Alex Cartana
Encyclopedia
Alex Cartañá is a Spanish
/British
singer-songwriter
and actress. Cartañá first came to fame in 2003 as the featured artist and co-writer of the hit
dance
record
"Shake It (Move A Little Closer)", which peaked at #16 in the UK Singles Chart
.
mother Spanish
father. She was raised on the Island of Majorca, Balearic Islands
, Spain
in the city of Palma
. Cartañá spent her academic years between English and Spanish educational systems, making her fully bilingual from a toddler. She is also able to speak a third language Catalan
.
Cartañá’s academic career began in a small farming, rurally-located British
school in Majorca - The Academy – English Preparatory School, at 11 years of age, she moved to a strict Spanish Catholic School
in the centre of Palma - Colegio San Cayetano. By the age of 17 she had convinced her parents to transfer her, into the British schooling system, this time attending Ardingly College
, a British Boarding school in West Sussex
. It would be here that Cartañá would start developing her performance skills through theatre studies, speech and drama lessons and an acting Course with LAMDA, as well as forming the school's first Gospel Choir. Spending most of their spare time practicing songs such as; Whitney Houston's
version of "Jesus Loves Me" and mimicking En Vogue's
"Does Anybody Hear Me".
Her father’s love for world music
including Spanish
Flamenco
, and Brazilian
bossa nova
) would instil a tropical and exotic feel to her music. A Spanish pop and American popular music influence also could be heard during her early years. Later on she would be captivated by mainstream R&B
and hip hop
, which in her own words has been described as “My childhood deprivation, which I had been longing to hear all my life! The missing part of the puzzle!” Her influences have included Gloria Estefan
, Mariah Carey
, Whitney Houston
, Michael Jackson
, Madonna
, Toni Braxton
, Boyz II Men
, Stevie Wonder
, Cece Winans
, Nat King Cole
, Mary Wells
, her mother's all-time-favourite Marvin Gaye
, Aretha Franklin
, Randy Crawford
, Roberta Flack
, Gladys Knight & the Pips
, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Alejandro Sanz
, Rosario Flores
, Mary J. Blige
, and many more.
Cartañá attended the University of Greenwich
in her first year of her BA Business Studies
and E-Commerce degree, but would move to the University of Westminster
in her second year thanks to her achievement of first-class grades. It was during her time there that she would first enter the music business by working in her sandwich year for a London based Management company; JBS Management & Hardzone Marketing. It was during her time there, whilst working as a club promoter for Def Jam Records and Death Row Records
, as well as marketing various British musicians that Cartañá came into contact with Big Brovaz and first struck a friendship with Dino McIntosh. Another songwriter Cartañá would become friends with was Ali Tennant, known for writing hits for Westlife
, Boyzone
and Blue
. Tennant assisted Cartañá making her first demo
. Cartañá returned to complete her fourth and final year at the University of Westminster and graduated in 2002.
DJ Pete Tong
. Cartañá flew to Malaga to shoot a video and perform in front of fans at the Radio 1 Road Show in Ibiza
. The single, released on the 26 August 2003, reached #16 in the UK Singles Chart. Her friendship with Albert Cabrera would lead the way for a second collaboration a few years later.
". The title and introduction showcased her Spanish heritage and the sentiment of the song was inspired by the relationship between Cartañá and her father, whom, after the death of her elder sister, became over-protective. "Hey Papi" peaked at #34 in the UK chart. The video
was directed by American director Charles Mehling, also known for directing James Morrison
's "One Last Chance" video. This would be her last piece of music to be released under the EMI label, as difficulties in decision-making towards her second single, would start to take artist and label as well as her then management in different directions, also triggering uncertainty amongst all of those involved. An amicable decision was finally made in 2005, to allow Cartañá to walk away from her deal after almost eight months of deliberation. Two months after this major transition, Cartañá also left her management team.
During this time, Cartañá featured on the Roll Deep
song, "Be Careful", featured on their In at the Deep End
album .
In October 2004, a third solo hit from Cartañá, "Lost your Mind" was released on music channels in the UK and available for download.
Dance projects such "Dig The Vibes" with Cabrera was released through Kidology Records, and a second dance track and co-writer credits was "Funkmanouver", commercially known as "Wait For Me", featured on the Ministry of Sound
compilation album
, Housexy: Summer In The City, released in March 2007.
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
/British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
and actress. Cartañá first came to fame in 2003 as the featured artist and co-writer of the hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
"Shake It (Move A Little Closer)", which peaked at #16 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
Early years and influences
Alex Cartañá was born to a BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
mother Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
father. She was raised on the Island of Majorca, Balearic Islands
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.The four largest islands are: Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain with Palma as the capital...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in the city of Palma
Palma de Mallorca
Palma is the major city and port on the island of Majorca and capital city of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. The names Ciutat de Mallorca and Ciutat were used before the War of the Spanish Succession and are still used by people in Majorca. However, the official name...
. Cartañá spent her academic years between English and Spanish educational systems, making her fully bilingual from a toddler. She is also able to speak a third language Catalan
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
.
Cartañá’s academic career began in a small farming, rurally-located British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
school in Majorca - The Academy – English Preparatory School, at 11 years of age, she moved to a strict Spanish Catholic School
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
in the centre of Palma - Colegio San Cayetano. By the age of 17 she had convinced her parents to transfer her, into the British schooling system, this time attending Ardingly College
Ardingly College
Ardingly College is a selective independent co-educational boarding and day school, founded in 1858 by Canon Nathaniel Woodard, included in the Tatler list of top public schools. The college is located in the village of Ardingly near Haywards Heath, West Sussex, England, having moved to its present...
, a British Boarding school in West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
. It would be here that Cartañá would start developing her performance skills through theatre studies, speech and drama lessons and an acting Course with LAMDA, as well as forming the school's first Gospel Choir. Spending most of their spare time practicing songs such as; Whitney Houston's
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
version of "Jesus Loves Me" and mimicking En Vogue's
En Vogue
En Vogue is an American female R&B vocal group from Oakland, California assembled by music producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy.The group has won more MTV Video Music Awards than any other female group in MTV history, a total of seven, along with four Soul Train Awards, six American Music...
"Does Anybody Hear Me".
Her father’s love for world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
including Spanish
Music of Spain
The Music of Spain has a long history and has played an important part in the development of western music. It has had a particularly strong influence upon Latin American music. The music of Spain is often associated abroad with traditions like flamenco and the classical guitar but Spanish music...
Flamenco
Flamenco
Flamenco is a genre of music and dance which has its foundation in Andalusian music and dance and in whose evolution Andalusian Gypsies played an important part....
, and Brazilian
Music of Brazil
The music of Brazil encompasses various regional music styles influenced by African, European and Amerindian forms. After 500 years of history, Brazilian music developed some unique and original styles such as samba, zouk-lambada, lambada, choro, bossa nova, frevo, maracatu, MPB, sertanejo,...
bossa nova
Bossa nova
Bossa nova is a style of Brazilian music. Bossa nova acquired a large following in the 1960s, initially consisting of young musicians and college students...
) would instil a tropical and exotic feel to her music. A Spanish pop and American popular music influence also could be heard during her early years. Later on she would be captivated by mainstream R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
and hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
, which in her own words has been described as “My childhood deprivation, which I had been longing to hear all my life! The missing part of the puzzle!” Her influences have included Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
, Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
, Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
, Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, Toni Braxton
Toni Braxton
Toni Michelle Braxton is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Braxton has won six Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, and five Billboard Music Awards and has sold over 60 million records worldwide...
, Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men is an American R&B vocal group best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are the most successful R&B group of all time, having sold more than albums worldwide. In the 1990s, Boyz II Men found fame on Motown Records as a quartet, but original member Michael McCary...
, Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, Cece Winans
CeCe Winans
Priscilla "CeCe" Marie Winans Love is an American Gospel singer, who has won numerous Grammy and Stellar Awards.-Early life:CeCe Winans was born in Detroit, Michigan, to David and Delores Winans, on October 8, 1964...
, Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
, Mary Wells
Mary Wells
Mary Esther Wells was an American singer who helped to define the emerging sound of Motown in the early 1960s...
, her mother's all-time-favourite Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
, Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
, Randy Crawford
Randy Crawford
Randy Crawford is an American jazz and R&B singer. She has been more successful in Europe than in the United States, where she has not entered the Billboard Hot 100 as a solo artist...
, Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who is notable for jazz, soul, R&B, and folk music...
, Gladys Knight & the Pips
Gladys Knight & the Pips
Gladys Knight & The Pips were an R&B/soul family musical act from Atlanta, Georgia, active from 1953 to 1989. The group was best known for their string of hit singles on Motown's "Soul" record label and Buddah Records from 1967 to 1975, including "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and "Midnight...
, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Alejandro Sanz
Alejandro Sanz
Alejandro Sanz , is a Spanish singer-songwriter and musician. For his work, Sanz has won a total of fifteen Latin Grammy Awards and three Grammy Awards. He has won the Latin Grammy for Album of the Year three times, more than any other artist...
, Rosario Flores
Rosario Flores
Rosario Flores is a two-time Latin Grammy Award-winning Spanish gypsy singer and actress.She was born in Madrid, Spain as the daughter of Antonio González and Lola Flores. She is the sister of actress Lolita Flores and singer-songwriter Antonio Flores. She has a daughter with her ex boyfriend...
, Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
, and many more.
Cartañá attended the University of Greenwich
University of Greenwich
The University of Greenwich is a British university located in the London Borough of Greenwich, London, England. The main campus is located on the grounds of the Old Royal Naval College, a central location within the Maritime Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage Site.-History:The history of the...
in her first year of her BA Business Studies
Business studies
Business studies is an academic subject taught at higher level in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom, as well as at university level in many countries...
and E-Commerce degree, but would move to the University of Westminster
University of Westminster
The University of Westminster is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom. Its origins go back to the foundation of the Royal Polytechnic Institution in 1838, and it was awarded university status in 1992.The university's headquarters and original campus are based on Regent...
in her second year thanks to her achievement of first-class grades. It was during her time there that she would first enter the music business by working in her sandwich year for a London based Management company; JBS Management & Hardzone Marketing. It was during her time there, whilst working as a club promoter for Def Jam Records and Death Row Records
Death Row Records
Death Row Records is a record label founded in 1991 by Marion "Suge" Knight Jr., Andre Young , Tracy Lynn Curry and Michael Harris . It is known to have been home to many popular West Coast hip hop artists such as Dr...
, as well as marketing various British musicians that Cartañá came into contact with Big Brovaz and first struck a friendship with Dino McIntosh. Another songwriter Cartañá would become friends with was Ali Tennant, known for writing hits for Westlife
Westlife
Westlife are an Irish boy band established on 3 July 1998. They are to disband in 2012. The group's line-up was Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden . The group are the only act in British and Irish history to have their first seven singles peak at number one...
, Boyzone
Boyzone
Boyzone are an Irish boy band comprising Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Ronan Keating,Shane Lynch, and formerly Stephen Gately. Boyzone have 19 singles in the top 40 UK charts and 21 singles in the Ire charts. The group currently have 6 UK number one singles and 9 number one singles in Ireland with 12...
and Blue
Blue (boy band)
Blue are an English pop vocal group, whose members are Simon Webbe, Lee Ryan, Duncan James and Antony Costa. Blue originally formed in 2001 before splitting in 2005. In 2009, it was confirmed that the band would reform. In April 2009, the group reunited and a Best of Blue Tour was announced...
. Tennant assisted Cartañá making her first demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
. Cartañá returned to complete her fourth and final year at the University of Westminster and graduated in 2002.
"Shake It (Move A Little Closer)"
In mid-2003 only months after signing with EMI, the opportunity of co-writing and featuring on an already instrumental dance track arose. She co-wrote and performed on "Shake It (Move A Little Closer") by Lee-Cabrera, (the New York production duo of Steven Lee and Albert Cabrera, erstwhile collaborators with Aretha Franklin, Brian McKnight and Tori Amos) for Credence/EMI UK, and supported by the BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
DJ Pete Tong
Pete Tong
Peter "Pete" Tong is an English DJ who works for BBC Radio 1. He is known worldwide by fans of electronic music for hosting programmes such as Essential Mix and Essential Selection on the radio service, which can be heard through Internet radio streams, for his record label FFRR Records, and for...
. Cartañá flew to Malaga to shoot a video and perform in front of fans at the Radio 1 Road Show in Ibiza
Ibiza
Ibiza or Eivissa is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea 79 km off the coast of the city of Valencia in Spain. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. With Formentera, it is one of the two Pine Islands or Pityuses. Its largest cities are Ibiza...
. The single, released on the 26 August 2003, reached #16 in the UK Singles Chart. Her friendship with Albert Cabrera would lead the way for a second collaboration a few years later.
The EMI Years
Her first solo single released under the EMI label was in April 2004 with "Hey PapiHey Papi
"Hey Papi" is a single by rapper Jay-Z from the 2000 soundtrack of the film, Nutty Professor II: The Klumps. It features guest rapping by Memphis Bleek, guest singing by Amil and production by Timbaland...
". The title and introduction showcased her Spanish heritage and the sentiment of the song was inspired by the relationship between Cartañá and her father, whom, after the death of her elder sister, became over-protective. "Hey Papi" peaked at #34 in the UK chart. The video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was directed by American director Charles Mehling, also known for directing James Morrison
James Morrison (singer)
James Morrison is a BRIT Award-winning English singer-songwriter and guitarist from Rugby, Warwickshire. In 2006, his debut single "You Give Me Something" became a hit in Europe, Australia, and Japan, peaking in the top five in the UK and New Zealand. His debut album, Undiscovered, debuted at the...
's "One Last Chance" video. This would be her last piece of music to be released under the EMI label, as difficulties in decision-making towards her second single, would start to take artist and label as well as her then management in different directions, also triggering uncertainty amongst all of those involved. An amicable decision was finally made in 2005, to allow Cartañá to walk away from her deal after almost eight months of deliberation. Two months after this major transition, Cartañá also left her management team.
During this time, Cartañá featured on the Roll Deep
Roll Deep
Roll Deep are an Urban Music Awards-winning London-based grime music collective. They were founded in 2002, by a group of MCs including Wiley. Roll Deep were also closely associated with Boy Better Know with members in both. Their debut album, In at the Deep End, was released in June 2005...
song, "Be Careful", featured on their In at the Deep End
In At The Deep End
In at the Deep End is the debut album of London-based grime collective Roll Deep. It went silver in the United Kingdom, selling more than 85,000 copies...
album .
In October 2004, a third solo hit from Cartañá, "Lost your Mind" was released on music channels in the UK and available for download.
2006–2008
In 2006 Cartañá teamed up with Paul Smith, a member of 365 Artists Management Company.Dance projects such "Dig The Vibes" with Cabrera was released through Kidology Records, and a second dance track and co-writer credits was "Funkmanouver", commercially known as "Wait For Me", featured on the Ministry of Sound
Ministry of Sound
Ministry of Sound London, commonly referred to as simply Ministry of Sound or MoS, is a nightclub based in London, United Kingdom and an associated record label. It was ranked fourth in the 2010 DJ Magazine top 100 clubs poll 2010. As well as the nightclub in London, there is another in Egypt and...
compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, Housexy: Summer In The City, released in March 2007.
2008–present
Cartañá is working on new material independently and working towards a full Spanish album which will be sprinkled with all her past influences.Singles
- 2003: "Shake It (Move A little Closer)" - US (Hot Dance Music/Club Play) #9, US (R&BHot R&B/Hip-Hop SongsHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
) #83, UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#16 - 2004: "Hey Papi" - UK #34
- 2004: "Lost Your Mind"