Amerie
Introduced to most of the world in 2005 with the smash single "1 Thing," triple-threat actress / dancer / singer-songwriter-producer Ameriie continues to evolve.
Amerie was born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, to Mi Suk, a Korean-born artist, and Charles Rogers, an African-American military man. As a young girl, she lived in a variety of places, including South Korea, Germany, Texas and Alaska due to her father's US military career. Having to constantly adapt to new environments, she developed a very strong sense of self early on. She excelled in school, but also found a creative outlet in writing fiction and music.
Ameriie went on to Georgetown University, where she earned a bachelors degree in English and Fine Arts/Design. After securing a record deal shortly after graduation, she released her debut album "All I Have" and, together with Richard A. Harrison, helped steer contemporary R&B away from synthetic sounds through the use of live, aggressive instrumentation and vocalization. Three years later she turned out "Touch", which solidified her as one of music's most exciting artists, thanks to the overwhelming success of the go-go-inspired track "1 Thing." In 2007 she released "Because I Love It", which featured the hip-hop electro sound that is still prevalent in pop music today.
After releasing three critically acclaimed albums, Ameriie decided it was time to reposition herself. In 2008 she parted ways with Sony and co-founded entertainment company Feeniix Rising Entertainment with business partner Lennie Nicholson. "In Love & War", an aggressive mix of trunk rattling hip-hop, raw soul reminiscent of James Brown and classic Led Zeppelin-era rock-'n-roll, quickly followed. The singer managed to turn the tumultuous times of past relationships into a moving collection of songs which resonate with anyone who has ever been on the wrong side of love.
Ameriie is in the process of recording her latest project, "Cymatika", which she describes as an album that speaks to "the things that drive us." Always fusing different musical elements, this time she picks up where 2007's "Because I Love It" left off, and adds a heavier dose of New Wave, trance and electronica. Ameriie is also working on three books: her first fiction novel, a guide book for young girls and teens, and a wedding planning book with celebrity wedding planner Tiffany Nieves-Cook, with whom she's been planning her wedding for the past year.