Neon Jungle are a British four-piece girl group, consisting of Shereen Cutkelvin ,Asami Zdrenka, Jess Plummer and Amira McCarthy. They are best known for their second single "Braveheart", which peaked at number 4 on the UK Singles Chart. Their first single "Trouble", reached number 12, while their third single "Welcome to the Jungle" reached number 7.
When questioned about their name, the girls mentioned that oldest member, Jess, came up with it. The four had been recording club hit; "Welcome to the Jungle" and decided that due to their vibrant personalities, "Neon Jungle" made sense. The song was actually recorded before second single; "Braveheart", yet the girls decided the high octane energy and major bass of "Braveheart" would be the best option for their second single.
Neon Jungle | |
|---|---|
| Origin | London, United Kingdom |
| Genres | Electropop, dance-pop |
| Years active | 2013–present |
| Labels | Sony, RCA |
| Website | neon-jungle.com |
| Members | Shereen Cutkelvin
Asami Zdrenka Jess Plummer Amira McCart |
Music career[]
2013–present: Formation, breakthrough and upcoming debut album[edit][]
On 10 February 2013, after a series of auditions, Shereen Cutkelvin, Amira McCarthy, Jess Plummer and Asami Zdrenka were selected to form the group.They then went and visited schools and radios across the country in order to get their name out there.
On 30 August 2013, Neon Jungle released their debut single "Trouble" as the lead single from their debut studio album. On 8 September 2013 the single entered the UK Singles Chart at number 12. In October the girls then announced they would be supporting Jessie J. On 12 November 2013, it was announced that Neon Jungle would be a performer at the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. In December, 'Trouble' debuted at number 9 on the US Billboard Dance/Electronic Digital Songs chart.[2] Neon Jungle's second single, "Braveheart", was released in the UK on 19 January 2014. The song peaked at number 4 on the UK Singles Chart, making it their first Top 5 UK single. Neon Jungle released the song "Welcome to the Jungle" as their third single, and the single debuted at 7 in the UK Top 40 Official Charts.
The group are set to perform at various UK music festivals during this summer, including Wireless Festival, T in the Park and the Blackpool Illuminations Switch-On Festival Weekend. The group mentioned via Twitter that their debut album is complete, and can be expected this summer. The album, titled Welcome to the Jungle,[3] was made available for pre-order with a release date of July 28, 2014. English singer-songwriter Charlie XCX mentioned recently via Twitter she co-wrote album track 'So Alive', although no major collaborations have been confirmed for the album.[4]
Members[]
Shereen Cutkelvin[]
Shereen Cutkelvin (born 2 December 1996 (age 17)) from Lanark in Scotland, is the youngest member of the band. Cutkelvin admits her shyness, but claims she’s "been singing since she could walk and talk". She was inspired by her father, and considers him her "musical idol". Shereen mentions she feels she was "born in the wrong generation", and mentions her love for Motown and soulful music with the likes of Diana Ross and The Temptations. Shereen posted covers of herself on YouTube, along with videos with her family. She was later discovered and invited to audition, and mentions she got the call to confirm her place in the group on her way back to her home in Scotland. Cutkelvin also mentions working for Sony before joining the group. [5]
Amira McCarthy[]
Amira McCarthy (born 2 February 1996 (age 18) in London, England) has always known that performing was something she wanted to do. She has said that the moment she realised that the route she wanted to go down was music as opposed to acting or dancing was when she took part in a singing competition at her school Westminster Academy. Similarly to Jess, Amira was scouted to be in the group, found in Westfields Shopping Centre, London. McCarthy later auditioned and made the final four.[6]
Jess Plummer[]
Jessica Kate "Jess" Plummer (born 16 September 1992 (age 21)) is the oldest member of the band. Plummer is from London and had previously worked as an actress. She appeared in two episodes of CBBCseries Wizards vs Aliens. Her musical idols include Mariah Carey, Rihanna and Jessie J. Jess was discovered through the groups' current manager in Brick Lane, London, and from there was invited to auditions.[7]
Asami Zdrenka[]
Asami Zdrenka (born 15 September 1995 in Japan) now lives in the United Kingdom. She is half Japanese and half English. Zdrenka has said that she has always loved to sing, and as a child, when her father took her on holiday to Japan, he would make her sing to her family.[8] Zdrenka's mother was a singer and her grandfather has released albums in Japan. Zdrenka was also spotted online, through videos of herself singing on YouTube, catching the attention of the label. [9]
Discography[]
Studio albums[]
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Welcome to the Jungle[10] |
|
Singles[]
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK
[1] |
AUS
[11] |
IRE
[12] |
SCO
[13] | ||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | "Trouble" | 12 | — | — | 4 | Welcome to the Jungle | |||||||||||||
| 2014 | "Braveheart" | 4 | 19 | 20 | 2 |
| |||||||||||||
| "Welcome to the Jungle" | 7 | — | 46 | 4 | |||||||||||||||
| "Louder" | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released. | |||||||||||||||||||
Tours[]
Opening act
- Jessie J - Alive Tour (2013) (Birmingham, Sheffield & Aberdeen only)
Awards and nominations[]
| Year | Award | Category | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Glamour Women of the Year Awards | Band of the Year | Pending |
| Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards | UK Favourite Breakthrough | Nominated[14] |
References[]
- ^ a b "Neon Jungle > UK Charts". officialcharts.com/ Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Donna Summer Returns 'MacArthur Park' To Top Of Dance Chart After 35 Years". Billboard. Retrieved 2014-03-24.
- ^ https://twitter.com/NeonJungleMusic/status/471411667566596096
- ^ http://www.amazon.co.uk/Album-TBC-Neon-Jungle/dp/B00IAFVQF0
- ^ "Shereen Cutkelvin Biography". Heatworld.com. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
- ^ "Amira McCarthy Biography". Heatworld.com. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
- ^ "Jess Plummer Biography". Heatworld.com. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
- ^ "Asami Zdrenka Biography". Heatworld.com. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
- ^ "New girlband Neon Jungle have a smashing time as they make video for debut single Trouble".Dailyrecord.co.uk. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
- ^ https://twitter.com/NeonJungleMusic/status/471411667566596096
- ^ Hung, Steffen. "Discography Neon Jungle". Australian Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
- ^ Hung, Steffen. "Discography Neon Jungle". Irish Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
- ^ Peak positions for singles in Scotland:
- For "Trouble": "Chart Archive > September 14, 2013". Official Charts Company. 2013-09-14.
- For "Braveheart": "Chart Archive > February 1, 2014". Official Charts Company. 2014-02-01.
- ^ "Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards - UK Favourite Breakthrough". Nickelodeon UK.