Roxanne Tataei, also known by the stage name Rox, is an English singer-songwriter from South London.

Roxanne Tataei
Rox at the Dot to Dot Festival, Manchester, 2010.
Rox at the Dot to Dot Festival, Manchester, 2010.
Background information
Birth nameRoxanne Tataei
Also known asRox
Born1988
Norbury, London, England
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer-songwriter
  • guitarist
Instruments
Years active2007–present
Labels
Websitewww.roxannetataei.com

Early life

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Born and raised in Norbury, London, England[2] Roxanne Tataei's heritage is half-Jamaican (mother) and half-Iranian (father).[citation needed] She cites living with her grandparents and being a regular churchgoer as her introduction to singing.[3]

By age 10, Tataei was a part of the National Youth Music Theatre and traveled across Britain, appearing in various productions with them. By her 14th birthday, she had her first guitar and was experimenting with several musical genres. She rehearsed her music at Scream Studios in Croydon.[4]

Tataei's musical influences include Lauryn Hill, Joni Mitchell, Sade, Mary J. Blige and Alanis Morissette.

Music career

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After forming her first band in 2007, Tataei attracted interest from various labels before signing with Rough Trade in November 2008.[1] Since signing, she has appeared on tours with the likes of Mark Ronson and Daniel Merriweather[5] and on such television shows as Later... with Jools Holland (Series 35).

Tataei's debut single, "No Going Back", was released on seven-inch vinyl on 15 December 2009. She told Steve Lamacq on his Radio 2 show that the song is about "leaving a relationship and not wanting to go back to that situation."[6]

Tataei's next single, "My Baby Left Me", was released on 15 March 2010 and made the BBC Radio 2 A-List and has received other critical success. She entered the Dutch Top 40 on 17 April 2010 at Number 35, moving to a new peak of 27 a week later.[7]

Tataei released her debut album, Memoirs, on 7 June 2010, which features the previously released singles and 10 other tracks. The album was partially recorded in New Jersey in April 2009 with "Commissioner" Gordon Williams, but mainly in London with Jay-Z and Lupe Fiasco producer Al Shux.[citation needed]

Her third single, "I Don't Believe", was released simultaneously as her album. Tataei posted the music video on her official Twitter on 4 May 2010. It was also used in an advertising campaign by Rimmel.[8][9]

Her fourth single, "Rocksteady", was also included as soundtrack EA Sports game, 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa.

Tataei's single 'My Baby Left Me' has been used in the 2013 movie Girl Most Likely as background music for the 'sex scene' between Kristen Wiig and Darren Criss.

Reviews

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Roxanne Tataei was tipped for success in 2010, being selected as HMV's "Next Big Thing" and in February played a headlining performance at London's Jazz Café on the "Next Big Thing Night".[10]

Tataei was featured as The Guardian's "New Band of the Day" on 23 November 2009.[11] She also made the longlist of the BBC's Sound of 2010.[12] As well as MTV UK's "10 for 10" list.[13]

Mike Driver, writing for the BBC about her debut album, was effusive about the singer but complained about the inconsistency of the album overall, saying that it "showcases a young singer bursting with potential" but that "like many a debut, Memoirs doesn't know quite where to settle style-wise, veering from excellence to excruciation. Heart Ran Dry retains the acoustic element of the preceding Forever Always Wishing. Still, it is a more sketchy X Factor audition than a track worthy of making any album's final cut.".[14]

Discography

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As Rox

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Studio albums

Year Album details Peak chart positions
UK NL FRA ITA
2010 Memoirs 97 37 76 11

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Album
UK NL GER ITA
2009 "No Going Back" Memoirs
2010 "My Baby Left Me" 91 12 35 11
"I Don't Believe"
"Rocksteady"

As Roxanne Tataei

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Studio albums

Year Album details Peak chart positions
UK NL FRA ITA
2018 Full Moon in Aries
  • Released: 24 September 2018
  • Formats: CD, download

EPs

Year Album details Peak chart positions
UK NL FRA ITA
2015 Grey Area

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Album
UK NL GER ITA
2015 "My Weakness" Grey Area
2018 "Crimson Eyes" Full Moon in Aries

References

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  1. ^ a b Rox signs to Rough Trade & EMI Pub[usurped] Crazed Hits, 3 November 2008
  2. ^ [1] [dead link]
  3. ^ ROX – Roxy Music Archived 10 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine LondonTourdates, 13 November 2009
  4. ^ Norbury rocks – just ask Rox, Your Croydon, March 2010 (p. 20)
  5. ^ Artist Info – ROX Latitude Festival 2010, 15 July 2010
  6. ^ "No Going Back by Rox - Songfacts". Songfacts.com. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  7. ^ "Dutch Top 40". Acharts.co. 24 April 2010. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017.
  8. ^ "(Re) Introducing... Rox". Londonist.com. 21 October 2009. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  9. ^ 2010 – The year of Rox-Soul Archived 7 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine Catch a Vibe, 4 January 2010
  10. ^ Talent meets attitude with Rox, London Evening Standard, 9 February 2010
  11. ^ New band of the day – Rox (No 674), Guardian.co.uk, 23 November 2009
  12. ^ BBC Sound of 2010: Rox BBC News, 7 December 2009
  13. ^ "Latest Music News, Charts, Playlists and Videos". Mtv.co.uk. Archived from the original on 13 December 2009. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  14. ^ Mike Driver "Rox Memoirs Review: She can hold her own with the majority of her peers", BBC Music, 10 June 2010
  15. ^ "ACTUARY 4.0 - AAC Bali - Indonesia 2020". Aacid2020.org. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  16. ^ "Memoirs by Rox". Music.apple.com. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  17. ^ "Grey Area - Single by Roxanne Tataei". Music.apple.com. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  18. ^ "ROXANNE TATAEI - 'GREY AREA'". Wonderlandmagazine.com. 7 December 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
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