Jessie Ware - Biography
Jessie Ware is an English singer/songwriter and Mercury music prize nominee. Raised in South London, Ware began singing in school musicals, but attended university with the intention of becoming a journalist. When her friend Jack Penate invited her to be his backup singer, she began to focus on a singing career. While on tour with Penate, Ware was introduced to British electronic producer SBTRKT. Back home in London, Ware and SBTRKT collaborated together on the track "Nervous." She followed that up with the song "Valentine," a collaboration with another UK producer, Sampha. The success of both tracks in the dance music scene led to a record deal with PMR Records.
Ware began working on her debut album with Dave Okumu (of the Invisible) and Julio Bashmore. Wanting to change from being a dance vocalist, Ware focused on learning the craft of songwriting. She released Devotion (PMR Records) in the UK in August 2012, an album that combined soul, R&B, electronic and the classic songwriting she was after. The album peaked at number 5 in the UK album charts and earned her a Mercury Prize nomination for album of the year.
Ware made her US debut in January 2013 with the EP, If You're Never Gonna Move (Universal). She visited Amoeba Hollywood on January 22, 2013 for an in-store performance in support of that EP. Her full-length, Devotion, is being released domestically April 16, 2013 on Interscope. To promote the album she is once again playing Amoeba, this time in San Francisco on April 11, 2013.
