# Toya Alexis > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Toya_Alexis > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Toya_Alexis.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toya_Alexis > Source revision: 1350667694 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{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](/source/Ajax%2C_Ontario), Canada | instrument = Vocals | genre = {{flatlist| *[Soul](/source/Soul_music) *[jazz](/source/jazz) *[pop](/source/Pop_music)}} | occupation = [Singer–songwriter](/source/Singer%E2%80%93songwriter), [actress](/source/actress) | years_active = 2001-2006 | label = | website = }} '''Toya Alexis''' (born July 16, 1980) is a [Canadian](/source/Canadian) vocalist and actress from Ajax, Ontario.{{Cite web|title=Toya Alexis|url=https://www.metacritic.com/person/toya-alexis|access-date=2021-02-03|website=Metacritic|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Runaway Toya Alexis|url=https://pa.wn.com/Runaway_Toya_Alexis|access-date=2021-02-03|website=World News|language=en}} == Career == Alexis won a "Rising Star" contest and sang at the [Apollo Theater](/source/Apollo_Theater).{{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 }}{{Cite web|title=Toya Alexis|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/337907-Toya-Alexis|access-date=2021-02-03|website=Discogs|language=en}} In 2001 she appeared, as LaToya Lesmond, as a contestant on season one of ''[Popstars](/source/Popstars)'' on the [Global Television Network](/source/Global_Television_Network).{{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}} She was a finalist, and was featured on the debut album of the winners who were named [Sugar Jones](/source/Sugar_Jones). She was a contestant on the first season of ''[Canadian Idol](/source/Canadian_Idol)'' in 2003, reaching sixth place in a controversial decision as she was a judge favourite.{{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=}} "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.{{Cite news|last=Kalinowski|first=Tess|date=15 June 2004|title=Awash in Idol waves as stars visit pupils|pages=B04|work=Toronto Star}} 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.{{Cite news|last=Infantry|first=Ashante|date=15 June 2004|title=Hip-hop artists write anti-gun song|pages=D05|work=Toronto Star}} 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](/source/Top_40) hit "Am I Loving?", in 2004.{{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}} 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](/source/Farley_Flex)'s label, Plasma, who also served as her manager. ==Theatre== In 2005, she was a featured cast member as "Mabel" in the [Canstage](/source/Canstage) show ''Crowns'', at the [Bluma Appel Theatre](/source/Bluma_Appel_Theatre) in Toronto. Her other stage credits have included ''Doo Wop to Motown'' (Theatre on the Grand), ''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).{{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}} ==Idol performances== *Top 32 (Group 3) - "I Believe In You and Me" ([Whitney Houston](/source/Whitney_Houston)) *Wildcard - "Try It on My Own" (Whitney Houston) *Top 11 - "If You Asked Me To" ([Celine Dion](/source/Celine_Dion)) *Top 8 - "If You Really Love Me" ([Stevie Wonder](/source/Stevie_Wonder)) *Top 6 - "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" (Stevie Wonder){{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}} ==Singles history== 2002: "I Got U" (with [Sugar Jones](/source/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](/source/Music_recording_sales_certification)
([sales threshold](/source/List_of_best_selling_music_artists)) |- style="font-size:smaller;" ! width="40"| [CA](/source/Canadian_Albums_Chart) |- | 2005 | align="left"| '''''S.O.B. Story''''' * Released: August 2, 2005 * Label: Plasma * Format: [CD](/source/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](/source/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] {{Canadian Idol}} {{Authority control}} {{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 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Toya Alexis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toya_Alexis) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toya_Alexis?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.