kids encyclopedia robot

Jamelia facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Jamelia
Jamelia (49188174882).jpg
Jamelia in 2019
Born
Jamelia Niela Davis

(1981-01-11) 11 January 1981 (age 44)
Occupation
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • actress
  • television presenter
Years active 1999–present
Spouse(s)
Darren Byfield
(m. 2008; div. 2009)
Children 4
Musical career
Genres
Labels

Jamelia Niela Davis (born January 11, 1981) is a British singer, actress, and TV star. She is known for her pop and R&B music. Jamelia has released three studio albums and has had eight top-10 singles in the UK. She has won four MOBO Awards and has been nominated for nine BRIT Awards.

Her music career started in 1999. Her first big hit was the song "Superstar". It reached number three on the UK charts and number one in Australia. After releasing three albums, she left her record label, Parlophone.

Besides music, Jamelia has appeared on many TV shows. She was a judge on Move Like Michael Jackson and a panelist on the talk show Loose Women. She has also acted in shows like Hollyoaks and Death in Paradise.

Early Life

Jamelia was born in Handsworth, Birmingham, England. Her mother, Paulette Davis, raised her. Her parents are both Jamaican. Jamelia grew up in the Hockley area of Birmingham. She went to Brookfields Primary School and later CTC Kingshurst Academy.

Music Career

1999–2001: Starting Out with Drama

Jamelia was signed to a record label when she was only 15 years old. Producers heard her singing songs she wrote herself on a karaoke machine. In 1999, she was signed by Parlophone records.

She released her first album, Drama, in 2000. Her single "I Do" was her first successful song in the UK. Her next single, "Money", was a bigger hit. It reached number five on the UK charts. The song's music video won a MOBO Award in 2000.

2003–2005: Mainstream Success with Thank You

After her daughter Teja was born in 2001, Jamelia recorded her second album, Thank You. The first single from the album was "Bout", featuring the American rapper Rah Digga.

Her next single, "Superstar", became a huge hit. It reached number three in the UK and was the 26th best-selling song of 2003. The album Thank You was re-released with new songs. One new song was "See It in a Boy's Eyes", which she worked on with Coldplay's Chris Martin.

The song "Thank You" became her highest-charting single, reaching number two in the UK. It won a MOBO Award for Best Single. The album was very successful and sold over 600,000 copies in the UK. This success led to five BRIT Award nominations for Jamelia.

In 2004, she was part of the Band Aid 20 charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?". The song went to number one in the UK. She also recorded the song "Stop!" for the movie Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.

2005–2010: Walk with Me Album

Jamelia in 2007 (cropped)
Jamelia in 2007.

After her second daughter, Tiani, was born in 2005, Jamelia started working on her third album, Walk with Me. The first single, "Something About You", was released in 2006 and reached the top 10.

The album received good reviews from critics. The second single, "Beware of the Dog", also made it to the top 10. This song included a sample from the Depeche Mode song "Personal Jesus".

Even though the album had hit singles, it did not sell as well as Thank You. Jamelia later said she felt the album didn't flow well. In 2007, she released a greatest hits album called Superstar - The Hits. Soon after, she left her record label, Parlophone.

Television and Acting Career

A Charter for the Arts Launch (49126751046) (cropped)
Jamelia in 2019

Jamelia has had a successful career on television. In 2013 and 2014, she was a coach on The Voice of Ireland. From 2013 to 2016, she was a regular panelist on the ITV talk show Loose Women.

She has also acted in several TV shows. In 2013, she appeared in the BBC drama Death in Paradise. In 2016, she was in an episode of the BBC soap opera Doctors.

In 2021, Jamelia joined the cast of the popular soap opera Hollyoaks as the character Sharon Bailey. She became a regular cast member in 2023. She has also appeared on many other shows, including Strictly Come Dancing in 2015 and Bear Grylls: Mission Survive.

Other Work

Jamelia has been involved in many other projects. She has modeled for brands like Pretty Polly and Reebok. She has also been the face of advertising campaigns for Jaguar Cars and Boots.

She has worked with charities like Oxfam and has supported campaigns to raise awareness for HIV and AIDS. In 2007, she co-hosted the MOBO Awards with the musician Shaggy.

Jamelia has also presented TV documentaries. In Jamelia: Whose Hair Is It Anyway?, she explored the hair extension industry. She also presented Jamelia: Shame About Single Mums for BBC Three.

Personal Life

Rallying in Birmingham (49188004576)
Jamelia taking a selfie with then Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn at a 2019 general election campaign rally in Birmingham. Jamelia endorsed Labour in the 2019 general election

Jamelia has four daughters. Her first daughter was born in 2001. She has said that her song "Thank You" was inspired by a difficult past relationship.

She was married to footballer Darren Byfield from 2008 to 2009, and they have a daughter together, born in 2005. In 2022, Jamelia announced she was expecting her fourth child.

In 2019, Jamelia showed her support for the Labour Party in the UK general election.

Discography

Studio albums
  • Drama (2000)
  • Thank You (2003)
  • Walk with Me (2006)

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2000–2009 Never Mind the Buzzcocks Herself - Panellist 5 episodes
2003 Hollyoaks Herself Episode: "#1.1044"
2007 Gameshow Marathon Herself - Contestant Series 2, 6 episodes
2008 Jamelia: Whose Hair Is It Anyway? Herself - Presenter TV film documentary
2008–2013 8 Out of 10 Cats Herself - Panellist 8 episodes
2009 Would I Lie to You? Episode: "#3.3"
Move Like Michael Jackson Herself - Judge 4 episodes (as Jamelia Davis)
Let's Dance for Sport Relief Episode: "#1.2"
2011 Jamelia: Shame About Single Mums Herself - Presenter TV film documentary
2012 The Diamond Heist Cherry Valentine Film (Original title: Magic Boys)
Crime Stories Alice Dixon Episode: "#1.17" (as Jamelia Davis)
Celebrity Chase Herself - Contestant Series 2, Episode 7: "Text Santa Special"
2013 Big Star's Little Star Episode: "#1.1"
Death in Paradise Aimee Fredericks Series 2, Episode 5: "Death Onboard"
I Love My Country Herself - House band singer 8 episodes
2013–2014 The Voice of Ireland Herself - Coach / Judge Series 2 & 3
2013–2016 Loose Women Herself - Regular panellist Series 18–20
2014 Tipping Point: Lucky Stars Herself - Contestant Episode: "#2.7"
2015 All Star Family Fortunes Episode: "Sam Bailey vs. Jamelia"
Strictly Come Dancing Series 13, 21 episodes
Bear Grylls: Mission Survive Herself - Participant 6 episodes
2016 Doctors Helena Wales Episode: "Waste of Shame"
The Diary Detective Inspective Anisa Powell Short film
2018 Pointless Celebrities Herself - Contestant Series 11, Episode: "Christmas Special"
2020 Richard Osman's House of Games Series 3, 5 episodes
2021, 2023–2024 Hollyoaks Sharon Bailey Series regular, 47 episodes
2022 Little Darlings Kate Williams Mini-series, 4 episodes
On Tour: Little Darlings Mini-series, 2 episodes: "Birthday" and "Lucky Charm"
Little Darlings: Songs Mini-series, 2 episodes: "Little Darlings" and "Just a Little"
The Hit List Herself - Contestant Series 5, Episode 9: "Celebrity Special" with Lemar
2023 Celebrity Masterchef Series 18, 6 episodes
2024 Drama Queens Herself TV series
2024 Celebs Go Dating Herself Cast member; series 13
2025 Just Act Normal Fake Jackie TV series

Awards and Nominations

Jamelia has won many awards for her music. Here are some of them:

  • MOBO Awards: She has won four MOBO awards, including Best Video for "Money" and Best Single for "Thank You".
  • Q Awards: She won Best Single for "See It in a Boy's Eyes".
  • Urban Music Awards: She won Best R&B Act twice.

She has also been nominated for nine Brit Awards, including Best British Female and Best British Single.

Tours

  • 2004 Thank You Tour

Jamelia has also performed as the opening act for famous artists like Destiny's Child, Justin Timberlake, and Usher.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Jamelia para niños

  • List of one-word stage names
  • List of Strictly Come Dancing contestants
kids search engine
Jamelia Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.