Jade Ewen
Encyclopedia
Jade Almarie Louise Ewen (born 24 January, 1988) is an English
singer, songwriter, actress and member of the Sugababes
. Ewen began her singing career in a girl group named Trinity Stone signed to Sony BMG in 2005, but they disbanded in 2007 with no album released. In 2009, she represented the UK at the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest
performing the Andrew Lloyd Webber
penned "It's My Time" after winning the UK national selection
. She achieved fifth place, making her the most successful British Eurovision act since 2002. Ewen replaced Keisha Buchanan
of the Sugababes in September 2009 and has since attained two UK top-ten singles with the group.
, London, to a Jamaican mother, Carol and a Scottish-Sicilian father, Trevor. Trevor is blind and partially deaf, while Carol is partially blind. Because of her parents' disabilities, Ewen is a carer to both her parents and two younger siblings, Shereen and Kiel. She received a scholarship to the Sylvia Young Theatre School
. As a student at Sylvia, she appeared in The Bill
, Casualty
and Mr. Harvey Lights a Candle
. Ewen also auditioned for and won the part of Nala in The Lion King
at the West End
at the age of twelve. Ewen appeared in the children's dance DVD, entitled How To Dance. She also featured briefly in the video for pop rock band Busted's "What I Go to School For
".
, who was impressed with her work on MySpace
. She released a digital single, "Got You" in 2008 under Kwame's Make Noise label. Ewen co-wrote the song "A Little Bit" for the girl group Booty Luv
and also "Let Me Be Me
" for Jessica Mauboy
. In early 2009, Ewen acted in the first episode of the series, Myths.
In January 2009, Ewen was approached and participated in the UK national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009
. She was eventually selected to represent the UK with the song "It's My Time" composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber
who accompanied her on piano onstage. Ewen finished in fifth place at Eurovision, the highest placing for the UK since 2002
. Having already signed signed with Polydor Records before the Eurovision selection, Ewen began working on her debut album.
In September 2009, Ewen joined the Sugababes
as the replacement for Keisha Buchanan. While her single, "My Man" had been released, promotional activities for it were cancelled. The song reach a position of 35 on the UK Singles Chart. In an interview with the BBC
, Ewen confirmed her commitment to the Sugababes as her main priority and that her solo album was put on hold. Ewen had not met the remaining members of the Sugababes until two days before the video shoot for their single "About a Girl
" in Los Angeles. She had been flown there without being notified that she would be replacing Buchanan. "About a Girl" later debuted at number eight in the UK. Sweet 7 was released in early 2010 after multiple delays from late 2009, and charted at 14 on the UK Albums Chart. In late 2010, Ewen became the face of Miss Ultimo lingerie.
since 2009. They ended their relationship in September 2011.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
singer, songwriter, actress and member of the Sugababes
Sugababes
The Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London...
. Ewen began her singing career in a girl group named Trinity Stone signed to Sony BMG in 2005, but they disbanded in 2007 with no album released. In 2009, she represented the UK at the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 2009
The Eurovision Song Contest 2009 was the 54th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest and was hosted by Russia after their win in 2008. It took place between 12 and 16 May 2009 at the Olympic Indoor Arena in Moscow, Russia....
performing the Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
penned "It's My Time" after winning the UK national selection
United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009
The United Kingdom and the British Broadcasting Corporation confirmed their participation at the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow, despite their last place finish in 2008. Jade Ewen was selected on 31 January 2009, to represent the UK at Eurovision with "It's My Time", a song composed by...
. She achieved fifth place, making her the most successful British Eurovision act since 2002. Ewen replaced Keisha Buchanan
Keisha Buchanan
Keisha Kerreece Fayeanne Buchanan is an English singer-songwriter and was a founding member of the BRIT Award-winning girl group the Sugababes. With the Sugababes, Buchanan had six number one singles and two number one studio albums, making the Sugababes one of the most successful British pop acts...
of the Sugababes in September 2009 and has since attained two UK top-ten singles with the group.
Early life
Ewen was born and brought up in PlaistowPlaistow, Newham
Plaistow is a place in the London Borough of Newham in east London. It formed part of the County Borough of West Ham in Essex until 1965.Plaistow is a mainly residential area, including several council estates; the main road is the A112 - Plaistow Road, High Street, Broadway, Greengate Street and...
, London, to a Jamaican mother, Carol and a Scottish-Sicilian father, Trevor. Trevor is blind and partially deaf, while Carol is partially blind. Because of her parents' disabilities, Ewen is a carer to both her parents and two younger siblings, Shereen and Kiel. She received a scholarship to the Sylvia Young Theatre School
Sylvia Young Theatre School
Sylvia Young Theatre School is an independent fee-paying stage school, in Westminster, London, named after its founder and Principal, Sylvia Young.-Outline:...
. As a student at Sylvia, she appeared in The Bill
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
, Casualty
Casualty (TV series)
Casualty, stylised as Casual+y, is a British weekly television show broadcast on BBC One, and the longest-running emergency medical drama television series in the world. Created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, it was first broadcast on 6 September 1986, and transmitted in the UK on BBC One. The...
and Mr. Harvey Lights a Candle
Mr. Harvey Lights a Candle
Mr. Harvey Lights a Candle is a television drama, written by Rhidian Brook and directed by Susanna White, which originally aired in 2005 on BBC....
. Ewen also auditioned for and won the part of Nala in The Lion King
The Lion King (musical)
The Lion King is a musical based on the 1994 Disney animated film of the same name with music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice along with the musical score created by Hans Zimmer with choral arrangements by Lebo M. Directed by Julie Taymor, the musical features actors in animal costumes as well...
at the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
at the age of twelve. Ewen appeared in the children's dance DVD, entitled How To Dance. She also featured briefly in the video for pop rock band Busted's "What I Go to School For
What I Go to School For
"What I Go to School For" is the debut single released by English pop punk boyband Busted. It was released on September 16, 2002, and reached #3 in the UK Singles Chart. The song was inspired by a teacher that bassist Matt Willis had a crush on at school. It was parodied by the Amateur Transplants...
".
Career
Between 2003 and 2004 she appeared in the Australian series Out There. In 2005, Ewen became a member of the girl group Trinity Stone which was signed to Sony BMG. The group disbanded in 2007. She later recorded with rapper KwaméKwamé
Kwamé Holland is an American emcee who enjoyed brief popularity in the late-1980s and early-1990s. He is currently a music producer sometimes credited as K-1 Million or K1 Mil.-Biography:...
, who was impressed with her work on MySpace
MySpace
Myspace 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....
. She released a digital single, "Got You" in 2008 under Kwame's Make Noise label. Ewen co-wrote the song "A Little Bit" for the girl group Booty Luv
Booty Luv
Booty Luv also known as Cherise & Nadia are an English dance group formed in June 2006 via the Hed Kandi label. It is fronted by two R&B vocalists Cherise Roberts and Nadia Shepherd, both of whom were in the original line-up of the successful hip hop band Big Brovaz...
and also "Let Me Be Me
Let Me Be Me
"Let Me Be Me" is the sixth and final single released from Australian singer Jessica Mauboy's debut studio album, Been Waiting. The song was written by Jade Ewen of Sugababes, Azi Jegbefume of Kandy Rain, Narran McLean, Karen Poole, and Steve Robson and produced by Michael "Fingaz" Mugisha. It was...
" for Jessica Mauboy
Jessica Mauboy
Jessica Hilda Mauboy , is an Indigenous Australian R&B singer-songwriter and actress. In 2006, Mauboy was the runner-up on the fourth season of Australian Idol, she had auditioned for the talent show in Alice Springs to pursue a recording career...
. In early 2009, Ewen acted in the first episode of the series, Myths.
In January 2009, Ewen was approached and participated in the UK national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009
Eurovision Song Contest 2009
The Eurovision Song Contest 2009 was the 54th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest and was hosted by Russia after their win in 2008. It took place between 12 and 16 May 2009 at the Olympic Indoor Arena in Moscow, Russia....
. She was eventually selected to represent the UK with the song "It's My Time" composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
who accompanied her on piano onstage. Ewen finished in fifth place at Eurovision, the highest placing for the UK since 2002
Eurovision Song Contest 2002
The Eurovision Song Contest 2002 was the 47th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place on 25 May 2002 at the Saku Suurhall Arena in Tallinn, Estonia....
. Having already signed signed with Polydor Records before the Eurovision selection, Ewen began working on her debut album.
In September 2009, Ewen joined the Sugababes
Sugababes
The Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London...
as the replacement for Keisha Buchanan. While her single, "My Man" had been released, promotional activities for it were cancelled. The song reach a position of 35 on the UK Singles Chart. In an interview with the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, Ewen confirmed her commitment to the Sugababes as her main priority and that her solo album was put on hold. Ewen had not met the remaining members of the Sugababes until two days before the video shoot for their single "About a Girl
About a Girl (Sugababes song)
"About a Girl" is an electropop song performed by English girl group Sugababes from their seventh studio album, Sweet 7. Written by Makeba Riddick and co-written/produced by RedOne, it was selected as the album's second single and was released on November 8, 2009...
" in Los Angeles. She had been flown there without being notified that she would be replacing Buchanan. "About a Girl" later debuted at number eight in the UK. Sweet 7 was released in early 2010 after multiple delays from late 2009, and charted at 14 on the UK Albums Chart. In late 2010, Ewen became the face of Miss Ultimo lingerie.
Personal life
Ewen was in a relationship with actor Ricky NorwoodRicky Norwood
Richard Colin "Ricky" Norwood is a British actor who plays Fatboy in the soap opera EastEnders and its online spin-off EastEnders: E20. He was born in Tower Hamlets, London, and lives in Forest Gate. From the age of 12 he attended the Theatre Royal Stratford East's Youth Theatre, and he also...
since 2009. They ended their relationship in September 2011.
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak positions |
|---|---|---|
| UK 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 ... |
||
| 2009 | "It's My Time" | 27 |
| "My Man" | 35 |
Music videos
| Year | Single | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | "It's My Time" | Pop Club |
| "My Man" | Urban Strom |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003–2004 | Out There | Aggie Thackery | 25 episodes |
| 2005 | Mr. Harvey Lights a Candle Mr. Harvey Lights a Candle Mr. Harvey Lights a Candle is a television drama, written by Rhidian Brook and directed by Susanna White, which originally aired in 2005 on BBC.... |
Donna | |
| Casualty Casualty (TV series) Casualty, stylised as Casual+y, is a British weekly television show broadcast on BBC One, and the longest-running emergency medical drama television series in the world. Created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, it was first broadcast on 6 September 1986, and transmitted in the UK on BBC One. The... |
Carrie Fletcher | 1 episode | |
| The Bill The Bill The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work... |
Shanti Das | 2 episodes | |
| 2009 | Myths | Athene | 1 episode |
| Eurovision: Your Country Needs You! United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 The United Kingdom and the British Broadcasting Corporation confirmed their participation at the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow, despite their last place finish in 2008. Jade Ewen was selected on 31 January 2009, to represent the UK at Eurovision with "It's My Time", a song composed by... |
Contestant | 5 episodes (Won) | |
| 2010 | Eurovision: Your Country Needs You! United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 The United Kingdom participated at the Eurovision Song Contest 2010, held in Oslo, Norway in May. The BBC announced on 29 January after months of speculation that British record producer and songwriter Pete Waterman would write the UK entry for the 2010 Contest... |
Judge | 1 episode |