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Jully Black | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Black atThe Heart Truth celebrity fashion show in February 2012 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Jullyann Inderia Gordon |
| Born | (1977-11-08)November 8, 1977 (age 47) Toronto,Ontario, Canada |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1995–present |
| Labels | Jully Black Entertainment Inc. -Universal Music Canada |
| Website | jullyblack |
Jully Black (bornJullyann Inderia Gordon Black, November 8, 1977) is a Canadian singer, songwriter and actress. She has released 4 studio albums, and 2 remix EPs. She has collaborated and written for many artists, includingNas,Saukrates,Choclair,Kardinal Offishall,Destiny's Child, andSean Paul.
She was chosen byCBC Music as one of "The 25 Greatest Canadian Singers Ever"[1] and has long been dubbed the "Canada's Queen of R&B" by fans and industry peers alike.[2][3][4]
Jullyann Inderia Gordon Black was born toJamaican immigrants. She is the youngest of nine children, she grew up in theNorth York district in the neighbourhood ofJane and Finch inToronto,Ontario.[5] After her parents divorced, she was raised in a strictPentecostal household by her single mother, Agatha.
At age 19, Black was discovered byWarner/Chappell Music who immediately signed her. Shortly after, she was courted byUniversal Music Canada where she was offered a deal to help propel her career. Black capitalized on these opportunities, which saw her garner her firstJuno Award nomination in 1997 and continue to be nominated almost every year thereafter as well as having the opportunities to collaborate with and/or write for other well-known artists such asNas,Destiny's Child,Sean Paul,Kardinal Offishall, and many others.[6]
Black had aTop 40 hit on the Canadian charts with 1998's "Rally'n". Subsequent singles also charted, such as "You Changed" and "Between Me and U". In the same year, she was invited to contribute toRascalz' groundbreakinghip hop single, "Northern Touch", but was unable to participate due to other commitments.[7] In 1999, she appeared on2Rude's single "Dissin Us", which won theMuchMusic Video Award for Best R&B/Soul Video in 2000.[8]
Black's debut album was originally scheduled for release in 2003 onMCA Records, under the titleI Traveled,[9] but was shelved after MCA folded that same year.
In Summer 2005, a newly recorded album,This Is Me, was released by Universal Music Canada. The album included the hit singles "Sweat of Your Brow" and "5x Love". According to a piracy report byIFPI, there were "2.8 million illegal file swapping requests for her music in the first two weeks of her album's release".
Also in the same year, Black played the Preacher in the theatre production of "Da Kink in My Hair" at thePrincess of Wales Theatre inDowntown Toronto. The play was a critical success as it sold out all of its 106 performances, being extended 5 times. This led to the weeklyTV series on theGlobal Television Network, with Black singing the opening theme and being featured in two episodes.
In Summer 2007, her new single, "Seven Day Fool", was released, becoming Black's firstTop 10 hit in Canada. Her second album,Revival, was released on October 16, 2007, and was awarded theJuno for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year. "Seven Day Fool" and "Revival" also became her 1st solo song and album to hit 1 Million plays on Spotify, despite being released long before the platform's creation.
Black was a correspondent on thesixth season of theCTV reality competition showCanadian Idol and hosted the 2008Canadian Radio Music Awards. She has also been a celebrity reporter for the CTV daily entertainment news magazine program,etalk.[10] Black is also a featured weekly guest panelist on the CTV daytime talk show,The Marilyn Denis Show, and has been a multiple presenter at both the 2010 and 2011 P&G Beauty & Grooming Awards.
In 2009, Black, alongside YoungPete Alexander and Kellis E. Parker, wrote and released her third studio album,The Black Book. Following its release, Black kicked off a country-wide tour inVancouver at the2010 Winter Olympics.[11] In 2011, Black and YoungPete created a new production team known as "The Officials". Together, they've written and produced songs for an upcoming album tentatively titled:Made In Canada.
In 2010, a new song by Black, "At the Roncies" (about theRoncesvalles Avenue neighbourhood of Toronto), was the song chosen by listeners[12] to represent the province of Ontario inCBC Radio 2'sGreat Canadian Song Quest.
Black was selected to perform and open forCeline Dion at the 2012Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival honouring Jamaica's 50th Anniversary of Independence in 2012.[13]
In 2012, Black was nominated for a2012 Juno Award for 'Best R&B/Soul Recording' for her song "Set It Off" featuringKardinal Offishall.[14] In the same year, Black released an EP,Dropping W(8), a reference to her having these songs and feeling a weight on her shoulders.
In 2020, Black performed onFreeUp! The Emancipation Day Special.[15]
In 2022, Black was announced as a competitor in theeighth season ofThe Amazing Race Canada and was eliminated on the first leg after she and her partner Kathy missed the entrance to the Rialto theater allowing the trailing Cedric & Tychon to catch up.[16]
In 2023, she sang theCanadian national anthem at the2023 NBA All-Star Game. Black changed the lyrics from “our home and native land" to "our home on native land" as a mark of respect to the Indigenous groups within Canada.[17] She was later honoured by theAssembly of First Nations for this action.[18][19] In the same year she participated in an all-star recording ofSerena Ryder's single "What I Wouldn't Do", which was released as a charity single to benefitKids Help Phone's Feel Out Loud campaign for youth mental health.[20]
In 2025, with Jason "Redz" Reynolds as her manager, Jully embarked on a 14 date headlining tour, her first in 17 years.[21][22]
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAN [23] | |||
| 1998 | "Rally'n"(withSaukrates) | 12 | I Travelled |
| 2000 | "Say No More" | — | |
| 2002 | "Between Me and You"(featuringSaukrates) | — | |
| 2005 | "Stay the Night" | — | |
| "Sweat of Your Brow"(featuringDemarco) | 16 | This Is Me | |
| "5x Love"/"Material Things"(featuringNas) | 30 | ||
| 2006 | "I Travelled" | 66 | |
| "Gotta Let You Know (Scream)" | — | ||
| 2007 | "Seven Day Fool" | 9 | Revival |
| "DJ Play My Song" | — | ||
| 2008 | "Until I Stay" | 33 | |
| "Queen" | — | ||
| 2009 | "Running" | 40 | The Black Book |
| 2010 | "Need You" | — | |
| "Can U Feel It?" | — | DROPPING W(8) | |
| "Pushin'" | — | ||
| 2011 | "Set It Off'"(featuringKardinal Offishall) | — | |
| 2012 | "Fugitive" | — | Non-album single |
| 2014 | "Here 2 Love U" | — | |
| 2015 | "Fever" | — | |
| 2019 | "Follow Your Love (Remix)" | — | |
| 2020 | "Mi No Fraid" | — |
– Episode #2.79 (2012) … Herself– Episode #2.44 (2011) … Herself– Episode #1.15 (2011) … Herself
– Episode #7.24 (2010) … Herself - Performer– Episode dated December 2, 2009 (2009) … Herself
– Episode dated March 18, 2009– Episode dated March 20, 2009– Episode dated April 3, 2009– Episode dated April 23, 2009– Episode dated April 27, 2009– Episode dated August 17, 2009– Episode dated August 19, 2009– Episode dated August 20, 2009– Episode dated August 27, 2009– Episode dated September 3, 2009– Episode dated September 10, 2009– Episode dated October 12, 2009– Episode dated October 16, 2009– Episode dated December 2, 2009– Episode dated January 28, 2010– Episode dated April 7, 2010– Episode dated April 28, 2010– Episode dated June 29, 2010
– Episode #1.28 (2006) … Herself– Episode #1.9 (2005) … Herself– Episode #1.2 (2005) … Herself
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| National | |
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