Louisa (singer)
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Louisa Johnson (born 11 January 1998), also known mononymously as Louisa, is a British singer. In 2015, she won the twelfth series of ''
The X Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...
''. She subsequently released her winner's single " Forever Young", which peaked at number nine on 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 ...
, and featured on
Clean Bandit Clean Bandit are an English electronic music group, formed in Cambridge in 2008. They have had four number 1 hits and ten top 10 hits on the UK Singles Chart. They direct and produce their own music videos, many of which have been nominated for ...
's UK top five single "
Tears Tears are a clear liquid secreted by the lacrimal glands (tear gland) found in the eyes of all land mammals. Tears are made up of water, electrolytes, proteins, lipids, and mucins that form layers on the surface of eyes. The different types of ...
".


Early life

Louisa Johnson was born on 11 January 1998 in
Essex Essex () is a Ceremonial counties of England, county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the Riv ...
to David Johnson and Lisa Hawkyard, and has one younger brother, Fynn Johnson. Her father is a construction worker from Essex and her mother is a driving instructor from
Chafford Hundred Chafford Hundred is an area in the Borough of Thurrock in the ceremonial county of Essex. Chafford Hundred is north-west of Grays. Its railway station serves the area and Lakeside Shopping Centre. Lakeside Shopping Centre is in West Thurro ...
. She was raised in
Thurrock Thurrock () is a unitary authority area with borough status and unparished area in the ceremonial county of Essex, England. It is part of the London commuter belt and an area of regeneration within the Thames Gateway redevelopment zone. The ...
. Johnson attended St. Thomas of Canterbury primary school in
Grays, Essex Grays (or Grays Thurrock) is the largest town in the borough and unitary authority of Thurrock in Essex, England. The town which is both a former civil parish and one of Thurrock's traditional Church of England parishes is located on the north ...
and The Harris Academy secondary school in
Chafford Hundred Chafford Hundred is an area in the Borough of Thurrock in the ceremonial county of Essex. Chafford Hundred is north-west of Grays. Its railway station serves the area and Lakeside Shopping Centre. Lakeside Shopping Centre is in West Thurro ...
.


Career


2015: ''The X Factor''

In 2015, Johnson auditioned for the twelfth series of ''
The X Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...
'', singing American pop music family group
The Jackson 5 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 o ...
's " Who's Lovin' You". She picked this record because "it is a really really hard song to sing, but I wanted to make a good impression". She received a standing ovation from all four judges and the audience afterwards and progressed through to "bootcamp". At the first challenge at "bootcamp", she sang "
Proud Mary "Proud Mary" is a song written by John Fogerty and first recorded by his band Creedence Clearwater Revival. It was released by Fantasy Records as a single from the band's second studio album, '' Bayou Country'', which was issued by the same ...
" with 4th Impact (formerly known as 4th Power), Sherilyn Hamilton-Shaw, Neneth Lyons, Jasmine Leigh Morris and Andre Batchelor, and was sent through to the next challenge. She sang " Lay Me Down" in the second challenge and made it through to the six-chair challenge. Johnson competed in the "girls" category at "bootcamp" and was mentored, at the decision of the public, by
Rita Ora Rita Sahatçiu Ora (born Rita Sahatçiu; 26 November 1990) is a British singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence in February 2012 when she featured on DJ Fresh's single, "Hot Right Now", which reached number one in the UK. Her debut stud ...
. She successfully made it past the six-chair challenge to "judges' houses", singing "
And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" (also known in short as just "And I Am Telling You") is a torch song from the Broadway musical '' Dreamgirls'', with lyrics by Tom Eyen and music by Henry Krieger. In the context of the musical, "And I Am ...
" by Jennifer Hudson; when Johnson arrived, all six chairs had been filled, and Ora described the atmosphere as "like a zoo". At judges' houses, she sang "
Respect Respect, also called esteem, is a positive feeling or action shown towards someone or something considered important or held in high esteem or regard. It conveys a sense of admiration for good or valuable qualities. It is also the process of ...
" by
Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in '' Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". Wit ...
in front of Ora and American musician
Meghan Trainor Meghan Elizabeth Trainor (born December 22, 1993) is an American singer-songwriter and television personality. She rose to prominence after signing with Epic Records in 2014 and releasing her debut single "All About That Bass", which reached ...
in Los Angeles; this performance gained media attention, as Johnson wore two separate pairs of shoes, with some viewers inferring some sort of faking. Two weeks after that performance was recorded, she was chosen by Ora for the live shows, along with Lauren Murray and Kiera Weathers; that category's Monica Michael later returned as a wildcard entry. Following the eliminations of Weathers in the second week, Michael in the third week and Murray in the semi-final, Johnson advanced to the final along with
Reggie 'n' Bollie Reggie 'n' Bollie (formerly Menn on Poinnt) are a Ghanaian music duo consisting of Reggie Zippy and Bollie Babeface. They formed in 2012 and are best known for finishing as runners-up on the twelfth series of ''The X Factor'' UK in 2015. Overview ...
and Ché Chesterman singing a cover version of " I Believe I Can Fly" by
R Kelly Robert Sylvester Kelly (born January 8, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and sex offender convicted of racketeering and multiple sex offenses. During his recording career, Kelly sold over 75 million records worldwid ...
; additionally becoming the final female in the competition. On 12 December, she duetted with her mentor, Ora. The following night, she sang her winner's single, a cover of " Forever Young" by
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
. On 13 December 2015, she won ''The X Factor'', becoming the first winner in the Girls category since
Alexandra Burke Alexandra Imelda Cecelia Ewen Burke (born 25 August 1988) is a British singer, songwriter and actress. She won the fifth series of the British television series '' The X Factor'' in 2008, and has been signed to Epic Records, RCA Records and S ...
in
2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
, and also the youngest winner ever, overtaking Joe McElderry, who was 18 years old when he won in
2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; Protests ...
. After winning ''The X Factor'', Johnson released "Forever Young". The day after her victory, she plugged the single on ''The X Factor'' judge
Nick Grimshaw Nicholas Peter Andrew Grimshaw (born 14 August 1984), also known as Grimmy, is an English television and former radio presenter, podcaster and author. He became known for having hosted a variety of shows on BBC Radio 1. He is also known as a t ...
's
radio show A radio program, radio programme, or radio show is a segment of content intended for broadcast on radio. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series. A single program in a series is called an episode. Radio netwo ...
, '' Good Morning Britain'', ''
Lorraine Lorraine , also , , ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; german: Lothringen ; lb, Loutrengen; nl, Lotharingen is a cultural and historical region in Northeastern France, now located in the administrative region of Gra ...
'' and '' This Morning'', consecutively. Her version of the song entered 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 ...
on 18 December 2015 at number 9, and became the lowest ever position on entry for a debut single from an ''X Factor'' winner. This can be attributed, in part, to the movement of the chart day from Sunday, when she was announced as the winner, to Friday, resulting in her single only receiving four days' sales. The single dropped to number twelve the following week becoming the lowest ranking ''X Factor'' winner's song ever on the Christmas Day chart. Overall, the single is the lowest charting ''X Factor'' winner's single to date as all other winner's singles managed to top the chart or at least reach the top five. On 18 December 2015, Johnson performed "Forever Young" on the 2015 ''
Text Santa ''Text Santa'' was a charity initiative set up in 2011 by ITV to support UK-based charities during the Christmas period. The appeal to the public is to donate money mainly via text donation and profits from merchandise. The telethons have been h ...
'' broadcast.


2016–present: Debut studio album and collaborations

There were indications that her debut studio album would be released as quickly as possible, maybe as early as February 2016, and would include her debut single "Forever Young". However, the singer later declared: "If I don't like it, no way is it going out. People are going to know me through that album – so it needs to be perfect." In May 2016, Johnson released a single with British band
Clean Bandit Clean Bandit are an English electronic music group, formed in Cambridge in 2008. They have had four number 1 hits and ten top 10 hits on the UK Singles Chart. They direct and produce their own music videos, many of which have been nominated for ...
called "
Tears Tears are a clear liquid secreted by the lacrimal glands (tear gland) found in the eyes of all land mammals. Tears are made up of water, electrolytes, proteins, lipids, and mucins that form layers on the surface of eyes. The different types of ...
". The song was a commercial success, reaching the top five in Scotland and the UK, and charting in many other European countries. It was also certified 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). In June, she performed "Tears" with Clean Bandit and a new version of the song "
Over and Over Again "Over and Over Again" is a song by English singer Nathan Sykes. The song was written by Sykes, alongside Harmony Samuels, Carmen Reece and Major Johnson Finley, and was released in the United Kingdom on 18 October 2015 as the second single f ...
" with Nathan Sykes at the Summertime Ball. She co-headlined the concert the following year, and appeared as a guest performer in 2018. Johnson released her second solo single, " So Good", in November 2016. The single peaked at number 13 in the UK, and received a gold certification from BPI. The following month, Johnson co-headlined both nights of the annual
Jingle Bell Ball The Jingle Bell Ball is a concert held annually in December since 2008 (except for 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic), by the radio station Capital FM at The O2. Artists that have headlined the concert include Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, ...
at 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 Decemb ...
; she co-headlined the concert for second consecutive year in 2017. Her third single, " Best Behaviour" was released in March 2017. It charted at number 48 in the UK, and was certified silver by BPI. In 2017, she also featured on
Olly Murs Oliver Stanley Murs (born 14 May 1984) is an English singer, songwriter, and television presenter. He was runner-up on the sixth series of '' The X Factor'' in 2009 and was subsequently signed to RCA Records and Sony Music in the United Kingdom ...
' single " Unpredictable", which reached number 32 on the official UK singles chart and received a silver certification from BPI. In March 2018, Johnson released her fourth single, "Yes", a collaboration with the American rapper
2 Chainz Tauheed K. Epps (born September 12, 1977), known professionally as 2 Chainz (or Tity Boi), is an American rapper. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, he initially gained recognition as one-half of the Southern hip hop duo Playaz Circle, a ...
, which peaked at number 65 in the UK. On 13 July 2018, Johnson announced via social media that she had left
Syco Syco Entertainment is a British media entertainment company, headquartered in London, founded and owned by British entrepreneur and record executive Simon Cowell. The company focuses on TV production. The company was formed in 2005 through So ...
. She also announced the release of her new single for early August with
Ministry of Sound Ministry of Sound or Ministry of Sound Group is a multimedia entertainment business based in London with a nightclub, shared workspace and private members' club, worldwide events operation, music publishing business and fitness studio. Jame ...
. The single "Between You & Me", recorded in collaboration with One Bit, was released on 10 August 2018. Later that month, she was featured on Mars Moniz's single "999". In 2019, she collaborated with
Sigma Sigma (; uppercase Σ, lowercase σ, lowercase in word-final position ς; grc-gre, σίγμα) is the eighteenth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 200. In general mathematics, uppercase Σ is used a ...
on the single " Here We Go Again" which charted in the UK at number 98. She also featured on
Kream Kream (stylised as KREAM) is a Norwegian DJ and record producer duo consisting of brothers Daniel and Markus Slettebakken, from Bergen. Career 2016 - 2019 In 2017 KREAM signed with Atlantic Records / Big Beat Records and released the so ...
and Eden Prince's single "Ain't Thinkin Bout You", and released "Ain't Got You" with Steve Void in 2019. In January 2020, Johnson announced a collaboration with fitness clothing brand USA Pro. Following the announcement, she released "Like I Love Me" to promote the collaboration. For the artwork of the single, Johnson posed completely
nude Nudity is the state of being in which a human is without clothing. The loss of body hair was one of the physical characteristics that marked the biological evolution of modern humans from their hominin ancestors. Adaptations related to h ...
, being photographed sitting down in front of a plain backdrop, with one leg raised towards her and the other one spread out. In September 2022, she released a collaboration with Jonas Blue titled "Always Be There".


Personal life

In 2017, Johnson spoke about her friendship with former ''X Factor'' mentor
Rita Ora Rita Sahatçiu Ora (born Rita Sahatçiu; 26 November 1990) is a British singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence in February 2012 when she featured on DJ Fresh's single, "Hot Right Now", which reached number one in the UK. Her debut stud ...
, stating that she was "still in touch with Rita". In 2018, Johnson faced backlash for multiple homophobic tweets she had made as a schoolgirl in 2013, which included the repeated use of the homophobic slur "
faggot Faggot, faggots, or faggoting may refer to: Arts and crafts * Faggoting (metalworking), forge welding a bundle of bars of iron and steel * Faggoting (knitting), variation of lace knitting in which every stitch is a yarn over or a decrease * ...
". She apologised for the tweets, saying, "I was young and foolish, and hanging around with the wrong crowd & didn’t know any better."


Discography


Singles


As lead artist


As featured artist


Concert tours

Co-headlinder * ''The X Factor'' Live Tour (2016) Supporting *
Olly Murs Oliver Stanley Murs (born 14 May 1984) is an English singer, songwriter, and television presenter. He was runner-up on the sixth series of '' The X Factor'' in 2009 and was subsequently signed to RCA Records and Sony Music in the United Kingdom ...
's Summer Tour (2017 – Leg 2) *
Little Mix Little Mix are a British girl group, composed of group members Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jade Thirlwall, and Perrie Edwards. Jesy Nelson was originally part of the group before she left in 2020. After becoming the first group to win the British v ...
's
The Glory Days Tour The Glory Days Tour was the second worldwide tour and fourth overall by British girl group Little Mix. The tour began on May 21, 2017 in Birkenhead, England, and ended on March 25, 2018 in Kobe, Japan, where the group headlined POPSPRING, in s ...
(2017) *
Westlife Westlife is an Irish pop vocal group formed in Dublin, Ireland in 1998. The group currently consists of members Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan, and Nicky Byrne. Brian McFadden was a member, until he left in 2004. The group temporar ...
's
The Wild Dreams Tour The Wild Dreams Tour, originally known as the Stadiums in the Summer Tour, is the current concert tour by Irish pop vocal group, Westlife. It was first scheduled to begin on 17 June 2020 in Scarborough, England at the Scarborough Open Air The ...
(2022)


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Louisa 1998 births Living people People from Thurrock Syco Music artists The X Factor (British TV series) winners 21st-century British singers 21st-century British women singers