Jack Stevens

Jack Stevens (born December 23, 1979) is one of the most successful male recording artists in chart-history, who is known for hit songs such as ‘Shame On You’, ‘Reverend Stevens’ and ‘Hands Up! Pants Down!’. He has sold more than 10,000,000 records since 2004 and has achieved twenty two number-one singles. He has also received several accolades, including being the highest selling act in the world in 2008.

In 2005, Stevens signed a recording contract with Inner'Sense Records after being spotted by label executives while working on-site as a tradesman. He subsequently released his debut album ‘Ambition & Ego’ which topped the charts alongside it’s singles ‘Shame On You’, ‘Scared’ and ‘First, Last & Only’ a duet with Lucreacia. The album was a surprise success and was certified multi-platinum.

After being tied-up in record label contracts and politics, Jack released his second album ‘Electropop Therapy’ in 2007, as part of a new recording contract with Ensemble Entertainment. The album peaked at number one and was certified diamond for sales in excess of 1,400,000 copies and earnt the star a further four number one singles. Just a year later, Jack released the follow-up, his third album ‘Filthy! Dirty! Sexxxy! Audio!’ which was again certified diamond for sales of over 1,400,000 copies and produced five further number one singles. Also in 2008, Jack released his first greatest hits collection ‘Broken Records’ which was certified platinum and also topped the charts upon release.

In 2009, Jack released his most successful album to date ‘Affirmative’, which sold in excess of 1,600,000 copies and produced a further four number one singles. The success of the album was marred by problems in Jack’s personal life including the breakdown of his marriage to Andre Cassenove of Indigo Peak. It would be Jack’s final studio album for a decade as he retired from public life. In 2010 Ensemble released a singles collection ‘The Master’, which was launched by the number one single ‘Jack For Justice’, Jack didn’t support the release and it was a commercial failure.

In 2020, a decade since his last music release, Jack supported a re-release of his back catalogue being issued by Blush Recordings who had purchased the rights to his music. Launched by the single ‘Nothing In Common’, the album ‘Popstar By Numbers - Greatest Hits’ charted at number two and has been certified gold. After a brief period of silence following the success of the hits collection, Jack announced the release of his fifth studio album ‘Close Encounters’ in November 2020, the album was launched by the single ‘Masc For Masc’ which sold 113,000 copies in it’s first week and became Jack’s 22nd number one single, breaking the record for the longest gap between number ones clocking in at ten years and ten months.

Childhood, discovery & debut album (1979-2006)
Stevens was born in London, England to his parents Mary and Jeremy Stevens. Unlike many Jack had never courted a popstar lifestyle and was working as a tradesman in the offices of Inner'Sense Records when he was invited to audition for label boss Eve Robinson, aka 4tune. Speaking of the signing to Music Week in 2020, 4tune commented “He could just about hold a tune, but looked hot with his top off, we were on to a winner”. Jack’s debut single was ironically titled ‘My Farewell’ which was a moderate hit, charting within the top five but failed to generate much buzz amongst music fans and critics. Material recorded so far was scrapped and Jack instead began work on a second draft of his debut album with an up and coming London based production team ‘Knobfeelers’ and released his second single ‘Shame On You’ and the album Ambition & Ego in Q4, 2005 with both charting at number one. Jack released one further single from the album, the haunting winter ballad ‘Scared’ which topped the charts in November 2005. In early 2006, Jack released a duet with Lucreacia called First, Last & Only it would mark her last appearance on the charts. The album was certified multi platinum.

Ensemble Entertainment & Second Album (2006-2007)
After the success of his debut album, Jack became unhappy with the direction Inner'Sense Records were taking his career and became embroiled in a hostile split that left him under contract and unable to release music, after being left in musical limbo, the label folded and Jack was free to find new representation and signed a three album deal with Ensemble Entertainment. Jack launched the next era of his career with a stand-alone single in the Summer of 2006, ‘Popstars By Numbers’ which debuted a bold, edgy new electropop sound and scored him his fifth number one single. Jack returned in early 2007 to launch his second album ‘Electropop Therapy’ which once again was produced by Knobfeelers and was preceded by the lead single ‘Electropop Discosound’ which unexpected track written by infamous rock chick Buffi. The album was a huge success and was certified diamond for sales in excess of 1,400,000 copies and also produced the chart-topping singles ‘Foreign Birds’ and ‘Anonymous Girls’.

Fresh from the success of his second album, Jack was approached to record the official Children In Need single for 2007, he teamed up with friends and labelmates Jake and Jon Farley for what would become his biggest selling single to date and a track that would define all three’s careers and become a cultural talking point. ‘Trendy Pop Boys’ sold in excess of 600,000 copies and it’s 90’s dance rave sound became the focus point for Jack’s third album ‘Filthy! Dirty! Sexxxy! Audio!’ which would be released in 2008.

Commercial peak & Greatest Hits (2007)
After the huge success of his collaboration Trendy Pop Boys Stevens was at his commercial peak, keen to continue on the hype he'd built for himself with an aim to snatch the record of the most number ones by any act Jack was back in the studio to record his third studio collection which would be titled Filthy! Dirty! Sexxxy! Audio! the album included Trendy Pop Boys but was lead by the hi-energy europop of Reverend Stevens a light-hearted track typical of Jack's crazy style, the song caused controversy with his religious lyrics and conitations despite Jack being an openly homosexual man, the track continued his reign of number ones and the album also topped the charts in the UK, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Germany and Spain. The album was certified Diamond in the UK for sales over 1,000,000 copies and sporned further number ones Sexy Robots, Dodging Bullets, Hook, Line & Sinking Sailor. During this time Jack also duetted with long-term songwriting partner Shell Ruin on the number one In For The Kill and London on the summer track Showmance.

Rather than continue to promote the album as Christmas approached Ensemble Entertainment decided to release a Greatest Hits collection entitled [Broken Records] which would include all of Jack's singles to date and two new tracks, which would themselves become number ones Something Kinky and The Wolves, the album was another number one album but didn't match up to the sales of his studio efforts, a tour was announced for 2009 initially billed as LIVE2009 the tour would later become Affirmative World Tour and would support Jack's fourth studio collection. Also at this time Jack launched his first clothing collection for TOPMAN. Homewear range for BHS and filmed the first series of his TV Show Celebrity Job Hunting with Jake for BBC Three. After the release of Jack's first hits collection many feared he was reaching saturation point, as he entered the studio to record his fourth opus many wondered whether the star was becoming burnt out.

World tour, public breakdown & retirement. (2009-2010)
Despite fears for his mental health and the support of his industry peers beginning to slide Jack announced his fourth album titled Affirmative in March 2008, the campaign was launched by a new single '''Hands Up! Pants Down!''' the proceeds of which would be donated to Comic Relief, Jack engaged in a demanding promotional tour across the UK / Europe and Australia to launch the album, even performing in three continents within 48 hours. It paid off and the single and album both charted to at number one with even bigger sales than his last album. Despite the success Jack's personal life was crumbling, at a rocky patch with partner Andre Cassenove from Indigo Peak Jack was hit by claims of infidelity with best friend Jake, who was at the time married to Andre's brother, the singer suffered a breakdown and was entered into a rehabilitation clinic. Ensemble Entertainment assured worried fans that his sold-out Affirmative World Tour would still go-ahead as planned and continued with second single Mannequin Do... which Stevens had filmed a video clip for, before his ill-health, with no promotion and limited radio play the track charted at 4, the media went to town as the track broke Stevens' record-breaking run of 16 number ones, many questioned if this was the end for the 'troubled' star.

As his world tour approached, Jack was keen to return to the top of the charts and rush-released one of the album's most popular tracks Captain Jack, mixing a promotional campaign with tour rehearsals and huge media coverage of his private life as he rebuilt his relationship with Andre and raised his two children as a single father following the passing off his former wife (that woman from that band we've forgotton about) Ensemble Entertainment also trialled a new release strategy of a one track CD at the lower price of 99p, the single charted at number one but the release method wasn't repeated. Jack began his world tour in Dublin, fans declared the show his most ambitious and entertaining to date, 2 hours of costumes, effects, dance breakdowns and interaction from Jack, however critics were keen to point out the lack of live vocals from Stevens, haunted by a new found crisis in confidence from the industry backlash the tour would go through numerous setlist and costume changes during it's 10 month run, for the first time Jack took the tour outside Europe visiting Australia, Asia, South America and a handful of 'smaller venues' in the USA and Canada. Despite undertaking the most ambitious tour of his career, Ensemble Entertainment continued to promote Affirmative releasing a fourth single Late Night Safari originally featuring Indigo Peak the track was initially edited for single release to include Izzy but would eventually feature neither, but instead be remixed to launch a special Remix album called The 12 Inches Of Jack Stevens, the collection of previous released and specially commisioned remixes was a relative success charting within the top five, Late Night Safari also proved a further success for Jack.

During the tour Jack continued to record new music, originally for a project referred to as "Affirmative 2.0'" fans were unsure whether this would be a brand new album, a second disc or a re-release as Jack's team continued to tease the new material through social media. Jack had developed a strong following on Twitter but it was aparant that many of these posts were not being posted by Jack himself. In late Summer Jack announced the release of brand new material Alright Dynamite a new track, a guitary breezy track would launch a re-issued version of Affirmative, the album was released on 2 new formats a Mini Collection which would retail for just £6 and include 7 songs and a full deluxe version including the original album and bonus tracks. One of the new songs The Siren's Call would be the album's sixth and final release and was penned by Shell Ruin and Alesha. The album was certified Diamond and despite the single run ending Jack's consecutive number one pattern actually became his biggest selling album of his career.

By the end of 2009 Jack's Affirmative World Tour had played to over 500,000 fans across the world, and was the biggest grossing tour of that year, with a combined income of over $150million in ticket sales and advertising revenue, the tour was sponsored by JD Sports, Virgin Mobile and 'Got2B' haircare range and saw Jack front advertising campaigns for all 3, in addition to his long-term partnerships with TOPMAN and BHS. Finishing with a final performance in Australia on New Year's Eve Jack said a tearful goodbye to the stage, while most fans speculated why the star was so sad for the tour to end, many put it down to exhaustion but fans would soon realise that the concert would be Jack's last, until his Close Encounters Tour over a decade later.

In Early 2010 speculation of Jack taking a hiatus reached fever pitch as Ensemble Entertainment announced another compilation album The Master the singles collection released less than 18 months since his previous Greatest Hits Broken Records and six months after remix collection The Twelve Inches Of... fans inundated the label with negative comments about being 'forced' to buy the same old tracks again and there disapointment was heightened when the album didn't actually include all of Jack's singles despite being billed as a single collection. The album was launched by another number one single Jack For Justice which many saw as a follow-up to his earlier hit Reverend Stevens with it's tongue in cheek nature, while his fan base enjoyed the track, critics wondered whether Jack was too old to be releasing this kind of material and would need to re-invent himself to keep up with up and coming younger stars. The album failed to match the success of his previous releases selling less than 200,000 copies in the UK. The album's final single was a duet Men On A Mission with long-time friend and fellow popstar Jake, the track charted at 3 and fell-out of the charts within a month.

Although there was no official confirmation of Jack's hiatus from music, this would be the last release that he would support. Ensemble Entertainment later released an 'off-cut' from the Affirmative sessions a track entitled Keep Calm & Blow which featured an unmastered verse from Alesha it's believed both stars were unhappy with the release of the track and had tried to stop this, however both were still under-contract with Ensemble Entertainment. Since his 'retirement' many low-budget releases of his material have been released through the label before it folded, it's believed this completed Jack's deal and he is now without representation for his music.

Comeback, Greatest Hits & Close Encounters (2020 – present)
In the Summer of 2020, as the world was gripped by the coronavirus pandemic, Jack completed a number of secret recording sessions in his home studio in The Cotswolds alongside his long term collaboration partners Shell Ruin and Knobfeelers. Initially no album was planned and Jack was simply looking for a creative outlet and the chance to reconnect wirh Shell, however after playing some of the music to his friend Emily Henning Jack was persuaded to comeback and signed a distribution deal with her label. Jack announced his musical comeback to much fanfare, in the form of a new single Nothing In Common and a compilation of his Greatest Hits but fans and music critics alike were unaware at the time that this release was simply to ‘test the waters’ ahead of a full scale comeback in the form of his fifth studio album Close Encounters which will be released in November 2020 and released through his own record label imprint JSM (Jack Stevens Music) and licensed / distributed by Blush Recordings in a three year deal.

“Nothing In Common” was premiered on BBC Radio 2 Zoe Ball Breakfast Show on July 23, 2020 one day ahead of it’s official release on July 24, 2020 and peaked at number 4 in the official Urapopstar singles chart and has been certified Gold. “Popstar By Numbers” the hits collection was released on the same day and has been certified Silver with sales also in excess of 300,000 on the official Urapopstar Album Chart. Despite the relative success of the single and collection, Jack still remained reluctant to commit to a full comeback in the earlier secret recording sessions remained unknown by the public. However after receiving a deal from live promoter Live Nation for a series of UK and Ireland stadium shows in 2021, Jack decided accept and back the gigs with new material and revisited the sessions alongside Shell.

Jack announced Close Encounters as his fifth studio album through a press release on October 16, 2020 the same day tickets for his Close Encounters Tour went on sale and it will be launched with the single Masc For Masc, which has been written and produced by him in November 2020. The album is believed to be proceeded by a number of instant grat tracks and a second single.

Discography (2005-2020)
=== Singles === #3 My Farewell (Released In United Kingdom & Ireland only)

#1 Shame On You

#1 Scared

#1 First, Last & Only (with Lucreacia)

#1 Popstars By Numbers

#1 Electropop Discosound

#1 Foreign Birds

#1 Anonymous Girls

#1 Trendy Pop Boys (with Jake & Jon Farley)

#1 Reverend Stevens

#1 Sexxxy Robots / Dodging Bullets (Released In United Kingdom & Ireland only)

#1 Showmance (Featured arist on London single)

#1 In For The Kill (Featured artist on Shell Ruin single)

#1 Hook, Line & Sinking Sailor

#1 Something Kinky

#1 The Wolves

#1 Hands Up! Pants Down!

#4 Mannequin Do...

#1 Captain Jack

#2 Late Night Safari

#1 Alright Dynamite

#1 Electric Eccentric (Indigo Peak Vs Izzy & Jack)

#1 The Siren's Call

#1 Jack For Justice

#5 Men On A Mission (with Jake)

#3 Keep Calm & Blow (with Alesha)

#4 Nothing In Common

#1 Masc For Masc

Albums
#1 Ambition & Ego

#1 Electropop Therapy

#1 Filthy! Dirty! Sexxxy! Audio!

#1 Affirmative

?? Close Encounters

Compilation albums
#1 Broken Records

#3 The Twelve Inches Of... Jack Stevens

#1 The Master - Singles Collection

#2 Popstar By Numbers - Greatest Hits