Finally Woken is the first album by Jem, released in 2004. This album was chosen as one of Amazon.com's Top 100 Editor's Picks of 2004 (rank #69). It has sold over 300,000 copies in the UK and, as of May 29, 2008, had sold 321,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

The little girl on the USA version of the cover is a picture of a young Jem that was taken by her father; the colours were changed for different territories, with the USA receiving a yellow edition, the UK receiving a blue edition and Europe and Australia receiving a green edition. The UK and European editions were re-issued in 2005 with a new cover, featuring a new photo of Jem on the front. The album was released with different artwork. The UK release features the orange/red effect whilst foreign covers include a green cover for Australia, and US with a blue one.

Personnel

*Jem - vocals

*Paul Herman - acoustic guitar

*Nick Ingman - conductor

*Yoad Nevo - acoustic guitar, banjo, bass guitar, percussion, electric guitar, keyboard, sitar, double bass, Spanish guitar, mini harp, water bottle

Production

*Producers: Jem, Yoad Nevo, Ge-Ology

*Engineer: Lloyd Gardiner

*Mixing: Yoad Nevo

*Mastering: Yoad Nevo

*A&R: Bruce Flohr

*Recorder: Yoad Nevo

*String arrangements: Nick Ingman

*Arrangers: Jem, Yoad Nevo

*Bass programming: Danny Griffin

*Photography: Lorna Butler, Michael Lavine

Charts

References

Category:2004 albums

Category:Debut albums

Category:Jem albums

Category:RCA Records albums

it:Finally Woken

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fi:Finally Woken

Artist/Band Information

Jemma Griffiths (born 18 June 1975, in Penarth, Wales),http Jem myspace blog Thursday, May 14, 2009 better known as Jem, is a Welsh singer-songwriter. Her debut album, Finally Woken, includes elements of rock, new wave-styled electronica and trip-hop. Along with electronic producer Guy Sigsworth (Björk, Frou Frou), she wrote the song "Nothing Fails", which was later re-worked by Madonna and appeared on her 2003 American Life album. Her second album Down to Earth was released on 16 September 2008.

Biography

Beginnings

Jem was born in Penarth, Wales, a small town near the Welsh capital, Cardiff. Her siblings are Chloe, Yestyn and Georgia. Yestyn is in the band Glass Pear.

Although she began singing and writing songs during her time at Stanwell school at age thirteen in Penarth, Wales, she decided to head into law and attended Sussex University. However, she spent less time and energy on studies and focused on being a DJ agent, although she did eventually receive a degree in law. There in Brighton, she spent a lot of time promoting club nights, and helped set up and run the specialist breaks label Marine Parade. She has said she "went to class as little as could without being kicked out".

In November 1999, she assembled a mobile recording studio where she further developed her songwriting and music production skills. During this period, she completed four demos that would eventually set up her career in the music industry. From there, she moved to London where she collaborated with Guy Sigsworth, and then to Brooklyn to work with Ge-Ology (Mos Def, Talib Kweli). In autumn 2002 she met Yoad Nevo, who became her co-producer.

Career

Jem's solo career began in earnest in 2002, when a demo version of the song "Finally Woken" was played on the Los Angeles radio station, KCRW. The track became one of the most listener-requested songs at the station, landing her in their top 5 played artists, and all prior to any record label being attached. As a result, Bruce Flohr was so impressed with her demos that he offered Jem a recording contract onto Dave Matthews' ATO label.

She was subsequently signed to the label ATO and released the moderately successful EP It All Starts Here in autumn 2003, followed by the album Finally Woken in March 2004.

Jem released the single "24" from Finally Woken in 2003 as a limited edition promo single, and then released her debut single, "They", from the same album, which followed the next year in her homeland of the UK, with a separate video. A remix of the song was the first release on her vinyl imprint label CrazyWiseMusic.

Further singles followed in the UK, before she took a gap to write and record a new album. Whilst working on the album, with Lester Mendez, she wrote a song called "Once In Every Lifetime" for the Eragon movie soundtrack. The song "It's Amazing" from the Sex and the City movie soundtrack is the official first single from her second album, which she has entitled Down To Earth, released on 16 September 2008.

Her music has been featured on numerous television programs such as Damages, The O.C., Desperate Housewives, Wonderfalls, 90210, Six Feet Under, Crossing Jordan, Grey's Anatomy, Medium, and "Wish I" was used as the theme tune to the ITV show, Celebrity Love Island.

Jem performed live at KCRW Radio in 2002 and 2004; WOXY in 2004; Popworld, Glastonbury Festival, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Sasquatch! Music Festival, V Festival, and on Top of the Pops in 2005.

According to Jem's official website, "Jem is currently in the studio finishing up her new album" to be released in the summer of 2011.

She has been presented with the opportunity to pursue her dream as a filmmaker. "I've been studying film-making, screenwriting, and developing script ideas for several years now, hoping one day I'd have the time to follow my passion into movie-land and start making films." Though she is very proud of the album and promises to be making music "until I'm old and grey", she will be taking time off from music to film her directorial debut.http

Personal life

Jem married Joseph George in September 2009.

TV shows and films featuring Jem

Discography

Albums

EPs

*It All Starts Here - October 13, 2003 (U.S. only release)

Singles

Various

References