Jordis Unga: Difference between revisions
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Currently, Unga is not signed with a recording studio. |
Currently, Unga is not signed with a recording studio. |
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==In ''The Voice'' (2012)== |
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In 2012, Jordis Unga took part in the second season of the American reality television series ''[[The Voice (U.S.)|The Voice]]''. |
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==Discography == |
==Discography == |
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Revision as of 06:53, 14 February 2012
Jordis Unga (born Jordis Losana Sikahema Unga on August 6, 1982)[1] is an American rock singer, songwriter and performer from St. Paul, Minnesota. After years of building a cult following in Minneapolis, Unga reached international fame for her outstanding performances on the first season of the CBS television reality show Rock Star: INXS where 15 contestants competed to become the lead vocalist for the Australian rock band INXS. [2]
Contestants were housed in the Paramour Mansion, and squared off in a singing contest featuring well-known rock songs. Each week, viewers voted for their favorite contestant. The three contestants with the least number of votes performed an INXS song the following night. Except for the second week, each week one finalist was asked to perform an encore performance of the song they performed the night before, noted as an "Encore Performance".
Unga is currently a contestant on NBC's The Voice. She will be competing as a member of "Team Blake".
Biography
Early Years
Unga comes from a musical family. Her father, originally from Tonga, Polynesia, moved the family around a lot when she was young. Eventually the family settled down in St. Paul, Minnesota when she was about 10 years old.[3]
Unga attended Forest Lake Area High School, and, in 2000, the Perpich Center for Arts Education for her senior year of high school. She lived in the dormitory and studied music.
Through her aunt's side of the family, she is related to Sione Vailahi, a professional wrestler.[4]
Early 2002 Unga was the front singer for The Fighting Tongs. The band adopted the name from the movie “Big Trouble in Little China.” The Fighting Tongs supported Twisted Sister, Anthrax, Sevendust and Damage Plan. The Fighting Tongs dissolved after recording a self-financed EP, ‘Horseshoes and Hand Grenades.’ Ex-members including Unga, guitarist Corey Frazee and drummer Mike Hitchcock formed Liars Club.[5]
Unga first appeared on television as a contestant on Star Search (2004) but was knocked out of the competition in the first round.
Rock Star: INXS
As the youngest contestant at age 22, Unga received international notoriety for her rendition of The Who’s 'Baba O'Riley'. Dave Navarro, one of the judges, declared, “Let’s close the competition now!” Unga scored high marks in the second round of the competition with Nirvana’s 'Heart-Shaped Box'. Half-way through the competition, Unga was invited by Navarro to perform The Clash’s 'Should I Stay or Should I Go' with his band Camp Freddy at the West Hollywood House of Blues. Camp Freddy featured former The Cult bassist Billy Morrison on guitar and ex-Jane’s Addiction drummer Stephen Perkins.
During the show, Unga achieved the feat of simultaneously having the top four most downloaded songs on MSN Music. Reaching the No. 1 position on the MSN charts being an unprecedented feat for an unsigned artist.[6]
Unga did not win the competition but placed fifth and was eliminated on September 7, 2005. She left the show with an Epic Records recording contract.
Unga's performances on Rock Star: INXS by week of the performance:
- Week 1: Baba O'Riley (The Who) / Heart-Shaped Box (Nirvana)
- Week 2: The Reason (Hoobastank)
- Week 3: Gimme Some Lovin' (The Spencer Davis Group)
- Week 4: The Man Who Sold the World (David Bowie) - Encore Performance
- Week 5: Layla (Derek and the Dominoes)
- Week 6: Knockin' on Heaven's Door (Bob Dylan)
- Week 7: Dream On (Aerosmith)
- Week 8: Imagine (John Lennon)
- Bottom 3 Performance Listen Like Thieves (INXS)
- Week 9:
- We Are the Champions (Queen)
- Try Not (Jordis Unga)
- Us (INXS) - Ensemble of remaining contestants with INXS
- Bottom 3 Performance:Need You Tonight (INXS)
Post Rock Star: INXS
After the competition, Unga spent time writing songs and recording demos for her debut album. But it was never released. Epic Records paired her with various collaborators, including Evanescence's David Hodges and the duo Anne Preven and Scott Cutler of Ednaswap.
Unga’s first official live performance was October 15, 2005, singing the national anthem at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California for the boxing event ‘The Rematch; Mora vs. Manfredo Jr.’
Unga was personally invited by Yolanda ‘Lonnie’ and Muhammad Ali to perform at the Grand Opening for the Muhammad Ali Center located in Louisville, Kentucky on November 19, 2005.[7] She performed John Lennon’s 'Imagine'. As a part of the ceremonies, Unga shared the stage with James Taylor, Richie Havens, Hootie and the Blowfish, Jim Carrey, Chris Tucker and Herbie Hancock. Other celebrities in attendance were President Bill Clinton, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, B.B. King, Evander Holyfield, and Montel Williams. Right before the show’s finale, Unga was told to go to the green room. Unga said, "Bill Clinton wanted to shake my hand." [8]
Unga has co-written music with Oscar-nominated songwriters Anne Preven and Scott Cutler, Grammy winning artist and producer David Hodges, and Kevin Griffin (lead singer of Better than Ezra).
Currently, Unga is not signed with a recording studio.
In The Voice (2012)
In 2012, Jordis Unga took part in the second season of the American reality television series The Voice.
Discography
A Night at the Mayan Theatre, contains the performances from each contestant from the premiere episode of Rock Star: INXS including Jordis Unga's interpretation of "Baba O'Riley" (from The Who).
The album also contains two bonus tracks, including Unga's track "The Man Who Sold the World" (from David Bowie)
"The Best of Rock Star: INXS" was the second album from the series. It featured 3 of Unga's performances:[9] "Heart-Shaped Box (from Nirvana), "Man Who Sold The World" from David Bowie and "Imagine" from John Lennon.
Unga also co-composed with Casey, Farriss and Fortune the INXS song "Pretty Vegas" that appears on the latter's 2005 album Switch [10]
Videography
A DVD titled Rock Star: INXS The DVD was released on November 29, 2005, containing selected performances by the final six contestants (J.D. Fortune, Marty Casey, Mig Ayesa, Suzie McNeil, Jordis Unga, and Ty Taylor) as well as the post-finale mini-concert by INXS & J.D. Fortune, short behind-the-scenes footage, and extras including the contestants' casting interviews and a photo slideshow.[11]
Unga's performances for Rock Star: INXS The DVD were taken from episodes throughout the series:
- Week 1, Episode 2: Jordis Unga - "Heart-Shaped Box" (Nirvana)
- Week 4, Episode 11: - "The Man Who Sold the World"
- Week 8, Episode 23 - "Imagine" (John Lennon)
References
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/search/name?birth_place=Chicopee,%20Massachusetts,%20USA
- ^ http://www.cbs.com/primetime/rock_star/performers/jordis/
- ^ http://www.cbs.com/primetime/rock_star/performers/jordis/
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1967674/
- ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=uIIf03bGyAAC&printsec=frontcover&dq=new+wave+of+american+heavy+metal&hl=en&ei=8ReuTqeWMcXJsQLryOWVDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false
- ^ http://www.takamine.com/artists/bio/jordis_unga
- ^ http://www.alicenter.org/photogalleries/gala/index_3.html
- ^ [1]
- ^ http://www.rhapsody.com/#album/the-best-of-rock-star-inxs
- ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/r808929
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0990375/