Titiyo
Encyclopedia
Titiyo Yambalu Felicia Jah (born July 23, 1967) is a Swedish
pop
singer and songwriter
, who has won four Grammis
.
, and Maylen Bergström. She is the half- sister of singer Neneh Cherry
, and stepsister to Eagle-Eye Cherry
. She grew up in Solna
.
. She fronted her own band in 1987 and played the Stockholm circuit, and signed with a local label, Telegram, in 1989. She also sang background vocals for a range of Swedish artists, including Army of Lovers
and Jakob Hellman
. In 1989, Titiyo released her self-titled debut album, which topped at #3 in Sweden, and was released in the United States on Arista
, and became one of the contributions to a Swedish R & B wave in the US that lasted throughout the nineties. The single "My Body Says Yes" was a hit in North America, and "Talking to the Man in the Moon
" reached #6 in the Swedish charts; the subsequent single, "After the Rain," reached #13.
Titiyo took a two-year break and returned in 1993 with the Aretha Franklin
cover "Never Let Me Go
" (#25 in Sweden), later included on her second full-length This is Titiyo; remixes of some of her songs were popular in the London
club scene. Her third album, Extended, produced by Kent (Gillström) Isaacs
(released by the Swedish label Diesel Music), appeared in 1997, producing the hit single "Josefin Dean".
In 2001, Titiyo revitalised her career with her successful fourth studio album Come Along (also on Diesel Music, and released in the US in 2002), spawning the international hit single of the same name. Produced by Peter Svensson
(The Cardigans
) and Joakim Berg
(Kent
), the album and its title song made it to the top of in the Swedish charts, while the single was a success in several European countries including France
, Germany
, Switzerland
, and the Netherlands
. The second single from the album, "1989", was not nearly as successful as its predecessor but reached the top-30 of the French singles chart.
After a lengthy hiatus, Warner Music released a greatest hits album named Best of Titiyo in 2004, which included two new songs. One of these songs, "Loving out of Nothing", charted within the top-20 in Sweden in early 2005.
In spring 2008, Titiyo was asked to contribute vocals to Kleerup
's single "Longing for Lullabies
". Released in April 2008 in Scandinavia
, the single has since reached the top 20 in Denmark and top 10 in Sweden.
Titiyo released her fifth album, Hidden, on the Swedish independent label Sheriff late 2008. The album mainly feature self-penned material but also results of collaborations with the likes of Kleerup, Moto Boy, and Goran Kajfes of Oddjob. So far videos for "Stumble to Fall" and "Awakening" have been released.
:
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, who has won four Grammis
Grammis
The Grammis Awards are the Swedish equivalent of the Grammy Awards. The awards ceremony is generally held each year in February in Stockholm.The awards were established in 1969 and awarded until 1972 when they were cancelled....
.
Early life
Titiyo was born in Stockholm, Sweden, to Ahmadu Jah, a Sierra Leonean drummerDrummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
, and Maylen Bergström. She is the half- sister of singer Neneh Cherry
Neneh Cherry
Neneh Mariann Cherry is a Swedish singer-songwriter, rapper, and occasional DJ and broadcaster...
, and stepsister to Eagle-Eye Cherry
Eagle-Eye Cherry
Eagle-Eye Lanoo Cherry is a Swedish musician of African-American descent.-Life and career:Cherry was born in Stockholm, Sweden, the son of African American jazz artist Don Cherry and Swedish painter/textile artist Monika "Moki" Cherry . He is half-brother of singer Neneh Cherry, his mother's...
. She grew up in Solna
Solna Municipality
Solna Municipality is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden, located just north of the capital Stockholm. Its seat is located in the 'city' of Solna....
.
Musical career
Titiyo discovered her own singing abilities when invited by her older sister to sing with her at a studio in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. She fronted her own band in 1987 and played the Stockholm circuit, and signed with a local label, Telegram, in 1989. She also sang background vocals for a range of Swedish artists, including Army of Lovers
Army Of Lovers
Army of Lovers are a Swedish dance music group formed in 1987.The name of the band alludes to a documentary Armee der Liebenden oder Revolte der Perversen about the German gay rights activist Rosa von Praunheim, the title of which in turn alludes to the Theban Band.-History:The founding members,...
and Jakob Hellman
Jakob Hellman
Jakob Hellman, born October 20, 1965 in Vuollerim, Norrbotten, is a Swedish pop singer. Although his only album to date, ...Och stora havet, was released in 1989, he is still well-known in his native country.-Background:...
. In 1989, Titiyo released her self-titled debut album, which topped at #3 in Sweden, and was released in the United States on Arista
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
, and became one of the contributions to a Swedish R & B wave in the US that lasted throughout the nineties. The single "My Body Says Yes" was a hit in North America, and "Talking to the Man in the Moon
Talking to the Man in the Moon
"Talking to the Man in the Moon" is a 1989 hit by songwriter Magnus Frykberg and the first charting single by Swedish singer Titiyo from the eponymous debut music album Titiyo. The critically acclaimed single was a "massive late 1980s European hit"; it charted in Sweden for five weeks, and reached...
" reached #6 in the Swedish charts; the subsequent single, "After the Rain," reached #13.
Titiyo took a two-year break and returned in 1993 with the 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...
cover "Never Let Me Go
Aretha Arrives
Aretha Arrives is a 1967 album by Aretha Franklin. Its only single release was "Baby I Love You" , a million-selling Gold 45 which hit #1 R&B and #4 on the Billboard Hot 100....
" (#25 in Sweden), later included on her second full-length This is Titiyo; remixes of some of her songs were popular in the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
club scene. Her third album, Extended, produced by Kent (Gillström) Isaacs
Kent (Gillström) Isaacs
Kent Isaacs, a Swedish producer, mixer, musician and entrepreneur, is owner and operator of Cosmos Music Group, an independent Scandinavian music company...
(released by the Swedish label Diesel Music), appeared in 1997, producing the hit single "Josefin Dean".
In 2001, Titiyo revitalised her career with her successful fourth studio album Come Along (also on Diesel Music, and released in the US in 2002), spawning the international hit single of the same name. Produced by Peter Svensson
Peter Svensson
Anders Peter Svensson is a guitarist with the band, The Cardigans.His role in the group is as a guitarist and composer, but he also plays keyboard, vibraphone, and bass guitar, plus he provides some backing vocals...
(The Cardigans
The Cardigans
The Cardigans are a Swedish rock band formed in the town of Jönköping in October 1992.Their debut album Emmerdale gave them a solid base in their home country and enjoyed some success abroad, especially in Japan. It was not until their second album Life that an international reputation was secured...
) and Joakim Berg
Joakim Berg
Herbert Joakim "Jocke" Berg is a Swedish singer, songwriter and musician, best known as the lead singer of Swedish alternative rock band Kent, which was founded in 1990.-Biography:...
(Kent
Kent (band)
Kent is a Swedish alternative rock band founded in Eskilstuna in 1990, with the name Coca-Cola Kids, later Jones & Giftet , and Havsänglar...
), the album and its title song made it to the top of in the Swedish charts, while the single was a success in several European countries including France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. The second single from the album, "1989", was not nearly as successful as its predecessor but reached the top-30 of the French singles chart.
After a lengthy hiatus, Warner Music released a greatest hits album named Best of Titiyo in 2004, which included two new songs. One of these songs, "Loving out of Nothing", charted within the top-20 in Sweden in early 2005.
In spring 2008, Titiyo was asked to contribute vocals to Kleerup
Kleerup
Andreas Kleerup, known professionally by his last name, is a Swedish record producer, drummer, and member of the Swedish group The Meat Boys, from Stockholm, Sweden. His first mainstream collaboration was as the producer of fellow Swedish artist Robyn's #1 UK single, "With Every Heartbeat", also...
's single "Longing for Lullabies
Longing For Lullabies
"Longing for Lullabies" is the second single from the Swedish producer and singer-songwriter Kleerup's first album. Following the success of "With Every Heartbeat", released a year beforer, the single was a top ten hit in Sweden, peaking at #7....
". Released in April 2008 in Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
, the single has since reached the top 20 in Denmark and top 10 in Sweden.
Titiyo released her fifth album, Hidden, on the Swedish independent label Sheriff late 2008. The album mainly feature self-penned material but also results of collaborations with the likes of Kleerup, Moto Boy, and Goran Kajfes of Oddjob. So far videos for "Stumble to Fall" and "Awakening" have been released.
Personal life
Titiyo's daughter Femi was born in 1992. Femi's father is music producer Magnus Frykberg.Studio Albums
- Titiyo (1990) (#3, SWE)
- This Is Titiyo (1993) (#1, SWE)
- Extended (1997) (#27, SWE)
- Come Along (2001) (#1, SWE)
- Hidden (2008) (#18, SWE)
Selected singles
| Year | Single | Album | Chart positions | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SWE | BE-FL Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... |
BE-WA Ultratop 40 Ultratop 40 singles, often just Ultratop 40, is the weekly chart of best-selling singles in Wallonia and Brussels Capital Region, the french-speaking parts of Belgium. Its equivalent covering the Flanders region is Ultratop 50. Both charts are produced and published by the Ultratop organization... |
DEN | FRA | GER Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
NLD | SWI | 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 ... |
US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
|||
| 1989 | "Man in the Moon" | Titiyo | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| "After the Rain" | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 60 | — | ||
| 1990 | "Flowers" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 71 | — | |
| 1991 | "My Body Says Yes" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 42 | |
| 1993 | "Never Let Me Go" | This Is | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1994 | "Tell Me (I'm Not Dreaming)" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 45 | — | |
| 1995 | "It Should Have Been You" (Blacknuss feat. Jennifer Brown Jennifer Brown Jennifer Brown is a Swedish singer. She was born in Hjällbo, northeast of Gothenburg.When she moved to Stockholm in the 1990s, she started working as a phone receptionist for influential Swedish record label Telegram records and this eventually led to a record deal... & Titiyo) |
Blacknuss Allstars (Blacknuss album) |
— | — | — | — | — | 80 | — | — | — | — |
| 1996 | "We Vie" (Stakka Bo & Titiyo with Fleshquartet Fleshquartet Fleshquartet is a Swedish band. Although they have five members, the name comes from the band consisting of an often electrical string quartet plus a percussionist. The name is inspired by classical ensemble Freskkvartetten. They often collaborate with vocalists, and the list of vocalists they... and Nåid NAID NAID is an acronym which may refer to:* Native American Indian Dog* In medicine, Non-Anemic Iron Deficiency* North American International Demoparty, a demoscene party in Quebec, Canada* NAID, an Association of Defence Communities... ) |
jr. (Stakka Bo album) |
10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2001 | "Come Along" | Come Along | 3 | 17 | 35 | 7 | 13 | 11 | 20 | 22 | — | — |
| "1989" | — | 56 | 43 | — | 23 | — | 88 | 83 | — | — | ||
| 2004 | "Lovin' Out of Nothing" | Best of / A Collection of Songs |
17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | "Feels Like Heaven" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2008 | "Longing for Lullabies Longing For Lullabies "Longing for Lullabies" is the second single from the Swedish producer and singer-songwriter Kleerup's first album. Following the success of "With Every Heartbeat", released a year beforer, the single was a top ten hit in Sweden, peaking at #7.... " (with Kleerup Kleerup Andreas Kleerup, known professionally by his last name, is a Swedish record producer, drummer, and member of the Swedish group The Meat Boys, from Stockholm, Sweden. His first mainstream collaboration was as the producer of fellow Swedish artist Robyn's #1 UK single, "With Every Heartbeat", also... ) |
Kleerup Kleerup (album) -International edition:-Peak positions:-Year-end charts:-Release history:... (Kleerup album) |
7 | 71 | — | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| "300 Slow Days in a Row" (with Marit Bergman Marit Bergman -Biography:She grew up in Rättvik but now lives in Brooklyn. She was a member of the 1990s Swedish punk band Candysuck. She has also been playing and recording with other musical constellations. However, it is as a solo artist, as Marit Bergman, that she has risen to national fame, debuting in... ) |
The Tear Collector (Marit Bergman album) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Longing for Lullabies" (solo version) | Hidden | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Stumble to Fall" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009 | "Awakening" | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2010 | "If Only Your Bed Could Cry" (with Moto Boy) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Side by Side" (with Theodor Jensen) | Tough Love (Theodor Jensen album) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Grammis awards
As of 2011, Titiyo has won four GrammisGrammis
The Grammis Awards are the Swedish equivalent of the Grammy Awards. The awards ceremony is generally held each year in February in Stockholm.The awards were established in 1969 and awarded until 1972 when they were cancelled....
:
- 1989: Newcomer of the year
- 1990: Best female pop/rock artist
- 1997: Best female pop/rock artist
- 2001: Song of the year ("Come Along")
External links
- Titiyo.com Official website