V V Brown facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
V V Brown
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Brown performing in 2008 at the Bristol O2 Academy
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Vanessa Brown |
| Born | 24 October 1983 Northampton, Northamptonshire, England |
| Genres | Indie pop, dance-punk |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, model, producer |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano, guitar, percussion |
| Years active | 1998-present |
| Labels | Island Records Universal Republic Records Universal Music Group Capitol Records EMI |
Vanessa Brown (born 24 October 1983), known as VV Brown, is a British singer, songwriter, model, and music producer. She is famous for her unique blend of indie pop and dance-punk music.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Vanessa Brown was born in Northampton, England. She is the oldest of six children. Her mother is from Jamaica, and her father is from Puerto Rico.
She went to Overstone Park School near Northampton. Her parents own and work at this school. Later, she attended Kingsthorpe Upper School, now called Kingsthorpe Community College. She finished her A-levels a year early.
VV Brown started learning violin when she was young. At age nine, she switched to piano, singing, and trumpet. She found these instruments easier to play. By age 16, she passed her grade 8 trumpet exam. She played in jazz bands until she was 21. Her favorite musicians growing up were jazz legends like Ella Fitzgerald and Dizzy Gillespie. She also loved hip-hop music. Her friends gave her the nickname "VV" because she was a good MC in middle school.
Music Career Highlights
Early Steps in Music (2002–2006)
When she was 18, VV Brown tried out for a VH1 Divas concert. An executive from London Records noticed her. She was offered a development deal. This deal ended after a year. Later, she signed deals with Polydor in the UK and A&M Records in the US. She left both labels in 2006. During this time, she released one single and an EP called Back to the Music.
Travelling Like the Light (2007–2009)
VV Brown moved back to London. She started performing in small clubs. An executive named Darcus Beese rediscovered her. She then signed with Island Records. She recorded her first album, Travelling Like the Light, between 2007 and 2008.
Many songs on the album were about her personal feelings. These included the singles Crying Blood, Leave!, Game Over, and Shark in the Water. "Shark in the Water" became a big hit. It reached the music charts in Britain, France, and the US. The song sold over 1.5 million copies. It also earned gold status in the US and France in 2009.
Album Changes and New Releases (2011–2015)
In 2011, VV Brown planned to release her second album, Lollipops & Politics. Before it came out, she shared a free preview mixtape called The Playground on SoundCloud.
The first single from Lollipops & Politics was "Children." It featured Chiddy from Chiddy Bang. This song was released in America in September 2011. Brown announced the album title and track list in October. It was set to be released in early 2012. However, the release was delayed until 2013. Then, it was canceled completely. Brown explained on Facebook that she "didn't feel it was right as an artist."
Instead, she released a new album called Samson & Delilah. She recorded it in London with Dave Okumu and Pierre-Marie Maulini. This album came out in September 2013. A song called 10 Ft. Tall, which was meant for Lollipops & Politics, was released separately. The music video for the first single, "Samson," came out in May.
In July 2015, Brown confirmed her third album, Glitch, would be released. The first single, "Shift," was shared on her SoundCloud in August. She raised money for the album through Pledge Music. Glitch was released on September 25, 2015. It was available as a digital download, on vinyl, and on CD.
Children's Book and Recent Music (2020–Present)
In 2020, VV Brown wrote her first children's book. It is called Lily and the Magic Comb. She released it through her own company, Woke Kids Publishing. The book received good reviews. The Independent newspaper named it one of the top children's books with empowering Black characters.
After a six-year break from music, VV Brown returned in 2023. She released her new album, Am I British Yet?.
Touring and Performances
VV Brown toured a lot in 2008. Damon Albarn invited her to play on the Africa Express tour. She sang with Femi, the son of Fela Kuti. Brown also toured with Ladyhawke and The Ting Tings. She performed at many festivals, including Camden Crawl, The Great Escape, Evolution Music, Camp Bestival, Supersonic, and Turning Point.
In March 2009, Brown played for the Teenage Cancer Trust event. This concert was held at the Royal Albert Hall. In June, she performed at the Glastonbury Festival. She was the only new artist to play on the main stage that year. She also performed with Grace Jones and Sly and Robbie. This was for Island Records' 50th anniversary concert.
In 2010, Brown supported the band Little Dragon on their US tour. She also opened for Pink on her UK Carnival Tour. She was an opening act for Maroon 5. This was her biggest North American tour. She also had a sold-out tour of small clubs in the US. She performed at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. She sang with rapper Q-Tip. Later, she performed for 20,000 people in Morocco.
VV Brown has also toured with The Script and Ida Maria. She has worked with or performed alongside many artists. These include Babyshambles, Annie Lennox, Paloma Faith, Kate Nash, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, Chipmunk, N-Dubz, and Reverend and The Makers.
Fashion and Style
In 2008, VV Brown joined a charity fashion show. It was hosted by Naomi Campbell. She walked the runway with models like Tyson Beckford and Daisy Lowe. The next year, she modeled and performed at the Ashish fashion show for London Fashion Week.
Brown has appeared in advertisements for Marks & Spencer. She was in campaigns with models like Twiggy, Lisa Snowdon, and Dannii Minogue. She has also been photographed for many international magazines. These include i-D, Vogue, Paper, LOVE, Elle, and Cosmopolitan.
In 2012, Brown started an online clothing shop. It was called VVVintage, but it is no longer active.
Charity Work
VV Brown has supported many charities. These include the Teenage Cancer Trust, Oxfam, NSPCC, and the Recycling Foundation. She also supports causes like helping people in Africa and fair trade. She made a video for Global Cool. Brown has also been part of Rockcorps shows. These shows let teenagers work for their community. In return, they get a ticket to a concert. Brown took part in London Rockcorps shows. She also worked in Paris with French teenagers.
Television Appearances
In November 2010, VV Brown was on the MTV show World of Jenks. This show followed her as she tried to become famous in the US music scene. Her music has also been used in many American TV shows and movies. These include CSI, Sex and The City, Ugly Betty, The Back Up Plan, and Lesbian Vampire Killers.
VV Brown first appeared on UK TV on Later...with Jools Holland in 2008. She also appeared on shows like Alan Carr Show, The Album Chart Show, T4, and GMTV. Her French TV debut was on Taratata in 2009. The next day, her album reached number 1 on the digital chart. This led to other French TV shows, like Le Grand Journal.
Brown's American TV debut was on The Rachael Ray Show. This led to appearances on other shows. These included The Late Show with David Letterman, Last Call with Carson Daly, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Brown also performed on the BET show Black Girls Rock! in 2010. She performed alongside artists like Keyshia Cole, Jill Scott, Keri Hilson, and Mary J. Blige. Brown said it was a great chance to celebrate Black women in music and the community.
In February 2011, Brown's song "Travelling Like the Light" was used in a new BT advert in the UK. It also got a two-year deal for a car advertisement on Canadian television. The song "L.O.V.E." was used in commercials for Unilever's Best Foods/Hellmann's Mayonnaise in the United States.
Brown appeared on Later... with Jools Holland again in October 2013. She performed "Faith" and "The Apple" from her album Samson & Delilah. She also sang a duet with Jools Holland. They performed a version of "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by the Eurythmics.
Discography
- Travelling Like the Light (2009)
- Samson & Delilah (2013)
- Glitch (2015)
- Am I British Yet? (2023)
