IQ (girl group)
Encyclopedia
IQ was an American
teenage pop and hip hop girl group
. The group consisted of sisters Sadiea and Nyla Williams, Gicelle Valerio and Lauren Mafera, all from Lunenburg, Massachusetts. Mikayla Campbell is from Fitchburg, Massachusetts
left the group in 2007, Mafera as her replacement. The group split in 2008 to pursue other projects.
In the group, the Williams sisters and Valerio both rap and perform back-up singing vocals.
Mafera is the main vocalist (The group's former main vocalist, Campbell left IQ in 2007).
IQ performed in Boston, New York and Hollywood to promote the release of their EP, It's Like That, initially released on Apple iTunes
in May 2005. On New Year's Eve
of 2005, they performed at the Disney Jingle Jam in Boston with B5, Everlife
and Jada. In 2006, they released a re-make of the Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons song "Big Girls Don't Cry" as their first single on Radio Disney
IQ continued to perform shows with Radio Disney and obtained the prestige of becoming a Radio Disney Incubator artist. In July 2006, their debut album, Roll Call in July, distributed by WPE Music, LLC through Bungalo/Universal.
In February 2008, the group released their sophormore album, Crush on Bungalo Records
/Universal Music. The debut single from the album is "Crush on U" and a remixed version which includes artists such as Mighty Mystic; a Jamaican musician, Baby Boy Da Prince
, CL Smooth
and J. R. Writer from Dipset.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
teenage pop and hip hop girl group
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
. The group consisted of sisters Sadiea and Nyla Williams, Gicelle Valerio and Lauren Mafera, all from Lunenburg, Massachusetts. Mikayla Campbell is from Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Fitchburg is the third largest city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,318 at the 2010 census. Fitchburg is home to Fitchburg State University as well as 17 public and private elementary and high schools.- History :...
left the group in 2007, Mafera as her replacement. The group split in 2008 to pursue other projects.
Members
- Nyla Williams (born 1990) was Miss Massachusetts of the National American Miss Massachusetts Junior Teen beauty pageant of 2005 and 2006. She is also a poet and dancer with aspirations of modeling and fashion designing. Both she and her sister, Sadiea, are of African-American, ScottishScottish peopleThe Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
, PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i and American IndianIndigenous peoples of the AmericasThe indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
descent. She was a rapper and vocalist for IQ. - Gicelle Valerio (born 1989) is Hispanic-American. She is of BoliviaBoliviaBolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
n, DominicanDominican RepublicThe Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, SpanishSpainSpain , 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...
, and ItalianItalian peopleThe Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
descent. Valerio was a vocalist and rapper for IQ as well as the choreographer. She has been accepted to Fitchburg State CollegeFitchburg State CollegeFitchburg State University, also known as Fitchburg State, is a four-year public institution of higher learning with a compact urban campus, located in the city of Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Fitchburg State University has over 3,500 undergraduate and over 1650 graduate/continuing education...
to major in nursing and her aspirations is to become a graduate student to major in business as well. Her interests includes fashion, dancing, gymnastics and modeling. - Sadiea Williams (born 1989) was a rapper and vocalist for IQ. She is an athlete who is interested in basketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, cross-countryCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
and track & field. She was an all-star basketball player at Lunenburg High SchoolLunenburg High SchoolLunenburg High School is the high school of the town of Lunenburg, Massachusetts in north-central Worcester County. The school encompasses grades 9-12, and educates students from Lunenburg, Shirley, and Fitchburg.-Administration:...
. She has been accepted to an Ivy League School Brown UniversityBrown UniversityBrown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
to pursue basketball. - Lauren Mafera (born 1989) was the main vocalist for IQ. She is a photographer, singer, and dancer. Her interests include drawing, fashion, photography, and singing. Her aspirations is to pursue college with a Business degree and continuing photography.
- Mikayla Campbell (born 1990) is a former member who was a vocalist for IQ. She is now an actress who has performed in musical plays. Her aspirations are to perform in BroadwayBroadway theatreBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
plays. Her true passion is to pursue her musical career as a Broadway performer. Campbell recently attends a performing arts school at Walnut Hill in Natick, MA.
IQ Biography
IQ first formulated through a school talent show. Sisters Sadiea and Nyla, asked their father, Mark, to compose songs for their performances. The girls performed the song "School" (a later song on their debut album). The overall response from young people was outstanding. Campbell and Valerio joined the group later to make the group four.In the group, the Williams sisters and Valerio both rap and perform back-up singing vocals.
Mafera is the main vocalist (The group's former main vocalist, Campbell left IQ in 2007).
IQ performed in Boston, New York and Hollywood to promote the release of their EP, It's Like That, initially released on Apple iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
in May 2005. On New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
of 2005, they performed at the Disney Jingle Jam in Boston with B5, Everlife
Everlife
Everlife is a pop rock band made of three sisters, Amber, Sarah, and Julia Ross.-Early:Everlife originated in Indiana, Pennsylvania. The band were formed in the winter of 1997 with Sarah on the drums, Amber on the guitar, and Julia on keyboard....
and Jada. In 2006, they released a re-make of the Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons song "Big Girls Don't Cry" as their first single on Radio Disney
Radio Disney
Radio Disney is a radio network based in Burbank, California and headquartered out of the Disney Channel headquarters on West Alameda Ave., from where it has been based since November 2008. Prior to that, the network was based in Dallas, Texas...
IQ continued to perform shows with Radio Disney and obtained the prestige of becoming a Radio Disney Incubator artist. In July 2006, their debut album, Roll Call in July, distributed by WPE Music, LLC through Bungalo/Universal.
In February 2008, the group released their sophormore album, Crush on Bungalo Records
Bungalo Records
Bungalo Records is an American independent record label established in 2000 and distributed through Universal Music Group Distribution. -Current Artists:*Nikki Bates*Bam Rogers *Big Gov*Boondock*Agnes Chan...
/Universal Music. The debut single from the album is "Crush on U" and a remixed version which includes artists such as Mighty Mystic; a Jamaican musician, Baby Boy Da Prince
Baby Boy da Prince
Lawrence Cennett, better known by his stage name Baby Boy da Prince is a rapper from New Orleans. His rap career began at the age of 16 opening for No Limit Records in his hometown. He was first signed to the Take Fo' Record label in 2002, with his debut album "Like Dat". The name "Baby Boy" was...
, CL Smooth
CL Smooth
CL Smooth is an American rapper, poet, and is best known as the vocal half of the hip-hop duo Pete Rock & CL Smooth....
and J. R. Writer from Dipset.
Discography
- It's Like That EP (2005)
- Roll Call (2006)
- Crush (2008)
External links
- [ IQ] at Allmusic
- Official website
- IQ at MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Radio Disney Incubator page
- Music Industry News Network
- IQ at American Idol UndergroundAmerican Idol UndergroundArtist Underground was founded by Justin Beckett in 2006 and was an online community and internet radio station where unsigned artists where able to get their music heard. Artists submit their music to Idol Underground for a fee and receive feedback from listeners...
- http://www.iq-music.com/pdf/sen&ent.pdf Sentinel & EnterpriseSentinel & EnterpriseThe Sentinel & Enterprise is a morning daily newspaper published in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, with a satellite news bureau in Leominster, Massachusetts. The newspaper covers local news in Fitchburg, Leominster and several nearby towns in northern Worcester County and northwest Middlesex County,...
article - On The Brink of Stardom - August 8, 2006 - http://www.iq-music.com/pdf/sen&ent2.pdf Sentinel & Enterprise article cont.]