Description:
Hayley Carline (born 22 November 1985),[1] better known as Ava Leigh, is a British reggae singer from Chester, England.[1]
Leigh's career first began when she started performing with her school's jazz band.[2] In her "mid teens" she acquired a manager, and tried out for a variety of labels, singing R&B. However, Leigh realised that the genre "never, ever worked" for her.[2] Leigh, in an interview with The Telegraph, attributed her mother for first getting her into reggae:[2]
"How I got into reggae ... was from my mother listening to it. She was a big fan of [the British reggae sub-genre] Lover'
Hayley Carline (born 22 November 1985),[1] better known as Ava Leigh, is a British reggae singer from Chester, England.[1]
Leigh's career first began when she started performing with her school's jazz band.[2] In her "mid teens" she acquired a manager, and tried out for a variety of labels, singing R&B. However, Leigh realised that the genre "never, ever worked" for her.[2] Leigh, in an interview with The Telegraph, attributed her mother for first getting her into reggae:[2]
"How I got into reggae ... was from my mother listening to it. She was a big fan of [the British reggae sub-genre] Lover's Rock. When I was about nine or 10, I remember hearing 'Silly Games' by Janet Kay, with all those high notes, and thinking, 'Hmm, I wonder if I can do that?’"
Leigh worked with writers such as Nick Manasseh, Future Cut and Feng Shui on her debut album, Turned on Underground.[1][2] Partly recorded at Harry J's in Jamaica, the album was reviewed favourably and was described as having the "slick appeal of a US R&B princess."[3] Her debut four-track extended play (EP) La La La was released on 5 January 2009.[4]
Leigh's song "Mad About the Boy" was featured on the film Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, and her version of "Mas Que Nada" was featured in a 2008 TV commercial for chain store Next's summer clothing range. Also in 2008, Leigh co-wrote Joss Stone's digital download single "Governmentalist", featuring rapper Nas.
Leigh has also stated she hopes to become part of a musical movement bringing singers (as opposed to dancehall deejays) back to the forefront in reggae. As she told noted writer Pete Lewis of the award-winning Blues & Soul: I think the reason we're now living in the decade of dancehall deejays is because everyone these days is so into hip hop and rap, and dancehall is basically the reggae version of that. But hopefully me doing this can help signal the start of many more successful new reggae vocalists to come."[5]
Hayley Carline (born 22 November 1985),[1] better known as Ava Leigh, is a British reggae singer from Chester, England.[1]
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