Miranda Chartrand and Adam Nichols

Miranda Chartrand (born 3 May 1990) and Adam Nichols (born 10 September 1991) are a musical duo. They met and began working together through the BBC television series Chartjackers, which was challenging the online community to write, record and release a pop song through crowdsourcing in ten weeks. After initially auditioning through separate YouTube videos, Chartrand and Nichols then successfully auditioned in person to provide vocals on the single. They recorded the song, entitled "I've Got Nothing", at the University of Wales in Newport, South Wales on 7 October 2009. The single was given a worldwide release on 9 November through the iTunes Store, and went on to peak at number 36 on the UK Singles Chart.

Miranda Chartrand
Born (1990-05-03) 3 May 1990
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
OriginStroud, Gloucestershire
GenresPop, indie
Occupation(s)Singer
InstrumentsVocals
Years active2009–present
LabelsSwinging Mantis
Adam Nichols
Born (1991-09-10) 10 September 1991
OriginEssex, United Kingdom
GenresPop, indie
Occupation(s)Singer
InstrumentsVocals, acoustic guitar
Years active2009–present
LabelsSwinging Mantis

Lives and career

1990–2008: Early lives

Chartrand was born on 3 May 1990, and was raised in Guelph, Ontario.[1] She studied at the John F. Ross Collegiate Vocational Institute,[2] where she played on the open girls' rugby team until 2009.[3][4][5] At the age of 16, Chartrand registered the channel mydogmaddie on the video-sharing website YouTube on 25 June 2006.[6] She worked as a camp counselor at Camp Manitou in 2009 and 2010[2] and has also worked in Toronto. In 2009, Chartrand moved to Stroud, Gloucestershire, to work as an au pair.

Nichols was born on 10 September 1991. Originally from Essex, he went to Mayflower High School and then studied music at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music. Nichols registered the YouTube account FireYourEngine on 11 April 2009, at the age of 17. He has built up a fan base of 2,000 subscribers and still uploads original songs on a regular basis.[7]

2009–present: Chartjackers and beyond
Further information: Chartjackers

Chartjackers is a cross-platform documentary series that was broadcast on BBC Two during 2009. It documented an attempt to write, record and release a number one single through crowdsourcing and was looking for vocalists to sing on their forthcoming single, "I've Got Nothing".[8][9] Chartrand and Nichols each submitted a video audition on their respective mydogmaddie and FireYourEngine YouTube channels. They were each chosen as one of ten finalists, and were offered the chance to audition in person in Rochdale.[10][11] Their respective auditions were successful, and they were selected to duet on the official release.[12]

Chartrand and Nichols recorded "I've Got Nothing" on 7 October 2009 at the University of Wales in Newport, South Wales.[13][14] They also featured prominently in the single's official music video,[15] which was shown nationwide on music channels such as 4Music and Viva. On 4 November, Chartrand and Nichols performed "I've Got Nothing" at a gig at 93 Feet East in London, which was headlined by former pop star Chesney Hawkes.[16][17] "I've Got Nothing" was officially released worldwide exclusively through the iTunes Store at midnight on 9 November 2009 by independent record label Swinging Mantis[18][19] – the single peaked at number 36 on the UK Singles Chart.[20] Chartrand quit her job as an au pair to become more involved with the Chartjackers project, then moved to London shortly afterwards, where she and Nichols briefly lived together.[21] Later that year, Chartrand and Nichols covered "Vienna" by Billy Joel, which Chartrand described as being "one of [her] all time favourite songs".[22]

Chartrand currently resides in Toronto, Ontario.

Discography

Singles
Year Title Chart peak positions Album
UK
[23]		 UK indie
[24]
2009 "I've Got Nothing" (as part of Chartjackers) 36 1 Single release only

References
  1. Chartrand, Miranda (23 October 2010). "Miranda Meets England". Stroud, Gloucestershire: YouTube. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
  2. "Camp Manitou Kids summer camp Ontario Canada, a Canadian Summer Experience". Winnipeg: Camp Manitou. 2010. Archived from the original on 23 August 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  3. "Centre Wellington battles Ross to tie". Guelph Mercury. Guelph. 2007. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  4. "Playoff Picture". Guelph: Guelph Tribune. 23 May 2008. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  5. "Spartans, Celtics draw". Guelph: Guelph Tribune. 1 May 2009. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  6. "mydogmaddie's Channel". Guelph: YouTube. 25 June 2006. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
  7. "FireYourEngine's Channel". Essex: YouTube. 11 April 2009. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
  8. "Chartjackers: Crowdsourcing to Top the UK Charts". Hypebot. 17 November 2009. Archived from the original on 19 February 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  9. "Auditions – We need a band". YouTube. 25 September 2009. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  10. Chartrand, Miranda (5 October 2010). "Re- Charjackers Auditions.. Feelings and Junk :)". Stroud, Gloucestershire: YouTube. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  11. "Club comes into focus for new TV show". Rochdale: Rochdale Observer. 7 October 2009. Archived from the original on 19 February 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  12. "Episode 5". Chartjackers. Series 1. Episode 5. 10 October 2009. BBC. BBC Two.
  13. Chartrand, Miranda (12 October 2010). "Official Update from 1/2 of the Voices of Chartjackers.. Miranda's newest UPDATE!". Stroud, Gloucestershire: YouTube. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
  14. "Chartjackers' hit produced by Creative Newport Student". Newport: University of Wales, Newport. 23 October 2009. Archived from the original on 19 February 2011. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
  15. "Episode 7". Chartjackers. Series 1. Episode 7. 24 October 2009. BBC. BBC Two.
  16. "Episode 9". Chartjackers. Series 1. Episode 9. 7 November 2009. BBC. BBC Two.
  17. Nissim, Mayer (3 November 2009). "Chesney Hawkes to play with Chartjackers". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 19 February 2011. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
  18. "Chartjackers attack the charts". London: BBC. November 2009. Archived from the original on 19 February 2011. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
  19. "The Official Chart with Reggie Yates, 15/11/2009". London: BBC Radio 1. 15 November 2009. Archived from the original on 19 February 2011. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
  20. "Singles Chart For 21/11/09". Official Charts Company. 16 November 2009. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  21. "YouTube – Broadcast Yourself". London: YouTube. November 2009. Retrieved 6 November 2009. ... we are living together at the moment haha :) ...
  22. Chartrand, Miranda; Nichols, Adam (19 November 2009). "Miranda & Adam-Vienna Cover (Billy Joel)". London: YouTube. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
  23. "The Official Charts Company – Chartjackers". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  24. "2009 Top 40 Independent Singles Archive". London: Official Charts Company. 15 November 2009. Retrieved 22 September 2013.

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