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• Sexy Song of the Day: Esthero, 'If Tha Mood'

  Examiner.com - Found Apr. 24, 2009 ... com's Modern Materialist blogger Steph Auteri (@stephauteri, @modmaterialist): 'If Tha Mood' is a sex-soaked Esthero track from 2005. Here's...

• Kanye Helping Pay For Esthero Album

  ChartAttack.com - Found Apr. 8, 2009 Lockdown' and 'RoboCop' for Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak and the title track of Brandy's Human last year, Esthero is working on a new record...

• Homegrown headliners cut teeth in local clubs

  Toronto Star Online - Found Jun. 18, 2009 Other musical highlights: Esthero (Wellesley Stage, Saturday, June 27, 6 p.m.): A blend of jazz, hip-hop, soul, funk and rock.

• The Black Eyed Peas Ultimate Mix

  IGN.com - Found Jun. 10, 2009 ... elements are its distinctive scratching, a Hong Kong cinema horn blast sample, and the mellow voice of Canadian soul singer, Esthero. REVIEW: 'E.N.D.' finds the Peas on full boil - USA Today Album review: Black Eyed Peas' 'The E.N.D.' - Chicago Tribune Fergie wows on Letterman show - Metro.co.uk The E.N.D.: The Black Eyed Peas - Toronto Star Online Explore All

• DJ Spiggy of 12 Pound Sound in da house

  Examiner.com - Found May. 19, 2009 What are some of your favorite tracks in the mix? The lead off track is an Ian Pooley tune with vocals by Esthero.

• Festival express

  Fast Forward Weekly - Found May. 15, 2009 Both coasts of Canada are also represented with Nova Scotias Tom Fun Orchestra, Ontarios Esthero, Apostle of Hustle and The Acorn, Arcade Fire...

• Bruno Evin / Djamel Hammadi / Julio Black: Man Ray Volume 1

  All About Jazz - Found May. 11, 2009 The Amalgamation of Soundz-Droplets; Esthero- Superheroes; Bill 'Ravi' Harris and The Prophets- Path of the Blazing Sarong; Butti 49- Brazilikum;

• Pride Toronto welcomes TD Canada Trust as the Premier Sponsor of ...

  Canada NewsWire - Found Jun. 15, 2009 June 28. Also scheduled to perform and thrill party and music lovers are superstars Fritz Helder & the Phantoms, Esthero and many others.

• Nearly Civilized (Video Game)

  Commander Bond - Found Apr. 17, 2009 / / Lyrics / Performed by Esthero Written by Devin Zydel on 20 Mar, 2009 Nearly Civilized (007: NightFire Video Game) Performed by Esthero Dont love ...

• The Weekend Embrace: Nude cheerleader edition featuring Carlie ...

  Examiner.com - Found Apr. 25, 2009 Mandy Moore's 'I Could Break Your Heart Any Day of the Week', Prince's cover of 'Crimson and Clover', Esthero's 'If Tha Mood', Kelly Clarkson... Playboy perfume enters Indian market - Silicon India Playboy Launches Second Rock the Rabbit Collection - License Explore All

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Esthero
Background information
Birth name	Jenny-Bea Englishman
Born	December 23, 1978 (1978-12-23) (age 30) Stratford, Ontario, Canada
Origin	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genre(s)	Trip hop, Hip hop, Nu Jazz, R&B/Soul, Breakbeat, Electro, Pop, Alternative, Rock
Occupation(s)	Singer
Years active	1997–present
Label(s)	Sony, Reprise, Warner Bros.
Website	www.nearlycivilized.com

Esthero (born Jenny-Bea Englishman, December 23, 1978 in Stratford, Ontario¹) is a Canadian singer-songwriter who currently lives in Los Angeles, California. The name Esthero, pronounced [ɛsˈtɛroʊ] es-TAIR-oh, refers both to the singer and formerly to the two-person team of herself and producer, Doc. She claims to have gotten the name by combining the name of the heroine (Esther) and last line ("If I am to be the hero, then I cannot fly from darkness.") of the movie from Sylvia Plath's novel, 'The Bell Jar'.

Esthero's sound characteristically features her voice over a mix of mellow bass lines, jazzy trumpets, Spanish guitar and hip-hop. She is sometimes compared to artists Björk, Portishead and Sade . Later artists who count Esthero among their influences include Res, Fergie and fellow Canadian Nelly Furtado.

Esthero's brother, Jason Englishman, is also a musician.

Contents 1 Career 2 Popular Culture 3 Discography 4 Collaborations 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

Career

At the age of sixteen, Esthero moved from the small town of Walkerton, Ontario on her own to Toronto, Ontario, where she began singing at open-mic nights while supporting herself by working at various jobs: Future Bakery, the printing house, and telemarketing. She was seen singing at the Free Times Cafe by manager Beau Ovcaric who set up a showcase for his partner Zack Werner. The two managed her on good faith without any legal paperwork until she turned eighteen. They introduced her to EMI Publishing Canada president Michael Mccarty, whom she charmed so well during their first meeting that without hearing her sing a single note he set up and paid for recording sessions with Doc, a guitarist and studio engineer. The young duo quickly began recording together, and 6 demos in were being courted on the presidency level by almost every major label in the US. Thanks to then EMI publishing US president Rick Krem their demo's reached the ears of the heads of the WORK Group (a subsidiary of Sony). Their debut album, Breath from Another, was released to critical acclaim in 1998.

On April 20, 2004, without Doc's assistance, Esthero released "O.G. Bitch," a standalone EP featuring six different remixes of the title track, plus the b-side "I Love You." The EP led the way to Esthero's 2005 full-length album on the Warner Bros. label, the decidedly jazzy Wikked Lil' Grrrls, seven years following her debut album, to extremely mixed critical reaction. The album features contributions from Sean Lennon, André 3000, Shakari Nite, Gnarls Barkley, Jemeni, Jelleestone, and Cee-Lo Green of Goodie Mob. It was chosen as one of Amazon.com's Top 100 Editor's Picks of 2005.

In 2007 Esthero amicably parted ways with Venus management and briefly joined forces with Shmanagement, based in Los Angeles, before switching representation to Creative Artists Agency. She continues to have a familial bond with Zack and Beau.

Esthero has appeared on the Chris Rock Show, Video on Trial, Jimmy Kimmel Live, as well as Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Farmclub with the Black Eyed Peas. She has also contributed songs to the films Go, Bounce, Zero Effect, I Think I Love My Wife and Down With Love, as well as the video game 007: Nightfire. Collaborations in which she has participated have appeared in Love & Basketball and Slam.

Her song "Wikked Lil' Grrrls" has also appeared in the film Miss Congeniality 2 and in commercial spots for Sex in the City and Desperate Housewives, and also on the TV show Las Vegas and its soundtrack.

Recently, on her MySpace profile, she reported that she had left Warner Bros.

2008 was an eventful year for Esthero, with a number of high-profile collaborations including the viral sensation Yes We Can, a song (with accompanying video) inspired by a speech delivered by Barack Obama and produced by Will.I.Am. Esthero also provided the voice of the spaceship J.A.N.E. on Kanye West's Glow in the Dark tour and appeared on his album 808s & Heartbreak, on which she co-wrote three tracks. 2008 also saw her take on the role of producer for a track from Dangerous Muse's debut album and a co-writer on Brandy's new album "Human".

Popular Culture

Her song "Heaven Sent" was once featured on the VH1 show Breaking Bonaduce. "Everyday is a Holiday (With You)" was used in episode one, season two of Grey's Anatomy entitled "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head", as well as in a national ad campaign for Zellers. Her song I Drive Alone was featured on lesbian TV series The L Word. This song also was featured on the season three soundtrack. "Country Livin' (The World I Know)" was featured in 2007's I Think I Love My Wife starring Chris Rock.

She is referenced by Talib Kweli in the Reflection eternal song "Some Kind of Wonderful" on the Album Train of Thought. "..listening to Esthero, puffin' vegetables..."

Discography

• Short of Breath (promo, 1998; Sony Records/The WORK Group)
• Breath From Another (CD, 1998; Sony Records/The WORK Group)
• Heaven Sent (CD single, 1998; Sony Records/The WORK Group)
• Zero Effect Motion Picture Soundtrack (CD, 1999) (Song "Lounge")
• Go: Music from the Motion Picture (Soundtrack) (CD 1999; Sony Records)(Song "Song For Holly")
• That Girl (promo, 1999; Sony Records/The WORK Group)
• I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (track not included on official soundtrack, 1999, "That Girl")
• Boiler Room Motion Picture Soundtrack (track not included on official movie soundtrack, 2000) (Song "Anywayz")
• "SuperNova" Lisa Left Eye Lopes Album2000 (Song "The UNiversal Quest")
• James Bond 007: Nightfire Video Game Soundtrack (PS2/GC/Xbox, 2002) (Song "Nearly Civilized")
• Taken to the Next Phase (Isley Brothers tribute CD, 2004; Epic Records/Legacy Records)
• O.G. Bitch (CD EP, 2004; Reprise Records)
• O.G. Bitch Remixes (CD 2004; Reprise Records)
• We R In Need of A Musical Revolution (CD EP, 2004 Reprise Records)
• Wikked Lil' Grrrls Samplers (Version 1 & 2) (CD, 2005; Warner Bros. Records)
• Wikked Lil' Grrrls (CD, 2005; Warner Bros. Records)
• Fastlane Remixes (CD, 2005; Warner Bros. Records)

Collaborations

1998

• "Country Livin'" (World I Know Version) by Goodie Mob and Esthero (From Slam: The Soundtrack)

1999

• "Final Home" (vocal edit featuring Esthero) by DJ Krush (from the album Kakusei; original pressings of this album do not contain the vocal edit; this track is also included on the Code 4109 album)
• "Song for Holly" with Danny Saber (for the soundtrack to the movie Go)

2000

• "When I Fall In Love" (featuring Bratticus) by Axus (from Soundtrack for Life; this is a cover of the jazz standard written by Heyman and Young.)
• "Complete Beloved" by Black Eyed Peas featuring Les Nubians (from Love & Basketball: Music from the Motion Picture; Esthero appears in the background vocals.)
• "The Hero" (featuring Esthero) by j. Englishman (from the album poor lil rockstar; Esthero also appears on demo version of "Don't Mean A Thing")
• "Don't Wanna Be Your Slave" (featuring Esthero) by Michie Mee (from Michie's album The First Cut is the Deepest)
• "Priceless" by Rascalz (from the album Global Warning; Esthero appears only in the background vocals)
• "Weekends" (featuring Esthero) by Black Eyed Peas (from the album Bridging the Gap; she also appeared in the music video for this song); Esthero is also featuring on a hidden track called "Empire Strikes Black"

2001

• "Balmes (A Better Life)" by Ian Pooley (from album Balmes (A Better Life); the original version of this track can be found on Ian Pooley's Since Then album. The vocal edit appears only on special editions of the album.)
• "Tao of Now" (featuring Esthero) by Saul Williams (from the album Amethyst Rock Star)
• "I Feel You" (featuring Esthero) by Nelly Furtado (from Nelly Furtado's Whoa Nelly! (International Version) and from the "I'm Like A Bird" single)
• "The Universal Quest" (featuring Esthero) by Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes (from the album Supernova)

2002

• "How Could I?" (featuring Esthero) by John Forté (from the album I, John)
• "Run for Your Life" (featuring Esthero) by Jarvis Church (from the album Shake It Off)
• "Keep The Beat" by Artists For WarChild Canada (from the compilation album Much Dance 2003; Esthero appears alongside other contemporary Canadian artists)
• "The Streets Where You Live" by The Buried Heart Broject (from the compilation album Women & Songs 6; this was charity single for the Buried Heart Society)

2003

• "White Rabbit" (featuring Esthero) by Blue Man Group (from the album The Complex)
• " Every Day is a Holiday (With You)" (featuring Sean Lennon) by Esthero (from Down With Love: Music from the Motion Picture (2003); the song does not appear in the film but does appear on Esthero's 2005 album Wikkid Lil Grrrls)
• "Heaven" (featuring Esthero) by Sugar Ray (from the album In the Pursuit of Leisure)
• "Coming Down" (featuring Esthero) by The Oddities (from the album Scenic Route)
• "One Life" (featuring Poetic & Esthero) by Last Emperor (from the album Music, Magic & Myth)

2004

• "Life" by Artists For WarChild Canada (from the compilation album Much Dance 2004; Esthero appears alongside Graph Nobel, Jully Black and Keshia Chante)
• "Summertime" (featuring Esthero) by Mos Def (from the album Mos Def Presents Medina Green)
• "Summer Breeze" (featuring Esthero) by Onda (from the compilation cover album The Isley Brothers - Taken to the Next Phase)

2005

• "Too Rude" (featuring Esthero) by Carmen Rizzo (from the album The Lost Art of the Idle Moment)

2006

• "Another Great Love Gone By" (featuring Esthero) by Vikter Duplaix (from the album Bold & Beautiful)
• "Final Home" (with Esthero) by DJ Krush (from the remix album Stepping Stones: The Self-Remixed Best)
• "Make U Fly" (featuring Esthero) by Zion I and The Grouch (from the album Heroes in the City of Dope)
• "Shine" (with Esthero) by Boney James (from the album Shine)

2008

• "Yes We Can"
• "Laid Back" (featuring Esthero) by Fonzworth Bentley (from the album C.O.L.O.U.R.S.)
• "Street Lights" (background vocals by Esthero) Kanye West (from the album 808s & Heartbreak)

See also

• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart

References

External links

• Nearly Civilized, Esthero's official website
• Esthero at MySpace
• Esthero's personal blog