| Marié Digby | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Marié Christina Digby |
| Born | April 16, 1983 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Pop, alternative rock, Dance Pop, R&B |
| Occupations | Singer, songwriter, guitarist, pianist |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, piano |
| Years active | 2004 — present |
| Labels | Hollywood Records, Avex Trax |
| Website | Marié Digby Official Japanese Website |
Marié Christina Digby pronounced /mɑrˈeɪ ˈdɪɡbi/ mar-ee-AY DIG-bee; born April 16, 1983[citation needed]) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and pianist. She is known for her acoustic cover version of "Umbrella", which attracted attention on YouTube in 2007. The song was subsequently played on the radio station STAR 98.7, was featured on the highly rated third season opening episode of the MTV show The Hills,[1] and peaked at #10 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart. Digby performed the song on the late night talk show Last Call with Carson Daly on August 2, 2007. Since then, Digby has released three studio albums, including one Japanese cover album. These albums have spawned seven singles overall.
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Digby, whose mother is Japanese and father is Irish American, is the oldest of three siblings.[2] Her two sisters are Naomi (born December 12, 1985) and Erina (born August 8, 1987). She began writing songs during high school in Los Angeles, California. After her freshman year at the University of California, Berkeley, she won the 2004 Pantene Pro-Voice competition with her song "Miss Invisible".[3] The grand prize for the concert included working with a professional producer on an album, $5,000 and performing on stage with other top performers.[4]
After performing at night clubs, Digby signed a publishing deal with Rondor Music, a subsidiary of Vivendi SA's Universal Music Group in early 2005. By the end of 2005, Digby had signed with Disney's Hollywood Records and her first album of original songs was completed by the end of 2006. Also in 2006, her song "Fool" was included on the Disney compilation album Girl Next. In early 2007, she began to post simple videos of herself singing cover songs of other artists on YouTube in order to gain visibility. Hollywood Records then released a studio recording of her rendition of "Umbrella" to iTunes and radio stations.[5] She often performs with a Gibson Hummingbird acoustic guitar.[6]
Digby's first official single, "Say It Again", was released to radio stations on January 18, 2008. Her debut album, Unfold, which was completed over a year before, was released on April 8, 2008. The design of the cover for the album was mostly based on the sketches she drew during her downtime while recording the album.[7] She worked with some of Hollywood's best including Tom Rothrock (Producer), Charlie Paxson (drums) and Matt Chait (guitar). Many different editions of the album exist, including a Japanese edition with different cover artwork and an alternate tracklisting. The album's second single, "Stupid For You", was released in September, 2008.
Digby released a collection of Japanese cover songs on March 4, 2009. The album, titled "Second Home," was recorded completely in Japanese and received a limited release only in Japan.
Digby's sophomore English release was originally slated for release in May 2009, but she asked the label to push the release date back until she finds a manager at Hollywood Records. According to Amazon.com, Breathing Underwater will now be released on September 8, 2009. The album was leaked to the Internet on April 8, 2009, before the release date. She had a one night only concert in the Philippines on August 1, 2009 at The Tent in Taguig City.
Digby once recorded a video of hers in the bathroom because "The bathroom has the best acoustics in her house".
Digby is recognized on YouTube for her simple popular music covers, which include Linkin Park, The Game, Rihanna, Britney Spears, Maroon 5, Incubus, and Nelly Furtado, as well as her original compositions. She has over 200,000 subscribers and her channel has been viewed 5 million times, her videos having amassed over 80 million views the most popular being a cover of Umbrella by Rihanna which has gained over 15 million views.
On September 6, 2007, The Wall Street Journal alleged that Digby's YouTube success was part of an astroturfing strategy, suggesting that the singer feigned her amateur status as part of Hollywood Records' online strategy. The article stated that the record label signed Digby eighteen months prior to being a YouTube phenomenon.[5]
Digby responded to the article, writing on her blog[8] that she never lied about being signed to Hollywood Records and has stated that her videos were her own "desperate" response to a lack of promotion.[9]
Digby has ventures encouraging young people to get involved in songwriting and musical performance. In 2009, she sponsored a songwriting contest for Bronx teenagers through The Generation Project, a non-profit organization that facilitates donor-designed charitable gifts to children in low-income areas. The winner of Digby's contest—a special education student from the Bronx—received a brand-new guitar with accessories.[10]
Digby held an Autographed a Fender Stratocaster and Les Paul Guitar Giveaway Contest on YouTube. Contestants were asked to create an original video that included her hit single "Say it Again" in some fashion.
| Year | Status | Competition | Grand Prize | Song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Won | Pantene Pro-Voice competition | Working with a professional producer, $5,000 and performing on stage |
Miss Invisible |
| Year | Status | Award | Category | Work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Won | Teen Music Internacioal - Brazil | Best New Artist | Unfold |
| Nominated | Best Female Pop Vocal Performance[11] | Say It Again |
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