Estelle (musician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Estelle
Estelle in 2011
Background information
Birth name	Estelle Fanta Swaray
Born	(1980-01-18) 18 January 1980 (age 45) London, England
Genres	R&B hip hop soul reggae grime dance
Occupation(s)	Singer rapper actress
Years active	2000–present
Labels	VP Est. 1980 BMG Warner Atlantic Mama's Boys Music Homeschool V2 Universal

Estelle Fanta Swaray (born January 18, 1980), known simply as Estelle, is a British singer, rapper, and actress. She is famous for mixing different music styles. These include R&B, soul, reggae, hip hop, and dance music. She has worked with many well-known American artists. Some of these include Kanye West, John Legend, and Chris Brown.

Estelle released her first album, The 18th Day, in 2004. It did well in the UK. Later, she signed with American singer John Legend's record label. In 2008, she released her second album, Shine. This album became popular around the world. Her song "American Boy" with Kanye West was a huge hit. It reached number one in the UK and won a Grammy Award. Her third album, All of Me (2012), also had a Grammy-nominated song called "Thank You".

Many people know Estelle as the voice of Garnet in the animated TV show Steven Universe. She also voiced Garnet in the movie and follow-up series. Estelle has appeared in movies like Beyond the Lights (2014) and Girls Trip (2017). She also hosts her own music show, The Estelle Show, on Apple Music.

Growing Up in London

Estelle Fanta Swaray was born and grew up in Hammersmith, London. Her mother's family came from Dakar, Senegal. Her father's family is from Grenada. Estelle is the oldest of nine children.

Her parents were very religious. Because of this, they did not allow non-religious music in their home. Estelle listened to spiritual music, especially American gospel, and West African music. But when she was not at home, she sometimes listened to hip hop.

She enjoyed her parents' reggae records and her aunt's soul music. Later, her uncle introduced her to hip hop. She remembers him playing music by artists like Kool G Rap. By her early twenties, Estelle decided she wanted a career in music. Before becoming a singer, she worked as a nanny.

Her Music Journey

Starting Her Career (2000–2005)

Estelle began her music journey at a famous hip-hop record store in London called Deal Real. Her co-workers encouraged her to perform on stage. Soon, she was singing in many London clubs. She also performed with artists like Manuva.

A well-known DJ named Skitz asked her to be on his 2001 album. After that, she appeared on albums by other artists. Her first solo song, "Excuse Me," came out in 2003.

Her career really took off when she met Kanye West in Los Angeles. Estelle walked up to him and asked to meet John Legend. She eventually met Legend, who helped produce two songs on her first album. This album, The 18th Day, was released in the UK in October 2004. Her song "1980" became a hit, reaching number 14 on the UK Singles Chart. The album was a success, reaching number 35 on the UK albums chart. Estelle also won a MOBO Award for Best Newcomer in the UK.

Global Success with Shine (2008–2009)

Estelle at the Heart Truth campaign in 2009.

Three years later, American R&B singer John Legend announced that Estelle would be the first artist on his new record label, HomeSchool. This label worked with Atlantic Records in the US. Four years after her first album, Estelle released her second album, Shine. This was her first album released in the US and her first with a major record label.

Many famous artists helped create Shine. These included Kanye West, Swizz Beatz, Wyclef Jean, and Will.i.am. John Legend was the main producer. Legend described her sound as a mix of hip hop, R&B, reggae, and soul. He praised her unique voice and songwriting skills.

Estelle performing in 2009.

The song "American Boy", featuring Kanye West, made Estelle very famous in 2008. This song reached the top 10 in many countries, including the US and Canada. It hit number one in the UK, Belgium, and Israel. "American Boy" won many awards, including a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. It was also nominated for Song of the Year. Shine was released after the single. It reached number 6 on the UK Albums Chart. The album sold enough copies to be certified gold in the UK. It was also nominated for the important 2008 Mercury Music Prize.

Estelle also worked with rapper Busta Rhymes on the song "World Go Round". In 2009, her song "Star" was released and used in commercials. Estelle also appeared on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien.

All of Me and New Directions (2010–2012)

Estelle performing at Pori Jazz Festival in Finland in 2012.

Estelle confirmed her third album would be called All of Me. The first song meant for the album was "Freak", with Kardinal Offishall. Another song, "Fall in Love", was also planned. However, these songs were not included on the final album. "Freak" did appear on the Step Up 3D movie soundtrack.

In 2010, Estelle also modeled for a fashion show to raise money for mothers in Haiti. She also appeared on other artists' albums.

In 2011, "Break My Heart", featuring Rick Ross, became the new main song for All of Me. It did well on the US Hip-Hop/R&B charts. Two other songs, "Thank You" and "Back to Love", were released as second singles. All of Me came out in the US in February 2012 and in the UK in March 2012.

True Romance and Voice Acting (2013–2016)

Estelle performing at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 2015.

In 2013, Estelle started her own independent record label called New London Records. She partnered with BMG. This allowed her to have more creative control over her music. She released parts of her "Love & Happiness" EP series on this new label. Estelle said she wanted to connect soul, R&B, London, and New York through music.

In November 2013, Estelle began her famous voice role as Garnet in the Cartoon Network animated series Steven Universe.

In 2014, Estelle performed at special events for Formula One races. She also released the first song from her fourth album, True Romance, called "Make Her Say (Beat It Up)." The next song was "Conqueror." After some delays, the album was released in February 2015.

In 2015, Estelle appeared on the TV show Empire. She sang a duet version of "Conqueror" with Jussie Smollett. This helped the song become a big hit in the US. Estelle also sang "We'll Be There," the theme song for Cartoon Network's We Bare Bears.

Lovers Rock and Acting (2017–Present)

In June 2017, Estelle announced she was working on a reggae album. The first song from it was "Love Like Ours" with Tarrus Riley. In July 2018, the album's title was revealed as Lovers Rock. It was released in September 2018.

Estelle also hosts The Estelle Show on Apple Music. On this show, she plays music that inspires her. Between 2019 and 2020, she continued to voice Garnet in Steven Universe Future. She also acted as Linda in the Netflix movie Fatal Affair. By October 2020, The Estelle Show had over 500 episodes.

Her Artistic Style

Musical Influences

Estelle is known for her skills in rapping, singing, acting, and songwriting. Musicians like John Legend and Roots Manuva have praised her talent. Estelle enjoys music from artists such as Todd Rundgren, Lauryn Hill, Kanye West, Nas, and Jay-Z.

She shares musical influences with other British singers like Amy Winehouse and Adele. Her main inspirations include Mary J. Blige and Ella Fitzgerald. Estelle has said that British music has been making a big impact for a long time. She is proud to be one of the first Black British artists to win a Grammy Award.

Music Albums

Studio albums

• The 18th Day (2004)
• Shine (2008)
• All of Me (2012)
• True Romance (2015)
• Lovers Rock (2018)

Film and TV Roles

Live-action Films

Live-action Television

Voice Roles in Films

Voice Roles in Television

Voice Roles in Video Games

Awards and Recognitions

Estelle has won many awards for her work. These include three MOBO Awards, a World Music Award, and a Grammy Award. Her Grammy was for Best Rap/Song Collaboration for "American Boy". She has also been nominated for two Brit Awards, including Best British Female Artist.