Joanne Accom

Infobox musical artist 2
Name = Joanne
Img_capt = Joanne on a poster cover for her debut album "Do Not Disturb" (2001)
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Joanne Ruth Charlotte Accom
Alias = Joanne BZ
Born = Birth date and age|1978|11|13|mf=y
Died =
Origin =
Genre = Pop/R&B
Occupation = Singer, songwriter,
Years_active = 1998–present
Label = Universal Music Australia / Blue Planet
Associated_acts = Hi-Fidelity
URL = [http://www.joannebz.com Official Joanne BZ Website]

Joanne Accom (born Joanne Ruth Charlotte Accom on November 13 1978) is a dance, pop singer-songwriter from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Joanne was born in London, but is South African by descent.

Childhood and early years

Moving from London to Australia at age 10, Joanne was destined for a career in the entertainment business, so much so that she commenced performing professionally while still in her teens. Joanne was born with webbed toes but had minor surgery in 2001 to correct this abormality. ["Joanne strikes it big", Noozhumurry, J, The Age, 3 April 2001] The aspiring singer had spent a year in the recording studio when the break-through single "Jackie" was unleashed on the public in late 1998. The song took on a life all its own and was soon a recognized national smash hit, earning the title of 'Highest Selling Single for 1999' and making Joanne a star overnight.

With follow up Top 40 singles, "Pack Your Bags" and "Are You Ready", Joanne was soon signed to major record label Universal Music Australia. In 2001 Joanne released a further two hit singles "Busted", an up-beat jam about a cheating boyfriend, and "So Damn Fine", a groovy house foray. Joanne's last single titled "I Don't Know", is a highly melodic and more mature up tempo dance track.

"Do Not Disturb" was produced and recorded in Dance World Studios, South Melbourne, a second home for Joanne where she conducts all vocal and dance rehearsals. It's also the home of her management team and production company Blue Planet Productions, who are better known as George Papapetros, Maxim Kourilov and Chris Apostolidis.

When asked about the new album, Joanne comments "The album is a long time coming, it's like three years in the making. I'm glad that it happened that way because it allowed my producers and I to explore the writing and collaboration aspects of recording. I'm very excited about it. It's very pop, disco and R&B. I'm really happy with it."

"Do Not Disturb" includes "Jackie" and another 15 original tracks, most of which she either wrote or co-wrote. "It's basically just a lot of personal experiences and a lot of things that I've gone through, put into writing. It was a great opportunity for me to grow, not only as a vocalist, but also as a songwriter"

Joanne has moved on from the success of "Jackie" to conceive an album justifying her position as one of Australia's hottest female artists. "Do Not Disturb" is proof that she can conquer a dance song, master an R&B track and deliver a ballad, all with the same intensity.

For "Jackie", Joanne was credited as "B.Z. featuring Joanne" or "Joanne/BZ". Joanne explained in a March 2001 interview that B.Z. were just letters that the record company chose to incorporate into her stage name, and were a reference to the original artists behind the song, band Blue Zone. After establishing herself in her own right, she dropped the original stage name.

Music career

Do Not Disturb

Her first solo album entitled "Do Not Disturb" spawned the ARIA number three hit "Jackie" (a cover of a song earlier recorded by Blue Zone), the top thirty hit "So Damn Fine" and other singles realised were; "I Don't Know", "Are You Ready", "Busted" and "Pack Your Bags".

Joanne also recorded the track featured with Ilanda "Breakin' There's No Stoppin' Us" for "The Wog Boy Movie" (2000).

Other Work

Today, Joanne continues to perform across Australia, most recently as part of the cover band Past to Present, alongside Norman Keller from Ilanda, while maintaining her solo career.

Other Media Credits

* In 2001, Joanne performed a number of her hits at Melbourne's Rumba on Saturday November 17 2001 at the Colonial Stadium (now known as the Telstra Dome). Rumba also featured other artists from around the nation.

* In 2002, Joanne performed her hit "So Damn Fine" in front of a live audience all over Australia at one of the "Big Brother Australia 2002" live "Eviction" shows during the closing credits.

Discography

Studio Albums

"Do Not Disturb" features sixteen tracks. "Jackie", got a new feel to the song and was put down into a 2001 Remix. "Busted's" "na na na na nah" was removed from the beginning of the song but still maintained the same beat. The original Radio Edit of "Are You Ready" failed to feature on the album but came in two versions on tracks ten and fourteen titled "Are You Ready (Extended Pump Funk)" and "Hot Hot Crazy". Furthermore, two versions were placed for "I Don't Know" on tracks six and sixteen; track six being the slow mix, and track sixteen the fast mix.

"Breakin' There's No Stoppin' Us" wasn't featured on the "Do Not Disturb" album but can be found on the Soundtrack to "The Wog Boy".

Australian Singles

From late 1998 to 2001, Joanne released six singles from one album.
She also released another two singles; one featured with Ilanda and the other one a Limited Edition.
It is nevertheless rumoured that a seventh single from the debut album, "Phoney Baloney", may have be released later in that same year and make it the final single. Though, due to its unrelease "I Don't Know" stands as the sixth and final single from the debut album.

B-Sides

* 1998 All Of Me by "XL Connection" ("Jackie" B-Side)

External links

* [http://www.joannebz.com Official Joanne BZ Web Site] (Currently offline)
* [http://www.bandshop.com.au/cover_bands/coverbands6.html Joanne's photo for Past to Present is featured at Bandshop.com]
* [http://www.bandshop.com.au/original/original6.html Joanne's profile as a solo artist, also at Bandshop.com]
* [http://e.discogs.com/artist/Joanne+(2) Joanne Accom track listing at e.discogs]

Fan Pages

* [http://www.geocities.com/joanneeau So Damn Fine Joanne Accom Fan Site]

References