Rox is the stage name of English soul singer-songwriter Roxanne Tataei.
Born in Norbury, Rox is half-Jamaican (Mother) and half-Iranian
(Father). She cites living with her grandparents and being a regular
churchgoer as her introduction to singing.
By age 10, Rox was a part of the National Youth Music Theatre and
travelled across Britain appearing in various productions with them.
By her 14th birthday she had her first guitar and was experimenting
with several musical genres. She rehearsed her music at Scream Studios
in Croydon.
Rox's musical influences include Lauryn Hill, Joni Mitchell, Sade,
Mary J. Blige and Alanis Morissette.
After forming her first band in 2007, Rox attracted interest from
a variety of labels before signing with Rough Trade in November 2008.
Since signing, she has appeared on tours with the likes of Mark Ronson
and Daniel Merriweather and on such television shows as Later...
with Jools Holland. She has also appeared at the Reading and Leeds
Festivals with Wiley and BBC Electric Proms with Nitin Sawhney, whose
London Undersound album she was one of the guest collaborators.
Rox's debut single, "No Going Back", was released on seven-inch
vinyl on 15 December 2009. She told Steve Lamacq on his Radio 2 show
that the song is about "leaving a relationship and not wanting
to go back to that situation."[7]
Rox's next single, "My Baby Left Me", was released on
15 March 2010 and made the BBC Radio 2 A-List and has received other
critical success. It debuted at Number 91 in the United Kingdom in
the week of its release. She also entered the Dutch Top 40 on 10
April 2010 at Number 35, moving to a new peak of 27 a week later.
Rox released her debut album, Memoirs, on 7 June 2010, which features
the previously released singles and 10 other tracks. The album was
partially recorded in New Jersey in April 2009 with Commissioner
Gordon (of Lauryn Hill fame) but mainly in London with Jay-Z and
Lupe Fiasco producer Al Shux.
Her third single, "I Don't Believe", was released at the
same time as her album. The music video was posted by Rox on her
official Twitter on 4 May 2010. It was also used in an advertising
campaign by Rimmel.[8][9]
[edit] Reviews
Rox was tipped for success in 2010, being selected as HMV's "Next
Big Thing" and in February played a headlining performance at
London's Jazz Café on the "Next Big Thing Night".[10]
Rox was also featured in The Guardian, Sunday Times and The Independent
as an act to watch out for in the coming year.
Rox was featured as The Guardian's "New Band of the Day" on
23 November 2009.[11] She also made the longlist of the BBC's Sound
of 2010.[12] As well as MTV UK's "10 for 10" list.[13]
Support for Rox in the British Press has been widespread, with NME
calling Memoirs "Back to Black, this time with feeling" and
Music Week citing her as "one of 2010's most exciting new prospects".[citation
needed]
The News of the World labelled the single "My Baby Left Me" as "stunning" and
awarded it a five star review.[3]
Mike Driver, writing for the BBC about her debut album was effusive
about the singer but complained about the inconsistency of the album
overall, saying that it "showcases a young singer bursting with
potential" but that "like many a debut, Memoirs doesn’t
know quite where to settle style-wise, veering from excellence to
excruciation. Heart Ran Dry retains the acoustic element of the preceding
Forever Always Wishing, but is more sketchy X Factor audition than
a track worthy of making any album’s final cut.".[14]
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio albums
Year Album details Peak chart positions
UK
[15] NL FRA ITA
2010 Memoirs
Released: 7 June 2010[16]
Formats: CD, download
First studio album[17]
97 37 2 11
[edit] Singles
Year Single Peak chart positions Album
UK NL GER ITA
2009 "No Going Back" — — — — Memoirs
2010 "My Baby Left Me" 91 12 35 11
"
I Don't Believe" — — — —
"
Rocksteady"