on the rise
Steph Jones
Down-to-earth singer Steph Jones is no Mr Ordinary and
his unique brand of feel-good music is out of this world
I
f Steph Jones decided to write
a biography before his album
dropped it would be a hell of a
page turner. The singer-songwriter
has crammed a considerable life
experience into his 25 years that
reads like a Hollywood script; the
loss of his murdered father, going
from being a successful fashion
model to sleeping rough on a park
bench and still being able to come
out on top after having being
falsely imprisoned for two years
in France! All this from a guy who
calls himself Mr Ordinary.
Southern upbringing
His cool and laid back persona is
testament to his chilled southern
upbringing having grown up
in Missori City, Texas. But life
back then wasn’t all plain sailing
for Steph (whose background
KARAOKE FAN: Expect to see
includes Creole, Blackfoot Indian
Steph at Breaking The Ice
and African-American) because
he didn’t fit in. Times became Gap, Old Navy, Enyce, Loreal, and Steph started collating his songs
harder when Steph’s drug dealer Reebok to name but a few. to produce his debut album, Mr
father was murdered when he Ordinary and collaborated with
was just 12 years old. ‘That was Dream ticket stars including Chingy on the
definitely hard on me, my last But this trail of success almost track Celebrity Chicks. But the
memories were really loving being seemed like a dream that Steph label deal was short lived. ‘It
around him and he’s still with had just woken up from when wasn’t anything they did, I just
me, right now, to this day. The on a trip to France after hanging requested a release due to me
musical part of me comes from out with friends who were being feeling like I was compromising
my dad,’ says Steph, but he also investigated by police, innocent my artistry in order to fit a certain
acknowledges a lot of his musical Steph was arrested and formally mould of the label,’ he explains.
influences were through his mum, charged and he had to endure
a DJ who exposed him to a wide the hardship of being in a foreign Opportunity knocks
variety of music. country alone and not being able You might be thinking that this
‘She was a big fan of shut-up- to speak French. To make matters ordinary guy is a little crazy to
in-the-house’ remembers Steph. worse he was sentenced to be pass up such an opportunity so
‘That’s why I love karaoke,’ he imprisoned until 2014! ‘I honestly flippantly, but this Mo City Alien
says. ‘I started when I went to didn’t know what to do being in (his alter ego) is used to standing
on his own two feet and has since
worked with top producers and
“It’s feel-good music. I chose to go for this as musicians including Ryan Teddar
the first record as it gets people’s attention”
(One Republic) to produce an
‘honest ‘ album. Nowadays, Steph
is enjoying doing his own thing
college. The first thing I noticed that situation. My career is over and releasing his debut single,
was that everybody got up and and I’m in France!’ was what he Shooting Star. ‘I make feel-good
sang – whether they were good was thinking. But it wasn’t long music. I chose to go for this as
or bad.’ (Note to Breaking The Ice before Steph’s positive spirit the first record because it gets
s
party goers – he promises to go kicked in and he decided that people’s attention.’ Steph has
to the next event when he next while he was locked up he’d focus been romantically linked with the i
l
l
i
a
m
returns to London). As he became on bettering himself and read as equally talented Jordan Sparks,
more confident, the ambitious much as he could. Reading and but he denies it. That’s good news
athlete realised he could sing, writing melodies kept him going with this humble star’s love for
n
e
l W
but continued with modelling. until his release a year later. connecting with people – hit him
h
a
Although hadn’t intended to While performing one night up on Facebook and MySpace.
y C
pursue it as a career, his boy- at a comedy club, Ludacris was
next door good looks and well wowed by his performance and www.myspace.com/
maintained physique saw him a few months later signed him to stephjones2
o
r
d
s b
front National campaigns for The his label, Disturbing Tha Peace. W
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