Jullyann Inderia Gordon Black (born November 8, 1977) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, actress and wellness leader. She has released four studio albums, two mixtapes, two remix EPs and several singles and has collaborated with and written for artists including Nas, Saukrates, Choclair, Kardinal Offishall, Destiny's Child, and Sean Paul.
Black was chosen by CBC Music as one of "The 25 Greatest Canadian Singers Ever"[1] and has been dubbed the "Canada's Queen of R&B" by fans and industry peers.[2][3][4]
Early life
Jullyann Inderia Gordon Black was born to Jamaican immigrants. She is the youngest of nine children and grew up in the North York district in the neighbourhood of Jane and Finch in Toronto, Ontario.[5] After her parents divorced, she was raised in a strict Pentecostal household by her single mother.[citation needed]
Musical career
Black performing at Luminato in June 2010 in Toronto, Ontario
Black had a Top 40 hit on the Canadian charts with 1998's "Rally'n".[citation needed] Subsequent singles "You Changed" and "Between Me and U" also charted.[citation needed] In the same year, she was invited to contribute to Rascalz' hip hop single, "Northern Touch", but was unable to participate due to other commitments.[7] In 1999, she appeared on 2Rude's single "Dissin Us", which won the MuchMusic Video Award for Best R&B/Soul Video in 2000.[8]
Black's debut album was originally scheduled for release in 2003 on MCA Records, under the title I Traveled,[9] but was shelved after MCA folded that same year.
In summer 2007, her single, "Seven Day Fool", was released, becoming Black's first Top 10 hit in Canada.[citation needed] Her second album, Revival, was released on October 16, 2007, and was awarded the Juno for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year.[citation needed]
In 2008, Black lost her manager of four years, Bonnie O'Donnell, who passed away suddenly at age 32. [11]
Black stated that the loss of O'Donnell was a low point in her personal and professional life.
[12]
In 2009, Black, alongside YoungPete Alexander and Kellis E. Parker, wrote and released her third studio album, The Black Book. Following its release, Black kicked off a country-wide tour in Vancouver at the 2010 Winter Olympics.[13] In 2011, Black and YoungPete created a production team known as "The Officials".[citation needed]
In 2012, Black was nominated for a Juno Award for 'Best R&B/Soul Recording' for her song "Set It Off" featuring Kardinal Offishall.[16] In the same year, Black released an EP, Dropping W(8).[citation needed]
In 2022, Black was announced as a competitor in the eighth season of The Amazing Race Canada and was eliminated on the first leg after she and her partner Kathy missed the entrance to the Rialto theater.[18]
In 2023, she sang the Canadian national anthem at the 2023 NBA All-Star Game. Black changed the lyrics from “our home and native land" to "our home on native land" as a mark of respect to Indigenous groups within Canada.[19] She was later honoured by the Assembly of First Nations for this action.[20][21] In the same year she participated in an all-star recording of Serena Ryder's single "What I Wouldn't Do", which was released as a charity single to benefit Kids Help Phone's Feel Out Loud campaign for youth mental health.[22]
In 2025, with Jason "Redz" Reynolds as her manager, Jully embarked on a 14 date across Canada headlining tour, her first in 17 years, called "The Jully Black Live Experience"[24][25]
1997: Juno Award for "Best Rap Recording", "What It Takes" (WINNER)
1998: MuchMusic Video Award for "Best Rap Video", "360" (NOMINATION)
1999: MuchMusic Video Award for "Best R&B/Soul Video". "Rally'n" (NOMINATION)
1999: Juno Award for "Best R&B/Soul Song". "Rally'n" (NOMINATION)
2000: MuchMusic Video Award for "Best R&B/Soul Video". "Dissin Us'" (WINNER)
2001: Juno Award for "Best Rap recording", "Money Jane" (NOMINATION)
2002: MuchMusic Video Award Viewers Choice for Best Canadian Collaboration or Group, "The Day Before" (NOMINATION)
2002: MuchMusic Video Award for "Best Rap Video", "Light It Up" (NOMINATION)
2003: Juno Award for "Best R&B/Soul Song", "You Changed" (NOMINATION)
2004: Gemini Award for Best Performance or Host in a Variety Program or Series for: Tonya Lee Williams: Gospel Jubilee (NOMINATION)
2005: Canadian Urban Music Award (CUMA) for Dance/Electronic Recording of the Year, "Sweat of Your Brow" (Tricky Moreira [Just BE Remix]) (WINNER)
2006: Juno Award for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year, "This Is Me" (NOMINATION)
2006: Gemini Award for Best Performance or Host in a Variety Program or Series for: Words to Music: The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame 2006 (NOMINATION)
2008: Single of the Year, "Seven Day Fool" (NOMINATION)
2008: Juno Award for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year, "Revival" (WINNER)
2010: Juno Award for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year "The Black Book" (NOMINATION)
2012: Juno Award for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year "Set It Off" f. Kardinal Offishal (NOMINATION)
2013: Juno Award for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year "Fugitive" (NOMINATION)
2026: Juno Award for Rap Single of the Year, "Who's Driving You" (WINNER)
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