Julia Fordham - Career

Career

In 1988, Fordham released her first album on Circa Records. Simply titled Julia Fordham, it reached #20 in the UK and eventually earned a Gold disc. It contained the Top 40 single "Happy Ever After" (which peaked at #27 in August 1988) The album also charted in the U.S., reaching #118 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Fordham released her second album, Porcelain, in 1989. The album charted higher than her debut (#13)and was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry. It was, however, Fordham's only album to crack the U.S. Top 100, reaching #74.

In late 1991, Fordham released her third album, Swept. The album reached #33 in the UK, and contained the Top 40 hit "(Love Moves In) Mysterious Ways", which peaked at #19 in early 1992 and was also featured in the 1991 film The Butcher's Wife.

Fordham's fourth album, Falling Forward, was released in 1994. The album peaked at #21 in the UK,and single, "Different Time, Different Place" narrowly missed the UK Top 40 (#41).

In 1997, Fordham released her fifth album, East West. 1998's The Julia Fordham Collection recapped the best-known songs from these five albums, and included new versions of recordings including "Where Does The Time Go", which featured the vocals of Curtis Stigers.

Signed in 1999 to Division One/Atlantic Records, Fordham recorded Concrete Love. The album was produced by Larry Klein who has worked with many artists including Joni Mitchell (his former wife) and with Fordham previously on Falling Forward. The release was cancelled when a corporate reshuffle caused her record label to be closed and her contract was terminated. The album eventually emerged on Vanguard Records and various other labels internationally including Sanctuary Records in the UK. It now featured a re-recording of its title track as a duet with India.Arie, as well as different cover artwork. Remixes of the single "Wake Up With You" were also released. Fordham embarked on an acoustic club tour in the US, the UK and Japan.

Her seventh album, That's Life, was released on her 42nd birthday in 2004. She performed more live shows which included a successful run of shows in Japan at the Blue Note venues. That's Live, a live album and DVD (filmed in Los Angeles with guests India.Arie and Judith Owen), was released in January 2005. Fordham then came to the end of her recording contract with Vanguard. Also in 2005, Fordham's sister, Claire Fordham, had a book published, Plus One: A Year in the Life of a Hollywood Nobody based on her experiences of being Julia's sister and living in Los Angeles.

Fordham continued to record, independently releasing a remake of her debut single "Happy Ever After" in aid of Indian Ocean Tsunami relief. This was backed by two tracks written and recorded with Aadesh Shrivastava. The single was released to download and then made available to purchase on CD, which was backed by Richard Branson who offered to stock the CD in his Virgin Megastores. The project was nominated for an OSSA award.

In 2006, Fordham released an EP entitled Baby Love, via AWAL (Artists Without A Label). The EP is a collection of songs inspired by the birth of her daughter, Marley Rose. Also in 2006, Fordham appeared in a music video for the Judith Owen track, "Here", playing the part of Owen's mother. The video was directed by the actress Jamie Lee Curtis. In 2007, Fordham appeared as guest vocalist on the track, "Carry", on Owen's album, Happy This Way.

In September 2007, EMI released the compilation Songbook. It was a Philippines only release and included previous studio recordings as well as live cuts and rare tracks. In November 2007, it was announced that Fordham had completed a new album which was going to be released via a 'start up' company called NovaTunes. After some delay China Blue was released as a download-only album in late January 2008. It is a jazz-based album of self-penned songs with the exception of one track ("I Keep Forgettin'") which is a cover of a Lieber and Stoller song. The album was subsequently released on CD.

In 2010, Fordham teamed up with comedian/actor Paul Reiser and released the album Unusual Suspects. The two embarked on an acoustic tour after its release. In late 2011, Fordham released two new tracks for download. "You Left Me For Dead" (a collaboration with guitarist Dominic Miller), and the seasonal track "Christmas In London".