured in the 2014 movie Beyond the Lights.
Discography
Studio Albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B/HH |
US R&B |
US Indie |
US Jazz |
JPN |
||
| Infinite Possibilities |
|
79 | 21 | — | — | — | — |
| Bravebird |
|
166 | 28 | — | 5 | — | 149 |
| Morning |
|
74 | 8 | — | 5 | — | — |
| Lovely Standards |
|
195 | 32 | — | 22 | 3 | — |
| Ice Cream Everyday |
|
— | 43 | 20 | — | — | — |
| "—" means the album did not appear on that specific music chart. | |||||||
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B |
US Adult R&B |
|||
| "You Will Rise" (Sweetback featuring Amel Larrieux) |
1996 | — | 42 | 20 | Sweetback |
| "Get Up" | 1999 | 97 | 37 | 10 | Infinite Possibilities |
| "Sweet Misery" | 2000 | — | 81 | 30 | |
| "I N I" | — | — | — | ||
| "Make Me Whole" | — | — | — | ||
| "Now You Know Better" (Mondo Grosso featuring Amel Larrieux) |
— | — | — | MG4 | |
| "For Real" | 2004 | — | 45 | 22 | Bravebird |
| "Weary" | 2006 | — | — | 29 | Morning |
| "If I Were a Bell" | 2007 | — | — | — | Lovely Standards |
| "Orange Glow" | 2009 | — | — | — | Ice Cream Everyday |
| "Don't Let Me Down" | — | — | — | ||
| "Afraid" | 2013 | — | — | 13 | |
| "—" means the single did not appear on that specific music chart. | |||||
Promotional Singles
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Glitches (The Skin You're In)" (with The Roots) |
2001 | Red Star Sounds Volume One: Soul Searching |
Guest Appearances
| Title | Year | Other artist(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Suspended In Time" | 1995 | Group Home | Livin' Proof |
| "Live for the Love" | 1996 | Reign | Indestructible |
| "Time After Time" | 1997 | Towa Tei, Viv | Sound Museum |
| "It's Luv" | Deja Gruv | Luv Jonz | |
| "Guidance" | 2000 | Guru | Guru's Jazzmatazz: Streetsoul |
| "Now You Know Better" | Mondo Grosso | MG4 | |
| "Glitches" | 2001 | The Roots | Down to Earth: Music from the Motion Picture |
| "Sophisticated Lady" | Clark Terry | Red Hot + Indigo | |
| "Believe in Love" | N/A | Epic Records: A Season of Soul and Sounds | |
| "I Don't Know" | 2002 | Soulive | Next |
| "What's Come Over Me?" | Glenn Lewis | Barbershop: Music from the Motion Picture | |
| "Where Is the Love" | 2003 | Stanley Clarke, Glenn Lewis | 1, 2, To the Bass |
| "No One Else" | 2007 | N/A | Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture |
| "Resist the Temptation" | 2Pac | Best of 2Pac Part 1: Thug |
Music Videos
| Title | Year | Director(s) |
|---|---|---|
| "You Will Rise" (Sweetback featuring Amel Larrieux) |
1996 | Polish Brothers |
| "Get Up" | 1999 | Floria Sigismondi |
| "Sweet Misery" | 2000 | Earle Sebastian |
| "Glitches (The Skin You're In)" (with The Roots) |
2001 | Nzingha Stewart |
| "For Real" | 2004 | Sanaa Hamri |
| "Weary" | 2006 | Jon Menefee and 8 Hertz |
