Toya Alexis
Birth nameLaToya Lesmond
Born (1980-07-16) July 16, 1980
OriginAjax, Ontario, Canada
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer–songwriter, actress
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active2001-2006

Toya Alexis (born July 16, 1980) is a Canadian vocalist and actress from Ajax, Ontario.[1][2]

Career

Alexis won a "Rising Star" contest and sang at the Apollo Theater.[3][4][2] In 2001 she appeared, as LaToya Lesmond, as a contestant on season one of Popstars on the Global Television Network.[5] She was a finalist,[5] and was featured on the debut album of the winners who were named Sugar Jones.[2] She was a contestant on the first season of Canadian Idol in 2003, reaching sixth place in a controversial decision as she was a judge favourite.[2][6] "I actually knew I loved to sing before I could talk," Toya Alexis told students at Ridgewood Public School (Mississauga, ON) after her Canadian Idol experience.[7]

In 2004, Alexis was one of several Hip-Hop artists to co-write "Drop the Chrome," an anti-violence song aimed at youth. Other co-writers were Marcus Kane, Thrust, Maestro, Michie Mee, and Skitz.[8] Proceeds from the sale of the 3-track CD were split between two youth-focused charities Tropicana Community Services and Youth Assisting Youth.

Debut album

Alexis was subsequently offered a recording contract, and released her first single, the Top 40 hit "Am I Loving?", in 2004.[9] She also appeared as a guest vocalist on recordings by several other Canadian artists. Her full-length debut album, S.O.B. Story, was released in August on Canadian Idol judge Farley Flex's label, Plasma, who also served as her manager.[10]

Theatre

In 2005, she was a featured cast member as "Mabel" in the Canstage show Crowns, at the Bluma Appel Theatre in Toronto.[2][9]

Her other stage credits have included Doo Wop to Motown (Theatre on the Grand),[5] Once on This Island (Stirling Festival Theatre), Rainbow World (Bathurst Street Theatre), The Good Times Are Killing Me (Royal Alex Theatre) and Dreamgirls, (a co-production between Theatre Aquarius and the Manitoba Theatre Centre).[2][10][9]

Idol performances

  • Top 32 (Group 3) - "I Believe In You and Me" (Whitney Houston)
  • Wildcard - "Try It on My Own" (Whitney Houston)
  • Top 11 - "If You Asked Me To" (Celine Dion)
  • Top 8 - "If You Really Love Me" (Stevie Wonder)
  • Top 6 - "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" (Stevie Wonder)[11]

Singles history

2002: "I Got U" (with Sugar Jones) (#70, Canadian Singles Chart)

2004: "Am I Loving?" (#36, Canadian Singles Chart)

2005: "Toy Boy" (#17, Canadian Singles Chart)

2006: "Where Did Our Love Go?" (#29, Canadian Singles Chart)

Discography

Albums

Year Album details Peak Certifications
(sales threshold)
CA
2005 S.O.B. Story
  • Released: August 2, 2005
  • Label: Plasma
  • Format: CD
 —
  • CA sales: 159,000
  • CRIA: Platinum
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Singles

  • "Am I Loving?"
  • "Toy Boy"
  • "Where Did Our Love Go?"

Videos

Featured on

  • Canadian Idol Greatest Moments (2003) (track 11 singing "Try It on My Own")
  • Sugar Jones (2001) (featured on "I Got U")

References

  1. ↑ "Toya Alexis". Metacritic. Retrieved 2021-02-03.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Runaway Toya Alexis". World News. Retrieved 2021-02-03.
  3. ↑ "Bio & Pics". Toya Alexis Online. 2007. Archived from the original on April 25, 2006. Retrieved 21 January 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. ↑ "Toya Alexis". Discogs. Retrieved 2021-02-03.
  5. 1 2 3 Currie, Harry (2 April 2001). "Sugar Jones shakes up Fergus; Canada's newest singing sensation in town to see Popstars! finalist perform". Toronto Star. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
  6. ↑ McCabe-Lokos, Nick (Aug 2003). "A victim of her own popularity? Ajax songstress off Canadian Idol". Toronto Star. pp. A34.
  7. ↑ Kalinowski, Tess (15 June 2004). "Awash in Idol waves as stars visit pupils". Toronto Star. pp. B04.
  8. ↑ Infantry, Ashante (15 June 2004). "Hip-hop artists write anti-gun song". Toronto Star. pp. D05.
  9. 1 2 3 "Toya Alexis at Intimate & Interactive Open Mic at Lambadina Lounge, Toronto (2010) ⟋ RA". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  10. 1 2 Ward, Lindsay (17 April 2008). "Canadian Idol: 'Canadian Idol' living the Dream". CANOE -- JAM! Television. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
  11. ↑ "CIdol judges shocked by latest elimination". CTV Edmonton. 20 August 2003.
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