View source for Douyé

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = Douyé
| image           = Douye Sings Live (cropped).jpeg
| alt             =
| caption         = Performance by Douyé at Vibrato Jazz Grill, February. 27, 2018
| image_size      =
| landscape       = yes
| birth_name      = Douyé Doubara Bella Youduba
| alias           =
| birth_date      = {{Birth date and age|1969|1|4|df=y}}
| birth_place     = [[Lagos]], Nigeria
| origin          =
| instrument      = Vocals
| genre           = {{hlist|[[Jazz]]|[[R&B]]|[[Soul music|Soul]]}}
| occupation         = {{flatlist|
* Singer
* songwriter
* producer
}}
| years_active    = 1983–present
| label           = Rhombus Records, Betsy Blue Music/Groove Note
| associated_acts =
| website         = {{URL|https://douyemusic.com}}
}}
'''Douyé''' (pronounced Doe-Yay, born 04 January 1969) is a Lagos, Nigerian born jazz vocalist who now lives in Los Angeles, California. She has released five albums; the first two recordings were R&B, but she made the change to jazz for her third album to honor her dying father's request to her when she was a child, which was to sing jazz. The fourth album is jazz interpretation of bossa nova and samba music.
== Early life ==
Douyé was born on January 4, 1969 at Island Maternity Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria.{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}} Her father was Landy Youduba and her mother was Diepreye (née Isenah) Youduba.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-07-25 |title=Douyé: The Golden Sèkèrè album review @ All About Jazz |url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/golden-sekere-douye-rhombus-records/ |access-date=2024-05-28 |website=All About Jazz |language=en}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=May 2024}}
As a child growing up in Lagos, Douyé was interested in the American music of [[Billie Holiday]], [[Sarah Vaughn]], [[Ray Charles]], [[Ella Fitzgerald]], and [[Frank Sinatra]].<ref name="AA Jazz">{{cite news |last1=Worsley |first1=Jim |title=Douye: At Last, A Sophisticated Lady |url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/douye-at-last-a-sophisticated-lady-douye-by-jim-worsley.php |accessdate=21 September 2020 |work=All About Jazz |date=June 21, 2019}}</ref> She started writing poems, and eventually songs that she started singing at the age of five.<ref name="moguldom.com">{{cite news|last1=Brown|first1=Ann|title=Q & A: Nigerian Singer Douye’ Enjoys American Success, Second Time Around|url=https://moguldom.com/65532/nigerian-singer-douye-readies-american-success-second-time-around/|accessdate=6 April 2018|work=moguldom.com|date=31 July 2014}}</ref> Encouraged by her father, Douyé joined a local church choir.<ref name="thejazznu.com">{{cite web|title=Douye|url=http://thejazzvnu.com/douye/|website=thejazznu.com|accessdate=6 April 2018}}</ref><ref name="Jazzuality">{{cite news|last1=Kurniawan|first1=Riandy|title=Douye – Journey|url=http://jazzuality.com/album-reviews/douye-journey/|accessdate=6 April 2018|work=Jazzuality|date=31 August 2010}}</ref> Douyé attended Lagos’ [[Methodist Girls' High School (Lagos)|Methodist Primary School]] and graduated from [[Government College Ikorodu|Government College]], a secondary school, in 1988.
After her stay in London, she moved to Los Angeles to attend the [[Musicians Institute]] in Hollywood as a vocal major and there she became interested in recording R&B music.<ref name="blackgrooves.org">{{cite web|last1=Nelson-Strauss|first1=Brenda|title=Women of the World: Douyé|url=http://blackgrooves.org/women-of-the-world-douye/|website=blackgrooves.org|accessdate=6 April 2018}}</ref> She studied Social Work and earned her Bachelor's degree from [[California State University, Los Angeles]] in 1999. In 2001, she earned her Master’s degree from [[California State University, Long Beach]] in Social Work. In 2023, she earned her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from [[California Southern University]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}}
== Career ==
=== Early career ===
After attending the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, Douyé trained and had private lessons for many years with Howlett Smith, a jazz pianist, Composer, educator, and vocal coach until his passing in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2020-02-24 |title=Final Note: Howlett ‘Smitty’ Smith {{!}} 47 Blog {{!}} AFM Local 47 |url=https://www.afm47.org/press/final-note-howlett-smitty-smith/ |access-date=2024-05-28 |language=en-US}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=May 2024}}
At the Musicians Institute, Douyé met songwriter Terry Shaddick, who wrote [[Olivia Newton-John]]’s multi-platinum hit, "Physical." Shaddick and Douyé collaborated on songs that became her debut album, ''Journey,'' in 2007.<ref name="The Philippe Matthews Show">{{cite news|last1=Matthews|first1=Philippe|title=Music Review: Douye|url=http://thepmshow.tv/more/the-world/music-review-douye/|accessdate=6 April 2018|work=The Philippe Matthews Show|date=January 2014}}</ref>
''So Much Love'' was her second R&B album, and featured elements of jazz and reggae.<ref name="Baltimore Times">{{cite news|last1=Demps|first1=Phinesse|title=Indie Soul: Soulful music winter review|url=http://baltimoretimes-online.com/news/2014/feb/14/indie-soul-soulful-music-winter-review/|accessdate=6 April 2018|work=Baltimore Times|date=14 February 2014}}</ref> All of the songs were co-written, once again, by Douyé and Shaddick, with fellow Nigerian [[Dapo Torimiro]] contributing on a number of cuts. Guitarist/producer Chris Sholar and jazz keyboardist/producer [[Philippe Saisse]] also made appearances on the album.<ref name="moguldom.com" /> The lead track was dedicated to [[Nigeria]]’s well-known musician, [[Fela Kuti|Fela Anikulapo Kuti]].<ref name="Lady Brille Magazine">{{cite news|title=Ladybrille Music: Douye Releases 'So Much Love', A Tribute to Fela Kuti|url=http://ladybrillemag.com/ladybrille-music-douye-releases-so-much-love-a-tribute-to-fela-kuti/|accessdate=6 April 2018|work=Lady Brille Magazine|date=25 January 2013}}</ref> ''So Much Love'' was mixed by Ray Bardani and mastered by [[Bernie Grundman]].<ref name="allmusic.com">{{cite web|title=Douye So Much Love|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/so-much-love-mw0002613462/credits|website=allmusic.com|accessdate=10 April 2018}}</ref> A song from that album, "Life Is Good," produced by Torimiro, climbed to No. 9 on the UK soul chart.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}}
=== ''Daddy Said So'' and ''Quatro'' ===
After the two R&B albums, Douyé released ''Daddy Said So,'' a jazz album. Her father had insisted she try the genre in her career, a request he made to her when she was 11 and he was on his death bed. As a result, she began performing in jazz jams at the World Stage in Los Angeles, before recording the album.<ref name="KQED">{{cite news|last1=Gilbert|first1=Andrew|title=Family Ties Shape New Albums by Douyé, and The Sons of the Soul Revivers|url=https://www.kqed.org/news/11613883/family-ties-shape-new-albums-by-douye-and-the-sons-of-the-soul-revivers|accessdate=6 April 2018|work=KQED|date=30 August 2017}}</ref><ref name="The Urban Music Scene">{{cite news|title=Watch New Video! Nigerian Vocalist Douyé Releases New Album “Daddy Said So” on July 7th, 2017|url=http://news.theurbanmusicscene.com/2017/07/douye-releases-new-album-daddy-said-so/#hl4iBEhuPmvg9q1b.99|accessdate=6 April 2018|work=The Urban Music Scene|date=6 July 2017}}</ref>
"Douyé's first jazz record is substantial," reviewed ''[[All About Jazz]]''.<ref name="All About Jazz">{{cite news |last1=Worsley |first1=Jim |date=2 March 2018 |title=Douye': Daddy Said So |url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/daddy-said-so-douye-groove-note-record-betsy-blue-music-review-by-jim-worsley.php |accessdate=6 April 2018 |work=All About Jazz}}</ref> The album remained on the ''[[JazzWeek]]'' Airplay chart for 26 weeks.<ref name="JazzWeek">{{cite news|title=Douye – Daddy Said So|url=https://www.jazzweek.com/releases/2017/07/douye-daddy-said-so-groove-note|accessdate=13 April 2018|work=JazzWeek|date=29 January 2018}}</ref>
On 5 April 2019, Douyé released ''Quatro (Bossa Nova Deluxe)'' an album of Brazilian and African jazz interpretations of '50s and '60s [[bossa nova]] and [[samba]] music. The styling expansion was the result of a visit Douyé took to [[Bahia, Brazil]], where she was influenced by the African people and customs of the Brazilian people of Bahia. ''Quatro'' was voted as one of the best New Releases in the ''[[JazzTimes]]'' 2019 Reader's Poll.<ref name="JT">{{cite news |title=2019 Readers’ Poll Results |url=https://jazztimes.com/features/lists/2019-readers-poll-results/ |accessdate=12 May 2020 |work=Jazztimes |date=30 January 2020}}</ref> The album placed at number 18 on ''The Roots Music Report'''s Top Jazz Album Chart for the year 2019.<ref name="RMR">{{cite news |title=The Roots Music Report's Top Jazz Album Chart for the Year of 2019 |url=https://www.rootsmusicreport.com/charts/view/album/genre/jazz/yearly/2019 |accessdate=12 May 2020 |work=Roots Music Report |date=January 2020}}</ref>
=== 2023 to present ===
Douyé released her fifth studio album, ''The Golden Sèkèrè'', in July 2023. George Harris of ''Jazz Weekly Magazine'' said "Douye’ does an excellent job bridging the gap between jazz and African sounds on this album of standards, presented through the lens of Africa’s horn."{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}}
== Discography ==
* ''Journey'' (2008)
* ''So Much Love'' (2014)
* ''Daddy Said So'' (2017)
* ''Quatro (Bossa Nova Deluxe)'' (2019)
* ''The Golden Sèkèrè'' (2023)
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
* {{Official website|https://douyemusic.com}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:21st-century Nigerian women singers]]
[[Category:1969 births]]
[[Category:Nigerian jazz singers]]
[[Category:Nigerian women jazz singers]]
[[Category:Nigerian songwriters]]
[[Category:Nigerian women songwriters]]
[[Category:Nigerian record producers]]
[[Category:Nigerian women record producers]]
[[Category:Living people]]