Jessie Reyez | |
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_(cropped).jpg) Reyez in Toronto, Canada (2019) | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Jessica Reyez (1991-06-12)June 12, 1991 (age 34) |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Instruments |
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| Years active | 2014–present |
| Labels | |
| Producer(s) | Tim Suby |
| Website | jessiereyez |
Jessica Reyez (born June 12, 1991) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. Her 2016 single, "Figures", peaked at number 58 on theCanadian Hot 100 and receivedtriple platinum certification byMusic Canada (MC) andplatinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[4] Her debutextended play (EP),Kiddo (2017), led her to winBreakthrough Artist from four nominations at the2018 Juno Awards. Her second EP,Being Human in Public (2018), was released the following year, wonR&B/Soul Recording of the Year at the2019 Juno Awards, and was nominated forBest Urban Contemporary Album at the2020 Grammy Awards.
Reyez won theR&B/Soul Recording of the Year once more for her 2019 single "Feel it Too" (withTory Lanez andTainy), at the2020 Juno Awards, where she was also nominated forArtist of the Year. Reyez has written songs forCalvin Harris,Kehlani,Dua Lipa, andNormani, most notably penning the hit "One Kiss", and has collaborated withEminem on multiple occasions.[5] Her debut studio album,Before Love Came to Kill Us (2020), was met with widespread critical acclaim and commercial success, peaking at number 13 on the USBillboard 200.[6]
Jessica Reyez was born inToronto,Ontario toColombian parents.[7] She was introduced to the guitar by her father, leading to a career in art and music. She played guitar as a child and began writing her own music in high school.[7] Reyez and her family then moved toBrampton, where she attended St. Thomas Aquinas CSS.[8] After graduating, she opted out of post secondary education and instead chose to pursue her music while doing odd jobs on the side. In 2012, Reyez and her family moved toFlorida, where she was primarily bartending and busking on the beach,[7] but she returned to Toronto in 2014 after being accepted to The Remix Project's Academy of Recording Arts.[9] At the Remix Project, Reyez was mentored byDaniel Daley fromDvsn, and her music was heard byKing Louie.[7]
In 2014, Reyez and King Louie released a joint single titled "Living in the Sky", followed by a second single, "It Hurts (Selena)", in 2015.[7] In early 2017, she released the single "Shutter Island"[10] and toured Europe opening forPartyNextDoor. Her follow-up single, "Figures", was premiered byZane Lowe onBeats 1 radio, alongside its music video. "Figures" peaked at number 58 on theCanadian Hot 100 in 2017[4] and was certifiedtriple platinum by Music Canada.
In April 2017, Reyez released her debut EP,Kiddo[11] as well as her short filmGatekeeper, which addressed sexism and exploitation in the music industry. It specifically was based on her experience withmusic producerNoel "Detail" Fisher, who was accused ofsexual misconduct by multiple women, including artistBebe Rexha.[12] Kiddo peaked at number 83 on theCanadian Album Chart.
Kiddo was placed on the Long List of the2017 Polaris Music Prize and lead to four nominations at the 2018 Juno Awards (R&B/Soul Recording of the Year, Breakthrough Artist, Video of the Year, and Juno Fan Choice Award),[13] where she won Breakthrough Artist. She also received two2017 iHeartRadio Much Music Video Awards nominations for Best New Canadian Artist and Fan Fave Video for "Shutter Island".[14][15] She was also nominated for two 2018MTV Music Video Awards, including Push Artist of the Year and Video With A Message (for "Gatekeeper"). Reyez performed "Figures" at the2017 BET Awards on June 25, 2017[16] and onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on August 8, 2017.[17] Later in 2017, she signed a record and publishing deal withIsland Records.[18]
Billboard named Reyez one of the "10 Hip-Hop and R&B Artists to Watch in 2018".[19] She also received aSOCAN Songwriting Prize nomination for the song "Cotton Candy".[20] Recorded in 2017, Reyez collaborated withLewis Capaldi on his 2018 single “Rush”. Reyez joined Capaldi again in the music video of the single. She then released her second EP,Being Human in Public, and toured across North America. The EP won 2019'sR&B/Soul Recording of The Year at the2019 Juno Awards and was nominated forBest Urban Contemporary Album at the2020 Grammy Awards. It also appeared on the short list for the2019 Polaris Music Prize.
In August, Reyez collaborated withEminem on "Nice Guy" and "Good Guy", from the albumKamikaze, both charting on theBillboard Hot 100[21] and appeared on the soundtrack toFifty Shades Freed. On April 9, 2019, Reyez released the single "Imported" featuring6lack, a re-working of a song off her last EP. The single was later certified Gold by both theRIAA andMusic Canada. She also had a cameo in theNetflix film,Someone Great and appeared onThe Lion King: The Gift, performing (with070 Shake) and co-writing the song "Scar".
Reyez received her first Grammy nomination, whenBeing Human in Public was nominated forBest Urban Contemporary Album at the2020 Grammy Awards.[22][23] Reyez opened forBillie Eilish on herWhere Do We Go? world tour, with some of the dates postponed due toCOVID-19 pandemic.[24] She was also booked to perform for the first time atCoachella festival,[25] which was also postponed due to the pandemic.[26]
Reyez released her debut studio album,Before Love Came to Kill Us, on March 27, 2020. The album includes collaborations withEminem and6lack, with the deluxe edition including additional features fromRico Nasty, Melii,JID, andA Boogie wit da Hoodie. The album was preceded by the single "Love in the Dark" and also included previous singles "Figures" and "Imported".Before Love Came to Kill Us debuted at #13 on theBillboard 200 and was short-listed for the2020 Polaris Music Prize.[27][28]
Reyez was nominated for two awards at the2020 Juno Awards:Artist of the Year andR&B/Soul Recording of the Year (for "Feel It Too" withTory Lanez andTainy), winning the latter award.[29] The music video for Reyez's song "Far Away" won the 2020Prism Prize, with directorPeter Huang winning the $20,000 award.[30] Reyez was featured inBeyoncé's musical filmBlack Is King, which premiered onDisney+ in July 2020.[31]
She received nominations for five awards at the2021 Juno Awards:Artist of the Year,Songwriter of the Year, and Juno Award for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year (forBefore Love Came to Kill Us), with two of her music videos nominatedVideo of the Year.[32] "No One's in the Room" which was directed byEmma Higgins, ended up taking the prize.[33][34]
Reyez released her second studio album,Yessie, on September 16, 2022.[35] The album consists of 11 tracks, featuring one collaboration with former collaborator6lack on the song "Forever".[36]
Studio albums
Headlining
Supporting
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | iHeartRadio Much Music Video Awards | Best New Canadian Artist | Herself | Nominated |
| Fan Fave Video | "Shutter Island" (directed byPeter Huang) | Nominated | ||
| Polaris Music Prize | Long List | Kiddo | Nominated | |
| SOCAN Songwriting Prize | Anglophone Song | "Figures" | Nominated | |
| 2018 | Juno Awards | Breakthrough Artist | Herself | Won |
| R&B/Soul Recording of the Year | Kiddo | Nominated | ||
| Video of The Year | "Gatekeeper" (directed by Peter Huang) | Nominated | ||
| Juno Fan Choice Award | Herself | Nominated | ||
| MTV Video Music Awards | Push Artist of the Year | Herself | Nominated | |
| Video with a Message | "Gatekeeper" | Nominated | ||
| MTV Europe Music Award | Best New Act | Herself | Nominated | |
| Prism Prize | Short List | "Gatekeeper" (directed by Peter Huang) | Nominated | |
| 2019 | SOCAN Songwriting Prize | Anglophone Song | "Cotton Candy" | Nominated |
| Juno Awards | R&B/Soul Recording of the Year | Being Human in Public | Won | |
| Polaris Music Prize | Short List | Nominated | ||
| Prism Prize | Short List | "Body Count" (directed by Peter Huang) | Nominated | |
| 2020 | Grammy Awards | Best Urban Contemporary Album | Being Human in Public | Nominated |
| Juno Awards | Artist of the Year | Herself | Nominated | |
| R&B/Soul Recording of the Year | "Feel It Too" (withTory Lanez andTainy) | Won | ||
| Polaris Music Prize | Short List | Before Love Came to Kill Us | Shortlisted | |
| Billboard | Impact Award | Herself | Won | |
| Prism Prize | Grand Prize | "Far Away" (directed by Peter Huang) | Won | |
| 2021 | Juno Awards | Artist of the Year | Herself | Nominated |
| Songwriter of the Year | Nominated | |||
| Contemporary R&B/Soul Recording of the Year | Before Love Came to Kill Us | Nominated | ||
| Video of the Year | "Intruders" (directed by Les Solis, Peter Huang) | Nominated | ||
| "No One's in the Room" (directed by Emma Higgins) | Won |
Born in Toronto, Reyez grew up near Jane and Driftwood and then moved to Brampton .
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
