Jeffree Star
Encyclopedia
Jeffree Star is an American model
, fashion design
er, make-up artist, DJ, and singer-songwriter
residing in the Beverly Hills area. He started his music career from being known for his popularity on MySpace
with over 100 million plays on his self released music, as well as his fashion line and from his transgressive
, gender-bending appearance and persona while calling himself "Queen of the Internet" and "Cunt". Star has leveraged his fame as an androgynous
model and aesthetic talents to launch his own clothing line and forays into acting and DJing.
, California
. His father died when he was 6 years old; subsequently, he was raised solely by his alcoholic mother, a model
who frequently went on assignments. As a child, Star regularly began experimenting with his mother's makeup, leading to an obsessive compulsive
interest, and convinced her to let him wear make-up to school when he was in junior high
.
At the age of fifteen, Star became a make-up artist. During this time, he wore makeup, dyed his hair with day-glo
colors and began cross dressing
which in turn led to receiving large amounts of attention and popularity from both fellow students and strangers. Right after his graduation from high school, Star moved to Los Angeles
and began supporting himself with various make-up, modeling, and music jobs.
He later recalled spending his time on weekends "using a fake ID
to attend Hollywood clubs dressed in mini dress
es and nine inch high heels where celebrities
would contract [Star] for make-up work at their homes", or "hiring [Star] as a model." Star reports that his weekend socializing at clubs and the make-up advice he offered eventually led to his modeling
career.
website MySpace
to further both his music as well as fashion design career. Star also used MySpace for blogging about his life while making social commentary on "self-image and confidence", fame, beauty and life. Star had built up a fan base on several websites but convinced many to join him on MySpace
, giving his MySpace profile a large number of "friends" from the beginning. His MySpace photo shoot
s would frequently get over 50,000 comments when posted, and by November 2006, he was recognized as MySpace
's most connected profile personality.
Star also gained fame as one of the most popular unsigned artists with the daily rankings placing him in the top tier on MySpace.
On March 28, 2007 at Project Runway
's Jeffrey Sebelia
fashion show Star was a front row "celebutante" where he revealed details of Buzznet.com
’s “Queen
Needs a Princess Contest” which had "a day of femme-licious fun with Star" as the grand prize. The social-networking, music-news site specializes in new-media (integrated photoblog
and videoblog capabilities) which Star has capitalized on to dovetail his modeling and music interests. Stars' social trendsetting
participation at Buzznet and his success at growing online fan-base was noted in Buzznet's six million financing in May 2007. Star regularly uploads video-blog segments including music reviews, event reports as well as posting news about his upcoming music release.
Star's music career as an electronica
and hip-hop vocalist began when he befriended Peaches
' drummer who encouraged him to make music. Star was then asked by Deuce of Hollywood Undead
to rap on their song "Turn off the Lights" for their debut album
. However, the track did not make it onto the disc. Deuce
was recently evicted from Hollywood Undead
and has produced a mixtape
("Break Them Wallz") with Jeffree and another song titled "Freaky Now" (alongside friend "Truth"), in which Jeffree raps extremely explicit
lyrics.
His first two solo tracks "We Want Cunt", named in tribute to his former screen name Cunt: Queen of the Beautifuls, and "Straight Boys" were co-written with Hole
and one time Mötley Crüe
drummer, Samantha Maloney
and singer Jessicka
from Scarling.
. Star asked MySpace co-founder Tom
to convert his MySpace profile into a music page so he could showcase his music.
On November 1, 2006 Star performed on the same bill as Los Angeles' Dirty Sanchez
at the LA bar Key Club’s post-Halloween
show. Star has toured with electro
musician Peaches
, as well as Cyndi Lauper
, Metro Station
, Breathe Carolina
, Dr. Manhattan
, Schoolyard Heroes
, and Ultraviolet Sound.
On the 13 March 2007, Star released his debut extended play
Plastic Surgery Slumber Party which was produced by Ultraviolet Sound. The record topped at number one on the iTunes
’s dance charts and "has consistently topped the iTunes dance
charts at #1, hovering high above household names such as Justin Timberlake
and Cascada
." Separately, Star's MySpace page has 25 million listens to Plastic Surgery Slumber Party as of July 2007.
During the summer of 2007, Star was advertised as a part of the True Colors Tour 2007, which traveled through 15 cities in the United States and Canada. The tour, sponsored by the LGBT
Logo
channel, began on June 8, 2007 to coincide with Pride
month. Profits from the tour benefited the Human Rights Campaign
as well as PFLAG and The Matthew Shepard Foundation
. Though he was advertised as a special guest to perform on several West Coast
dates, Star did not appear.
Star's song "Plastic Surgery Slumber Party" appeared on the August 2007 Tommy Boy
release of Cyndi Lauper's True Colors tour compilation. Featuring ten tracks from ten of the artists, the compilation benefits the Human Rights Campaign
, an organization that fights for civil rights for LGBT
people.
, 2008, followed by its b-side, "I Hate Music", on April 17, 2008. Star later recorded and released "Starstruck" featuring Danger Radio
- his first single available for free download as a "thank you" to fans. Trace Cyrus
and Mason Musso from Metro Station
originally provided vocals for the song, however, due to a feud between the band and Star, they were ultimately replaced with Andrew de Torres
from Danger Radio
.
Cupcakes Taste Like Violence
, Star's sophomore extended play, was released on December 9, 2008. This is his first record to be available as a CD as well as digitial download. This is also Star's debut record to be released under Popsicle Records through Warner Music Group’s
Independent Label Group. Star said the extended play "remindes me of myself. I may look sweet, but I'm really scary and violent on the inside." Cupcakes Taste Like Violence peaked at number six on the Billboard
Top Electronic Albums and at number eight on the Billboard Top Heatseekers. "Lollipop Luxury" was the first single from the extended play released November 18, 2008.
Star's debut studio album
, Beauty Killer
, was released on September 22, 2009. The first single from the album, "Prisoner", was released for digital download
on May 2, 2009. The track received two million plays on MySpace at the end of its second week being available for stream. "Love Rhymes With Fuck You" was the second single from the album; like "Prisoner", it was also released for digital download on June 30, 2009. The album debuted at number 122 in the US Billboard 200 Chart
. It also debuted at #7 in the US Billboard Top Dance/Electronic Albums Chart and fell to #12 on its second week. A music video for "Get Away With Murder" was filmed on November 7, 2009. The video premiered on the front page of MySpace on January 23, 2010.
It was announced that recording was underway for Star's first studio album
in late 2007. He stated that the new songs "are more sexy, some are more "guy"ish and some are me screaming my heart out. I'm still finding what "Jeffree Star" really is. And I think I'm almost there..." To "tide fans over" until the first single from the album was released, on April 21, 2009, Star released a remix cover of Black Eyed Peas' "Boom Boom Pow
" which was made available for free download. Morgan Page
's radio edit mix of "Prisoner" was released for free download by Star on December 18, 2009.
He worked with producers such as Lester Mendez
, 3OH!3's Nathaniel Motte
, God's Paparazzi and more. Star performed at Warped Tour 2009
to promote some of the music from his album.
Star originally planned a North America
n headlining concert tour, titled "I'm Cold, Keep Me Warm...Bitch!" for two weeks in December 2009. However, due to "personal things [that] have gotten out of hand in [his] family" the tour was canceled. Star will be embarking on his "2 DRUNK 2 FUCK" 2010 world tour where he says he will "be going everywhere...and yes that means Europe
and Australia
". This will be his first headlining tour supporting the album. Dates have been officially announced in the USA, United Kingdom and several countries in continental Europe.
Star released his fifth single "Blush" (his second single-only release) on February 16, 2010. "Size of Your Boat" was released as Star's sixth single (third single-only release) on July 1, 2010. The song "I'm In Love (With a Killer)" was released on October 10, 2010 and made available for free download via Facebook
. Star also recorded an anthem song for the It Gets Better Project titled "Kiss It Better". The song was also made available for free download on November 4, 2010. Star was featured on How Embarrassing
, the comedy album from Jeff "JJ Star" Duran which was released in March 2011.
On September 22nd, 2011, Star leaked a song called "Prom Night!" as a teaser for his second studio album (TBA), via Youtube
.
, Nicole Richie
, Paris Hilton
, AFI
frontman Davey Havok
and Jessicka
from the band Scarling.
He is a former make-up artist for porn
company
, Hustler
.
Star gained a cult following
from posting outrageous photographs of himself on Internet forum
s and later MySpace
, who began sending him gifts including expensive cameras to take more pictures.
On August 1, 2006, Los Angeles
' LGBT
magazine
Frontiers featured Star on its cover.
On November 17, 2006 Star and several contestants from "America's Next Top Model
" were a part of Black Chandelier's "Fall 2006 Runway Show" at Salt Lake City's Union Pacific Depot. Star was also a guest on "America's Next Top Model, Cycle 7
".
On March 16, 2007, Star was one of the featured runway models for BOXeight's production of designer
Jared Gold’s flamboyant "Quiet Army show", regarded as "the wildest front row in all of Fashion Week
." The shows 2007 theme was "Mormon
chic
", effectively using the Los Angeles Theater as a backdrop during L.A. Fashion Week. He has appeared in several music videos including Good Charlotte
's "The River
", Godhead
's "Push", Aiden
's "One Love
", Metro Station
's "Shake It
" and Ke$ha
's "Take It Off
(K$ n' Friends Version)"
s, hoodie
s and accessories were ranked #1 on Hottopic.com. He is also developing a fragrance
called "Fierce", which he says will smell like "vanilla and cotton candy."
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
, fashion design
Fashion design
Fashion design is the art of the application of design and aesthetics or natural beauty to clothing and accessories. Fashion design is influenced by cultural and social latitudes, and has varied over time and place. Fashion designers work in a number of ways in designing clothing and accessories....
er, make-up artist, DJ, and 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...
residing in the Beverly Hills area. He started his music career from being known for his popularity 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....
with over 100 million plays on his self released music, as well as his fashion line and from his transgressive
Transgressive art
Transgressive art refers to art forms that aim to transgress; i.e. to outrage or violate basic mores and sensibilities. The term transgressive was first used by American filmmaker Nick Zedd and his Cinema of Transgression in 1985...
, gender-bending appearance and persona while calling himself "Queen of the Internet" and "Cunt". Star has leveraged his fame as an androgynous
Androgyny
Androgyny is a term derived from the Greek words ανήρ, stem ανδρ- and γυνή , referring to the combination of masculine and feminine characteristics...
model and aesthetic talents to launch his own clothing line and forays into acting and DJing.
1988–2005: Childhood and youth
Jeffree Star was born in Orange CountyOrange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. His father died when he was 6 years old; subsequently, he was raised solely by his alcoholic mother, a model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
who frequently went on assignments. As a child, Star regularly began experimenting with his mother's makeup, leading to an obsessive compulsive
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Obsessive–compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts that produce uneasiness, apprehension, fear, or worry, by repetitive behaviors aimed at reducing the associated anxiety, or by a combination of such obsessions and compulsions...
interest, and convinced her to let him wear make-up to school when he was in junior high
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
.
At the age of fifteen, Star became a make-up artist. During this time, he wore makeup, dyed his hair with day-glo
Blacklight paint
Blacklight ink or blacklight-reactive Ink is ink that glows under a black light, a source of light whose wavelengths are primarily in the ultraviolet. The paint may or may not be colorful under ordinary light...
colors and began cross dressing
Cross-dressing
Cross-dressing is the wearing of clothing and other accoutrement commonly associated with a gender within a particular society that is seen as different than the one usually presented by the dresser...
which in turn led to receiving large amounts of attention and popularity from both fellow students and strangers. Right after his graduation from high school, Star moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and began supporting himself with various make-up, modeling, and music jobs.
He later recalled spending his time on weekends "using a fake ID
Identity document
An identity document is any document which may be used to verify aspects of a person's personal identity. If issued in the form of a small, mostly standard-sized card, it is usually called an identity card...
to attend Hollywood clubs dressed in mini dress
Miniskirt
A miniskirt, sometimes hyphenated as mini-skirt, is a skirt with a hemline well above the knees – generally no longer than below the buttocks; and a minidress is a dress with a similar meaning...
es and nine inch high heels where celebrities
Celebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
would contract [Star] for make-up work at their homes", or "hiring [Star] as a model." Star reports that his weekend socializing at clubs and the make-up advice he offered eventually led to his modeling
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
career.
2006–2007: Internet popularity and Plastic Surgery Slumber Party
Jeffree Star used popular social networkingSocial network service
A social networking service is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people, who, for example, share interests and/or activities. A social network service consists of a representation of each user , his/her social...
website 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....
to further both his music as well as fashion design career. Star also used MySpace for blogging about his life while making social commentary on "self-image and confidence", fame, beauty and life. Star had built up a fan base on several websites but convinced many to join him 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....
, giving his MySpace profile a large number of "friends" from the beginning. His MySpace photo shoot
Photo shoot
A photo shoot is generally used in the fashion industry, whereby a model poses for a photographer at a studio where multiple photos are taken to find the best ones for the required brief...
s would frequently get over 50,000 comments when posted, and by November 2006, he was recognized as 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....
's most connected profile personality.
Star also gained fame as one of the most popular unsigned artists with the daily rankings placing him in the top tier on MySpace.
On March 28, 2007 at Project Runway
Project Runway
Project Runway is an American reality television series on Lifetime Television, previously on the Bravo network, which focuses on fashion design and is hosted by model Heidi Klum. The contestants compete with each other to create the best clothes and are restricted in time, materials and theme...
's Jeffrey Sebelia
Jeffrey Sebelia
Jeffrey Sebelia is an American fashion designer and founder of the clothing label Cosa Nostra, which he headed from a loft on Broadway in downtown Los Angeles...
fashion show Star was a front row "celebutante" where he revealed details of Buzznet.com
Buzznet
BuzzNet is a photo, journal, and video-sharing social media network, owned by Buzz Media. Like other social networking sites, Buzznet is a platform for members to share content based on their personal interests...
’s “Queen
Drag queen
A drag queen is a man who dresses, and usually acts, like a caricature woman often for the purpose of entertaining. There are many kinds of drag artists and they vary greatly, from professionals who have starred in films to people who just try it once. Drag queens also vary by class and culture and...
Needs a Princess Contest” which had "a day of femme-licious fun with Star" as the grand prize. The social-networking, music-news site specializes in new-media (integrated photoblog
Photoblog
A photoblog is a form of photo sharing and publishing in the format of a blog. It differs from a blog through the predominant use of and focus on photographs rather than text...
and videoblog capabilities) which Star has capitalized on to dovetail his modeling and music interests. Stars' social trendsetting
Influencer marketing
Influencer marketing, is a form of marketing that has emerged from a variety of recent practices and studies, in which focus is placed on specific key individuals rather than the target market as a whole...
participation at Buzznet and his success at growing online fan-base was noted in Buzznet's six million financing in May 2007. Star regularly uploads video-blog segments including music reviews, event reports as well as posting news about his upcoming music release.
Star's music career as an electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
and hip-hop vocalist began when he befriended Peaches
Peaches (musician)
Merrill Beth Nisker , better known by her stage name Peaches, is a Canadian electronic musician and performance artist who lives in Berlin, Germany. Her songs are noted for disregarding traditional gender norms and their use of sexually explicit lyrics...
' drummer who encouraged him to make music. Star was then asked by Deuce of Hollywood Undead
Hollywood Undead
Hollywood Undead is an American rap rock band from Los Angeles, California. They released their debut album, Swan Songs, on September 2, 2008, and their live CD/DVD Desperate Measures, on November 10, 2009. Their second studio album, American Tragedy, was released April 5, 2011...
to rap on their song "Turn off the Lights" for their debut album
Swan Songs (Hollywood Undead album)
Swan Songs is the debut album by Hollywood Undead, released through Octone Records. The album was released on September 2, 2008. "Everywhere I Go" was the first single to be released, it was a web single and was available for download only on iTunes...
. However, the track did not make it onto the disc. Deuce
Deuce (singer)
Aron Erlichman , better known by his stage name Deuce, is an American singer, rapper, record producer, and songwriter. Brought to fame as one of the co-founders and lead vocalist of rap rock band Hollywood Undead, Deuce has since branched into solo work and is preparing to release his label debut...
was recently evicted from Hollywood Undead
Hollywood Undead
Hollywood Undead is an American rap rock band from Los Angeles, California. They released their debut album, Swan Songs, on September 2, 2008, and their live CD/DVD Desperate Measures, on November 10, 2009. Their second studio album, American Tragedy, was released April 5, 2011...
and has produced a mixtape
Mixtape
A Mix Tape or Mixed Tape is a compilation of songs recorded in a specific order, traditionally onto an audio Compact Cassette.A Mix Tape, which usually reflects the musical tastes of its compiler, can range from a casually selected list of favorite songs, to a conceptual mix of songs linked by a...
("Break Them Wallz") with Jeffree and another song titled "Freaky Now" (alongside friend "Truth"), in which Jeffree raps extremely explicit
lyrics.
His first two solo tracks "We Want Cunt", named in tribute to his former screen name Cunt: Queen of the Beautifuls, and "Straight Boys" were co-written with Hole
Hole (band)
Hole is an American alternative rock band that originally formed in Los Angeles in 1989. The band is fronted by vocalist/songwriter and rhythm guitarist Courtney Love, who co-founded Hole with former songwriter/lead guitarist Eric Erlandson...
and one time Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
drummer, Samantha Maloney
Samantha Maloney
Samantha Maloney is an American musician best known for playing in the bands Hole, Mötley Crüe, Eagles of Death Metal and in Peaches' live band "The Herms".-Early career:...
and singer Jessicka
Jessicka
Jessicka Addams is an American singer and artist. Best known by her stage name Jessicka, she was the front woman of Florida based band Jack Off Jill and current front for the Los Angeles based band Scarling.-Early life:Jessicka grew up in the town of Sunrise, Florida...
from Scarling.
Scarling.
Scarling. is an American alternative rock band from Los Angeles, whose core members are Jessicka and Christian Hejnal-Addams. The band formed in 2002. They have released two albums, Sweet Heart Dealer and So Long, Scarecrow.-Name:...
. Star asked MySpace co-founder Tom
Tom Anderson (MySpace)
-External links:* on * * on...
to convert his MySpace profile into a music page so he could showcase his music.
On November 1, 2006 Star performed on the same bill as Los Angeles' Dirty Sanchez
Dirty Sanchez (band)
Dirty Sanchez is an electroclash band that formed in Los Angeles in 2001 and includes Jackie Beat, Mario Diaz and DJ BARBEAU.Dirty Sanchez have a very strong following on the West Coast, where they play to full houses. Dirty Sanchez have finished a very successful East Coast tour with Thrill Kill...
at the LA bar Key Club’s post-Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
show. Star has toured with electro
Electro (music)
Electro is a genre of electronic dance music directly influenced by the use of TR-808 drum machines, Moog keytar synthesizers and funk sampling...
musician Peaches
Peaches (musician)
Merrill Beth Nisker , better known by her stage name Peaches, is a Canadian electronic musician and performance artist who lives in Berlin, Germany. Her songs are noted for disregarding traditional gender norms and their use of sexually explicit lyrics...
, as well as Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album...
, Metro Station
Metro Station (band)
Metro Station is an American pop rock band that formed in Los Angeles by Mason Musso and Trace Cyrus. In late 2006, the band signed a recording contract with Columbia/Red Ink. They are best known for their Top 10 Billboard hit single "Shake It" from their self-titled debut album...
, Breathe Carolina
Breathe Carolina
Breathe Carolina is an American electronic rock musical duo from Denver, Colorado, composed of David Schmitt and Kyle Even. Breathe Carolina have released three albums, one EP, and five music videos to date.-Beginnings :...
, Dr. Manhattan
Dr. Manhattan (band)
Dr. Manhattan was an American rock band from Wauconda, Illinois. Their name is a reference to the character from Alan Moore's Watchmen comic books.-History:...
, Schoolyard Heroes
Schoolyard Heroes
Schoolyard Heroes was a horror punk/alternative rock band from Seattle, Washington, consisting of four members: Ryann Donnelly , Jonah Bergman , Steve Bonnell , and Brian Turner .-History:...
, and Ultraviolet Sound.
On the 13 March 2007, Star released his debut extended play
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Plastic Surgery Slumber Party which was produced by Ultraviolet Sound. The record topped at number one on the 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....
’s dance charts and "has consistently topped the iTunes dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
charts at #1, hovering high above household names such as Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
and Cascada
Cascada
Cascada is a German Eurodance act most famous for their hit singles "Everytime We Touch", "What Hurts the Most", and "Evacuate the Dancefloor"...
." Separately, Star's MySpace page has 25 million listens to Plastic Surgery Slumber Party as of July 2007.
During the summer of 2007, Star was advertised as a part of the True Colors Tour 2007, which traveled through 15 cities in the United States and Canada. The tour, sponsored by the LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
Logo
Logo (TV channel)
Logo is an American digital cable television channel owned by Viacom's MTV Networks division. Launched in June 2005, the channel's programs are geared towards the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community...
channel, began on June 8, 2007 to coincide with Pride
Gay pride
LGBT pride or gay pride is the concept that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity...
month. Profits from the tour benefited the Human Rights Campaign
Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign is the United States' largest LGBT advocacy group and lobbying organization; according to the HRC, it has more than one million members and supporters...
as well as PFLAG and The Matthew Shepard Foundation
Matthew Shepard Foundation
The Matthew Shepard Foundation is an LGBT rights group founded in December 1998 by Dennis and Judy Shepard in memory of their 21-year-old son, Matthew, who was murdered in Wyoming in October 1998.-The Matthew Shepard Point Scholarship:...
. Though he was advertised as a special guest to perform on several West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
dates, Star did not appear.
Star's song "Plastic Surgery Slumber Party" appeared on the August 2007 Tommy Boy
Tommy Boy Records
Tommy Boy Entertainment is an independent record label started in 1981 by Tom Silverman.-History:...
release of Cyndi Lauper's True Colors tour compilation. Featuring ten tracks from ten of the artists, the compilation benefits the Human Rights Campaign
Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign is the United States' largest LGBT advocacy group and lobbying organization; according to the HRC, it has more than one million members and supporters...
, an organization that fights for civil rights for LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
people.
2008–2010: Cupcakes Taste Like Violence and Beauty Killer
Prior to the release of his second extended play, Star released his debut single "Heart Surgery Isn't That Bad..." on Valentine's DayValentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
, 2008, followed by its b-side, "I Hate Music", on April 17, 2008. Star later recorded and released "Starstruck" featuring Danger Radio
Danger Radio
Danger Radio is an American rock band from Edmonds, Washington.-Formation:Danger Radio's lead vocalist and drummer met as middle schoolers, soon after adding Marvin Kunkel as bassist for talent shows and school gigs...
- his first single available for free download as a "thank you" to fans. Trace Cyrus
Trace Cyrus
Trace Dempsey Cyrus is an American musician. He was the former guitarist, songwriter and vocalist of Metro Station before the band broke up. Currently, he is the owner of a clothing company called From Backseats to Bedrooms. Cyrus is the adopted son of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus...
and Mason Musso from Metro Station
Metro Station (band)
Metro Station is an American pop rock band that formed in Los Angeles by Mason Musso and Trace Cyrus. In late 2006, the band signed a recording contract with Columbia/Red Ink. They are best known for their Top 10 Billboard hit single "Shake It" from their self-titled debut album...
originally provided vocals for the song, however, due to a feud between the band and Star, they were ultimately replaced with Andrew de Torres
Andrew de Torres
Andrew de Torres is the lead vocalist of Danger Radio and lead vocalist and guitarist of The Scene Aesthetic. He also writes and records music as a solo artist.-Danger Radio:...
from Danger Radio
Danger Radio
Danger Radio is an American rock band from Edmonds, Washington.-Formation:Danger Radio's lead vocalist and drummer met as middle schoolers, soon after adding Marvin Kunkel as bassist for talent shows and school gigs...
.
Cupcakes Taste Like Violence
Cupcakes Taste Like Violence
-Charts:-Release history:-Personnel:*Jeffree Star — vocalsAdditional musicians*Lauren Baird — additional vocals on "Cupcakes Taste Like Violence", "So Fierce" and "Heart Surgery" *Jordan Blake — additional vocals on "So Fierce"...
, Star's sophomore extended play, was released on December 9, 2008. This is his first record to be available as a CD as well as digitial download. This is also Star's debut record to be released under Popsicle Records through Warner Music Group’s
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
Independent Label Group. Star said the extended play "remindes me of myself. I may look sweet, but I'm really scary and violent on the inside." Cupcakes Taste Like Violence peaked at number six on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Top Electronic Albums and at number eight on the Billboard Top Heatseekers. "Lollipop Luxury" was the first single from the extended play released November 18, 2008.
Star's debut studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, Beauty Killer
Beauty Killer
-Release & promotion:The first announcement of Beauty Killer mentioned a scheduled release in spring 2008. However, the album's release date was later pushed back to summer 2009, which in the meantime Star released his second extended play Cupcakes Taste Like Violence...
, was released on September 22, 2009. The first single from the album, "Prisoner", was released for digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
on May 2, 2009. The track received two million plays on MySpace at the end of its second week being available for stream. "Love Rhymes With Fuck You" was the second single from the album; like "Prisoner", it was also released for digital download on June 30, 2009. The album debuted at number 122 in the US Billboard 200 Chart
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. It also debuted at #7 in the US Billboard Top Dance/Electronic Albums Chart and fell to #12 on its second week. A music video for "Get Away With Murder" was filmed on November 7, 2009. The video premiered on the front page of MySpace on January 23, 2010.
It was announced that recording was underway for Star's first studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
in late 2007. He stated that the new songs "are more sexy, some are more "guy"ish and some are me screaming my heart out. I'm still finding what "Jeffree Star" really is. And I think I'm almost there..." To "tide fans over" until the first single from the album was released, on April 21, 2009, Star released a remix cover of Black Eyed Peas' "Boom Boom Pow
Boom Boom Pow
"Boom Boom Pow" is a song by The Black Eyed Peas released as the lead single from their fifth studio album, The E.N.D. The song uses the auto-tune vocal effect, and blends the genres of Electro-rap, dance-pop, electro hop and hip hop....
" which was made available for free download. Morgan Page
Morgan Page
Morgan Page is an American progressive house and electro house DJ from Los Angeles. His most widely recognized track is "The Longest Road," featuring Lissie, which was included on his debut album Elevate, released in March 2008. The Deadmau5 remix was nominated for a Grammy...
's radio edit mix of "Prisoner" was released for free download by Star on December 18, 2009.
He worked with producers such as Lester Mendez
Lester Mendez
Lester Mendez is an American record producer and songwriter. His production/writing credits include a multitude of successful hits including Shakira's "Underneath Your Clothes" and "La Tortura", Jessica Simpson's "A Public Affair", and Nelly Furtado's "Te Busqué".Mendez worked with Carlos Santana...
, 3OH!3's Nathaniel Motte
3OH!3
3OH!3 is an American electro hop duo from Boulder, Colorado, made up of Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte. They are best known for their single "Don't Trust Me" from their album Want, which reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100...
, God's Paparazzi and more. Star performed at Warped Tour 2009
Warped Tour 2009
Warped Tour 2009 was the 15th installment of the annual Summer Warped Tour festival. Vans Shoes was again the tour's primary sponsor. Tour founder/organizer Kevin Lyman announced that this year's tour would feature only one main stage with bands playing 40 minutes each instead of two main stages...
to promote some of the music from his album.
Star originally planned a North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n headlining concert tour, titled "I'm Cold, Keep Me Warm...Bitch!" for two weeks in December 2009. However, due to "personal things [that] have gotten out of hand in [his] family" the tour was canceled. Star will be embarking on his "2 DRUNK 2 FUCK" 2010 world tour where he says he will "be going everywhere...and yes that means Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
". This will be his first headlining tour supporting the album. Dates have been officially announced in the USA, United Kingdom and several countries in continental Europe.
Star released his fifth single "Blush" (his second single-only release) on February 16, 2010. "Size of Your Boat" was released as Star's sixth single (third single-only release) on July 1, 2010. The song "I'm In Love (With a Killer)" was released on October 10, 2010 and made available for free download via Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
. Star also recorded an anthem song for the It Gets Better Project titled "Kiss It Better". The song was also made available for free download on November 4, 2010. Star was featured on How Embarrassing
How Embarrassing
How Embarrassing is the third studio album by American comedian Jeff "JJ Star" Duran and was first released October 18, 2010 through iTunes as How Embarrassing, Vol.1. The Complete Edition became available March 8, 2011 and was long delayed because of financial and personal problems surrounding the...
, the comedy album from Jeff "JJ Star" Duran which was released in March 2011.
On September 22nd, 2011, Star leaked a song called "Prom Night!" as a teaser for his second studio album (TBA), via Youtube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.
Make-up, modeling and internet fame
Star was referred to celebrities including Kelly OsbourneKelly Osbourne
Kelly Michelle Lee Osbourne is an English media personality, television personality, host, judge, fashion designer, singer, and actress, best known for being the daughter of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne...
, Nicole Richie
Nicole Richie
Nicole Camille Richie is an American fashion designer, author, actress, singer and television personality. Her father was Peter Michael Escovedo, a musician who played for a brief time with Lionel Richie, and her mother Karen was the executive assistant for Sheila Escovedo...
, Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton
Paris Whitney Hilton is an American businesswoman, heiress, and socialite. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton . Hilton is known for her controversial participation in a sex tape in 2003, and appearance on the television series The Simple Life alongside fellow socialite and childhood...
, AFI
AFI (band)
AFI is an American alternative rock band from Ukiah, California that formed in 1991. They have consisted of the same lineup since 1998: lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backup vocalist Adam Carson, with bassist Hunter Burgan and guitarist Jade Puget, who both play keyboard and contribute...
frontman Davey Havok
Davey Havok
David Paden Marchand , more commonly known by the stage name Davey Havok, is the lead vocalist of the American rock band AFI and the electronic music band Blaqk Audio....
and Jessicka
Jessicka
Jessicka Addams is an American singer and artist. Best known by her stage name Jessicka, she was the front woman of Florida based band Jack Off Jill and current front for the Los Angeles based band Scarling.-Early life:Jessicka grew up in the town of Sunrise, Florida...
from the band Scarling.
Scarling.
Scarling. is an American alternative rock band from Los Angeles, whose core members are Jessicka and Christian Hejnal-Addams. The band formed in 2002. They have released two albums, Sweet Heart Dealer and So Long, Scarecrow.-Name:...
He is a former make-up artist for porn
PORN
Porn is a common short form for pornography. It may also refer to:* Progressive outer retinal necrosis, a disease of the retina* PORN, a French industrial rock band...
company
Company
A company is a form of business organization. It is an association or collection of individual real persons and/or other companies, who each provide some form of capital. This group has a common purpose or focus and an aim of gaining profits. This collection, group or association of persons can be...
, Hustler
Hustler
Hustler is a monthly pornographic magazine aimed at men and published in the United States. It was first published in 1974 by Larry Flynt. It was a step forward from the Hustler Newsletter which was cheap advertising for his strip club businesses at the time. The magazine grew from a shaky start to...
.
Star gained a cult following
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
from posting outrageous photographs of himself on Internet forum
Internet forum
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are at least temporarily archived...
s and later 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....
, who began sending him gifts including expensive cameras to take more pictures.
On August 1, 2006, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
' LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
Frontiers featured Star on its cover.
On November 17, 2006 Star and several contestants from "America's Next Top Model
America's Next Top Model
America's Next Top Model is a reality television show in which a number of women compete for the title of America's Next Top Model and a chance to start their career in the modeling industry....
" were a part of Black Chandelier's "Fall 2006 Runway Show" at Salt Lake City's Union Pacific Depot. Star was also a guest on "America's Next Top Model, Cycle 7
America's Next Top Model, Cycle 7
America's Next Top Model, Cycle 7 started airing on September 20, 2006 as the first to be aired on The CW network. The season's catch-phrase is "The Competition Won't Be Pretty." The season's promotional theme song is "Hot Stuff " by Pussycat Dolls.To date, this cycle is the most watched season in...
".
On March 16, 2007, Star was one of the featured runway models for BOXeight's production of designer
Designer
A designer is a person who designs. More formally, a designer is an agent that "specifies the structural properties of a design object". In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, such as consumer products, processes, laws, games and graphics, is referred to as a...
Jared Gold’s flamboyant "Quiet Army show", regarded as "the wildest front row in all of Fashion Week
Fashion Week
A fashion week is a fashion industry event, lasting approximately one week, which allows fashion designers, brands or "houses" to display their latest collections in runway shows and buyers and the media to take a look at the latest trends. Most importantly, these events let the industry know...
." The shows 2007 theme was "Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
chic
Chic (style)
Chic , meaning 'stylish' or 'smart', is an element of fashion.-Etymology:Chic is a French word, established in English since at least the 1870s...
", effectively using the Los Angeles Theater as a backdrop during L.A. Fashion Week. He has appeared in several music videos including Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte is an American rock band from Waldorf, Maryland that formed in 1996. Since 1998, the band's constant members have been lead vocalist Joel Madden, lead guitarist and back-up vocalist Benji Madden, bass guitarist Paul Thomas and rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Billy Martin...
's "The River
The River (Good Charlotte song)
"The River" is a song by the pop-punk band Good Charlotte featuring M. Shadows and Synyster Gates of the heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold. The song was the first single from the Good Morning Revival album in North America and the second single throughout the rest of the world except for...
", Godhead
Godhead (band)
Godhead, occasionally typeset as gODHEAD, is an American alternative rock/metal band from Washington, D.C.. They are most often credited with being the only band signed to musician Marilyn Manson's short-lived vanity label, Posthuman Records.-History:...
's "Push", Aiden
Aiden
Aiden is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington that formed in the spring of 2003. The members are WiL Francis , Nick Wiggins , and Angel Ibarra . wiL originally played bass but took over lead vocals when the original singer left...
's "One Love
One Love (Aiden song)
"One Love" is the first single from Aiden's third album, Conviction. As a single it was released in early September of 2007. The song was first played on the Lostprophets and Taking Back Sunday tour in early April and went on to be played at Wembley Arena on the final night of the Lostprophets and...
", Metro Station
Metro Station (band)
Metro Station is an American pop rock band that formed in Los Angeles by Mason Musso and Trace Cyrus. In late 2006, the band signed a recording contract with Columbia/Red Ink. They are best known for their Top 10 Billboard hit single "Shake It" from their self-titled debut album...
's "Shake It
Shake It (Metro Station song)
"Shake It" is a song by American pop group Metro Station released as the third single from their self-titled debut album. It is their first charting single, reaching #10 in the United States. Internationally, it charted in the top ten in ten countries outside the U.S...
" and Ke$ha
Kesha
Kesha village is a small village nestled in the mountains of Yongshun County, northwestern Hunan province, China, located at latitude 29 05' 50", longitude 109 57' 9". The name is pronounced in Standard Chinese. The official language is Manderin Chinese....
's "Take It Off
Take It Off (song)
"Take It Off" is a song by American recording artist and songwriter Kesha, from her debut album, Animal. The song was written by Kesha Sebert, Lukasz Gottwald and Claude Kelly and it was produced by Dr. Luke with vocal editing done by Emily Wright. It was released as the fourth and final single...
(K$ n' Friends Version)"
Merchandise
Star's T-shirtT-shirt
A T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
s, hoodie
Hoodie
A hoodie is a sweatshirt with a hood. The characteristic design includes large frontal pockets, a hood, and a drawstring to adjust the hood opening. They are sometimes worn with sweatpants. Some hoodies have zippers on them to allow easy removal much like a jacket...
s and accessories were ranked #1 on Hottopic.com. He is also developing a fragrance
Perfume
Perfume is a mixture of fragrant essential oils and/or aroma compounds, fixatives, and solvents used to give the human body, animals, objects, and living spaces "a pleasant scent"...
called "Fierce", which he says will smell like "vanilla and cotton candy."
Filmography
| Television guest appearances | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2007 | Video on Trial Video On Trial Video on Trial is a Canadian comedy television program that airs on Canadian television network MuchMusic. The show consists of a panel of musicians, comedians, and entertainment columnists critiquing five different music videos in a courtroom-esque manner. The panel acts as the jurors, poking fun... |
Himself | Guest judge (episode 20, season 2) |
| LA Ink LA Ink LA Ink is an American reality show on TLC that follows the events of the High Voltage Tattoo tattoo studios in Los Angeles, California... |
"Kat's in Love" (episode 10, season 1) | ||
| 2011 | "Nothing Is Forever, Not Even Tattoos" (episode 21, season 4) | ||
External links
- Jeffree Star on BuzznetBuzznetBuzzNet is a photo, journal, and video-sharing social media network, owned by Buzz Media. Like other social networking sites, Buzznet is a platform for members to share content based on their personal interests...
- Jeffree Star on PureVolumePureVolumePureVolume was the first independently run website of its type, allowing for the upload and stream of music files. It was created in 2003 by Jennifer Welch , in conjunction with the Unborn Media team; Brett Woitunski, Nate Hudson, and Mitchell Pavao; all from the University of...