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Sabi (singer)

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Sabi
Sabi during performance "(Drop Dead) Beautiful" on Femme Fatale Tour in 2011
Sabi during performance "(Drop Dead) Beautiful" on Femme Fatale Tour in 2011
Background information
Birth nameJenice Dena Portlock
Also known asSabi
Born (1987-11-24) November 24, 1987 (age 36)
Inglewood, California, United States
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • dancer
  • actress
InstrumentsVocals
Years active2008–present
Labels
Websiteofficialsabi.com

Jenice Dena Portlock (born November 24, 1987),[2][non-primary source needed] also known as Sabi, is an American pop singer, songwriter, dancer and actress from Los Angeles, California. She is best known for her guest appearance on Cobra Starship's 2011 single, "You Make Me Feel...", which peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100. Prior, she was part of the hip hop girl group the Bangz.[3][4]

Biography

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Early life and career beginnings

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Sabi was born in Inglewood, California, the daughter of a Salvadoran mother and African American father. She was raised in a bilingual Spanish and English language household. Her parents were separated. As a child, she frequently watched music videos on MTV, particularly enjoying Michael Jackson, Prince, and Sade. These music videos influenced her passion for singing and songwriting and desire to become a performer. Sabi became involved in theatre in middle school and graduated from Westchester Senior High School in 2005. In 2008, she appeared in an independent short film called The Smallest River in Almirante, which was executive produced by actor Shia LaBeouf. She was cast in commercials for ABC Family, Universal Studios, and Pepsi while studying communications at California State University, Long Beach.

During this time, Sabi continued to work on her vocal technique trying to imitate other singers. She began to write her own songs and record them on a voice recorder, improving her technique when she started working with the producers that she had been introduced to by her then-manager.[citation needed]

2009–10: The Bangz and group disbandment

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During the summer of 2009, Sabi was approached by The Co-Stars, a production team who were looking to launch a female duo. They created an urban pop group called The Bangz with Sabi and Korttney Ann Elliott, known as Ella Ann. They were signed to the indie recording label VNR, Asylum Records, and Warner Bros. Records. They released two singles, "Boys With Tattoos (We Jerkin')" and "Found My Swag", which reached moderate success and airplay.

Shortly after the release of these singles, Ella Ann was seriously injured in a drive-by shooting; she was unable to continue as a part of The Bangz as a result.

Sabi shot a solo video and performed several times alone under The Bangz name, but ultimately the group could not continue without Ella Ann. The duo disbanded, but Warner Bros. chose to continue the label's relationship with Sabi as a solo artist.

2011–present: Solo career

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In April 2011, Sabi released the song "Goodnight" as a promotional single for her debut album. Also in 2011, Sabi was featured on the Britney Spears song "(Drop Dead) Beautiful" as well as the Cobra Starship single "You Make Me Feel...," the latter of which peaked at No. 7 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. She later accompanied Spears on Femme Fatale Tour and was featured on the tour's DVD release. She was also featured on the New Boyz song "Tough Kids" from the album Too Cool to Care.

Shortly after, she released the song "Wild Heart", produced by Cirkut, which was later recorded in Simlish for The Sims 3 video game.[5] Her debut album, then titled All I Want, was to feature production from Benny Blanco, Klas of the Teddybears, Diplo, Ammo, The Cataracs and The Co-Stars and was due to be released via Dr. Luke's Kemosabe imprint and Warner Bros. Records.[6] A video for "Wild Heart"' debuted on March 19, 2012.[7] A new Dr. Luke and Cirkut-produced track "Where They Do That At?" featuring Wale premiered on Spotify in April 2012.[8] The video for the song, directed by Tim Cruz, debuted on April 19, 2012, along with a behind-the-scenes video.[9]

Sabi was also announced to be host of her own fashion web-series, which was titled Found My Swag after The Bangz's single. The series premiered on the YouTube channel "The Warner Sound" on November 1, 2012.[10]

In November 2012, Sabi released the Jakob Owens-directed video another new single, titled "Champagne". The song was produced by Crack For Kids.[11]

In August 2013, she released "Cali Love" featuring Tyga, the lead single from her mixtape 0–60: Love Sounds. Sabi released the song "Love Sounds", produced by Ryan McDermott, in November 2013 and announced that the mixtape would be released on November 13, 2013. On the eve of 0–60: Love Sounds's release, Sabi premiered a cover of Fleetwood Mac's 1977 single "Dreams", a track included on her mixtape.[12] The entire 11-song mixtape was released for free download via the site HotNewHipHop.com.[13]

After the release of the mixtape, Sabi parted ways with both Kemosabe and Warner Bros. Records and began recording music as an independent artist.

In 2017, Sabi released "The One", a promotional single made available exclusively via her SoundCloud account. Following three years of silence, she returned to music in February 2020 and released "Ready", produced by Malcolm D. McDaniel. Unlike "The One", the single was released to most major streaming platforms and digital download services via BlakBurd Ent. and Empire Distribution.[14]

Later in 2020, she began hosting an Apple Music radio program titled, "Easy Hits Radio with Sabi", geared toward adult contemporary music.[15]

Discography

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Mixtapes

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0–60: Love Sounds
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Intro"Ryan McDermott1:09
2."Cali Love" (featuring Tyga)Mark J. Feist3:37
3."Love Sounds"McDermott3:41
4."Better Than This"Mark J. Feist3:45
5."Hollywood Romance"McDermott, The Arsenals (co.)3:56
6."24K"Jonas Jeberg3:43
7."Both of Us" (featuring Ryan McDermott)McDermott, Mike McTaggard (co.)3:30
8."The Change"The Costars2:29
9."Body Language"Mark J. Feist2:34
10."Dreams"McDermott4:38
11."Cali Love" (Remix) (featuring Tyga)McDermott3:47

Singles

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List of single
Title Year Album
"Wild Heart" 2011 N/A
"Where Do They Do That At?"
(featuring Wale) 		2012
"Champagne"
"Cali Love" (feat Tyga) 2013 0 to 60: Love Sounds
"Glow" 2016 N/A
"Ready" 2020
"—" denotes a title that was not released or did not chart in that territory.

Promotional singles

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  • Goodnight (2011)
  • The One (2017)
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List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
[16] 		AUS
[17] 		CAN
 FRA
[18] 		GER
 IRL
[19] 		NLD
[20] 		NZ
[21] 		SWI
[22] 		UK
[23]
"You Make Me Feel..."
(Cobra Starship featuring Sabi) 		2011 7 3 4 13 — 12 28 1 47 16 Night Shades
"—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart.

Other appearances

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Year Song Artist(s) Album
2011 "(Drop Dead) Beautiful" Britney Spears Femme Fatale
"Tough Kids" New Boyz Too Cool to Care
2012 "Barely Standing" Diplo & Datsik Express Yourself
2013 "Overflow" Ryan McDermott Ryan Vs. The Sandman: Tale of The Sleepwalkers
2015 "Firestarter"[a] Sandro Silva[28] Non-album single
  • a Sabi's vocals are not officially credited on this release.

Music videos

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Song Year Director
"Wild Heart" 2012 Mike Mahil
"Where They Do That At?" (feat. Wale) Tim Cruz
"Champagne" Jakob Owens
"Cali Love" (feat. Tyga) 2013 Mike Mahil

References

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  1. ^ 2ichard3rooks, none (April 18, 2012). "Sabi featuring Wale - Where They Do That At". hyperbeast.com. Hypebeast. Retrieved August 10, 2022. R&B songstress Sabi drops off her latest single "Where They Do That At,"{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ "Title unknown". Twitter. Archived from the original on November 25, 2012.
  3. ^ Jocelyn Vena. "Sabi 'Grinding' Out Debut Album", MTV, August 9, 2011.
  4. ^ Kelley L. Carter. "Britney Spears Is A VMA 'Icon', Sabi Says", MTV, August 26, 2011.
  5. ^ "Wild Heart (Simlish version) by Sabi lyric video". YouTube. January 8, 2014.
  6. ^ Sabi Lights Up the Screen in ‘Wild Heart’ Video. Rap-Up.com (March 5, 2012). Retrieved June 8, 2012.
  7. ^ Sabi – Wild Heart [Official Music Video. YouTube. Retrieved June 8, 2012.
  8. ^ Sabi, Listen to the world premiere of Sabi’s new track Archived July 16, 2012, at archive.today. Officialsabi.com (April 17, 2012). Retrieved June 8, 2012.
  9. ^ Video: Sabi f/ Wale – ‘Where They Do That At?’. Rap-Up.com (April 19, 2012). Retrieved June 8, 2012.
  10. ^ Profile, rap-up.com, October 30, 2012.
  11. ^ Sabi – Champagne, singersroom.com, November 29, 2012.
  12. ^ Daw, Robbie (November 12, 2013). "Sabi's Cover Of Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" From Her '0–60′ Mixtape: Idolator Premiere". Retrieved November 24, 2013.
  13. ^ Ray, Jason (November 13, 2013). "Sabi – 0–60: Love Sounds". HNHH. Retrieved November 24, 2013.
  14. ^ Sabi - Ready on YouTube
  15. ^ Easy Hits Radio with Sabi on Apple Music
  16. ^ "You Make Me Feel... – Cobra Starship". Billboard. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  17. ^ "Australian Discography Sabi". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
  18. ^ "French Charts Discography Sabi". Irish-charts.com. Les Charts. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
  19. ^ "Irish Charts Discography Sabi". Irish-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
  20. ^ "Dutch Discography Sabi" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
  21. ^ "New Zealand Discography Sabi". charts.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
  22. ^ "Swiss Discography Sabi". Hitparade.ch (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
  23. ^ "The Official Charts Company – Sabi". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
  24. ^ Recording Industry Association of America. RIAA. Retrieved December 17, 2011.
  25. ^ Displaying Search Results for: Cobra starship Archived February 25, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. Gold Platinum Database. musiccanada.com
  26. ^ Top 50 Singles Chart – Australian Record Industry Association Archived September 2, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Ariacharts.com.au. Retrieved December 17, 2011.
  27. ^ recording industry association of New Zealand Archived March 6, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. RIANZ. Retrieved December 17, 2011.
  28. ^ "Firestarter". American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.
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