Jade Williams

Jade Williams (born 21 May 1988 in Sidcup, Greater London, England, UK)[1][2][3] professionally known as Whinnie Williams is a British independent pop singer, interior designer & presenter. She founded interiors brand Poodle & Blonde in 2018 and is host for BBC 3 show Flat Out Fabulous since 2020. [4] [5]

For the British actress, see Jade Williams (actress).

Jade Williams
Williams at the opening for Fendi store, May 2014
Background information
Birth nameJade Williams
Also known asSunday Girl
Whinnie Williams
Born (1988-05-21) 21 May 1988
Sidcup, Greater London, England
GenresIndie pop, alternative pop
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
Years active2009–present
LabelsIsland, Polydor
Websitehttp://whinniewilliams.com

Williams grew up in Broxbourne.[2] During her early teenage years, Williams was employed at a local pet shop where she worked every Sunday. Having not revealed her name to the other members of staff, Williams became known as Sunday Girl, which would later become her music alias.[6] Growing up, Williams was always shy when it came to performing and singing in front of people, so her mother took her to see a hypnotist when she was 17, and it helped her to overcome the fear.[7]

With her fear of performing gone, Williams joined many cover bands including a ska band, a jazz band, and a trio who did covers of '40s blues standards with a ukulele and double bass.[8] Williams completed an Art Foundations course at University and studied set design at Wimbledon College of Art,[9] but took a gap year during her studies to travel and, more importantly, focus on songwriting, as she was getting bored of only singing covers of other artists songs. During the gap year, she was discovered by a manager one night while singing in a night club, and he helped direct her to work with other songwriters, which led to her eventual signing with Polydor Records and Universal's Geffen Records in late 2009.[10]

Career

Music

Prior to her renderings of songs for the supermarket chain Aldi, Williams released her debut single as Sunday Girl, "Four Floors", through Polydor Records on 28 March 2010. A music video directed by Elisha Smith-Leverock was also released to accompany the release of the single. On 15 July 2010, she released her second single, "Self Control", a cover of the 1984 Raf song popularized worldwide by the late Laura Branigan.[11] A music video, again directed by Smith-Leverock, was released to accompany the single release.

She supported Ellie Goulding on tour during November 2010,[12] and played her first headlining show at London's XOYO on 15 December 2010.[13] Her third single, "Stop Hey," was officially released through iTunes by Polydor in February 2011.[14] She wrote and produced the song (along many others from her yet-to-be-released album) with Jim Eliot, who has also worked with Kylie Minogue, Ladyhawke, and Ellie Goulding. A music video for "Stop Hey" was directed by Smith-Leverock, and themes for the video came from superstitions about bad luck.[15] In June 2011, Williams was featured on Martin Solveig's album Smash, performing "Let's Not Play Games," which she co-wrote. Her cover of "Love U More", originally by Sunscreem, was promotionally released along with its accompanying video in October 2011, but its commercial release was delayed indefinitely. That November, she also went on tour to support LMFAO on a few of their UK dates.[16] Williams then recorded a cover of Pixies' "Where Is My Mind?" for Thomson's 2011 holiday TV campaign, and the single's success helped her to be signed by Universal's Island Records in early 2012.[17]

Williams became one-half of DJ duo Ooh La La! in February 2012 with model Zara Martin .[18] The pair have since streamed mixes 90s Hip Hop, R&B and Pop at night clubs and fashion parties in London and other cities in the UK. In March 2012, she co-wrote a song titled "Turn Up the Radio" for Madonna's twelfth studio album MDNA.[19] Furthermore, she released "High & Low" from the official motion picture soundtrack of StreetDance 2. In February 2013, Williams announced the end of the Sunday Girl project, and released her first single and music video under the moniker of Whinnie Williams, "You Don't Love Me", in early 2013, later followed by "Break Hearts in Your Sleep". Both of these singles were released free via Williams' SoundCloud page, as was her first mixtape, Mix Tape Vol 1, released in December 2013.

Fashion

Fashion has been a huge part of Jade Williams' career alongside her passion for music. Her first role as a model came in October 2010 when she became the new face of River Island's Design Forum campaign.[20] She has a fashion blog/vlog on MSN Life & Style,[21] puts together all of her tour outfits and stage design,[12] and even put out her own fashion line with Firetrap in September 2011.[22] Williams cites her fashion icons as Coco Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld, and describes her own style to be masculine, tailored, and tom-boyish.

In 2011, a portrait of Williams was painted by British artist Joe Simpson, the painting was exhibited around the UK including a solo exhibition at The Royal Albert Hall.[23][24]

Discography

Extended plays
Title Album details
Bad Girl

Mixtapes
Title Album details
Mix Tape Vol 1
  • Released: 24 December 2013
  • Format: Digital download
  • Label: Independent
Mix Tape Vol 2
  • Released: 20 June 2014
  • Format: Digital download
  • Label: Independent

Singles
List of singles
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
UK
[25]
"Four Floors"[a] 2010 — N/A
"Self Control"[a] —
"Stop Hey"[a] 2011 —
"Where Is My Mind"[a] 2012 133
"High & Low"[a] — StreetDance 2 Soundtrack
"Too Strong" 2015 — N/A
"Real Damn Bad" 2016 —
List of featured singles
Title Year
"Not Alone"
(DHP featuring Sunday Girl)		 2012

Promotional singles
List of singles
Title Year Album
"Love U More"[a] 2011 N/A
"You Don't Love Me" 2013 Bad Girl
"Break Hearts in Your Sleep"

Guest appearances
List of guest appearances
Title Year Album
"Let's Not Play Games"
(Martin Solveig featuring Sunday Girl)		 2011 Smash

^ a Released under the Sunday Girl moniker.

References
  1. "Post on Facebook page". Whinnie Williams. 21 May 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  2. "Interview: Jade Williams". Hertfordshire Life. 13 June 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  3. "Sunday Girl". UK Festival Guides. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  4. "Flat Out Fabulous: renters will love this BBC home makeover show with a difference". Stylist magazine. 26 July 2020.
  5. "Flat Out Fabulous". BBC. 27 July 2020.
  6. Paul Lester (30 April 2010). "New band of the day – No 777: Sunday Girl | Music | guardian.co.uk". London: Guardian. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  7. Alice Fisher (28 March 2010). "One to watch: Sunday Girl | Music | The Observer". London: Guardian. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  8. "Biography: Sunday Girl". MSN. 19 October 2010. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  9. "Changing Face". Vogue UK. 25 May 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  10. "Sunday Girl Interview". The Student Pocket Guide. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  11. "Big Tune: Sunday Girl | The Ruckus". Whatstheruckus.com. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  12. "Sunday Girl: on tour". MSN. 30 November 2010. Archived from the original on 29 March 2012. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  13. "SUNDAY GIRL Live at London XOYO". The Electricity Club. 19 December 2010. Archived from the original on 9 October 2012. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  14. "Stop Hey – Sunday Girl". Record of the Day. 19 November 2010. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  15. "Sunday Girl: Making a music video". MSN. 1 November 2010. Archived from the original on 29 March 2012. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  16. "Sunday Girl To Support LMFAO on UK Tour!". Sunday Girl Official Website. 10 October 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  17. "Sunday Girl". Glamour Magazine UK. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  18. "Ooh La La!". JP Talent. 18 April 2012. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  19. "Madonna, 'MDNA': Track-By-Track Review". Billboard.com. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  20. "Sunday Girl". Vogue UK. 5 October 2010. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  21. "Sunday Girl". MSN. 1 November 2010. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  22. "Firetrap by Sunday Girl". Firetrap. 30 November 2010. Archived from the original on 6 January 2012. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  23. NME "Musician Portraits – Joe Simpson's paintings of rock stars" "2011"
  24. Emily Wadsworth "Whinnie Williams on being Mark Ronson’s DJ, nerves and Coco Chanel",LOOK,February 4, 2016
  25. "Chart Log UK – 2012". Zobbel.de. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
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