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Lemar Obika (born 4 April 1978), known as Lemar, is an English singer, songwriter and record producer. Initially rising to fame after finishing third on the first series of British talent show ''
Fame Academy ''Fame Academy'' was a British television talent competition to search for and educate new musical talents. The winner received a chance to become a successful music artist and part of the international franchise ''Star Academy'' known under va ...
'', he was later signed to Sony BMG, where he has gone on to release five studio albums, three of which are certified
platinum Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver". Pla ...
or double platinum by the
British Phonographic Industry British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with ...
(BPI). Lemar's double-platinum debut album '' Dedicated'' was released in November 2003 and contained the successful singles " Dance (With U)", " 50/50" and " Another Day", all of which charted in the top 10 of the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
. His second effort, ''
Time to Grow ''Time to Grow'' is the second studio album by English singer Lemar. It was released by Sony BMG on 29 November 2004 in the United Kingdom. The album has been certified double platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Critical recepti ...
'', saw similar success, again achieving double platinum certification and spawning his most successful single, " If There's Any Justice", which peaked at number 3 and spent four months in the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
. Lemar has seen considerable chart success in the UK and
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, releasing ten top 20 singles, seven of which peaked in the top 10, and has sold over two million albums. He is seen as one of the most successful artists to come out of a reality TV show.


Early life

Lemar Obika was born in
Tottenham Tottenham () is a town in North London, England, within the London Borough of Haringey. It is located in the ceremonial county of Greater London. Tottenham is centred north-northeast of Charing Cross, bordering Edmonton to the north, Wal ...
,
North London North London is the northern part of London, England, north of the River Thames. It extends from Clerkenwell and Finsbury, on the edge of the City of London financial district, to Greater London's boundary with Hertfordshire. The term ''nor ...
, England to
Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
n parents. He grew up listening to R&B and
soul music Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in the African American community throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It has its roots in African-American gospel music and rhythm and blues. Soul music became ...
. He used to sing at home with his siblings, pretending to be
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
and
the Jacksons The Jackson 5 (sometimes stylized as the Jackson 5ive, also known as the Jacksons) are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was founded in 1964 in Gary, Indiana, and for most ...
. He was 17 when he had his first concert at the Junior Jam at 'The Temple' in Tottenham supporting American singer Usher. At the time, he was designing a website to sell logos for the Ericsson PH337 phone.Prince's Trust trading Ltd. (2009). Inspired* by music. London: Shoehorn Arts & Culture Books. pp. 94-97. . Later on, he gave up an opportunity to study pharmacy at Cardiff University to pursue a musical career. Lemar had some success supporting various artists such as American girl groups Destiny's Child and Total on their UK club tours and after some years, managed to secure a recording contract with BMG. Following this, he released his debut single " Got Me Saying Ooh". His record deal with BMG fell through in less than a year due to restructuring at the record label. He had to eventually take a job working as an accounts manager at NatWest in
Enfield Enfield may refer to: Places Australia * Enfield, New South Wales * Enfield, South Australia ** Electoral district of Enfield, a state electoral district in South Australia, corresponding to the suburb ** Enfield High School (South Australia) ...
, North London. At age 24, his mother died of cancer and he found listening to Eric Clapton's "
Tears in Heaven "Tears in Heaven" is a song by English guitarist, singer, and songwriter Eric Clapton and Will Jennings, written about the death of Clapton's four-year-old son, Conor. It appeared on the 1991 ''Rush'' film soundtrack. In January 1992, Clapto ...
" brought "clarity" and aims to "write songs as moving as this".


Career


2002–2003: Fame Academy and ''Dedicated''

Lemar was most notably brought to public attention on the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
's ''
Fame Academy ''Fame Academy'' was a British television talent competition to search for and educate new musical talents. The winner received a chance to become a successful music artist and part of the international franchise ''Star Academy'' known under va ...
'' in 2002, a combination of a talent quest and reality television show. He made the finals of the show winning plaudits for his version of " Let's Stay Together" by Al Green and singing a duet with Lionel Richie on " Easy". While he ended up finishing third in the show, which was won by
David Sneddon David Sneddon (born 15 September 1978) is a Scottish singer, songwriter, musician and music producer of contemporary pop music. He began his career performing on stage and television, singing lead roles in stage musicals in Glasgow. In 2002, h ...
, he caught the eye of fellow
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
soul singer
Beverley Knight Beverley Knight (born Beverley Anne Smith, 22 March 1973) is an English recording artist and musical theatre actress. She released her first album, '' The B-Funk'', in 1995. Heavily influenced by American soul music icons such as Sam Cooke an ...
, who invited him to sing a duet with her during her concert at the Hammersmith Apollo.
Sony Music Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainme ...
was so impressed with his potential that they signed him to a five-year record deal worth £1 million. He was also the contestant from ''
Fame Academy ''Fame Academy'' was a British television talent competition to search for and educate new musical talents. The winner received a chance to become a successful music artist and part of the international franchise ''Star Academy'' known under va ...
'' chosen to represent the UK in
Eurobest The Eurobest Festival of Creativity (formerly the European Advertising Festival) is an annual event which celebrates and rewards "creative excellence" in creative communications, advertising and related fields in Europe. The first Festival took p ...
, coming fifth (the eventual winner being
Chenoa María Laura Corradini Falomir (born June 25, 1975, in Mar del Plata, Argentina) popularly known as Chenoa, is an Argentine-Spanish music artist who rose to fame as a contestant on reality television singing competition ''Operación Triunfo''. H ...
from
Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...
). Lemar's second single " Dance (with U)" reached number two on the UK Singles Chart in early 2003. His first album '' Dedicated'' was released late in 2003 with additional singles " 50/50" and " Another Day" also achieving chart success in the UK. Following the success of the album, he commenced his first headlining tour of the UK. After completing his UK tour, Lemar was the opening act for Justin Timberlake's UK tour dates. Thus, he is considered the "most successful graduate.


2004–2005: ''Time to Grow''

On 12 November 2004 Lemar guested on Radio 1's
Live Lounge The Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio stations BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra. It was originally hosted by Simon Mayo, and later by Jo Whiley on her weekday mid-morning, and later weekend lunchtime radio shows, then by Fearne Cotton ...
and performed a cover of U2's song "
Vertigo Vertigo is a condition where a person has the sensation of movement or of surrounding objects moving when they are not. Often it feels like a spinning or swaying movement. This may be associated with nausea, vomiting, sweating, or difficulties w ...
". He has also performed for Prince Charles'
Prince's Trust The Prince's Trust ( cy, Ymddiriedolaeth y Tywysog) is a charity in the United Kingdom founded in 1976 by King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) to help vulnerable young people get their lives on track. It supports 11-to-30-year-olds who are u ...
. In early November 2004, Lemar released his first single from the album ''
Time to Grow ''Time to Grow'' is the second studio album by English singer Lemar. It was released by Sony BMG on 29 November 2004 in the United Kingdom. The album has been certified double platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Critical recepti ...
''. " If There's Any Justice" reached number three on the UK Singles Chart, and has become one of Lemar's most recognised songs. ''Time to Grow'' was released following the single and peaked at number 8 on the UK Albums Chart, to date, the album has been certificated 2× Platinum by the BPI. Two other singles were released from the album, "
Time to Grow ''Time to Grow'' is the second studio album by English singer Lemar. It was released by Sony BMG on 29 November 2004 in the United Kingdom. The album has been certified double platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Critical recepti ...
" and " Don't Give It Up". He is also one of the artists included on Band Aid 20's single "
Do They Know It's Christmas? "Do They Know It's Christmas?" is a charity song written in 1984 by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise money for the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia. It was first recorded by Band Aid, a supergroup assembled by Geldof and Ure consisting of pop ...
".


2006–2008: ''The Truth About Love'' and ''The Reason''

4 September 2006 saw Lemar return with his eighth single, entitled "
It's Not That Easy "It's Not That Easy" is the first single taken from British R&B singer Lemar's third album '' The Truth About Love''. Before the single's release, "It's Not That Easy" made the top 3 of the UK radio airplay chart and the top 10 of the TV airp ...
", which became his sixth UK top ten hit. A week later his new album '' The Truth About Love'' was released, which saw guest appearances from
Styles P David R. Styles (born November 28, 1974), better known by his stage name Styles P (also known mononymously as Styles), is an American rapper, best known as a member of hip hop group the Lox, alongside childhood friends Sheek Louch and Jadakiss ...
from The L.O.X.,
Mica Paris Michelle Antoinette Wallen (born 27 April 1969), known professionally as Mica Paris (), is an English singer, presenter and actress. Paris was born in Islington in North London, but moved to Brockley, South London, when she was nine. She rel ...
and Joss Stone. The album became Lemar's highest charting album to date, peaking at number three on the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...
, outpeaking ''
Time to Grow ''Time to Grow'' is the second studio album by English singer Lemar. It was released by Sony BMG on 29 November 2004 in the United Kingdom. The album has been certified double platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Critical recepti ...
'' (number eight) and '' Dedicated'' (number sixteen). Two more singles were released from the album, "
Someone Should Tell You "Someone Should Tell You" was the second single taken from British R&B singer Lemar's third album '' The Truth About Love''. Before the single's release, "Someone Should Tell You" followed the success of "It's Not That Easy" in the UK airplay ch ...
" and "Tick Tock". At the Brit Awards in 2007, Lemar was hoping to arrive in a makeshift limo, with
James May James Daniel May (born 16 January 1963) is an English television presenter and journalist. He is best known as a co-presenter of the motoring programme '' Top Gear'' alongside Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond from 2003 until 2015. He also ...
from the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
's ''
Top Gear Top Gear may refer to: * "Top gear", the highest gear available in a vehicle's manual transmission Television * ''Top Gear'' (1977 TV series), a British motoring magazine programme * ''Top Gear'' (2002 TV series), a relaunched version of the or ...
'' as the driver. Lemar ultimately got frustrated with May and got out of the car after May repeatedly got lost. He featured on Sway's first single " Saturday Night Hustle" from the album '' The Signature LP''. Lemar's fourth studio album, '' The Reason'' was released on 24 November 2008, entering the UK Albums Chart at No. 41. Lead single " If She Knew" was released on 10 November 2008, and peaked on the UK Singles Chart at No. 14. On 2 March 2009, Lemar released his second single from the album, " Weight of the World", the song peaked at number 31 on the UK Singles Chart. He performed both singles on '' GMTV''.


2010–2013: ''The Hits'', touring and ''Invincible''

Lemar performed his new single " The Way Love Goes" on the BBC1 show ''
So You Think You Can Dance ''So You Think You Can Dance'' is a franchise of reality television shows in which contestants compete in dance. The first series of the franchise, created by '' Idols'' producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe, premiered in July 2005 and ha ...
'' on 9 January 2010. He also performed the single on ''GMTV'' in February. The single was released on Valentine's Day and peaked at number eight on the UK Singles Chart. On 8 March, the single was followed by his much anticipated album, ''
The Hits The Hits was a music video channel broadcast in the United Kingdom and Ireland, owned by Box Television. On 15 August 2008 it was rebranded as 4Music. Overview and availability The channel showcased a range of pop centred on chart hits and cur ...
''. Which - as well as including 10 hit singles from his four studio albums - also features four new tracks. In addition to " The Way Love Goes", these include a duet with
JLS JLS (an initialism of Jack the Lad Swing) are an English boyband, which consists of members Aston Merrygold, Oritsé Williams, Marvin Humes, and JB Gill, originally formed by Williams. They initially signed to Tracklacers production company ...
on a re-recording of Lemar's own 2003 ballad "What About Love". On 19 March, Lemar and JLS performed the song together on Sport Relief. On 11 March 2010, Lemar's album ''
The Hits The Hits was a music video channel broadcast in the United Kingdom and Ireland, owned by Box Television. On 15 August 2008 it was rebranded as 4Music. Overview and availability The channel showcased a range of pop centred on chart hits and cur ...
'' hit number one on the R&B download charts on iTunes, along with 9 of Lemar's songs in the top 100 downloads. It peaked at number eighteen on the UK Albums Chart. Toward the end of March 2010, Lemar performed a Radio 1's
Live Lounge The Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio stations BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra. It was originally hosted by Simon Mayo, and later by Jo Whiley on her weekday mid-morning, and later weekend lunchtime radio shows, then by Fearne Cotton ...
version of "
Empire State of Mind "Empire State of Mind" is a song performed by American rapper Jay-Z featuring American singer Alicia Keys from the former's 11th studio album, ''The Blueprint 3'' (2009). It was released on October 20, 2009. Produced by Al Shux, the song feature ...
". He also recorded cover versions of Beyoncé's " Sweet Dreams" and Alicia Key's "
Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart" is a song by American recording artist Alicia Keys. It was released as the second single (third in the UK) from her fourth studio album, '' The Element of Freedom'' (2009). The ballad has been hailed by many mus ...
". Lemar appeared as a special guest on the UK Dates of
Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the " Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and " Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Award ...
's World Tour. His confirmed dates were at Birmingham's LG Arena, London's
O2 Arena O2 Arena may refer to: *The O2 Arena (London) *O2 Arena (Prague) *The 3Arena The 3Arena (originally The O2) is an indoor amphitheatre located at North Wall Quay in the Dublin Docklands in Dublin, Ireland. The venue opened as The O2 on 16 Decem ...
and Manchester's
MEN Arena Manchester Arena, currently referred to as the AO Arena for sponsorship reasons, is an indoor arena in Manchester, England, immediately north of the city centre and partly above Manchester Victoria station in air rights space. The arena has the ...
. The first date, in London, was on 2 November 2010. It was also announced that Lemar would be the special guest on the UK dates of Enrique Iglesias' tour in 2011. Lemar returned with his single "Invincible", which he performed for the first time at Stoke 2012 Live. The release date for the single was 12 August, and will be the first single to be taken from the as yet untitled fifth studio album this year. on 21 June Lemar leaked the single via his official website, speaking to Digital Spy about the single he commented saying "Sticking together is what makes you invincible. When times are hard, it's important to stick together and know what your values are." On his site The Re-View, Nick Bassett praises "Invincible" for its "narrative journey which showcases Lemar’s songwriting talents as well as his impressive vocal."


2015–present: ''The Letter'' and Reality television

Lemar returned again in 2015 with his single "The Letter", which got its first airplay on BBC Radio 2's breakfast show with Chris Evans. ''The Letter'' was also the title of his latest album. The album featured a duet with Joss Stone, a cover of "Someday We'll Be Together", made famous by Diana Ross &
the Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successf ...
. In 2018, Lemar was a contestant on the tenth series of '' Dancing on Ice'', replacing
Monty Panesar Mudhsuden Singh "Monty" Panesar (born 25 April 1982) is a former English international cricketer. A left-arm spinner, Panesar made his Test cricket debut in 2006 against India in Nagpur and One Day International debut for England in 2007. In E ...
; his ice skating partner was Melody Le Moal. Lemar survived three skate offs, beating
Candice Brown Candice is a given name and a variant spelling of the name Candace. People Notable people with the name include: *Candice Accola, American actress (''The Vampire Diaries'') *Candice Carty-Williams, British writer *Candice Bergen, American actr ...
,
Stephanie Waring Stephanie Louise Waring (born 19 February 1978) is an English actress, known for portraying the role of Cindy Cunningham in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks''. In addition to her work on ''Hollyoaks'', she has also had roles on ''Coronation ...
and Perri Shakes-Drayton. On 11 February, he was voted off after ending up in the skate off for a fourth time with
Donna Air Donna Marie Theresa Air (born 2 August 1979) is an English actress, television presenter and media personality. Early life and education Donna Marie Theresa Air was born on 2 August 1979, in Wallsend, North Tyneside, to receptionist Marie (née ...
.


Personal life

He is an ambassador for
The Prince's Trust The Prince's Trust ( cy, Ymddiriedolaeth y Tywysog) is a charity in the United Kingdom founded in 1976 by King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) to help vulnerable young people get their lives on track. It supports 11-to-30-year-olds who are u ...
. On 19 January 2008, MSN UK reported that Lemar became a father for the first time with his long-term partner Charmaine Powell, who gave birth at London's private
Portland Hospital The Portland Hospital for Women and Children is a private maternity hospital on Great Portland Street, City of Westminster, London, England, owned by the Hospital Corporation of America. History The Portland was conceived by Barry Lewis, a ...
to a girl named Nyiema Obika, weighing 7 lb. Lemar and Charmaine then had another child, a son, Uriah Obika. The couple married on 17 July 2010 at
St Mary the Virgin, Monken Hadley St Mary the Virgin is the parish church of Monken Hadley. It is located in the Diocese of London. History The church was rebuilt in its present form in 1494 (the date being carved in stone over the west door) possibly after incurring damage du ...
. Lemar is a fan of English football club
Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, commonly referred to as Tottenham () or Spurs, is a professional football club based in Tottenham, London, England. It competes in the Premier League, the top flight of English football. The team has playe ...
. His cousin,
Jonathan Obika Jonathan Chiedozie Obika (born 12 September 1990) is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for League One club Morecambe. Club career Tottenham Obika is a product of the Tottenham Hotspur youth system and was the top scor ...
, is a footballer who plays for
Morecambe F.C. Morecambe Football Club is a professional football club in Morecambe, Lancashire, England. The team competes in League One, the third tier of the English football league system. Nicknamed the "Shrimps" due to the coastal town's local specialit ...
, and another cousin Sam Oji played for
Birmingham City Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football, football club based in Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, it was renamed Small Heath in 1888, Birmingham in 1905, and Birmingham City in 1943. Sin ...
. As of May 2009, Lemar had an accumulated wealth of £4 million.The 10 richest reality TV stars
Times Online, 31 May 2009


Discography

* '' Dedicated'' (2003) * ''
Time to Grow ''Time to Grow'' is the second studio album by English singer Lemar. It was released by Sony BMG on 29 November 2004 in the United Kingdom. The album has been certified double platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Critical recepti ...
'' (2004) * '' The Truth About Love'' (2006) * '' The Reason'' (2008) * ''
Invincible Invincible may refer to: Film and television * ''Invincible'' (2001 drama film), a drama by Werner Herzog about Jewish cabaret during the rise of Nazism * ''Invincible'' (2001 TV film), a fantasy / martial arts TV movie starring Billy Zane ...
'' (2012) * '' The Letter'' (2015) * '' TBA'' (2023)


Awards and nominations

Brit Awards The BRIT Awards (often simply called the BRITs) are the British Phonographic Industry's annual popular music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain", or "Britannia" (in the early days the awards were sponsored ...
: * Winner 2006 - British Urban Act * Winner 2004 - British Urban Act * Nominee 2007 - British Male Solo Artist * Nominee 2006 - British Urban Act * Nominee 2005 - British Male Solo Artist * Nominee 2005 - British Urban Act * Nominee 2004 - Best British Breakthrough Act * Nominee 2004 - Best British Urban Act
MOBO Awards The MOBO Awards (Music of Black Origin, also known as the MOBOs) are an annual British music award presentation honouring achievements in " music of black origin", including hip hop, grime, UK Drill, R&B, soul, reggae, jazz, gospel, and ...
: * Winner 2006 - Best UK Male * Winner 2005 - Best UK Male * Winner 2005 - Best Album - ''
Time to Grow ''Time to Grow'' is the second studio album by English singer Lemar. It was released by Sony BMG on 29 November 2004 in the United Kingdom. The album has been certified double platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Critical recepti ...
'' * Nominee 2009 - Best R&B/Soul Act * Nominee 2007 - Best R&B Act * Nominee 2005 - Best Video - " If There's Any Justice" * Nominee 2005 - Best R&B Act * Nominee 2004 - UK Act of the Year * Nominee 2004 - Best R&B Act


References


External links


Magic Soul Mornings with Lemar on Magic Soul

Lemar Online

Lemar interview by Pete Lewis
'Blues & Soul' December 2008
Lemar Live MTV Session
MTV
Stoke2012live.co.uk

Hyves Lemar Fanpage

Live on Channel V, Sydney

Lemar Online Interview
Scene Magazine

The Talent Zone {{DEFAULTSORT:Lemar 1978 births Living people 21st-century Black British male singers Brit Award winners British contemporary R&B singers English male singer-songwriters English soul singers People from Tottenham English people of Nigerian descent BT Digital Music Awards winners