Alesha

Alesha Roosevelt (born Alesha Grafton on 14 March, 1984) is an English singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. She attained immense popularity by pushing the boundaries of lyrical content in mainstream popular music and imagery in her music videos. Born in Trafford, England, Alesha moved to Manchester at age 16 to pursue a career in music. After performing as the lead vocalist of underground dance-rock band Soho Kills, Alesha signed a record deal with breathemusic in 2003 and released her debut single "Predictable". Alesha won Best Newcomer at the 8th Urapopstar Awards. A series of hit singles from Alesha's third studio album Buried Underneath (2005) transitioned her into global recognition.

Alesha's popularity was further enhanced by her award-winning fourth studio album Alesha Is the Queen (2007), a pop album with electronic and hip-hop influences. She followed it with a series of commercially successful albums including The Second Coming (2008) and Best Album winner Bigger Than God (2009), which displayed a more alternative, introspective sound. Alesha continued working with more experimental styles into the new decade with Last Judgment (2010) and The Martyr (2011). After a three-year hiatus, Alesha released her self-titled ninth studio album in 2014, outselling all of her previous albums. Throughout her career, she has written and produced most of her songs, with many of them having hit number one on the record charts, including "Diamonds & Dollars", "Delusions of Grandeur", "Good Mourning", "The Last Temptation", "Number One" and "In Love Today".

With recurring collaborator Shell Ruin, Alesha became famed for her songwriting both individually and as one-half of production team "Shellesha". Alesha, with and without Ruin, has written number one songs for Dante, Emily Henning, Ana Simpson, Jack Stevens and others. In 2011, Alesha garnered critical acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination for her role in the film Prime Cut (2011), starring opposite Putanovska. Alesha's other ventures include fashion design and miscellaneous television work, including three seasons as a judge on URAPS Idol. She has been acclaimed as a businesswoman, most notably after she founded entertainment company Holy Trinity Music Group in 2010 as a joint venture with Putanovska and Shell Ruin. In 2015, Alesha signed an "unprecedented" deal with Syd Wolfe-owned major label Fusion Records.

Considered to be one of the most influential women in contemporary music, Alesha is known for continuously reinventing both her music and image, and for retaining a standard of autonomy within the recording industry. Alesha has sold more than 200 million records worldwide, including twenty million in the United Kingdom alone. She was the best selling female artist (and third best selling overall artist) in 2007 and 2008. She has achieved fourteen number one singles in the United Kingdom, less than only Jack Stevens and Emily Henning. Forbes magazine ranked Alesha as the most powerful celebrity in the world for three consecutive years (2007-2009) and the second most powerful in 2014. With 24 Urapopstar Award wins to her name, Alesha was honoured with the prestigious Artist of the Decade award at Urapopstar Awards 18 in August 2010.

1984–2002: Early life and career beginnings
Alesha Grafton was born in Trafford, England, on 14 March, 1984. She is the youngest daughter of Dennis Grafton and Louise Grafton (née Veronica). Her mother abandoned the family while Alesha was still an infant. Alesha has one sibling, Maria Grafton (born 1983). Their father married Patricia Hearst when Alesha was seven. Her stepsister, Phoebe Hearst, rose to prominence on her own accord as a member of the all-female band Innocent. The Grafton family was lower-middle class and frequently attended church as devout Anglicans.

According to an official biography, Alesha first became interested in singing after she saw a Karlie Minogway music video on TV at the age of three. She started attending lessons with a vocal coach, as well as taking part in ballet, jazz, and modern dance classes. At the private Christian school Alesha attended, she began developing a rebellious attitude and achieved notoriety for her unconventional behaviour. Over the next few years, Alesha had already begun to involve herself in the Manchester club scene. Alesha has revealed that she first started doing drugs when she was only thirteen. In 2001, at the age of seventeen, Alesha moved to a bedsit in downtown Manchester and became the singer and face of underground dance-rock act Soho Kills. The band was approached by multiple independent record labels in 2002. Unhappy with the musical direction and stylistic choices of Soho Kills, Alesha left the band to pursue a solo music career. She toured a number of Manchester clubs, singing her own compositions as well as Sophie Ellis-Beckham and Hailey Klass covers.

2003–2006: Rise to prominence
After performing at open mic nights and small venues in Manchester, Alesha was approached by a breathemusic A&R representative. Alesha signed a two-album record deal with the label in the summer of 2003. Working with breathemusic's in-house producers and Mars/Venus member MC Labels, Alesha released her debut album Look Out Below (as Alesha Grafton) in October 2003. While the lead single "Predictable" was a surprise success, peaking at number six and receiving a silver certification, the album failed to enter the top ten. Alesha released two more singles from the album, as well as duets with 4tune and Larynx Trasher. Her collaboration with the latter, "I Know Your Secret," became Alesha's first top five single. Alesha's private life began to receive media attention. In January 2004, Alesha and Ben Parker announced their engagement and confirmed Alesha's pregnancy. In June 2004, Alesha gave birth to her first child Ana-Marie Roxanne Grafton-Parker. Alesha wed Parker and assumed his surname.

In August 2004, Alesha released her second studio album Hungry for More (as Alesha Parker) and its electro-pop lead single "Let Me Take You There" with a more sexualized image. Hailey Klass, Ivy, MC Labels and Tasha contributed their penmanship to the album. The album was an initial success, nearly outselling Alesha's debut record in half of the time. However, the album was suddenly shelved following the disappointing reaction to second single "It Sucks to Be Me" (later famously covered by Gingers+Jesus). Alesha starred in the low–budget film Let Me Tell You How I Died, a teen thriller based on the novel of the same. She released a second duet with 4tune as well as the risqué "Midweek Sex" with Kandi and CeCe Winston. Alesha was promoted to co-owner of breathemusic, which she agreed to merge with Andrea Twain's record label Baa Inc. to form Baa.Music. Following a management dispute with Britney Aguilera, Alesha and Andrea Twain abandoned the label and created Visionary.Music, taking the artist roster with them.

Alesha began writing and recording material for her third studio album in the first half of 2005. Exploring a new guitar-oriented, singer-songwriter style, the album marked a clear change in direction for Alesha. Buried Underneath was released on 3 July, 2005 to positive reviews. Eventually peaking at number one, the album was certified triple platinum and brought Alesha into global recognition. The album's lead single, "Little Green High Heels," was penned by Delta Nu, while the second and third singles "Infernal Superstar" and Neyssa duet "Close the Door"/"He's Done It Again" became Alesha's first number ones. Following months of taboid coverage constanty hinting at affairs and marital problems, Ben Parker filed for divorce in July 2005. Shortly afterwards, Alesha became good friends with Neyssa, also a divorcee and single mother. It was speculated and later confirmed that the pair were a gay couple, resulting in the coming out of both women. Alesha also abandoned Visionary.Music following a feud with Twain; the label later became Alias Records while Alesha joined Ensemble Entertainment.

Alesha released a duet with Sarah Summers, "Happy Slappers", which peaked at number two in February 2006. A growing riff between Summers and Alesha kept the pair in the press. Alesha was quickly becoming exhausted as she expected her second child with fiancee Neyssa. In May of 2006, Alesha and Neyssa had their first child, Maribba Nikia Kurdadze, conceived with a sperm donor (Neyssa's biological brother). Alesha and Neyssa contributed their likenesses to a children's animated series airing on PBS in the United States. Alesha received thousands of complaints and an extremely large fine after "accidentally" airing a sexually suggestive home video during their Saturday morning children's television slot. The pair co-hosted the 12th Urapopstar Awards, a controversial choice by producers. After giving birth to her daughter, Alesha took part in Celebrity Big Brother. Many saw this as a strange move for the mother of a newborn child and went on to criticize Alesha's parenting skills. Following her Big Brother departure, Alesha released her first greatest hits compilation, Chic/Freak: The Highs & Lows. In addition to Alesha's first fifteen singles, the collection featured new songs written by Amy Marshall, girlASKboy and Naomi. The album charted at number four. Alesha signed up to take part in the first Tango Challenge. She was initially paired with Kantar who pulled out; he was replaced by Alesha's ex–husband Ben Parker of all people. They channeled their hatred into the song "Go Fuck Yourself", becoming another top ten for Alesha.

2007–2008: Alesha Is the Queen and The Second Coming
Alesha released her fourth studio album Alesha Is the Queen in 2007, showcasing a diverse musical style that incorporates genres such as electropop, indie pop, hip hop, and R&B. Many of the songs on the album are thematically focused on fashion and wealth. Although Alesha wrote and produced much of the album herself, she enlisted Buffi, Kati and Othello for songwriting as well as Josie Matthews and Neyssa for vocal contributions. The recording of the album and its launch was chronicled by MTV in a documentary of the same name. The album debuted at number one and was eventually certified diamond, selling 1.75 million copies. Alesha Is the Queen was awarded Best Album at the 14th Urapopstar Awards. The album's lead single "Fashion Kills", a Buffi-written electro pop track, became Alesha's third number one single after an extensive promotional campaign. It has been said that it "heralded a new era of success" for Alesha by The Guardian. Alesha's next two singles, the Matthews duet "Just for the Thrills" and "London Brat", were also top five. Alesha cultivated an increasingly provocative image while promoting the record, with the music video for "London Brat" being banned. Alesha spent a brief amount of time in a rehab facility in April 2007.

Alesha teamed up with her close friends and recurring collaborators Buffi, Shell Ruin and Taylor Brookes in July 2007 to release "Power Power", which they described as an "epic tour-de-force". Despite initial hype, the release experienced extreme setbacks as the artists received criticism for their controversial behavior, such as emulating the appearance of Myra Hindley. The video, which showed the girls hellbent on world domination, also proved controversial. The song failed to even enter the top ten. While fans and some fellow celebrities felt that the low charting was undeserved, a large number of people thought it was justified. Famed as a trainwreck and one of the most shocking singles of Urapopstar, Alesha maintains that the single is one of her favourite memories. In an attempt to appeal to regain the public's support, Alesha targeted a new audience with the fifth single from Alesha Is the Queen. "The OH in Ohio", inspired by crunk music, and "Candy Cigarettes", a darker electro-ballad, were chosen. Alesha performed "The OH in Ohio" at the 14th Urapopstar Awards and created a clothing line for high street chain River Island. "The OH in Ohio"/"Candy Cigarettes" proved Alesha's career was still thriving when it peaked at number two in September 2007. The album's final single, the Neyssa duet "Those Who Love Me Can Take the Train", also peaked at number two.

While recording her fifth studio album, Alesha released The Good That Won't Come Out, a collection of demos, outtakes and rarities to celebrate Alesha's five years in the industry. The album was accompanied by "Diamonds & Dollar Bills", a collaboration with Putanovska. Both the single and the album entered the charts at number one. Alesha also performed a live acoustic Unplugged concert for MTV to accompany The Good That Won't Come Out. Furthermore, Alesha and Neyssa finally married on 22 June, 2008 in Los Angeles, after same-sex marriage was legalised in California. They held a much larger and high-profile ceremony in London shortly afterwards. Alesha assumed Neyssa's surname, Kurdadze, although continued releasing music under the mononym Alesha.

Alesha released her fifth studio album The Second Coming on 2 June, 2008. The album took aspects of religious iconography and fashioned them into secular, often sacrilegious pop songs such as "Jesus Christ Supermodel", "Original Sin" and "Crucify". Alesha was condemned by the Vatican, particularly for referring to herself as the Second Coming of Christ. Written and produced in collaboration with Shell Ruin, Rolling Stone hailed the album as being "as close to art as pop music gets". Ryan Dawson, Jon Farley and Jack Stevens each feature on a track. The Second Coming became Alesha's third consecutive number one album and second studio album to be certified diamond. It was nominated for Best Album at the 16th Urapopstar Awards but dd not win. The Ruin-penned lead single "Tsunami of the Soul", which charted at number two, was nominated for Best Single and Best Video at the awards. Alesha and Ruin headlined Glastonbury 2008 with a twenty-six song set that spanned three hours, a precursor to Alesha's 2009 worldwide arena tour, the Jesus Christ Supertour. Alesha's next single, the Ryan Dawson duet "Original Sin", became her fifth number one single. "Disciplinary"/"Guerilla" also hit the top spot, outselling all of Alesha's singles to that point. The era came to a close with the Crucify EP, which featured four album tracks and two exclusive songs. Alesha briefly hosted BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge while Jo Whiley was on leave. Prior to the release of her sixth studio album, Alesha released "Filthy Preacher"/"Shoot to Kill" with Indigo Peak. Indigo Peak tried to create a controversy similar to 2007's "Power Power" by embarking on a divisive campaign as "Paedofinder Generals," falsely accusing artists such as Phoenix Rising's Alexei Monaghan of pedophilia and resulting in arrest. The trio came under fire for a pair of controversial music videos and "blasphemous" acts. The single, however, charted at number one.

2009: Bigger Than God and personal troubles
Alesha began working on a sixth studio album with Shell Ruin in the final months of 2008. By spring, the album was ready for release. The very week that the Indigo Peak collaboration charted, Alesha announced her the album's title, Bigger Than God, which became Alesha's most critically acclaimed album. A more introspective release, Pitchfork Media said that "it feels like one of the landmark pop albums of the century so far." The album garnered Alesha her highest first-week sales for an album to date and the Best Album title at the 17th Urapopstar Awards. Its lead single "Apocalypse City", which charted at number one upon release, was awarded Best Single. The release was soon followed by "Brooklyn to Brixton" and her first stadium tour, Apocalypse City Live. Alesha also confirmed her third pregnancy. In June 2009, Alesha reportedly held her daughter Ana-Marie hostage in her own home and refused to relinquish custody to ex-husband Ben Parker. Allegedly intoxicated, Parker's assistant called the police. Alesha was taken to the hospital where she had her stomach pumped, having either accidentally or purposefully overdosed on pills. Alesha was placed under suicide watch. She later miscarried. Some media outlets made accusations that it was Alesha's own fault, having been photographed smoking and drinking in addition to the prescription drug abuse.

The album's third single, "Bear Dance", was released on 17 August. Paired with a cover of the late Michael Jackson's "Earth Song", recorded for The King of Pop: A Tribute to HIStory, the single was a disappointment for Alesha when it controversially entered the chart at number six (Alesha's first single to miss the top two in two years). In a live television interview called "Being Alesha" (as a part of ITV's Tonight series) that occurred the following night, Alesha broke down and exhibited strange behaviour, such as being interviewed in her bikini. She was also involved in a hit-and-run incident as she crashed her car into a house and casually left the scene of the crime while on her way to a Los Angeles airport. Various tabloid reports of Alesha's bizarre antics followed suit. However, "Bear Dance" miraculously rose to number one the following week. Alesha also released Wanderlust, a collection of covers of artists who had inspired Alesha's more recent work. Despite being released in the middle of its campaign, Bigger Than God was not abandoned. Alesha said, "This is just me wanting to give a gift to my fans while honouring the artists that have inspired me so much. It's not a proper album, but I've still poured my heart and soul into it." Wanderlust included duets with Ruin and Putanovska. The album charted at number one. "The Pretty Ones", named a Bigger Than God highlight by critics, was released on 21 September and reached number two. The song features guest vocals from Romo, China, and Emily Henning.

Following her miscarriage and career troubles, Alesha was portrayed as a "victim" by the tabloids, cementing her comeback. Her public persona was held to an even higher esteem when she spearheaded the revival of Romo's SAVE URAPS organization. Working closely with Ruin, the pair wrote and produced "Hold Fire" and organized the foundation's second telethon. Alesha and Ruin also collaborated on their first "proper" duet, "Delusions of Grandeur". Self-hyped as one of their best singles yet, the song received universal acclaim from music critics. The song's video was filmed at Chile's Cape Horn and portrays Alesha and Ruin as immortal warriors. "Delusions of Grandeur" topped the singles chart upon its release. Alesha and Shell Ruin hosted the 17th Urapopstar Awards. After the awards ceremony, Ruin was involved in a serious car accident outside of London's Earls Court. It was thought that Ruin had died, but later revealed she had faked her own death. "Good Mourning", released as a tribute to Ruin, became Alesha's first single to sell at least 400,000 copies. "Delusions of Grandeur" won Best Collaboration at the 18th Urapopstar Awards, while "Good Mourning" was nominated for Best Single and Best Video.

2010–2013: Last Judgment, The Martyr and hiatus
In spring 2010, Alesha announced that she was pregnant and intended to retire. She released her second greatest hits collection Last Judgment. The album's first disc chronicled the last three years of Alesha's career, while the second disc served as her final studio album. The release was met with critical acclaim, with Rolling Stone declaring Alesha "the finest single artist Britain has produced this decade". Last Judgment became Alesha's seventh number one album; the lead single, "Heavens Above Me", also reached the pole position. Alesha embarked on The Reckoning, a worldwide stadium tour with Putanovska. The tour reached a number of venues across the globe, causing a media frenzy and a worldwide phenomenon. The record-shattering tour was met with widespread acclaim. Alesha soon announced the release of "The Last Temptation", marketed as her final single. Backed by an intense promotional campaign and an acclaimed music video, the single spent two weeks at number one, selling over 118,000 copies in its first week. The single quickly became the best-selling single of Alesha's career. It ultimately received a double platinum certification, indicating sales of over 500,000 copies. It was the second best-selling single of the year. Both the song and video received multiple accolades and awards nominations, including the Urapopstar Award for Best Single. A box set edition of Last Judgment was released alongside the remix album Ghost Dance and the video collection Theology. Alesha also released an autobiography Líf and the incredibly lucrative documentary film Ragnarök, which grossed $299 million worldwide. She performed a sold-out concert, Judgment Day, at London's Wembley Stadium on 12 June, joined by a number of close friends and fellow musicians. Alesha gave a show-stopping performance at the 18th Urapopstar Awards on 7 August, where she paid tribute to Shell Ruin with "Good Mourning", recreated her iconic awards performances, and closed with "The Last Temptation". Alesha was honoured with reputable awards such as Best Overall Artist and Best Songwriter, but most notably she was given the prestigious title of Artist of the Decade.

On 24 October 2010, Alesha and Neyssa welcomed twin sons into the world, their first male children. The babies were conceived through in vitro fertilisation. The sons were bizarrely named Rafiki and Zazu Kurdadze after characters from The Lion King.

In December 2010, Alesha announced the release of a new studio album, The Martyr. The album ponders themes of fame and its effects on lifestyle, privacy, and relationships. Despite having announced her retirement half a year earlier, Alesha claimed that close friend Putanovska convinced her to return to the music industry. It was also revealed that Shell Ruin had faked her own death as she returned with a new album; however, Alesha and Ruin had fallen out. The Martyr contains themes of anger towards Ruin, while Alesha was the target of Ruin's The Original Doll. The album peaked at number one, earning Alesha her highest first-week sales for a studio album to date. It was preceded by the single "Silent Holocaust". Performed for the first time on the 2010 Christmas Chart Show, the song was released in January and ended Alesha's number one streak, but earned Alesha her seventeenth consecutive top two hit and was quickly certified platinum. Following tabloid reports of martial problems, Alesha and Neyssa separated in the New Year. Alesha officially filed for divorce weeks later. It was reported that Alesha had begun seeing Just Ginger. On 28 February, Alesha launched another worldwide stadium tour, the Heathen Tour. Alesha hosted the 19th Urapopstar Awards with Putanovska and Ginger in February, winning five awards and performing at the ceremony with Putanovska and Shell Ruin (who Alesha had now reconciled with). "The Hunted" was released as the album's second single to coincide with Urapopstar's tenth anniversary. Alesha performed at the URAPS Legends concert the day before the single's release. "The Hunted" charted at number one on the singles chart, while the album returned to the pole position once more. The single was soon followed by "Sister", continuing a three-year streak of top-two hits. Alesha also appeared on newcomer Candi's second single "Gold"; Candi appeared on a remix of "Sister" to return the favour. In July 2011, Alesha made another foray into film with the motion picture Prime Cut, which stars Alesha as a prostitute and Putanovska as her matron. The soundtrack, released alongside the film, featured songs from the movie as well as songs inspired by the movie. It was promoted with "Alpha & Omega"/"Who Do You Think You Are", a collaboration with co-star Putanovska. The former was a previously unreleased track which portrays Alesha as God and Putanovska as the Devil, while the latter is the theme to Prime Cut. The duet became another top-two hit for Alesha, while the soundtrack to Prime Cut became Alesha's ninth number one album. In August, Alesha released God Save the Queen: The Best of Alesha, a collection of Alesha's favourite songs from throughout her career.

Alesha took an unofficial musical sabbatical beginning in August 2011, seldom making public appearances. She attended the 84th Academy Awards in February 2012 where she and Putanovska won Best Original Song for "Who Do You Think You Are" from Prime Cut. Alesha later revealed that she had suffered from severe depression. In 2013, while on a "spiritual journey" in Bali, Alesha met and married American publishing mogul Austin Roosevelt.

2014–2015: Return from hiatus and self-titled album
In February 2014, Alesha announced that she would be returning to the music industry with her ninth studio album. The promotional single "Renaissance" and budget greatest hits compilation Essential Alesha were released in April. Alesha starred in an eponymous two-part documentary series for MTV that followed her as she re-established her career. She also appeared on the covers of Elle UK, i-D and Rolling Stone. In May, Alesha released her ninth studio album Alesha and its lead single "Witch", featuring guest vocals from The Uraps Factor winner and breakout success Malaya. The album charted at number two with first-week sales coming in around 105,000, while the single entered the singles chart at number three a week later. Alesha announced the European and North American dates for her world tour, Alesha: Renaissance Live.

In May, Alesha took part in a superstar collaboration to coincide with #YesAllWomen, a Twitter campaign that draws attention to violence against women following California killer Elliot Rodger's misogynistic rants. The song, a cover of "What It Feels Like for a Girl", was arranged by Nicola and notably saw Alesha sing alongside Syd Wolfe. Alesha also wrote Nicola's third solo single "Killing Me Slow" as well as another song for her debut album. "Japan" was released as the second single from Alesha in July, preceding the launch of Alesha: Renaissance Live (with support from Nicola and Amy-Jayne). The single returned Alesha to the top two, while the headlining world tour created immense success at the box office and many venues were instantly sold out.

Following a show-stopping 2014 MTV Video Music Awards performance, Alesha and Paulo Araujo announced the single release of "Opulence" and "Unbeknownst", duets taken from Alesha and Araujo's Profanities respectively. Despite the industry veterans having been friends for years, the songs were the pair's first collaborations. The popularity of the single earned Alesha her 15th number one hit – and her first since returning to the charts in 2014. It sold over 100,000 copies in its first week. The follow-up single, "Number One", aptly became Alesha's 16th number one, tying Emily Henning's record of most number one singles for a female solo artist. It fast became Alesha's best-selling single ever, selling over 800,000 copies during its first ten weeks on the chart. Alesha also appeared on Jean-Luc's number one single "Black Hole Supernova".

Alesha released the Gianni EP in February 2015, featuring three album tracks (including a remixed version of "White Naomi") and two previously unreleased songs. Following the EP's release, Alesha finally peaked at number one on the albums chart, 43 weeks into its chart run. The album sold over 3 million copies, making it Alesha's first album to be certified diamond two times over and one of the best-selling albums of all-time. Alesha notched up a massive 16 nominations at the 26th Urapopstar Awards, winning Album of the Year, Collaboration of the Year ("Opulence"), Best Live and Best Songwriter. She also performed a medley of "Japan", "Mermaids" (released as a promotional single)and "Number One". On March 2, Alesha fainted midway through a concert in Bogota, Colombia. The singer was hospitalized for exhaustion and forced to cancel the remainder of her world tour.

2015: afterhours
On March 28, 2015, just weeks after being forced to cancel the remainder of her Alesha: Renaissance Live tour, Alesha announced a series of festival gigs across the world, beginning with Governors Ball Music Festival in New York City on June 5. Dubbed the Black Leather Festival Tour, Alesha and concert organizers announced appearances at Bonnaroo, Glastonbury, Eurockéennes and Lollapalooza among others. On April 13, 2015, it was announced that Alesha had signed to Syd Wolfe owned record label and media empire Fusion Records in "an unprecedented deal." Shortly afterwards, Alesha's official website was "blacked out" and replaced with a countdown to the premiere and subsequent release of her new single. On May 23, 2015, Alesha premiered "In Love Today", the lead single from her tenth studio album. Described by the singer herself as "naff", the song features overblown production inspired by '80s synthpop duo the Pet Shop Boys with lyrics that are an "ode to the freedom to love." Coincidentally, that same day, Ireland became the first nation to legalize same-sex marriage as the result of a public vote, causing #InLoveToday to go viral on social media. Alesha appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone for the fifth time in her career in anticipation of her new album; some new songs were previewed in festival appearances. The "In Love Today" music video paid homage to films like Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and ''To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar'', as well as cultural icons like the Village People. The single was released on June 22, days before the United States Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples had the constitutional right to marry. "In Love Today" spent two weeks at number one, shifting 142,000 copies in its first week of sale. The single sold 400,000 copies in its first week of sale and was quickly certified platinum.

Alesha formally announced her tenth studio album afterhours on July 20 with the premiere of second single "M4M". The album is autonomously written and produced by Alesha, with the exception of a track penned by Fusion Records labelmate Aurora Reed. afterhours is a synthpop album drawing sonic inspiration from varying 1980s and 1990s pop trends such as deep house and New Wave. Lyrically, Alesha explores themes of acceptance, equality, sexuality and social stigma and alludes to historical occurrences, placing herself in the queer counterculture of the time. Alesha has described afterhours as a concept album. It received widespread acclaim from contemporary music critics. Alexis Petridis of The Guardian says the album "deals in undeniable melodies and huge, perfectly turned choruses and nagging hooks. Its sound is a lovingly done reboot of the kind of early 90s dance-pop sung by the Pet Shop Boys, New Order and Madonna. The album was released alongside "M4M" on August 31, 2015.

In September 2015, Alesha's close friend and recurring collaborator Shell Ruin staged a pop comeback with "Feel Alive", penned by Alesha, and the new album Play. Alesha wrote (or co-wrote) and co-produced a number of tracks for the album.

Musical themes and genres
Throughout her career, Alesha has been involved in writing and producing most of her own music. Rolling Stone has named her "an exemplary songwriter with a gift for hooks and indelible lyrics." In the later 2000s, Alesha became famous for the "Shellesha" sound forged by her and collaborator Shell Ruin, noted for its unique, wordy lyrical style and indie- and electronic-inspired pop productions. Alesha's songwriting are often autobiographical over the years, dealing with various themes from love and relationships to self-respect and female empowerment. Alesha questioned religion with the agnostic and existential themes of Bigger Than God (2009). Alesha was inducted into the 2010 Songwriters Hall of Fame.

When first emerging as a popstar, Alesha employed a radio-friendly R&B-inspired pop sound similar to much of the music dominating the charts. With her second album, Hungry for More (2004), Alesha experimented further with R&B while also exploring electro-pop and pop-rock sounds. After experiencing glimpses of success but mostly commercial failure, Alesha opted for guitar-driven approach to her third album Buried Underneath (2005), combining pop, rock and soul. In 2007, Alesha released her breakthrough album Alesha Is the Queen, which blended dance, electropop and hip-hop. "Fashion Kills" is a disco song, while "The OH in Ohio" has crunk inspirations. Alesha expanded on these leanings with The Second Coming (2008), which included uptempo electronic "bangers", indie ballads and combinations of the two. Alesha continued to compose ballads and uptempo electronic songs for Bigger Than God. The album also explored New Wave music of the '80s. New songs written for Alesha's seveneth studio album, disc two of the greatest hits collection Last Judgment (2010), were inspired by baroque pop and industrial music. Alesha explored more alternative and experimental sounds with The Martyr (2011), incorporating influences from avant garde and minimalist music.

In 2014, after a three-year hiatus, Alesha released her self-titled ninth studio album, a return to her pop roots. With an overarching dance-pop sound, the album explores electronic dance music and alternative R&B. 2015's Gianni EP incorporated early '90s dance influences with its house stylings. Her tenth studio album, released the same year, draws further influence from the '80s and '90s. afterhours features an overarching synthpop sound with strong New Wave and house influences.

Influences
In 2003, Alesha commented that the first song to ever make a strong impression on her was "Express Yourself" by Madonna; she said it summed up her own "take-charge attitude". During her childhood, Alesha was inspired by '90s actresses, such as Drew Barrymore, Julia Roberts and Winona Ryder. An Ace*Teens show was the first conert Alesha ever attended. Alesha has cited Madonna, David Bowie and Kylie Minogue as her largest influences, crediting their knack for reinvention with sustaining her own career. Alesha's third studio album Buried Underneath (2005) drew from pop-rock singer-songwriters like Alanis Morissette and Natalie Imbruglia. Alesha was heavily influenced by the work of electronic hip-hop artist M.I.A. during the recording of Alesha Is the Queen (2007) and The Second Coming (2008). Alesha also incorporated religious motifs into her music with The Second Coming, making "sacrilegous" allusions to Jesus Christ, Judas, the crucifixion and original sin in lighthearted pop songs. Alesha had previously come under fire from the Vatican in 2007 with her and Neyssa's B-side "Banned in the Vatican", which critiqued the Catholic Church's stance on homosexuality. Alesha's lyrics have cited poetry from Robert Louis Stevenson and W.B Yeats.

Canadan singer-songwriter Emily Haines became a major source of inspiration for Alesha during the recording of Bigger Than God (2009). Alesha sampled Bowie, Thom Yorke and New Wave band Siouxsie and the Banshees on Bigger Than God (2009) as she diversified her range of influences. Lyrics contained themes of agnosticism and existentialism, while Alesha also drew from dystopian literature, most notably George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. The lead single "Apocalypse City" samples David Bowie's "We Are the Dead" from his own glam-tinged, post-apocalyptic eighth studio album Diamond Dogs (1974), which was also inspired by Orwell's classic novel. Björk and Kate Bush became heavy influencers as Alesha continued experimenting with alternative, sometimes experimental sounds.

2014's Alesha samples Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx and The Weeknd, while "Ghosts" draws its bassline from New Order's "Blue Monday". Another song, "Opulence", features dialogue from the 1990 documentary film Paris Is Burning, a landmark LGBTQ film that showcases New York's ball culture at its zenith. Alesha also references drag or ball culture with the songs "White Naomi", "Read the House Down" and "Kiss of Death" from the Gianni EP (2015). '80s synthpop and queer counterculture continued to inspire Alesha with her tenth studio album, drawing inspiration from musicians like Depeche Mode, New Order and the Pet Shop Boys whilst discussing equality, love, sexuality and stigma.

Legacy
According to Rolling Stone, Alesha "remains one of the greatest pop acts of all time." Alesha has been "the world's highest earning female singer" and was the best selling female singer of 2007 and 2008. Apocalypse City Live became the highest grossing concert tour by a solo artist. Alesha has amassed 17 number one singles in the United Kingdom, second only to Jack Stevens (see artists with multiple number one singles). She holds the record for the most top forty releases, with all but ten of her singles charting within the top five. Alesha was inducted onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008. Alesha was also an inductee of the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2008. She has won 24 Urapopstar Awards throughout her career and has also broken multiple Guinness World Records. Alesha has been named in the Top 5 Most Searched Celebrities by search engine Google yearly since 2004 except 2012 and 2013. She is considered a gay icon, due to her sexual fluidity, LGBT rights activism, and popularity within the gay community.

Alesha's work is universally acclaimed and she is considered to be one of the most influential artists in music. Pop singer Romo commented that The Second Coming (2008) and its lyrics heavily inspired her self-titled fourth album. In 2008, TIME magazine placed Alesha in their list of the world's most influential people for having "influence across many genres." The same year, Billboard described Alesha as "the hottest single phenomenon since Lucreacia". It was argued by a 2010 piece in Vanity Fair that Alesha "transformed the art of modern pop music". She was characterized as "an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the tools to dominate the charts seemingly at will: an instantly identifiable voice, stunning musical versatility and loads of sheer star power." Daily Telegraph writer Tom Utley called her an "extremely important figure in the history of popular culture" and a "genius". Her total lifetime earnings from royalties on her solo recordings and music videos, revenue from concerts and endorsements, and work for other artists have been estimated at $750 million. As one of the world's most famous figures, Alesha's highly publicized personal life, coupled with her successful career, have made her a staple of popular culture.

In 2010, Alesha was named Artist of the Decade at the 18th Urapopstar Awards. She was ranked the 3rd Artist of the 2000–10 decade by Billboard, behind Lucreacia and Jack Stevens. Alesha was invited to perform at 2011's URAPS Legends concert, which celebrated the website's tenth anniversary.

Other ventures
Alesha has become known as a business woman in addition to being a renowned musician. Alesha was named a boss at breathemusic in 2004, later merging the label with Andrea Twain's Baa.Music. Following disputes with Britney Aguilera, Alesha and Twain set up Visionary (which would later become Alias Records). Alesha left when Twain decided to override a decision of hers (Alesha wanted to drop Ellen Fitzpatrick). Alesha signed with Ensemble, staying there from 2005 until its closure in 2010. Alongside Putanovska and Shell Ruin, Alesha set up Holy Trinity Music Group. In 2011, Alesha purchased Saturdays Records, leading to the creation of Holy Trinity/Saturdays. However, as label bosses Alesha, Emily Henning and Just Ginger all disappeared from the spotlight, the record label quickly hemorrhaged money and was dissolved. Alesha continues to release with Holy Trinity. As well as lending her face and name to many major brands and products over the years, Alesha has made forays into fashion, film, television, and even the literary world. Alesha has released two books – the coffee-table book Memoirs of a Queen (2007) and the autobiography Líf (2010).

Fashion
Alesha has become recognized as an international style icon. She has been closely linked with the fashion industry since the release of her 2007 number one single "Fashion Kills". Alesha has appeared in numerous fashion editorials for magazines across the world, such as Elle, Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, and W magazines. Media coverage of her appearance on British Vogue ' s February 2008 cover boosted the magazine's circulation to 240,000 – its best ever February figure. She has also modeled for Chloé, H&M, and Just Cavalli. In 2011, she appeared in advertisements for Calvin Klein alongside Indigo Peak. In a poll by the Style Network, Alesha was voted best dressed woman of the year and style icon of the decade. She was also included in both British and U.S. Vogue ' s end-of-decade best dressed lists. The Guardian called Alesha "a couturier's dream."

Alesha designed a limited-edition street style collection for British high street chain River Island in 2007. The range, entitled "SHUT UP HO!", consisted mostly of basics. Bernard Lewis, the founder of River Island, commented that Alesha "not only understands fashion and trends but has been a trend-setter and fashion icon for years." In 2010, Alesha launched her own upscale fashion line, Grandeur by Alesha. The women's clothing brand is sold exclusively at Barneys New York and Saks Fifth Avenue in the United States and at Selfridge's in the United Kingdom. It broke sales records by becoming the fastest-selling celebrity fashion line in history. Alesha has routinely been releasing new collections for the line with each season. In January 2011, Alesha added both handbag and footwear ranges to the brand. Alesha added a new fragrance to the line, titled Velvet Aura, in 2014.

Films
Alesha made her first film appearance in the horror film Let Me Tell You How I Died in 2004. The movie was a box office failure and received minimal media attention, although its soundtrack featured a number of relatively high-profile artists. She made a cameo appearance in a sequel to The Devil Wears Prada starring Sandi Cohen, which was also poorly-received in general. Alesha was attached to star as Anne in an adaptation of the 1966 novel (and 1967 film) Valley of the Dolls, also in 2007. The project was stuck in development hell and eventually abandoned. Alesha references the character Neely O'Hara on "The Angels in This City" from her 2008 album The Second Coming. In 2010, a documentary film following Alesha and directed by Jonas Akerlund was released, becoming one of the highest-grossing documentaries of all-time.

In 2011, Alesha starred in Prime Cut opposite Putanovska, the first major film role for both singers. The film was commercially successful, as was its soundtrack which featured songs from and inspired by the film. In 2014, after returning from a three-year hiatus, Alesha confirmed at the Seattle International Film Festival that she would be starring in a remake of Martin Scorcese's 1974 film Alice Don't Live Here Anymore, which earned Ellen Burstyn an Academy Award for Best Actress and was adapted into the popular television series Alice. James Mangold was later attached as director; after feuding with Mangold, Alesha pulled out of the project. She was attached to provide voice-over work for the animated film The Book of Life, as well as the science fiction thriller Breathing Underwater. Alesha later pulled out of the latter project due to scheduling conflicts. In 2015, Alesha will star in a film directed by Gus Van Sant.

Select discography
For a detailed list of releases, see: Alesha discography and List of Alesha songs


 * Buried Underneath (2005)
 * Alesha Is the Queen (2007)
 * The Second Coming (2008)
 * Bigger Than God (2009)
 * Last Judgment (2010)
 * The Martyr (2011)
 * Alesha (2014)
 * afterhours (2015)

Tours and concerts

 * Headlining tours
 * Riot Girls Tour (with Innocent) (2004)
 * Chic/Freak Tour (2006)
 * The Queen Tour (2007)
 * Jesus Christ Supertour (2008)
 * Apocalypse City Live (2009)
 * The Reckoning (with Putanovska) (2010)
 * Heathen Tour (2011)
 * Alesha: Renaissance Live (2014)


 * Notable performances
 * Alesha Unplugged (2008)
 * Glastonbury (2008)
 * All That Glitters: A Tribute to Shell Ruin (2009)
 * Judgment Day (2010)
 * URAPS Legends (2011)
 * A Night At Royal Albert Hall (2014)
 * Black Leather Festival Tour (2015)