Amel Larrieux music videos

Amel Larrieux (born March 8, 1973) is an American soul and R&B singer-songwriter and keyboardist. Larrieux rose to fame in the mid 1990s as a founding member of the duo Groove Theory along with Bryce Wilson. After leaving the group in 1999, she released her debut solo album Infinite Possibilities the following year on Epic Records. In late 2003, Larrieux founded her own independent label, Blisslife Records, on which she has released three albums so far. Larrieux cites Ella Fitzgerald, Prince, Rickie Lee Jones, Stevie Wonder, Shawn Colvin, Chaka Khan, John Lennon, Patrice Rushen, Jimi Hendrix, and Joni Mitchell as her musical influences.

Larrieux was born and raised an only child in the Manhattan neighborhood of Greenwich Village, New York City, New York. Her African American - Sub-Saharan mother, Brenda Dixon Gottschild, is a dance critic, author, and college instructor. Her father is of French, English, and Scottish descent. Larrieux was raised in a very artistic environment and was surrounded by talented and inspirational artists. Larrieux attended Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. Some of her classmates include: members of Boyz II Men, jazz bassist Christian McBride, jazz guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, jazz organist Joey DeFrancesco, and The Roots member Questlove. Larrieux attended the senior prom with Questlove. Many of her influences are drawn from R&B, soul, jazz, folk, hip hop, and gospel with flashes of Middle Eastern, West African, and Indian ethnic styles. She has often been documented for describing her music as "Amel's music". Larrieux currently resides in New York City with her husband, Laru, and their two daughters, Sanji Rei and Sky. Her forename Amel means "hope" in Arabic.
[edit] Career
[edit] Groove Theory

In 1991 Larrieux met Mantronix member Bryce Wilson at Rondor Music. Wilson, who wanted to begin his solo career as producer and musician, was looking for a vocalist to work with. Wilson and Larrieux began to produce demos together and subsequently formed R&B/hip hop duo Groove Theory. Their debut release, Groove Theory, spawned several radio hits such as "Tell Me", "Keep Tryin'", and "Baby Luv". The duo were also featured in successful motion picture soundtracks such as 1996's Sunset Park and 1997's Love Jones. Larrieux, pursuing a solo career, would not be involved in the duo's eventually-shelved second album The Answer. Makeda Davis would step in as lead singer in 1999 until Groove Theory officially disbanded in 2001. Larrieux said of leaving the group, "You have to make a bunch of compromises and .. you know, I just couldn’t go on forever. We wanted different things and a combination of that and the label wanting different things from us just made me decide that it was time to move on."
[edit] Early Solo Career

In 1996, Larrieux guested on the self-titled debut album of Sade's backing band Sweetback, yielding the top forty-five R&B entry "You Will Rise".

Larrieux co-wrote and co-produced her debut solo album Infinite Possibilities, released in early 2000 on Epic Records, along with husband Laru Larrieux; the album reached number seventy-nine on the Billboard 200 and number twenty-one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and produced the hit "Get Up", her highest charting solo hit to date. Some tracks from the album, such as the eighth track "Down", could be described as acid jazz, a musical genre which combines elements of jazz with soul and funk.

Larrieux was released from Epic Records after this CD. She says of the release "I was asked to tone it down as a solo artist, which is one of the reasons why I was really glad to leave the major label where I was signed."[3] Husband Laru Larrieux, who had been co-writing and producing most of Amel's material, started the independent label BlissLife Records with her to distribute her music.

In 2001, Larrieux recorded "Sophisticated Lady" with artist Clark Terry for the Red Hot Organization's compilation album Red Hot + Indigo, a tribute to Duke Ellington, which raised money for various charities devoted to increasing AIDS awareness and fighting the disease.

On November 10 in 2010, Larrieux spoke about going independent, saying "This is the right time [to be independent]. People are more hip to the internet. People are more open to what independent means." She went on to say that Black independent artists are too under the radar.[4]
[edit] Independent Releases

Bravebird
Her second album Bravebird was released under Larrieux's indie label Blisslife Records label on January 20, 2004. While it underperformed on the Billboard 200, it peaked at number twenty-eight on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number five on Independent Albums. It spawned the midtempo radio single "For Real", which showcases her ability to utilize the whistle register and inspired Ebony magazine to rave about her "ethereal high-octave vocals that bring to mind Minnie Riperton.[5] A portion of the album's seventh track, "Giving Something Up", could be heard in the commercial for BET's HIV/AIDS awareness campaign Rap-It-Up, in which Larrieux participated in September 2003.[6]

Larrieux's collaboration with Stanley Clarke and Glenn Lewis, a cover of Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway's 1972 song "Where Is the Love" from Clarke's 2003 album 1, 2, To the Bass, received a nomination for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 2004 Grammy Awards.

Morning
Larrieux's third effort Morning was released in April 2006 and features the single "Weary", which reached number twenty-nine on the Billboard Hot Adult R&B Airplay chart in mid-2006.[7] Morning is her highest-charting album to date, peaking at number seventy-four. Follow-up single "No One Else", written for Mike Shaunessy was featured on the soundtrack to Tyler Perry's 2007 film Why Did I Get Married?. The song Gills and Tails also received radio airplay.

Lovely Standards
In May 2007, Larrieux released a jazz standard cover album entitled Lovely Standards. It broke into the top five of the Top Jazz Albums and sold 3,700 units in its first week on store shelves.

Larrieux was featured on 2Pac's 2007 greatest hits album Best of 2Pac Part 1: Thug, on the previously unreleased song "Resist the Temptation".
[edit] Recent career

On February 4, 2010, SoulSummer.com announced that Larrieux is currently in the studio with Bryce Wilson working on Groove Theory's second official album.[8] The duo had their first live show together in years on Oct 7, 2010 in Tokyo, Japan.[9] Larrieux said of the show, "Tokyo was too fly, as usual. The audiences just got better and better." Larrieux said in a November 2010 interview that she and Wilson are currently looking for a label they feel comfortable with.[10]

In March 2009, Larrieux released the songs "Orange Glow" and "Don't Let Me Down" from her forthcoming album, Ice Cream Every Day, to iTunes and other online music stores.[11][12][13] Larrieux said on Oct 19 that she was "dutifully" trying new things for her fifth studio album.[14] Larrieux also contributed "Don't Let Me Down" to the Enough Project. Proceeds from the compilation fund efforts to make the protection and empowerment of Congo’s women a priority, as well as inspire individuals around the world to raise their voice for peace in Congo.[15]
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
Year Album Chart positions
U.S. U.S. R&B U.S. jazz U.S. indie
2000 Infinite Possibilities 79 21 — —
2004 Bravebird 166 28 — 5
2006 Morning 74 8 — 5
2007 Lovely Standards 195 32 3 22
TBA Ice Cream Every Day - - - -
[edit] Singles
Year Single Chart positions Album
U.S. U.S. R&B
1996 "You Will Rise"
(Sweetback featuring Amel Larrieux) 112 42 Sweetback
1999 "Get Up" 97 37 Infinite Possibilities
2000 "Sweet Misery" — 81
" I N I" — —
" Make Me Whole" — —
" Now You Know Better"
(Mondo Grosso featuring Amel Larrieux) — — MG4
2001 "Glitches (The Skin You're In)"
(with The Roots) — — Down to Earth soundtrack
2004 "For Real" — 45 Bravebird
" We Can Be New" — —
2006 "Weary" — 113 Morning
2007 "If I Were a Bell" — — Lovely Standards
" No One Else" — — Why Did I Get Married? soundtrack
2009 "Orange Glow" — — Ice Cream Every Day
" Don't Let Me Down" — — Raise Hope for Congo
[edit] Album appearances
Year Song Album
1998 "Time After Time" (Towa Tei featuring Amel Larrieux and Viv) Sound Museum
2000 "Guidance" (Guru featuring Amel Larrieux) Streetsoul
2001 "Believe in Love" Epic Records: A Season of Soul and Sounds
2002 "I Don't Know" (Soulive featuring Amel Larrieux) Next
2003 "Where Is the Love" (Stanley Clarke featuring Glenn Lewis and Amel Larrieux) 1, 2, To the Bass
2007 "Resist the Temptation" (2Pac featuring Amel Larrieux) Best of 2Pac Part 1: Thug
[edit] Soundtracks
Year Song Film
2001 "Glitches (The Skin You're In)" (with The Roots) Down to Earth
2002 "What's Come Over Me?" (with Glenn Lewis) Barbershop
2007 "No One Else" Why Did I Get Married?
[edit] Videos

1996: "You Will Rise" (Sweetback featuring Amel Larrieux) — directed by Polish Brothers
1999: "Get Up" — directed by Floria Sigismondi
2000: "Sweet Misery" — directed by Earle Sebastian
2001: "Glitches (The Skin You're In)" (The Roots featuring Amel Larrieux) — directed by Nzingha Stewart
2004: "For Real" — directed by Sanaa Hamri
2006: "Weary" — directed by Jon Menefee and 8 Hertz



	# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
	Videos: Amel Larrieux For Real Get Up Sweet Misery Amel Larrieux (born March 8, 1973) is an American soul and R&B singer-songwriter and keyboardist. Larrieux rose to fame in the mid 1990s as a founding member of the duo Groove Theory along with Bryce Wilson. After leaving the group in 1999, she released her debut solo album Infinite Possibilities the following year on Epic Records. In late 2003, Larrieux founded her own independent label, Blisslife Records, on which she has released three albums so far. Larrieux cites Ella Fitzgerald, Prince, Rickie Lee Jones, Stevie Wonder, Shawn Colvin, Chaka Khan, John Lennon, Patrice Rushen, Jimi Hendrix, and Joni Mitchell as her musical influences. Larrieux was born and raised an only child in the Manhattan neighborhood of Greenwich Village, New York City, New York. Her African American - Sub-Saharan mother, Brenda Dixon Gottschild, is a dance critic, author, and college instructor. Her father is of French, English, and Scottish descent. Larrieux was raised in a very artistic environment and was surrounded by talented and inspirational artists. Larrieux attended Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. Some of her classmates include: members of Boyz II Men, jazz bassist Christian McBride, jazz guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, jazz organist Joey DeFrancesco, and The Roots member Questlove. Larrieux attended the senior prom with Questlove. Many of her influences are drawn from R&B, soul, jazz, folk, hip hop, and gospel with flashes of Middle Eastern, West African, and Indian ethnic styles. She has often been documented for describing her music as "Amel's music". Larrieux currently resides in New York City with her husband, Laru, and their two daughters, Sanji Rei and Sky. Her forename Amel means "hope" in Arabic. [edit] Career [edit] Groove Theory In 1991 Larrieux met Mantronix member Bryce Wilson at Rondor Music. Wilson, who wanted to begin his solo career as producer and musician, was looking for a vocalist to work with. Wilson and Larrieux began to produce demos together and subsequently formed R&B/hip hop duo Groove Theory. Their debut release, Groove Theory, spawned several radio hits such as "Tell Me", "Keep Tryin'", and "Baby Luv". The duo were also featured in successful motion picture soundtracks such as 1996's Sunset Park and 1997's Love Jones. Larrieux, pursuing a solo career, would not be involved in the duo's eventually-shelved second album The Answer. Makeda Davis would step in as lead singer in 1999 until Groove Theory officially disbanded in 2001. Larrieux said of leaving the group, "You have to make a bunch of compromises and .. you know, I just couldn’t go on forever. We wanted different things and a combination of that and the label wanting different things from us just made me decide that it was time to move on." [edit] Early Solo Career In 1996, Larrieux guested on the self-titled debut album of Sade's backing band Sweetback, yielding the top forty-five R&B entry "You Will Rise". Larrieux co-wrote and co-produced her debut solo album Infinite Possibilities, released in early 2000 on Epic Records, along with husband Laru Larrieux; the album reached number seventy-nine on the Billboard 200 and number twenty-one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and produced the hit "Get Up", her highest charting solo hit to date. Some tracks from the album, such as the eighth track "Down", could be described as acid jazz, a musical genre which combines elements of jazz with soul and funk. Larrieux was released from Epic Records after this CD. She says of the release "I was asked to tone it down as a solo artist, which is one of the reasons why I was really glad to leave the major label where I was signed."[3] Husband Laru Larrieux, who had been co-writing and producing most of Amel's material, started the independent label BlissLife Records with her to distribute her music. In 2001, Larrieux recorded "Sophisticated Lady" with artist Clark Terry for the Red Hot Organization's compilation album Red Hot + Indigo, a tribute to Duke Ellington, which raised money for various charities devoted to increasing AIDS awareness and fighting the disease. On November 10 in 2010, Larrieux spoke about going independent, saying "This is the right time [to be independent]. People are more hip to the internet. People are more open to what independent means." She went on to say that Black independent artists are too under the radar.[4] [edit] Independent Releases Bravebird Her second album Bravebird was released under Larrieux's indie label Blisslife Records label on January 20, 2004. While it underperformed on the Billboard 200, it peaked at number twenty-eight on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number five on Independent Albums. It spawned the midtempo radio single "For Real", which showcases her ability to utilize the whistle register and inspired Ebony magazine to rave about her "ethereal high-octave vocals that bring to mind Minnie Riperton.[5] A portion of the album's seventh track, "Giving Something Up", could be heard in the commercial for BET's HIV/AIDS awareness campaign Rap-It-Up, in which Larrieux participated in September 2003.[6] Larrieux's collaboration with Stanley Clarke and Glenn Lewis, a cover of Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway's 1972 song "Where Is the Love" from Clarke's 2003 album 1, 2, To the Bass, received a nomination for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 2004 Grammy Awards. Morning Larrieux's third effort Morning was released in April 2006 and features the single "Weary", which reached number twenty-nine on the Billboard Hot Adult R&B Airplay chart in mid-2006.[7] Morning is her highest-charting album to date, peaking at number seventy-four. Follow-up single "No One Else", written for Mike Shaunessy was featured on the soundtrack to Tyler Perry's 2007 film Why Did I Get Married?. The song Gills and Tails also received radio airplay. Lovely Standards In May 2007, Larrieux released a jazz standard cover album entitled Lovely Standards. It broke into the top five of the Top Jazz Albums and sold 3,700 units in its first week on store shelves. Larrieux was featured on 2Pac's 2007 greatest hits album Best of 2Pac Part 1: Thug, on the previously unreleased song "Resist the Temptation". [edit] Recent career On February 4, 2010, SoulSummer.com announced that Larrieux is currently in the studio with Bryce Wilson working on Groove Theory's second official album.[8] The duo had their first live show together in years on Oct 7, 2010 in Tokyo, Japan.[9] Larrieux said of the show, "Tokyo was too fly, as usual. The audiences just got better and better." Larrieux said in a November 2010 interview that she and Wilson are currently looking for a label they feel comfortable with.[10] In March 2009, Larrieux released the songs "Orange Glow" and "Don't Let Me Down" from her forthcoming album, Ice Cream Every Day, to iTunes and other online music stores.[11][12][13] Larrieux said on Oct 19 that she was "dutifully" trying new things for her fifth studio album.[14] Larrieux also contributed "Don't Let Me Down" to the Enough Project. Proceeds from the compilation fund efforts to make the protection and empowerment of Congo’s women a priority, as well as inspire individuals around the world to raise their voice for peace in Congo.[15] [edit] Discography [edit] Albums Year Album Chart positions U.S. U.S. R&B U.S. jazz U.S. indie 2000 Infinite Possibilities 79 21 — — 2004 Bravebird 166 28 — 5 2006 Morning 74 8 — 5 2007 Lovely Standards 195 32 3 22 TBA Ice Cream Every Day - - - - [edit] Singles Year Single Chart positions Album U.S. U.S. R&B 1996 "You Will Rise" (Sweetback featuring Amel Larrieux) 112 42 Sweetback 1999 "Get Up" 97 37 Infinite Possibilities 2000 "Sweet Misery" — 81 " I N I" — — " Make Me Whole" — — " Now You Know Better" (Mondo Grosso featuring Amel Larrieux) — — MG4 2001 "Glitches (The Skin You're In)" (with The Roots) — — Down to Earth soundtrack 2004 "For Real" — 45 Bravebird " We Can Be New" — — 2006 "Weary" — 113 Morning 2007 "If I Were a Bell" — — Lovely Standards " No One Else" — — Why Did I Get Married? soundtrack 2009 "Orange Glow" — — Ice Cream Every Day " Don't Let Me Down" — — Raise Hope for Congo [edit] Album appearances Year Song Album 1998 "Time After Time" (Towa Tei featuring Amel Larrieux and Viv) Sound Museum 2000 "Guidance" (Guru featuring Amel Larrieux) Streetsoul 2001 "Believe in Love" Epic Records: A Season of Soul and Sounds 2002 "I Don't Know" (Soulive featuring Amel Larrieux) Next 2003 "Where Is the Love" (Stanley Clarke featuring Glenn Lewis and Amel Larrieux) 1, 2, To the Bass 2007 "Resist the Temptation" (2Pac featuring Amel Larrieux) Best of 2Pac Part 1: Thug [edit] Soundtracks Year Song Film 2001 "Glitches (The Skin You're In)" (with The Roots) Down to Earth 2002 "What's Come Over Me?" (with Glenn Lewis) Barbershop 2007 "No One Else" Why Did I Get Married? [edit] Videos 1996: "You Will Rise" (Sweetback featuring Amel Larrieux) — directed by Polish Brothers 1999: "Get Up" — directed by Floria Sigismondi 2000: "Sweet Misery" — directed by Earle Sebastian 2001: "Glitches (The Skin You're In)" (The Roots featuring Amel Larrieux) — directed by Nzingha Stewart 2004: "For Real" — directed by Sanaa Hamri 2006: "Weary" — directed by Jon Menefee and 8 Hertz
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Videos: Amel Larrieux

For Real

Get Up

Sweet Misery