Kreesha Turner (born June 10, 1985) is a Canadian recording artist and songwriter, born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Raised in both Canada and Jamaica, she began her musical career after a successful audition with Virgin Records. She signed a record deal with the Capitol Music Group, under which the Virgin imprint operates. Concurrently, EMI Music Canada signed her to more effectively tap into the Canadian market.
She has released two albums in Canada. Her first album Passion (2008) spawned singles "Bounce With Me," "Lady Killer" and "Don't Call Me Baby". The latter became the No. 1 most played song (by a Canadian) on Canadian radio in 2008 and became her very first number one single on Billboards U.S. Hot Dance Club Play. During this year, she was nominated for two Juno Awards for "Best New Artist" and "Best Pop Album of The Year." Her second double disc studio album, Tropic Electric (2011) saw Turner alter her public image and return to her original sound. She released three moderately successful singles "Rock Paper Scissors," "I Could Stay," and "Love Again." which gained her another Juno Award Nomination for "Best R&B Album."
Throughout Turner's career, she has been well known for her style and image. She's been ranked on Complex magazine list of "25 Sexiest International Singers You've Never Heard Of" and MuchMusic's "Sexiest Girls list" in 2008. She has been featured on multiple major Canadian magazine covers and starred in a national Kit Kat campaign. Her music has been featured on major network television shows such as Entourage, Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty, Gossip Girl, The Hills, Keeping Up With the Kardashians, Smash, Lipstick Jungle and Brothers & Sisters.
Biography
Early life
The oldest of three children born to a Canadian father of Scottish ancestry and a Jamaican mother of African and Chinese descent, Turner was born in Edmonton, Alberta. As a young child, Turner danced in her bedroom to music by jazz musician Oscar Peterson. Turner has always mentioned jazz as an inspiration, especially artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Peggy Lee.
In 2000, when Turner was 15, her mother sent her to Jamaica to live and experience Jamaican culture. Turner quickly learned that singing is a big part of everyday life in Jamaica, particularly at the Pentecostal church. Friends convinced her to audition for the youth choir despite her own belief that she could not sing. On the strength of her rendition of Canada's national anthem, Turner was accepted into the choir and began singing gospel songs at the Faith Temple Tabernacle in Bayside, Portmore. Turner says this is the time she realized she loved to sing. She went to Victoria School of the Arts in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada prior to her high school years in Jamaica. Turner attended Wolmer's Girl School in Kingston, Jamaica from 2000 to 2002. She attended Harry Ainlay Composite High School in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada after returning from Jamaica which she then graduated from in 2003.
Musical beginnings
In 2003, immediately after graduating from high school, Turner became an active member of the underground urban/hip-hop community. Writing, recording and performing all her own material, she aggressively began pursuing her musical career. Turner quickly gained attention from her peers, developing an underground fan base that had a number of industry insiders excited. Turner performed on any and every stage she could, entering and winning several competitions, but it was not until a couple of years later that she was successful.
In 2005, Turner won a talent contest in Edmonton organised by local radio station The Bounce (91.7 FM). Winning the contest allowed her to record four studio tracks in Vancouver with songwriting/production team, Hipjoint Productions, the most important to Kreesha's career being "Bounce With Me". This was noticed by urban and R&B music manager and Canadian entertainment mogul Chris Smith (Nelly Furtado, Fefe Dobson, Tamia) and led to the start of her mainstream music career.
2007–2010: Passion
After a successful audition with Virgin Records, she signed a record deal with the Capitol Music Group, under which the Virgin imprint operates. Concurrently, EMI Music Canada signed her to more effectively tap into the Canadian market.