Down to Earth is the second album by Jem, the follow-up to her successful 2004 debut, Finally Woken. The first single, "It's Amazing", was featured on the soundtrack to the Sex and the City movie. In August 2008, "Crazy" was released as a single on iTunes and other digital music outlets. By January 2009, "Keep On Walking" was distributed as a free iTunes download at U.S. Starbucks stores.

The press release states that Jem co-wrote the album with a variety of people including Jeff Bass, Lester Mendez and Greg Kurstin and sings in Japanese on the track, "Aciiid!". The album also includes a collaboration with South African singer-songwriter and poet-activist Vusi Mahlasela on the track "You Will Make It" recalling 9/11, and dealing with the suffering of loss. The album entered the Billboard 200 at #43, selling 10,642 copies.

Jem wrote in her blog on 20 September 2008:

Title

In September 2008, Jem's official website stated the following about the album title:

Personnel

*Hiroko Aoyagi – vocals

*Jeff Atmajian – piano, string arrangements, piano arrangement

*Jeff Bass – bass, guitar, keyboards, producer, drum programming, tracked by

*Kevin Beber – drum programming

*Brian Berryman – engineer, fader engineer

*Mick Bolger – trombone, trumpet, euphonium, mellophonium, E flat cornet

*Mike Bradford – producer, string arrangements, instrumentation

*Del Casher – sounds

*Bryan Cook – engineer

*Nick Cuchinella – trombone

*Nabil Elderkin – photography

*Johnny Evans – saxophone

*Serban Ghenea – mixing

*Jem Griffiths – vocals, producer, vocal engineer, poetry reading

*Justin Griffiths – acoustic guitar

*John Hanes – mixing

*Mark Aaron James – design

*Ted Jensen – mastering

*Shinobu Lee – vocals

*David Levita – acoustic guitar, guitar

*Lester Mendez – piano, producer, string arrangements, brass arrangement, instrumentation

*Monica Mendez – sound design

*Milan, Derrick & The Krew – chorus

*Eddie Miller – vocal engineer

*Rafael Padilla – percussion

*Phillip Ramos – studio assistant

*Tim Roberts – mixing assistant

*Ken Robinson – trumpet

*Sonus – strings

*Welsh Choir Of Southern California – chorus

*Joe Wohlmuth – engineer

Charts

Release history

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References

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