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My first sight of Amerie was in LL Cool J's video Paradise. I can remember asking myself, "Who is that chick?". But then other videos came on and that was that. Then it would seem as if she dropped out of sight. I made a mental note to look her up; suffice it to say, I never did. My other women of music were keeping me occupied.
When next I heard from her it was when she released her debut album All I Have in 2002. I have to admit that I was not impressed with the album at all. It just didn't grab me. The main singles off the album Why Don't We Fall In Love, Talkin' To Me and All I Have were OK but that's about it. I shrugged it off and went on my merry way once more.
Her second album Touch was released in April of 2005 and the title track got my attention the first few times I heard it. Then I paid more attention when the video came out (ooh la la). Girlfriend was looking fine in that there video. The first track on the album 1 Thing caught on like wild fire and again, she nailed it with the hotness in the video. It's amazing what a well put together video can do for a song. I know, I know, I've said it before but I really can't say it enough so all you up and coming songsters, take note.
At first 1 Thing aggravated the crap out of me. It's repeated a lot in the song. But then it started growing on me (OK, so it might have been the damn video again) but I kinda got into it after a while. And hell, by the end of this blog, after viewing these pics, I know you won't be holding it against me. 1 Thing and Touch remain her two biggest hits to date.
Her third album, Because I Love It had it's US release date pushed back several times in 2007 and last release date set was January 15, 2008. It was released in May of 2007 in Europe and has done well there. There was also a limited release of the album in US Walmart stores as well as in Korea.
She was dropped from Columbia Records in late 2007 and is rumored to be in the process of signing with Island Def Jam.
In 2003 she won the Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist for Why Don't We Fall In Love.
In 2005 she won the Soul Train Lady of Soul Award for Entertainer of the Year. 1 Thing also won her the VIBE Award for Club Banger of the Year in that same year.
In 2006 she won the ASCP Rhythm and Soul Award for Top Soundtrack of the Year with 1 Thing which was featured on the Hitch soundtrack.
She was born Amerie Rogers in Fitchburg, Massachusetts on January 12, 1980 to an African-American father and Korean mother. Her father was in the US military so she has traveled and lived in several places including Alaska, Texas, Germany and South Korea. She currently calls Washington, D.C. home. Her first language is Korean which she speaks mainly with her family which includes a younger sister named Angela.
IMHO her career is not at a point where you can say 'yes, she has arrived' but she's on her way there. She's got the potential, she's gotten better with each album, hopefully a change in label is what she needs right now and Rich Harrison has been writing for her most of the times and that's not so anymore.
I'm not trying to discredit him in any way at all, he's done good things for her but her albums have just been lacking 'something' and I hope she will find that 'something' with a set of new writers and producers.
She has also become more involved in the writing of her songs. She co-wrote all but one of the songs her second album. Hopefully all these things will give her the extra kick that she needs for her career to soar.
1 thing's for sure though, Amerie is f-i-n-e!
And she definitely knows how to work it!
