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All Music Guide:
Billie Myers, born in England, came to the world of popular music in 1997 with her debut release Growing, Pains. Her vocal style is a combination of pop, jazz and world music. There has always been a defined line, though invisible, between pop lyrics and poetry; Billie originally began writing poetry as a child, and in doing so has successfully joined the two together in cohesive, accessible music. Billie's mother is English, her father Jamaican. She did not follow a musical path from the beginning; before her CD debut, Billie was a nurse and insurance agent in England. Billie was discovered in a dance club by producer Peter Harris. Intrigued by her look and dancing, Peter asked Billie if she could sing as well as she danced. Soon after their first meeting, Billie began writing the material for Growing, Pains. The album was produced by veteran rock icon Desmond Child. The first single off the album, "Kiss the Rain," quickly became a Top 20 hit. Billie was signed to Universal Records in 1997 and toured with the Lilith Fair in the summer of 1998, as well as headlining her own tour. Singles from the album Growing, Pains have appeared on television in commercials and in the series Dawson's Creek. Growing, Pains achieved gold record status in 1997 and Billie's follow-up, Vertigo, arrived in mid-2000.
Wikipedia:
Billie Myers (born 14 June 1971, Coventry, West Midlands, England) is an English rock singer-songwriter. She is probably best known for her 1998 transatlantic hit, "Kiss the Rain".
Biography [edit]
Myers was born in Britain to a British mother, and Jamaican father. Before commencing her career in music, Myers was a nurse and insurance agent. She was discovered in a club by the record producer Peter Harris. Soon after their first meeting, Myers began writing material for her debut album, Growing, Pains (1997). The album was produced by Desmond Child. The first single from the album, "Kiss the Rain", became a Top 20 hit.
Myers was signed to a recording contract with Universal Records in 1997. Singles from Growing, Pains have appeared on television commercials and in the TV series, Dawson's Creek. Growing, Pains achieved gold record status in 1997, and Myers' follow-up album, Vertigo, was issued in 2000.
Her vocal style is a combination of pop, jazz and world music.
She has spoken about her bisexuality and the difficulties "not being gay enough" has caused her in the past.
On 11 October 2009, Myers sang "America the Beautiful" before a crowd of LGBT people and their allies at the National Equality March in Washington, D.C. In introducing the song, she criticized president Barack Obama for failing to mention marriage equality and the battle to ban same-sex marriage in Maine during his speech the previous night at a Human Rights Campaign dinner.
Growing, Pains (1997) [edit]
Myers's debut album, Growing, Pains, was released in the United States on 18 November 1997. It achieved gold status, thanks in large part to the success of its first single. Myers wrote or co-wrote all songs featured on the record, and although she had not written songs prior to creating Growing, Pains, she had regularly written in journals and diaries for years beforehand, which facilitated the songwriting process.
Her first single, "Kiss the Rain" entered the UK Singles Chart and eventually reached number 4. In the United States, "Kiss the Rain" reached number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent 31 weeks on the chart. The American television series Dawson’s Creek (episode #2-02, titled “Crossroads”) featured "Kiss the Rain", and it was also used in promotions for Archer Daniels Midland, which were most often seen on both Sunday morning talk shows and ADM's underwriting spot for The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.
The dance remix of "Kiss the Rain" was the first number 1 for both Myers and the remix team, Thunderpuss.
A remix, featuring clips from the Kevin Smith film Chasing Amy, was produced by Pablo, then a DJ at WABB-FM in Mobile, Alabama.
The follow-up single, "Tell Me", reached number 25 on the Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks chart. Myers admitted that once "Kiss the Rain" had retreated from charting position, she felt disappointed because "Tell Me" did not match the success of her first single.
After the release of Growing, Pains and before her second album, Myers scored the title track for the Freddie Prinze, Jr. film Down to You.
Vertigo (2000) [edit]
In June 2000, Myers released her second record, Vertigo, which featured the single "Am I Here Yet? (Return to Sender)". The dance remix of "Am I Here Yet?" by DJ Junior Vasquez reached number 1 on the dance charts. "Should I Call You Jesus?" was the album's second single and invited controversy because of Myers's frank, honest questions about religion. Myers was satisfied with her second record because she was more assertive in the production process and more direct lyrically. Billboard called Vertigo's collection of songs "a fearless set that intertwines deft pop hooks, wickedly honest lyrics, and vibrant rhythms".
"Just Sex" (2005) [edit]
In November 2005, Myers released a single, "Just Sex", with Artemis Records' Star Struck compilation album. One year later, Myers was named the closing act for Los Angeles Gay Pride 2006 and a featured act for New York City Pride 2006. She also appeared at the Chicago North Halsted Market Days 25th Anniversary Festival. The remix of "Just Sex" reached number 8 on the Billboard Dance Chart.
