Ivy Levan

Ivy Levan

Levan performing in Los Angeles in 2014
Background information
Birth name Ivy Rose Levan
Born (1987-01-20) January 20, 1987
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Origin Bentonville, Arkansas
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • model
  • actress
Years active 2010–present
Labels Interscope, Cherrytree Records
Website ivylevan.com

Ivy Rose Levan (born January 20, 1987) is an American singer, songwriter, model and actress from Bentonville, Arkansas. At 16, Levan moved to Los Angeles to pursue a music career, eventually signing to Cherrytree Records and Interscope Records.[1] Levan made her acting debut starring as "Cynthia" in the 2010 film Drop Dead Gorgeous which followed by numerous other television appearances, including her most recent in Fox's The Rocky Horror Show film.[2]

In 2013, Levan released her debut EP album under Inter-scope Records titled Introducing the Dame where it peaked at #1 on the Billboard Next Big Sound charts.[3] The EP features the most popular single from the album "Hot Damn".[4][5] She released the first single, titled "Biscuit", from her first studio album, on January 13, 2015. Her debut album, No Good, was released on August 7, 2015, peaking on the iTunes charts.[6]

Early life

Levan was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and raised in Bentonville, Arkansas.[7] The singer moved to Los Angeles when she was 16 years old to pursue a music career. Of the experience, Levan says “I just knew I needed to get out of there as fast as I could, so two weeks before I was supposed to graduate high school, I took off for L.A. with my mama.” After experimenting with various musical styles, Levan began to use her Southern upbringing as a frame of reference, and as an influence which can be found in her music. During her career, Levan has worked with many artists of note, across genres. Among others, the singer has collaborated with Ben Weinman of The Dillinger Escape Plan, Tomo Miličević of Thirty Seconds to Mars, Sting, and Diplo. Ivy signed with manager Tommy Mattola and began an album for Virgin Records. However, Virgin and Capitol records merged and two years of work was shelved. Ivy was forced to live a normal life for the next 4 years as a waitress/bottle service girl in Hollywood.

She is openly bisexual.[8] Levan's vocals have been persistently compared to Christina Aguilera by many music critics. As far as her modeling career, Levan has signed to Ford Models, doing ads for JCPenney and Payless ShoeSource and runway for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.

Musical career

2013-2014: Career beginnings

In 2013, Levan released Introducing the Dame where it peaked at #1 on the Billboard Next Big Sound charts.[3] The EP features her most popular single from the album "Hot Damn", which has racked up over 1 million views on YouTube.[4][9] During the album's release, Levan was interviewed on Glamour Magazine and featured on CBS News' "The Feed."[10][11] Levan was also featured on MTVu's Freshman segment, securing the winning spot twice and was dubbed as the "New It-Girl".[12]

In December 2013, Levan was featured in a television commercial for the Beats By Dre Color Solo Headphones alongside Chris Cole, Jasmine Villegas, August Alsina, Nipsey Hussle, Nyjah Huston, Serena Williams and Alex Midler.[13] Levan made her television performance debut February 2, 2014 on the Late Show with David Letterman in which she performed Drive My Car with Sting and Mike Einziger on day two of the Late Show's Beatles Tribute Week.[14] Additionally, in June 2013, Levan supported Fitz & The Tantrums touring mostly the Mid-West and North-Eastern United States as well as Texas. During this tour, she also performed at clubs in support of the LGBT community. In October 2013, she supported Emeli Sandè. On April 17, 2014, Levan performed with Lisa Fischer for the 25th Anniversary of the Rainforest Fund Benefit Concert.

2015-present: No Good and The Rocky Horror Picture Show

In 2015, Levan released the first single "Biscuit" to her debut studio album titled No Good, which was released on August 7, 2015.[15] She also sang the theme song "Who Can You Trust?", for the film Spy.[16] In 2016, it was announced that she would be singing the opening credits and starring as Usherette in Fox TV's production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which premiered in October 2016.[2]

Artistry

Levan's influences include Tina Turner, Mariah Carey, Ray Charles, Madonna, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Slayer and Beyoncé.[17]

Discography

Studio albums
Title Album details
No Good
Extended plays
Title Album details
Introducing the Dame
Frostbitten

Filmography

Title Year Role Other notes
90210 2013 Singer Season 5[20]
Mob Wives 2013 Singer Season 4[21]
The Drama Queen 2014 Singer Season 2[20]
Banshee 2014 Singer Series Premiere[22]
Late Show with David Letterman 2014 Special Guest Television performance
The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again 2016 Trixie, the Usherette TV movie

References

  1. ↑ "Ivy Levan, Natalia Kills and Miriam Bryant: Live at the Bootleg Theatre". Billboard. February 15, 2014.
  2. 1 2 Bradley, Laura (September 16, 2016). "Fox Completely Changed the Opening Credits for Its Rocky Horror Picture Show". Vanity Fair.
  3. 1 2 "Next Big Sound". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
  4. 1 2 Weinkauf, Gregory (February 4, 2014). "Cherrytree Records Extravaganza: Ivy Levan and Sting Set to Rock Beatles on Letterman; RAC Readies New Album; Much More". Huffington Post.
  5. ↑ Guerra, Joey (July 10, 2013). "Singer Ivy Levan gets down and dirty with swamp-hop". Chron.
  6. ↑ August 7th @ivylevan's debut album drops under @Interscope & @cherrytreerec records. Get ready for an Ivy take over. Twitter. May 18, 2015
  7. ↑ "Ivy Levan". IMDb. Retrieved 2016-12-02.
  8. ↑ Windy City Times. "NUNN ON ONE: MUSIC Ivy Levan talks 'Biscuit,' bisexuality – 258 – Gay Lesbian Bi Trans News Archive – Windy City Times". Windy City Media Group. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  9. ↑ Guerra, Joey (July 10, 2013). "Singer Ivy Levan gets down and dirty with swamp-hop". Chron.
  10. ↑ Woods, Mickey (June 5, 2013). "New Music Alert: Hear Sexy Singer Ivy Levan's Debut Single "Hot Damn"". Glamour.
  11. ↑ "Weekend Music Round-Up: kick shoes off edition". CBS News. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
  12. ↑ "New It-Girl Alert: Ivy Levan". Yahoo Music. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Commercial for Beats by Dre, and Beats Solo (2013–2014)". Popisms. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Late Show with David Letterman (Season: 21; Episode: 3980)". Drive My Car performance with Sting and Mike Einziger. February 2, 2014. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
  15. ↑ August 7th @ivylevan's debut album drops under @Interscope & @cherrytreerec records. Get ready for an Ivy takeover. Twitter. May 18, 2015
  16. ↑ "Ivy Levan debuts 'Who Can You Trust' music video". Retrieved 2016-10-04.
  17. ↑ Cody Ross and Aleksandra Dinic (June 22, 2015). "Meet Alt-Pop Heroine Ivy Levan". The Wild. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Introducing the Dame by Ivy Levan". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved July 2, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Frostbitten by Ivy Levan". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved July 2, 2015.
  20. 1 2 "90210 Music". TV Fanatic. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
  21. ↑ "Songs From The Show". Viacom International, Inc.
  22. ↑ "Songs From The Show". VH1.
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