{{Short description|British singer (born 1985)}} {{EngvarB|date=April 2023}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Ava Leigh | image = | birth_name = Hayley Carline | alias = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1985|11|22|df=yes}} | death_date = | origin = Chester, England | genre = Reggae, reggae fusion | occupation = Singer, songwriter | years_active = 2008–present | label = Virgin | website = {{url|avaleighofficial.com}} }}
'''Hayley Carline''' (born 22 November 1985),<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web| url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p918350|pure_url=yes}}| title=Ava Leigh > Overview |author=O'Brien, Jon |publisher=AllMusic| accessdate=18 September 2009 }}</ref> better known as '''Ava Leigh''', is an English reggae singer.<ref name="allmusic" />
== Career == Leigh's career first began when she started performing with her school's jazz band.<ref name="telegraph">{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/3557493/Ava-Leigh-the-girl-who-fell-for-Lovers-Rock.html| title=Ava Leigh: the girl who fell for Lover's Rock| work=The Daily Telegraph| author=Perry, Andrew| date=31 July 2008| accessdate=17 September 2009 }}</ref> In her mid-teens, she acquired a manager, and tried out for a variety of labels, singing R&B. However, Leigh realised that the genre "never, ever worked" for her.<ref name="telegraph" /> Leigh, in an interview with ''The Telegraph'', attributed her mother for first getting her into reggae: "How I got into reggae ... was from my mother listening to it. She was a big fan of [the British reggae subgenre] lover's rock. When I was about nine or 10, I remember hearing "Silly Games" by Janet Kay, with all those high notes, and thinking, "Hmm, I wonder if I can do that?".<ref name="telegraph" />
In 2008, Leigh stated that she hoped to become part of a musical movement bringing singers (as opposed to dancehall deejays) back to the forefront in reggae. As she told noted writer Pete Lewis of ''Blues & Soul'': I think the reason we're now living in the decade of dancehall deejays is because everyone these days is so into hip hop and rap, and dancehall is basically the reggae version of that. But hopefully me doing this can help signal the start of many more successful new reggae vocalists to come."<ref>[http://www.bluesandsoul.com/feature/309/ava_leigh_reggie_reggie_saucy/ Ava Leigh interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' August 2008]</ref>
Leigh worked with writers such as Nick Manasseh, Future Cut and Feng Shui on her debut album, originally to be titled ''Turned on Underground''.<ref name="allmusic" /><ref name="telegraph" /> Partly recorded at Harry J's in Jamaica, the album was reviewed favourably and was described as having the "slick appeal of a US R&B princess."<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/aug/13/popandrock1| title=No 163: Ava Leigh| work=The Guardian| author=Lester, Paul| author-link=Paul Lester| date=13 August 2007| accessdate=18 September 2009 }}</ref> The album was released as a promo CD titled ''Rollin''' but never received a full release after the singles "La La La" and "Mad About the Boy" did not achieve commercial success. Leigh released a four-track extended play (EP) of recordings from the album titled ''La La La'', on 5 January 2009.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://avaleigh.co.uk/releases.php| title=Ava Leigh releases| publisher=Avaleigh.co.uk| accessdate=18 September 2009 }}</ref>
Leigh's song "Mad About the Boy" was featured in the film ''Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging'', and her version of "Mas Que Nada" was featured in a 2008 TV commercial for chain store Next's summer clothing range. In 2008, Leigh co-wrote Joss Stone's digital download single "Governmentalist", featuring Nas.
== Discography == {{col-begin}} {{col-2}} ;Studio albums *''Rollin''' (unreleased; full album promo available 2008)<ref name="allmusic" /> {{col-2}} ;Extended plays *''iTunes Live: London Festival '08'' (2008) *''La La La'' (2009) {{col-end}}
;Singles {| class="wikitable" !Year !Single !<small>UK chart<br />position<ref name="zobbel.de">{{cite web| author=Zywietz, Tobias | url=http://zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_L.HTM| title=Chart Log UK: DJ Steve L. – LZ Love| work=Zobbel| accessdate=18 September 2009| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20091016172009/http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_L.HTM| archivedate= 16 October 2009 | url-status= live}}</ref></small> !Album |- |2007 |"La La La" |align="center"|— |rowspan="2"|''Rollin'''<ref name="allmusic" /> |- |2008 |"Mad About the Boy" <sup>[[#endnote_A|'''[A]''']]</sup> |align="center"|128 |- |}
{{refbegin}} ;Notes *A {{anchor|endnote_A}}'''^''' Released as a double-A side single with "Mas Que Nada" in some retailers. {{refend}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == *{{Official website|http://www.avaleighofficial.com}} *[https://soundcloud.com/ava-leigh] *{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p918350|label=Ava Leigh}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Leigh, Ava}} Category:1985 births Category:Living people Category:Reggae fusion musicians Category:English women singer-songwriters Category:British reggae singers Category:21st-century English women singers Category:21st-century English singers Category:Musicians from Chester