Jessica Poland Explained

Jessica Poland
Birth Name:Jessica Charlotte Poland
Alias:Charlotte Sometimes, Jessica Vaughn
Birth Date:15 January 1988
Origin:Wall Township, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation:Singer, musician, songwriter
Instrument:Vocals, guitar
Years Active:2007–present
Label:Sony/ATV
Associated Acts:LACES, BRZY

Jessica Charlotte Poland (born January 15, 1988) is an American singer-songwriter, better known by her current and former stage names, JPOLND, Charlotte Sometimes, and Laces. Her debut album Waves and the Both of Us was released on May 6, 2008. She grew up in Wall Township, New Jersey and started playing guitar and writing songs at the age of 14. She has released one full-length album and five EPs.[1] [2] [3] [4] In 2014, Poland retired her stage name and started a new project called LACES.

Biography

Poland was adopted by her parents, Hartson and Tracy Poland, as a baby. She was introduced to her birth mother at age 13.[5]

At age 14, Poland was diagnosed with condylar resorption, a rare disease causing her jaw to essentially break apart. Her condition impaired her ability to sing. By age 16, she had undergone surgery by having two ribs extracted to "rebuild her face." She continues to have injections to treat her jaw.[6]

Raised in Wall Township, New Jersey, Poland attended Wall High School.[5]

Poland got her first stage name from the children's book Charlotte Sometimes, written in 1969 by Penelope Farmer, about a boarding school student who finds herself transported more than 40 years into the past, into the place of another girl.[7] [8]

Career

2006 – 2008: Career beginnings and Waves and the Both of Us

Poland began her career playing in a five-piece band (J. Poland and The Pilots) in early 2006. The group performed around the New Brunswick, New Jersey area. They soon began playing shows in New York and graduated to larger venues, opening for artists associated with producer/songwriter, Alex Houton. Houton produced much of Poland's early work and co-wrote, produced and contributed guitar work to her major label debut.

In 2008, Poland signed to Geffen Records and released Waves and the Both of Us under the stage name Charlotte Sometimes. The album peaked at No. 145 on the Billboard 200 and No. 3 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart.[9] Poland performed at all venues on the 2008 Warped Tour, and the single "How I Could Just Kill A Man", whose title was inspired by the Cypress Hill song of the same name, was featured on the Warped Tour 2008 Tour Compilation.[10] [11]

2010 – 2014: EPs and The Voice

On May 14, 2010, Poland self-released a free EP entitled "Sideways." Her second EP, The Wait, was released on iTunes August 18, 2011.[12]

In 2012, Poland was a contestant on Season 2 of NBC's The Voice. After having all four judges turn around in the blind audition round, she chose Blake Shelton as her coach. She was eliminated after the first live round.[13] Later that year, Poland finished working on her third EP, Circus Head, which was initially made available to those who had donated to the album's PledgeMusic campaign. The lead single, "Brilliant, Broke and Beautiful," was released on October 3, 2012,[14] with the commercial release of the EP following on October 30, 2012.[15]

In 2013, Poland recorded her fourth (and first acoustic) Charlotte Sometimes EP, entitled "By Request." The lead single, "Magic," premiered on November 18, 2013,[16] and the full album was released on March 4, 2014.

2014 – 2016: LACES and BRZY

In early 2014, Poland announced she had retired her Charlotte Sometimes stage name and would now be writing and recording music under her legal name for a new project, LACES.[17]

The first single under her new moniker, "Love Me Sober," premiered on Billboard on March 5, 2015 and was released to retailers on March 16, 2015.[18] "Love Me Sober" was produced by Dante Jones.

A side project was announced in 2016 titled BRZY, featuring the members of District 76 and LACES.[19] The single "Cause a Little Fire" was released digitally on October 21, 2016.[20]

2016–present: Jessica Vaughn

In December 2016, "Christmas for the Lonely" was released under the name Jessica Vaughn for the holiday compilation album "SoundRevolver Presents: A Holiday Benefit 2016."[21] In early February 2017, the LACES Facebook account was renamed to "Jessica Vaughn Music."[22]

Discography

Studio albums

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;"
Album detailsPeak chart positions
US
[23]
US
Heat.

[24]
Waves and the Both of Us
  • Released: May 6, 2008
  • Format: CD, Digital download
  • Label: Geffen
145 3
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Extended plays

Title! scope="col" style="width:16em;"
Album details
Charlotte Sometimes
  • Released: March 18, 2008
  • Label: Geffen
  • Format: CD, Digital download
Sideways
  • Released: May 14, 2010
  • Label: Independent
  • Format: Digital download
The Wait
  • Released: August 18, 2011
  • Label: Independent
  • Format: Digital download
Circus Head
  • Released: October 30, 2012
  • Label: Independent
  • Format: Digital download
By Request
  • Released: March 4, 2014
  • Label: Independent
  • Format: CD, Digital download

Singles

As Charlotte Sometimes

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2"
YearPeak chart positionsAlbum
USUS
Digital Rock
[25]
"How I Could Just Kill a Man"2008Waves and the Both of Us
"Apologize"2012Non-album songs were released by The Voice
"Pumped Up Kicks"
"Misery Business"24
"Brilliant Broke and Beautiful"Circus Head
"Magic"2014By Request
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

As LACES

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2"
YearPeak chart positionsAlbum
US
"Love Me Sober"2015TBA
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Notes and References

  1. "Charlotte Sometimes at SXSW ". March 15, 2008. ELLEgirl. Retrieved July 12, 2008.
  2. https://www.facebook.com/iamLACES?ref=br_tf
  3. News: Leebove . Laura . Charlotte Sometimes strikes balance between powerful and passive . June 25, 2012 . . May 7, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120217063024/http://venuszine.com/articles/music/features/3112/Charlotte_Sometimes_strikes_balance_between_powerful_and_passive . February 17, 2012 .
  4. Web site: Fulton. Katherine. Charlotte Sometimes – Music Biography, Credits and Discography. AllMusic. June 25, 2012.
  5. News: La Gorce. Tammy. It's the Lipstick That Draws Attention, and the Name Helps Too. June 25, 2012. The New York Times. March 16, 2008.
  6. Web site: Latest News, Videos & Guest Interviews from the Today Show on NBC. TODAY.com. February 20, 2017.
  7. News: Ortenzi. Rob. Charlotte Sometimes. June 25, 2012. Alternative Press. August 7, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20100113082250/http://altpress.com/recommends/174.htm. January 13, 2010.
  8. Savage. Lesley. 'Waves & the Both of Us' Review. Entertainment Weekly. May 8, 2008. June 26, 2012.
  9. Web site: Charlotte Sometimes – Awards. AllMusic. June 25, 2012.
  10. Web site: Anitai. Tamar. New Charlotte Sometimes Photos!. https://web.archive.org/web/20090516182738/http://buzzworthy.mtv.com/2008/06/17/new-charlotte-sometimes-photos. dead. May 16, 2009. MTV. June 17, 2008. June 26, 2012.
  11. News: Lustig. Jay. She's a real Sometimes girl. The Star-Ledger. July 24, 2008. June 26, 2012.
  12. Web site: Ostroff. Craig. Charlotte's music book is wide open. Montgomery News. September 15, 2011. June 26, 2012.
  13. News: Ford. Rebecca. 'The Voice' Results Show: Four Contestants Eliminated After First Week of Live Shows. The Hollywood Reporter. April 3, 2012. June 26, 2012.
  14. Web site: Brilliant Broke and Beautiful – Single by Charlotte Sometimes on Apple Music. iTunes Store. February 20, 2017.
  15. Web site: Parker. Lyndsey. Kickstart Their Art: How You Can Help Your Reality TV Faves Make Music. Yahoo! Music. May 30, 2012. June 26, 2012.
  16. News: Song premiere: 'Magic' by Charlotte Sometimes . USA Today . Edna . Gundersen . November 18, 2013.
  17. News: 'The Voice' alum Charlotte Sometimes reinvents herself as Laces. AXS. February 20, 2017.
  18. News: Exclusive: Listen to LACES' 'Love Me Sober'. Billboard. February 20, 2017.
  19. Web site: New Music Alert: "Cause a little fire" by BRZY. October 28, 2016. Wolf in a Suit. February 8, 2017.
  20. Web site: Cause a Little Fire – Single by BRZY on Apple Music. October 21, 2016. iTunes Store. February 8, 2017.
  21. Web site: SoundRevolver Presents: A Holiday Benefit 2016, by Various Artists. A Holiday Benefit. February 8, 2017.
  22. Web site: Security Check Required. facebook.com. February 8, 2017.
  23. Web site: Charlotte Sometimes – Chart history. November 18, 2013. charts.org.
  24. Web site: Charlotte Sometimes – Chart history. November 18, 2013. charts.org.
  25. Web site: Charlotte Sometimes – Chart history. November 18, 2013. charts.org.