Kreesha Turner

Infobox musical artist
Name = Kreesha Turner


Img_capt = deletable image-caption
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Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Kreesha Turner
Alias =
Born = TBA
Died =
Origin = Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Instrument =
Genre = R&B
Pop
Occupation = Singer-songwriter
Years_active = 2006–Present
Label = Capitol Records (2007–present)
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.kreeshaturner.com/ Official Website]

Kreesha Turner is a Canadian R&B and pop singer. She cites R&B acts like Erykah Badu, Jill Scott and D'Angelo, Hip-Hop acts including A Tribe Called Quest, Andre 3000 and Common and Rock acts like the Foo Fighters and Our Lady Peace as her inspirations. [ [http://www.muchmusic.com/music/artists/bio.asp?artist=2119 MuchMusic.com - Kreesha Turner Biography ] ] She has been dubbed the "Canadian Rihanna" by the media. [ [http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Music/story?id=5226979 ABCnews.go.com - Kreesha Turner: The Next Rihanna? ] ]

Early life

The oldest of three children born to a Canadian father and Jamaican mother [ [http://www.muchmusic.com/music/artists/bio.asp?artist=2119] ] , Kreesha was raised in Edmonton, Alberta [ [http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/kreesha_turner/artist.jhtml] ] . As a young child, Kreesha would dance in her bedroom to music by jazz icon Oscar Peterson [ [http://www.virginradio999.com/performer/1051622/kreesha-turner] ] . Kreesha has always referenced jazz [ [http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Music/Story?id=5226979&page=2] ] as an inspiration including artist such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday [ [http://blogs.louloumagazine.com/2008/08/chatting-with-kreesha-turner-aka-the-canadian-rihanna/] ] , and Peggy Lee.

Kreesha's musical tastes developed when she discovered the music of Erykah Badu [ [http://blogs.louloumagazine.com/2008/08/chatting-with-kreesha-turner-aka-the-canadian-rihanna/] ] , Jill Scott [ [http://blogs.louloumagazine.com/2008/08/chatting-with-kreesha-turner-aka-the-canadian-rihanna/] ] and D'Angelo, A Tribe Called Quest, Andre 3000, Common, the Foo Fighters and Our Lady Peace. Kreesha's early musical expression was through modern, tap, jazz, hip-hop and African dance.

In 2000 when Kreesha was 15, Kreesha's mother sent her to Jamaica [ [http://www.nationalpost.com/arts/story.html?id=721359] ] to live for a year to experience Jamaican culture. Kreesha quickly learned that singing is a big part of everyday life in Jamaica, particularly at the Pentecostal church. Friends convinced her to try out for the youth choir despite her own belief that she couldn't sing. On the strength of her rendition of Canada's national anthem, Kreesha was accepted into the choir and began singing gospel songs at the Faith Temple Tabernacle [ [http://www.chrissmith-management.com/website/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25&Itemid=36&yt_color=drops] ] . Kreesha cites this as the time she realized she loved to sing.

Music

2005, Kreesha won a talent contest in Edmonton, Alberta, held by The Bounce (91.7 FM). This contest resulted in 4 tracks being recorded, the most important to Kreesha's career being "Bounce with Me". This was noticed by Urban and R&B Music Manager Chris Smith (Nelly Furtado, Tamia), and resulted in the start of her mainstream career.

Prior to her mainstream success the singer's song Bounce With Me was heard as early as spring of 2006 on Vancouver AC stations. Kreesha released her first (official after Bounce with me which wasn't released until 2007) single "Simple" to the Canadian iTunes store on November 13, 2007 but the single did not create any success for the young singer. Her first official video was for her second single "Bounce With Me" which was released to iTunes on December 4, 2007, the single was eventually used as 'The Free Song of the Week' on "iTunes". The single became her first charting song and peaked at number 53 on the Canadian Hot 100. Her third single was released to radio in April 2008 and on iTunes May 20, 2008. It has made it into the top 10 of Canadian iTunes and recently made a huge leap on the Canadian Hot 100 from 41-8 [ [http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/chart_display.jsp?g=Singles&f=Canadian+Hot+100 Billboard Charts - Singles - Canadian Hot 100 ] ] , making "Don't Call Me Baby" her first Canadian Top 10 single.

On August 5, Kreesha Turner's debut album, "Passion", was made available for advanced streaming on MuchMusic.com. [ [http://www.muchmusic.com/music/firstspin/kreeshaturner/ MuchMusic.com - First Spin: Kreesha Turner] ] On August 12, 2008, "Passion" was released in Canada.

Kreesha's music has been featured in many TV shows and commercials, including: a Nikon Commercial w/ Ashton Kutcher, Gossip Girl, Entourage, The Hills, a Lipstick Jungle Promo Spot, Breakfast at Tiffany’s Promo Spot on Oxygen, a Keeping up with the Kardashians Promo Spot on E!, Ugly Betty, ESPN, Entourage, Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters, Moonlight Soundtrack, Nike Women’s campaign, and a Desperate Housewives Promo Spot.

Discography

Albums

* 2008: "Passion" (August 12th, 2008) "(CRIA Certification: Gold)"

ingles

References

External links

* [http://www.kreeshaturner.com/ Official website]
* [http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=62874560 Official Kreesha Turner MySpace page]