Jem biography
Jemma Griffiths (born 18 May 1975, in Penarth, Wales), better known as Jem, is a Welsh singer-songwriter. Her debut album, Finally Woken, includes elements of rock, new wave-styled electronica and trip-hop. Along with electronic producer Guy Sigsworth (Björk, Frou Frou), she wrote the song "Nothing Fails", which was later re-worked by Madonna and appeared on her 2003 American Life album. Her second album Down to Earth was released on 16 September 2008.
Beginnings
Jem was born in Penarth, Wales, a small town near the Welsh capital, Cardiff. Her siblings are Chloe, Yestyn and Georgia. Yestyn is in the band Glass Pear.
Although she began singing and writing songs during her time at Stanwell school at age thirteen in Penarth, Wales, she decided to head into law and attended Sussex University. However, she spent less time and energy on studies and focused on being a DJ agent, although she did eventually receive a degree in law. There in Brighton, she spent a lot of time promoting club nights, and helped set up and run the specialist breaks label Marine Parade. She has said she "went to class as little as she could without being kicked out".
In November 1999, she assembled a mobile recording studio where she further developed her songwriting and music production skills. During this period, she completed four demos that would eventually set up her career in the music industry. From there, she moved to London where she collaborated with Guy Sigsworth, and then to Brooklyn to work with Ge-Ology (Mos Def, Talib Kweli). In autumn 2002 she met Yoad Nevo, who became her co-producer.
Music career
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Jem's solo career began in earnest in 2002, when a demo version of the song "Finally Woken" was played on the Los Angeles radio station, KCRW. The track became one of the most listener-requested songs at the station, landing her in their top 5 played artists, and all prior to any record label being attached. As a result, Bruce Flohr was so impressed with her demos that he offered Jem a recording contract onto Dave Matthews' ATO label.
She was subsequently signed to the label ATO and released the moderately successful EP It All Starts Here in autumn 2003, followed by the album Finally Woken in March 2004.
Jem released the single "24" from Finally Woken in 2003 as a limited edition promo single, and then released her debut single, "They", from the same album, which followed the next year in her homeland of the UK, with a separate video. A remix of the song was the first release on her vinyl imprint label CrazyWiseMusic.
Further singles followed in the UK, before she took a gap to write and record a new album. Whilst working on the album, with Lester Mendez, she wrote a song called "Once In Every Lifetime" for the Eragon movie soundtrack. The song "It's Amazing" from the Sex and the City movie soundtrack is the official first single from her second album, which she has entitled Down To Earth, released on 16 September 2008.
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