Toya Alexis

{{short description|Canadian vocalist and actress|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{BLP sources|date=January 2012}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Toya Alexis | image = | image_size = | caption = | background = solo_singer | birth_name = LaToya Lesmond | alias = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1980|7|16}} | death_date = | origin = Ajax, Ontario, Canada | instrument = Vocals | genre = {{flatlist| *Soul *jazz *pop}} | occupation = Singer–songwriter, actress | years_active = 2001-2006 | label = | website = }}

'''Toya Alexis''' (born July 16, 1980) is a Canadian vocalist and actress from Ajax, Ontario.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Toya Alexis|url=https://www.metacritic.com/person/toya-alexis|access-date=2021-02-03|website=Metacritic|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Runaway Toya Alexis|url=https://pa.wn.com/Runaway_Toya_Alexis|access-date=2021-02-03|website=World News|language=en}}</ref>

== Career == Alexis won a "Rising Star" contest and sang at the Apollo Theater.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.toyaalexisonline.com/bio.html |title=Bio & Pics |work=Toya Alexis Online |year=2007 |accessdate=21 January 2012 |url-status=unfit |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060425112158/http://www.toyaalexisonline.com/bio.html |archivedate=April 25, 2006 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Toya Alexis|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/337907-Toya-Alexis|access-date=2021-02-03|website=Discogs|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> In 2001 she appeared, as LaToya Lesmond, as a contestant on season one of ''Popstars'' on the Global Television Network.<ref name=ts>{{cite news |url= https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/432675881.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Apr+02%2C+2001&author=Harry+Currie&pub=Waterloo+Region+Record&desc=Sugar+Jones+shakes+up+Fergus%3B+Canada%27s+newest+singing+sensation+in+town+to+see+Popstars!+finalist+perform&pqatl=google |title=Sugar Jones shakes up Fergus; Canada's newest singing sensation in town to see Popstars! finalist perform |first= Harry |last=Currie|work=Toronto Star|date= 2 April 2001|accessdate=21 January 2012}}{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> She was a finalist,<ref name=ts/> and was featured on the debut album of the winners who were named Sugar Jones.<ref name=":0" /> She was a contestant on the first season of ''Canadian Idol'' in 2003, reaching sixth place in a controversial decision as she was a judge favourite.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news|last=McCabe-Lokos|first=Nick|date=Aug 2003|title=A victim of her own popularity? Ajax songstress off Canadian Idol|pages=A34|work=Toronto Star|access-date=}}</ref> "I actually knew I loved to sing before I could talk," Toya Alexis told students at Ridgewood Public School (Mississauga, ON) after her Canadian Idol experience.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Kalinowski|first=Tess|date=15 June 2004|title=Awash in Idol waves as stars visit pupils|pages=B04|work=Toronto Star}}</ref>

In 2004, Alexis was one of several Hip-Hop artists to co-write "Drop the Chrome," an anti-violence song aimed at youth. Other co-writers were Marcus Kane, Thrust, Maestro, Michie Mee, and Skitz.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Infantry|first=Ashante|date=15 June 2004|title=Hip-hop artists write anti-gun song|pages=D05|work=Toronto Star}}</ref> Proceeds from the sale of the 3-track CD were split between two youth-focused charities Tropicana Community Services and Youth Assisting Youth.

===Debut album=== Alexis was subsequently offered a recording contract, and released her first single, the Top 40 hit "Am I Loving?", in 2004.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Toya Alexis at Intimate & Interactive Open Mic at Lambadina Lounge, Toronto (2010) ⟋ RA|url=https://ra.co/events/195301|access-date=2021-02-04|website=Resident Advisor|language=en}}</ref> She also appeared as a guest vocalist on recordings by several other Canadian artists. Her full-length debut album, ''S.O.B. Story'', was released in August on Canadian Idol judge Farley Flex's label, Plasma, who also served as her manager.<ref name=canoe/>

==Theatre== In 2005, she was a featured cast member as "Mabel" in the Canstage show ''Crowns'', at the Bluma Appel Theatre in Toronto.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

Her other stage credits have included ''Doo Wop to Motown'' (Theatre on the Grand),<ref name=ts/> ''Once on This Island'' (Stirling Festival Theatre), ''Rainbow World'' (Bathurst Street Theatre), ''The Good Times Are Killing Me'' (Royal Alex Theatre) and ''Dreamgirls'', (a co-production between Theatre Aquarius and the Manitoba Theatre Centre).<ref name=":0" /><ref name=canoe>{{cite web |url= http://jam.canoe.com/Television/TV_Shows/C/Canadian_Idol/2008/04/17/5310601-sun.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160310131101/http://jam.canoe.com/Television/TV_Shows/C/Canadian_Idol/2008/04/17/5310601-sun.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= March 10, 2016 |title=Canadian Idol: 'Canadian Idol' living the Dream |first= Lindsay |last=Ward|work=CANOE -- JAM! Television |date=17 April 2008 |access-date=21 January 2012}}</ref><ref name=":1" />

==Idol performances==

*Top 32 (Group 3) - "I Believe In You and Me" (Whitney Houston) *Wildcard - "Try It on My Own" (Whitney Houston) *Top 11 - "If You Asked Me To" (Celine Dion) *Top 8 - "If You Really Love Me" (Stevie Wonder) *Top 6 - "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" (Stevie Wonder)<ref name="ctv">{{cite news|date=20 August 2003|title=CIdol judges shocked by latest elimination|work=CTV Edmonton|url=http://edmonton.ctv.ca/servlet/an/plocal/CTVNews/20030820/idol_recap_030820/20030820/?hub=EdmontonHome?usg=AFQjCNH7qxpk5FCBS86AoQaWlAUO7Sla-g}}{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

==Singles history==

2002: "I Got U" (with Sugar Jones) (#70, Canadian Singles Chart)

2004: "Am I Loving?" (#36, Canadian Singles Chart)

2005: "Toy Boy" (#17, Canadian Singles Chart)

2006: "Where Did Our Love Go?" (#29, Canadian Singles Chart)

==Discography==

===Albums=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Album details ! colspan="1"| Peak ! rowspan="2"| Certifications (sales threshold) |- style="font-size:smaller;" ! width="40"| CA |- | 2005 | align="left"| '''''S.O.B. Story''''' * Released: August 2, 2005 * Label: Plasma * Format: CD | — | align="left"| * CA sales: 159,000 * CRIA: Platinum |- | colspan="10" | {{small|"—" denotes releases that did not chart}} |- |}

===Singles=== *"Am I Loving?" *"Toy Boy" *"Where Did Our Love Go?"

==Videos== ''Featured on'' *''Canadian Idol Greatest Moments'' (2003) (track 11 singing "Try It on My Own") *''Sugar Jones'' (2001) (featured on "I Got U")

==References== {{reflist|2}}

==External links== * https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0504213 * [http://www.toyaalexisonline.com Toya Alexis Official Site - down as of March 9, 2011]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexis, Toya}} Category:1980 births Category:Canadian people of Caribbean descent Category:21st-century Black Canadian women singers Category:21st-century Canadian women singers Category:Black Canadian actresses Category:Canadian contemporary R&B singers Category:Canadian soul singers Category:Canadian pop singers Category:Canadian Idol participants Category:People from Ajax, Ontario Category:Living people Category:Musicians from the Regional Municipality of Durham