- Dev (singer)
-
Dev 
Dev at the 2011 MuchMusic Video AwardsBackground information Birth name Devin Star Tailes Born July 2, 1989
Tracy, California, U.S.Origin Manteca, California Genres Electropop Occupations Singer Years active 2009–present Labels Universal Republic
Island (UK)Associated acts The Cataracs, Far East Movement, Timbaland, David Guetta, The Pack, Eric Saade Website www.devishot.com Devin Star Tailes (born July 2, 1989), better known by her stage name Dev, is an American singer. She was discovered by The Cataracs via MySpace after her friend Shane Crislip, posted her singing to some beats. Dev's song "Booty Bounce" was sampled in Far East Movement's hit single "Like a G6" which reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and sold over five million downloads in the country, while her first solo single was Bass Down Low which was released December 6, 2010. Dev was signed to Universal Republic in October 2010.
Contents
Life and career
Early life and career beginnings
Dev was born in Tracy, California to Lisa, a real estate agent, and Riki Tailes, a painting contractor.[1] Dev's family is from Costa Rica, but grew up in Manteca and is of Portuguese and Mexican descent.[2] She has two younger sisters, Sierra Sol and Maezee Luna.[1] At the age of four, she started swimming and was part of the U.S Olympic development program.[1] She attended Brock Elliott elementary. She graduated from where she was a member of a band and a choir. Soon, she attended San Joaquin Delta College, studying English and art history.[1]
[...] I decided to put up this song on MySpace. [...] it was basically a “diss track” and I didn’t expect anything out of it. It was just to make me feel good like how music usually do but Niles [of the Cataracs] came across to my page and was really into my voice and they kind of got me into singing and opened up my eyes to business opportunities.
“”Dev on the start of her career[3]She made a cover of an Amy Winehouse song that she described as being "super-weird and super-different".[1] She recorded the song off her and made it in response to her ex-boyfriend's new girlfriend, calling it a "diss track".[3] It was later revealed that the song was "Blonde Trick". A friend of hers posted the song onto MySpace, and production team The Cataracs noticed it and contacted Dev. She dropped out of college during her freshman year to pursue her singing career and was then signed by the Los Angeles based record label and management team, Indie-Pop, who also discovered The Cataracs. Six months later, Dev and IT'S THE CATARACS song "2Nite" began to gain exposure on the radio, the television channel MTVU and the Billboard Hot Dance Airplay chart.[1] In 2009, Dev moved to Los Angeles to produce music with the Cataracs and work directly with Indie-Pop.[2]
In 2010, the Cataracs produced "Like a G6" with Far East Movement and decided to use a verse from Dev's single "Booty Bounce" as the chorus.[4] The two songs were made in the same summer, at the time where Dev and the Cataracs "were grinding it out in the studio pretty tough together," making a couple of "simplistic random tracks."[3] "Like a G6", which features the Cataracs and Dev, was released in April 2010, and reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.[5] The song went on to sell over three million downloads in the US.[6]
2010–present: The Night the Sun Came Up
In August 2010, Dev made a music video for "Booty Bounce", directed by Ethan Adler, and uploaded it onto YouTube, where it has generated over ten million views.[4][7] In October 2010, Dev was signed to Universal Republic and her first official single, "Bass Down Low", was serviced to rhythmic radio stations in November.[4][8] It was released digitally in select territories on December 6, 2010 and one day later in the United States.[9][10] The song reached sixty one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number two on the Heatseekers Songs chart.[11] In Canada, the song peaked at number thirty five in its fifth week on the Canadian Hot 100 chart.[12] A critic of The Arizona Republic named the song the fourth best single of December 2010, comparing it to Ke$ha's 2009 hit single "Tik Tok", but wrote that "every other element of "Bass Down Low" feels custom-made for squeezing 15 extra minutes off that "Tik Tok" clock. [...] It's there in the throbbing electro-pop groove".[13] The song was serviced onto mainstream radio on January 11, 2011.[14] The second single from the album "In the Dark",was released on February 25.
Dev's debut album The Night the Sun Came Up has been released in United Kingdom on September 20, 2011.[3][15] Since 2009, Dev has been working on her debut album with main producers, The Cataracs.[1][2][16] In March 2011, Dev and The Cataracs traveled to Costa Rica for three weeks where they recorded and produced most of the material for the new album. Besides the Cataracs, Timbaland also produced some of the songs and is also featured on the album. She said of the album's genres, "[t]ypical pop music is not what I am only good at doing; I have a lot of ideas and hip-hop influence records, some electro ballads."[3] In March 2011, New Boyz's single "Backseat", featuring Dev and The Cataracs, was released. The song peaked at number thirty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100.[17] She was featured on Demi Lovato's album "Unbroken" on a song called "Who's That Boy". She also featured on a single by British boy band JLS, "She Make Me Wanna", which reached the top of the UK singles chart. Dev also released two more promotional singles through Twitter, "Poison" and "Call Me" both covers of Bill Bev Devoe and Blondie respectively. She also featured in house music artist David Guetta's album, Nothing But the Beat on a song called "I Just Wanna F" with Timbaland and Afrojack.[18] In September 2011, Dev was listed as one of Splashlife's 30 Under 30 Musicians to Know. Dev has also featured on a single by Swedish singer Eric Saade, "Hotter Than Fire" which was released on November 2, 2011 in Sweden.
Musical style
Dev's electro style and "sing-talk" vocal style have been compared to fellow pop singer Kesha.[19] Dev responded to this, saying, "I'm confident enough in what I do that people will see me for who I am ... I get why people compare us but once people see me live they won't connect us as much."[7] While comparing her to Kesha, Idolator wrote that "Dev's beats come off a bit more mellow and her songs a little bit more electro than pop."[19] In response to being compared to both Kesha and Uffie, Dev said, "I just feel that I have a lot more to say and the ability to have an eclectic sound, I'm not bashing either artist, but I'm going to be able to give you a little bit more than what you've heard on those records. When my album comes out, hopefully I won't have to hear another reference or comparison."[3] Much of Dev's music is inspired by rap music, as she believes that fans respond to "pop music but with rap roots". She said, "I've always been into hip-hop. Eminem changed my life when I was younger."[7] The Hollywood Reporter compared her "futuristic" and "pulsing" sound to underground electroclash musicians Peaches and Yelle.[7] Dev's musical genres have been cited as electro-crunk,[20] electropop,[19] and electro hop.[7]
Personal life
In September 2011, Dev publicly announced that she and her fiancé Jimmy were expecting a baby girl due December 24 named Amelia.[21]
Discography
Main article: Dev discography- The Night the Sun Came Up (2011)
Awards and nominations
Main Article: List of awards and nominations received by Dev
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Sauro, Tony (2010-07-23). "Manteca native inspired on tour by Cataracs". The Record. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100723/A_LIFE/7230302/-1/a_life. Retrieved 2010-12-17.
- ^ a b c Campbell, Jason (2009-04-01). "Dev taking singing on a spin around California". The Manteca Bulletin. http://www.mantecabulletin.com/news/archive/2714/. Retrieved 2010-12-17.
- ^ a b c d e f Kazemi, Alex (2010-12-21). "An Interview With Dev". Fashion Indie. http://fashionindie.com/an-interview-with-dev/. Retrieved 2011-01-06.
- ^ a b c Johnson, Billy (2010-11-10). "Pop Rap Newcomer Dev 'Feels So Fly Like A G6'". Yahoo Music Blog. Yahoo! Inc. http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/thenewnow/17170/pop-rap-newcomer-dev-feels-so-fly-like-a-g6/. Retrieved 2010-11-18.
- ^ "Like a G6 - Far West Movement - Chart History". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/song/far-east-movement-featuring-cataracs-dev/like-a-g6/18343373. Retrieved 2010-12-17.
- ^ Grein, Paul (2010-11-27). "Week Ending Nov. 14, 2010: This Year's "Gift" Is Smaller". Yahoo! Music Blog. Yahoo! Inc. http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart_watch/69457/week-ending-nov-14-2010-this-years-gift-is-smaller/. Retrieved 2010-11-18.
- ^ a b c d e Amter, Charlie (2010-12-13). "Is Dev of 'Like A G6' Fame The Next Ke$ha". The Hollywood Reporter. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/dev-g6-fame-keha-59328. Retrieved 2010-12-23.
- ^ "FMQB: Available for Airplay: 2010 - 11/16". FMQB. Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report, Inc. http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=69239#210. Retrieved 2011-01-06.
- ^ "Bass Down Low (feat. The Cataracs) - Single by Dev". iTunes Store Australia. Apple, Inc. http://itunes.apple.com/au/album/bass-down-low-feat-the-cataracs/id405414642?i=405414644&ign-mpt=uo%3D4. Retrieved 2011-01-06.
- ^ "DEV / The Cataracs - Bass Down Low". 7digital US. http://us.7digital.com/artists/dev-the-cataracs/bass-down-low-1/. Retrieved 2011-01-06.
- ^ "Bass Down Low - Dev - Chart History". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/song/dev-featuring-the-cataracs/bass-down-low/23339489. Retrieved 2010-12-17.
- ^ "Canadian Hot 100 - Week of January 29, 2011". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/charts/canadian-hot-100?chartDate=2011-01-29&begin=31&order=position. Retrieved 2011-01-19.
- ^ Masley, Ed (2010-12-28). "December's 10 best singles: Lil Wayne, Gorillaz". The Arizona Republic. azcentral.com. http://www.azcentral.com/thingstodo/music/articles/2010/12/28/20101228december-best-singles-lil-wayne-gorillaz.html?page=4. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
- ^ "FMQB: Available for Airplay: January 2010 - 11/11". FMQB. Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report, Inc. http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=16691. Retrieved 2011-01-06.
- ^ "Photo Shoot for my album, The Night the Sun Came Up". 2011-02-15. http://devishot.com/?p=4238. Retrieved 2011-02-25.
- ^ "Dev’s Debut Album The Night the Sun Came Up Release Date + Tracklist | It's The Cataracs". Itsthecataracs.com. 2011-04-16. http://www.itsthecataracs.com/devs-debut-album-the-night-the-sun-came-up-release-date/. Retrieved 2011-09-02.
- ^ "Hot 100 Week of March 5, 2011". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/charts/hot-100?begin=31&order=position. Retrieved 2011-02-24.
- ^ "Usher, Nicki Minaj, & Jennifer Hudson Step to David Guetta’s ‘Beat’". Rap-Up.com. 2011-06-22. http://www.rap-up.com/2011/06/22/usher-nicki-minaj-jennifer-hudson-step-to-david-guettas-beat/. Retrieved 2011-09-02.
- ^ a b c Bein, Becky (2010-12-09). "Dev Wants The "Bass Down Low" On Her New Dance Single". Idolator. http://idolator.com/5713931/dev-wants-the-bass-down-low-on-her-new-dance-single. Retrieved 2010-12-23.
- ^ "Dev goes solo". Star Online. starobserver.com.au. 2010-12-10. http://www.starobserver.com.au/news/international-news-news/2010/12/10/dev-goes-solo/38972. Retrieved 2010-12-23.
- ^ "Mom-to-Be Dev Reveals the Due Date, Gender and Name of Her Baby". AOL Music. http://blog.music.aol.com/2011/09/30/dev-pregnant/.
External links
- Official website
- Dev on Twitter
- Dev on Myspace
- Dev at the Internet Movie Database
Albums The Night the Sun Came UpSingles "Bass Down Low" · "In the Dark"Featured singles "Like a G6" · "Backseat" · "Top of the World" · "She Makes Me Wanna" · "Hey Hey Hey (Pop Another Bottle)" · "Hotter Than Fire"Promotional singles "Booty Bounce"Related articles The Cataracs · Universal Republic RecordsCategories:- 1989 births
- American dance musicians
- American hip hop musicians
- American electronic musicians
- American female singers
- American pop singers
- American musicians of Mexican descent
- American indie pop musicians
- Living people
- People from Manteca, California
- American people of Portuguese descent
- San Joaquin Delta College alumni
- Singers from California
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