LaToya London facts for kids

Quick facts for kids LaToya London
Background information
Birth name	LaToya Renee London
Born	(1978-12-29) December 29, 1978 (age 46) San Francisco, California, United States
Genres	R&B, soul, jazz
Occupations	Singer, actress
Years active	2004–present
Labels	Peak Records (2005-2006)

LaToya Renee London (born December 29, 1978) is an American R&B and soul singer and stage actress. She became well-known after finishing fourth on the third season of the TV show American Idol. Her first album, Love & Life, was released in September 2005. It featured several popular R&B songs.

LaToya has also focused on acting in plays. She played the role of Nettie in the national tour of the Broadway musical The Color Purple from 2007 to 2010. For this role, she won an Ovation Award. She also starred in the first U.S. regional show of The Bodyguard, a musical based on the 1992 movie.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

LaToya London was born in San Francisco, California, and grew up in Oakland, California. She had her first public singing performance at age 7, at her mother's wedding. Her love for singing started even earlier, at age 4, when she often sang at her church.

As a teenager, she sang with the Oakland Youth Chorus from 1993 to 1996. She graduated from Skyline High School in 1996. Before American Idol, she worked as a waitress and bartender. She also sang in a Christian rock group and was a backup singer for artists in the Bay Area. When she joined American Idol, she was the main singer for a band called All-Star Jukebox, which often performed at weddings.

American Idol Journey

LaToya London tried out for the third season of American Idol in Los Angeles, California. Even though she kept moving forward in the competition, she wasn't shown much on TV at first. Many fans didn't know much about her before the live shows began.

Rising to Fame

As one of the semifinalists, she sang "All by Myself" by Eric Carmen. Her performance earned a standing ovation from judges Donna Summer, Randy Jackson, and Paula Abdul. Randy Jackson called her performance "brilliant" and "what the search for a superstar is all about." Paula Abdul said she was "unbelievable." Simon Cowell said she was "the best of the group" and that it was a "superb, outstanding performance." She received the most audience votes that week, with 32.3 percent, and moved on to the final 12 contestants.

Over the next nine weeks, LaToya had many great moments on American Idol. Simon Cowell called her singing of Chaka Khan's "Ain't Nobody" "amazing" and "awesome."

Voting Surprises

LaToya was part of a big discussion on the show. On April 21, 2004, after the top seven contestants performed, LaToya, Jennifer Hudson, and the eventual winner Fantasia Barrino were in the bottom three. These three singers were often called "The Three Divas" because of their highly praised performances. LaToya had the most votes among the three, and Jennifer Hudson was eliminated.

Because all three singers were African American and strong contenders, music star Elton John suggested the voting was unfair. This caused a lot of news and talk about how the voting system worked. John said he was impressed with "the three people... and they just happened to be black, young female singers, and they all seem to be landing in the bottom three."

Another surprise happened on May 11, 2004. The final four contestants each sang two disco songs. Simon Cowell, who had called LaToya the best singer, said his only issue was that he still didn't know much about her after ten weeks. He also suggested that another contestant, Jasmine Trias, would likely be voted off. However, on May 12, LaToya London was eliminated, finishing in fourth place. Fantasia Barrino was also in the bottom two that night. LaToya's farewell song was "Don't Rain on My Parade."

American Idol Performances

Here are the songs LaToya London sang on American Idol:

Career After American Idol

After leaving American Idol, LaToya London quickly became involved in new projects. She was part of a voting campaign called Declare Yourself, which encouraged young people to vote. Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown even declared May 4 to be LaToya London Day. She also received the key to the city.

Her version of "If You Don't Know Me by Now" on the American Idol Season 3: Greatest Soul Classics album was highly praised. She also performed on the group song "Ain't No Mountain High Enough."

Tours and Performances

In the summer of 2004, LaToya toured with the other top 10 finalists from American Idol season three. This tour went across the United States and also visited China and Singapore. She was a guest host on the TV show Access Hollywood. She has performed at many events, including for the Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation and 100 Black Men of America. LaToya has also sung the national anthem at several National Football League games, including a party before the 2005 Super Bowl. She has shared the stage with famous artists like Elton John, Whoopi Goldberg, Barry Manilow, and Gladys Knight.

Music Releases

In November 2004, LaToya signed with Peak Records, a jazz music label. Her first song, "Appreciate," came out in July 2005. It featured a rap from Black Thought of the group The Roots. The single "Appreciate/Every Part of Me/All By Myself" reached number eight on the Billboard Singles Sales Chart.

Love & Life Album

Her first studio album, Love & Life, was released on September 20, 2005. The album mixed R&B, soul, jazz, and hip-hop. LaToya helped write some of the songs, and it also featured songs by famous producers like David Foster. The San Francisco Chronicle praised her "impassioned and polished" voice. People magazine called it one of the best albums released by an American Idol contestant. Apple Computer's iTunes named it one of the best albums of 2005. The album sold about 58,000 copies.

LaToya released two more songs, "Every Part of Me" and "State of My Heart," in 2006. "State of My Heart" reached number 40 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Tracks chart.

Even though she had a deal for three albums, LaToya later left Peak Records. She is now writing new songs for her second album and looking for a new record label.

Stage Acting Career

In February 2006, LaToya got a main role in the touring play Issues: We All Have 'Em. She also sang a jazz version of "Hark! Hear the Bells" on the VH1 Soul Train Christmas TV special. She sang the same song on a special edition of the 40th Anniversary A Charlie Brown Christmas album.

In late 2006, LaToya made her professional stage debut in Los Angeles. She starred in the musical Beehive in North Hollywood. LaToya and the show received great reviews. The cast was even nominated for an award for Best Ensemble Performance.

LaToya played Nettie in The Color Purple, starting in Chicago in 2007. She finished her run in 2010 and was nominated for a NAACP Theatre Award in 2008 for best supporting actress.

Urban Punk and Recent Work

In 2010, LaToya London teamed up with hip-hop artist H2O to form the group Urban Punk. They create music that mixes Europop melodies with hip-hop beats. They have released two songs, "Around the World" and "Twisted."

In June 2013, LaToya joined the cast of the Carolina Opry in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. She has also starred in other national tours, including Redemption of a Dogg and Tyler Perry's Madea on the Run. She played the lead role in the U.S. regional debut of The Bodyguard musical.

Personal Life

While on American Idol, LaToya London shared that she was married and had stepchildren. Later, she confirmed that she and her husband had divorced.

Politics and Public Service

LaToya London has used her platform to encourage young people to participate in elections. She posed for a political campaign by Declare Yourself, which aimed to get young people to register to vote for the 2008 United States presidential election. The ads gained national attention.

LaToya also performed "Ain't Nobody" in Oakland on Election Day 2008. This performance celebrated Barack Obama's historic victory as president.

Discography

Albums

Singles

• Appreciate/Every Part of Me/All By Myself (August 2005)
• Every Part of Me
• State Of My Heart Number 40 Hot AC Tracks

Guest Contributions

LaToya London has also lent her voice to other artists' songs:

• "I Know You Want Me" (with H2O from "The Mixtape Vol. 1") (2004)
• "I Want to Show You" (with H2O from "The Mixtape Vol. 1") (2004)
• "Konfessions" (with H2O from "The Mixtape Vol. 1") (2004)
• "Keeps Me Movin'" (with Golden Sol), from The Golden Sol EP) (August 2005)
• "Hold Up (Wait a Minute)" (with John Payne from The Journey) (October 2006)
• "I Want To Be Loved (By You)" (with Paul Taylor from "Ladies' Choice (Paul Taylor album)") (March 2007)

Awards and Nominations

Ovation Awards

• 2012: Won the award for Featured Actress in a Musical for her role as Shug Avery in the Celebration Theatre production of "The Color Purple: The Musical"