Taio Cruz facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Taio Cruz
Cruz in 2017
Background information
Birth name	Adetayo Ayowale Onile-Ere
Also known as	Tayo Onile-Ere Jacob Cruz
Born	(1980-04-23) 23 April 1980 (age 45) Brent, London, England
Genres	Pop dance-pop R&B hip hop
Occupations	Singer songwriter rapper record producer
Years active	2003–present
Labels	Rokstarr Island Republic 4th & B'way Mercury Tourean Warner Bros. Universal
Associated acts	Fraser T. Smith Kylie Minogue Ludacris McFly Nitin Sawhney Tinchy Stryder Tinie Tempah Travie McCoy Tricky Stewart David Guetta

Adetayo Ayowale Onile-Ere (born on April 23, 1980), known as Jacob Taio Cruz, is an English singer, songwriter, rapper, and music producer. He became famous in the late 2000s with his catchy pop and dance songs. Some of his biggest hits include "Break Your Heart" and "Dynamite." He has also written songs for many other popular artists.

About Taio Cruz

Early Life and Music Journey

Taio Cruz was born Adetayo Ayowale Onile-Ere in London, England. His father was a lawyer from Nigeria, and his mother was from Brazil. He grew up in London and went to different schools there.

Taio started his music career as a songwriter. In 2005, he won a Brit Award for helping to write the song "Your Game" for Will Young. This showed everyone his talent for creating hit songs.

In 2006, he started his own music company called Rockstar Music London. He then released his first song, "I Just Wanna Know." This song did well in the UK, which led him to sign deals with big record labels like Republic Records and Island Records.

First Album: Departure

Taio Cruz released his first album, Departure, in 2008. He wrote, arranged, and produced all the songs on this album himself. The album was very successful in the UK and was praised by music critics. It even got a nomination at the MOBO Awards in 2009.

Some popular songs from Departure included "Moving On" and "Come On Girl." He also released "I Can Be" and a remix of "She's Like a Star."

International Success with Rokstarr

Taio Cruz at a nightclub in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, in 2009.

Taio Cruz changed his music style for his second album, Rokstarr, which came out in 2009. He started making more electronic dance music (EDM) and pop songs. This album became a huge hit around the world.

The first song from Rokstarr was "Break Your Heart." It quickly became number one in the UK and also topped the charts in the United States. This song helped Taio Cruz become a global star. He even worked with American rapper Ludacris on a version of the song.

Another massive hit from the album was "Dynamite." This song also reached number one in the UK and was very popular in the US. "Dynamite" won several Billboard Awards in 2011, including Top Hot 100 Song.

Rokstarr also featured other popular songs like "Dirty Picture" with Kesha and "Higher" which had different versions featuring Kylie Minogue or Travie McCoy.

New Music and Collaborations

After Rokstarr, Taio Cruz released his third album, TY.O, in 2011. .....

He also wrote and sang the song "Telling the World" for the movie Rio soundtrack in 2011. In 2011, he collaborated with French DJ David Guetta and rapper Ludacris on the song "Little Bad Girl," which was a worldwide success.

In 2012, Taio Cruz performed at the closing ceremony of the London Summer Olympics. He sang his hit song "Dynamite" and also performed "Written in the Stars" with Jessie J and Tinie Tempah.

Since then, Taio Cruz has released many new songs. He decided to release collections of singles instead of full albums. One of these collections is called Roses Collection. He has also continued to work with other artists, writing songs for them.

Writing and Producing Songs

Taio Cruz is not just a singer; he is also a very talented songwriter and producer. He has written songs for many famous artists and groups.

Some of the songs he has written include:

• "Never Leave You" for Tinchy Stryder.
• "Shine a Light" for the band McFly.
• "I'm Into You" for Jennifer Lopez, featuring Lil Wayne.
• "Without You" for David Guetta, featuring Usher.
• "Little Bad Girl" for David Guetta, featuring himself and Ludacris.
• "Your Game" for Will Young.
• "Kiss Me" for Olly Murs.

Other Ventures

RXTR/Rokstarr Brand

In 2009, Taio Cruz launched his own fashion and accessories brand called Rokstarr. It started with sunglasses, which became popular with many celebrities. Later, the brand expanded to include watches, jeans, and T-shirts. In 2012, the brand was renamed RXTR.

Helping Others

Taio Cruz has also used his fame to help others. He worked with Little Kids Rock, a group that helps bring music education back to schools in the United States that need it most.

Discography

• Departure (2008)
• Rokstarr (2009)
• TY.O (2011)

Awards and Nominations

Taio Cruz has won many awards for his music:

See also

In Spanish: Taio Cruz para niños