Amerie's BIO
Blessed with keen intelligence and stunning good looks, Amerie could
have chosen any number of career paths. Yet from an early age, the
22-year-old R&B chanteuse knew what her future held. "It sounds like a
cliché," she says, "but I always knew I was going to sing. I always knew that
music was what I was going to do." You can hear that desire in Amerie's
voice. It's a voice that's sweet, sassy, and sultry, with a hint of bad
girl edge. Amerie's brand of soul is both infectious and intoxicating,
and it's evident throughout All I Have, her sizzling Columbia debut.
Asked to describe All I Have, Amerie offers, "The music and the lyrics
really put you into a zone. When (producer/songwriter) Rich Harrison
and I began creating the record, we knew that fusing beautiful melodies
with hard, hip-hop beats would move people. I think we've accomplished
that.
The proof can be heard in Amerie's 12-inch single, "Why Don't We Fall
In Love." Leaked to radio in the spring of 2002, "Why Don't We Fall in
Love" exploded, creating a strong buzz and heavy anticipation for
Amerie's album. It's no wonder why the public and the programmers responded
so enthusiastically. Laced with a sultry undercurrent, fueled by an
uplifting message about finding your soulmate and being in love with your
dreams, meanwhile propelled by Amerie's rock steady vocals, "Why Don't
We Fall In Love" is more than a hot track; it's the opening salvo from a
singer who has elevated the stakes for hip-hop soul.
What's remarkable about Amerie's rise is how fast it's occurred. She
and Rich (whose previous credits include Mary J. Blige) began laying down
the foundation for the album just two years ago, and now All I Have is
showing the world just how much Amerie has got to give. "It's been
pretty amazing," she admits. "We really worked hard on those songs and just
let our creativity go. I guess this is what happens when you're
focused, have good people around you, and trust your heart and your
instincts.
Amerie's mother is from Korea and her dad is an African-American from
North Philly. Amerie was raised in a military family, so the family
moved often; she lived on bases from Alaska to Germany. The traveling
stopped when the family moved to Virginia, and Amerie to Washington DC,
which she has called home for several years.
Through her mother, who is a painter, singer, and classical pianist,
Amerie was exposed to the arts. Bolstered by those influences, Amerie
began gravitating towards pop and R&B, getting into Madonna, Mary J.
Blige, Toni Braxton and Whitney Houston. Along with a healthy dose of divas
and classical composers, Amerie dipped into her father's old soul
collection. As she puts it, "My taste was pretty well-rounded.
With the love of music and the desire to perform driving her, Amerie
started studying dance, and in the 3rd grade, began to enter talent
shows, which she continued to do throughout high school. After high school
graduation, Amerie's family moved from Alaska to the East Coast, and
once she had settled into her new hometown, Amerie decided to take her
dreams to the next level; she began looking for an opportunity to get into
the music business. "Being in DC offered me more opportunities for
singing and meeting other musicians," Amerie explains. Not only was she
trying to break into the industry, but Amerie was also attending
prestigious Georgetown University, where she graduated with a degree in English and Fine Arts.
Through a friend, Amerie was introduced to DC native Rich, whose
production skills had already caught the ears of noted industry heavyweights
Jeff Burroughs and Darryl Williams of Rise Entertainment and Edwin
Holmes of EHM. Rich and Amerie got together, meeting for the first time in
a McDonald's parking lot. "Not too glamorous, huh?" Amerie laughs.
After Amerie heard Rich's tracks, and Rich heard her sing, the work began.
Quickly she and Rich realized that they not only had common goals, but
great creative chemistry as well. "We would just sit and brainstorm and
it just flowed from there," she remembers. One song became two, two
became three, and three grew to five, becoming a demo. Within months, that
demo made its way to Columbia Records, where Amerie was immediately
offered a deal. Soon, she was not only recording her own album, but also
working on collaborations with labelmates Nas and Royce da 5' 9".
"Writing on those songs, along with recording them, was a great experience
for me," she says. "It really felt good to work with such respected
artists.
Through all of this, Amerie makes sure to thank the One who made this
all possible: "I wrote the outro, 'I'm Reminded,' as a thank-you to God
for leading me to all of this. Through all the ups and downs and
uncertainties, He was always in control. I was very passionate about my
dreams, but I believe my parents' prayers really contributed to everything.
It's clear that passion is something that Amerie knows well. You can
hear the passion and commitment to singing that has lead her to this
point in her life and the making of this album. Now, she's getting the
chance to live her dreams and bring her talent to the world. Ask Amerie
what she wants fans to hear when they check out All I Have and her
response is considered and thoughtful: "I'd like them to hear that this is
real music. You can feel it. This music has substance, and in All I Have,
you get a glimpse into Rich's life and mine as well.
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