Jackie Queens
{{Short description|Zimbabwean-born singer and songwriter}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Jackie Queens
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_place = Zimbabwe
| origin = Zimbabwe
| birth_date =
| genre = {{hlist|House|Deep house|Soulful house|Afro house}}
| occupation = {{flatlist|
- singer
- songwriter
}}
| instrument = Vocals
| alias =
| years_active = 2013–present
| label = Bae Electronica
| website =
}}
Jackie Queens is a Zimbabwean-born singer and songwriter. Her music is a combination of House containing elements from deep house and soulful house. She’s also the founder of Bae Electronica, a record label she launched to release her own music and also showcase other black women house musicians.{{cite web|url=https://mg.co.za/article/2018-04-26-the-house-that-women-built/|title=The house that women built|work=Mail & Guardian|date=26 April 2018|accessdate=18 June 2021}}
Early life and career
Jackie Queens was born in Zimbabwe. She has spent 12 years in South Africa where she developed her love for writing and performing.
In 2015, she released her single "Conqueror". The single caught the attention of the South African DJ, Black Coffee and became a prominent fixture on the DJ’s sets across the world. Explaining her single:
Certainly the thought to make Conqueror official was not something I had in mind. At that time I was deeply questioning my path in music. Before anything else music, for me, is about community. You don’t make music or become who you are on your own. In the grand scheme of things it’s a belief system, it’s spiritual, and a channel for empowerment. Indeed Conqueror itself, and the trajectory of Enoo Napa’s Opaque Mix signifies all of those things for me.{{cite web|url=https://www.mediaupdate.co.za/media/79288/jackie-queens-conqueror-is-destined-to-be-a-dancefloor-anthem|title=Jackie Queens' Conqueror is destined to be a dancefloor anthem|work=mediaupdate.co.za |accessdate=18 June 2021}}
On 19 September 2017, she released a three-track EP titled Women of House which featured vocalists Sió and Zipho, and formed part of her larger project of amplifying the voices of women in house music.{{cite web|url=https://www.okayafrica.com/erasure-of-women-dance-music/|title=Jackie Queens on The Erasure of Women Artists in Dance Music|work=Okay Africa|date=16 October 2017|accessdate=18 June 2021}}
In 2018, she released her single "Feel It" produced by South African music producer Cornelius SA,{{cite web|url=https://5mag.net/tracks/new-releases/cornelius-sa-jackie-queens-feel-it-now/|title=Electronic Soul from Cornelius SA and Jackie Queens on Feel It Now|work=5mag.net |date=12 June 2018|accessdate=18 June 2021}} which was nominated in the 2018 Dance Music Awards South Africa for Best House Record of the Year and Best EDM Record of the Year.{{cite web|url=https://livemag.co.za/the-nominees-for-the-dance-music-awards-south-africa-are-out/|title=The nominees for the Dance Music Awards South Africa are out|work=Live Magazine |accessdate=27 November 2020}} She was also nominated for Best female vocalist of the Year at the 2018 Dance Music Awards South Africa{{cite web|url=https://www.iol.co.za/entertainment/music/local/black-coffee-distruction-boyz-lead-dance-music-awards-nominations-16774648|title=Black Coffee, Distruction Boyz lead Dance Music Awards nominations|work=iol.co.za |accessdate=18 June 2021}} and her single "Mwanangu" was nominated at the 24th South African Music Awards.{{cite web|url=https://www.enca.com/life/samas-disqualify-tigi-and-mobi-dixon-from-nominations|title=Tigi and Mobi Dixon disqualified from Sama nominations|work=enca.com |accessdate=18 June 2021}}
In April 2020, she was set to perform at the Boiler room in Johannesburg but the event was cancelled due to COVID-19.{{cite web|url=https://www.yomzansi.com/2020/03/05/boiler-room-music-festival-coming-to-joburg-in-april/|title=Boiler Room Music Festival coming to Joburg in April|work=yomzansi.com|date=5 March 2020|accessdate=18 June 2021}}
In September 2020, she collaborated with South African producer Miz Dee on the EP Back To Us. The EP was released to highlight a message against the violence of women, ongoing femicide, and the global #MeToo and #TimesUp movements in South Africa where she provides platforms for artists who are unseen, and in doing so, fulfils a crucial role in the education of the South African dance music scene.{{cite web|url=http://www.transafricaradio.net/miz-dee-jackie-queens-call-time-on-violence-against-women-in-mzansi/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927010850/http://www.transafricaradio.net/miz-dee-jackie-queens-call-time-on-violence-against-women-in-mzansi/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=September 27, 2020|title=MIZ DEE & JACKIE QUEENS CALL TIME ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN MZANSI|work=transafricaradio.net|accessdate=18 June 2021}} She has been recognised by Resident Advisor on their 2021 Re-record list celebrating 120 Black artists in the past decade.{{cite web|url= https://ra.co/features/3834 |title= Re-record: Celebrating 120 Black Artists In Electronic Music - Part 4 |work=Resident Advisor|accessdate=30 June 2021}}
She has been featured on Kaya FM's Platinum Friday with T-Bose{{cite web|url=https://deephousenews.com/2019/06/06/the-world-class-house-music-vocalists-sio-and-jackie-queens-on-radio-together/|title=The World Class House Music vocalists, Sio and Jackie Queens, on radio together|work=deephousenews.com|accessdate=18 June 2021}} and has also performed in music festivals and venues such as the Red Bull Beyond The Sound on Red Bull TV in Johannesburg{{cite web|url=https://urbanlifestylesa.co.za/2020/08/05/red-bull-tv-brings-you-electrifying-performances-with-beyond-the-sound/|title=Red Bull TV brings you electrifying performances with Beyond the Sound|work=urbanlifestylesa.co.za|date=5 August 2020|accessdate=18 June 2021}} and Oppikoppi.{{cite web|url=https://www.redbull.com/za-en/jackie-queens-on-serenading-oppikoppi|title=Jackie Queens on serenading Oppikoppi|work=redbull.com|accessdate=18 June 2021}}
Awards and nominations
| class ="wikitable" |
| Year
!Award ceremony !Prize !Result |
|---|
| rowspan="4"|2018
|rowspan="3"=|Dance Music Awards South Africa |Best House Record of the Year |
| Best EDM Record of the Year |
| Best Female vocalist of the Year |
| South African Music Awards
|Remix of the Year |
Discography
- Women of House (2017)
- Back To Us EP (2020)
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Twitter|JackieQueensSA|Jackie Queens}}
- [https://www.discogs.com/artist/6736592-Jackie-Queens Jackie Queens on Discogs
{{DEFAULTSORT:Queens, Jackie}}
Category:21st-century Zimbabwean women singers
]