Jully Black

Biography

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" and has been dubbed the "Canada's Queen of R&B" by fans and industry peers.

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. After her parents divorced, she was raised in a strict Pentecostal household by her single mother.

Musical career

At age 19, Black was discovered by Warner/Chappell Music who signed her. Shortly after, she was courted by Universal Music Canada where she was offered a deal. Black received her first Juno Award nomination in 1997 and was nominated almost every year thereafter as well as having opportunities to collaborate with and/or write for Nas, Destiny's Child, Sean Paul and Kardinal Offishall.
Black had a Top 40 hit on the Canadian charts with 1998's "Rally'n". Subsequent singles "You Changed" and "Between Me and U" also charted. 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. In 1999, she appeared on 2Rude's single "Dissin Us", which won the MuchMusic Video Award for Best R&B/Soul Video in 2000.
Black's debut album was originally scheduled for release in 2003 on MCA Records, under the title I Traveled, but was shelved after MCA folded that same year.
In summer 2005, a newly recorded album, This Is Me×This Is Me21 June 2005 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1This Is Me (Intro)1:542Hurt U Bad4:033The Things You Do4:144Sweat of Your Brow3:205Calling You3:216Stay the Night2:517Free to Love You3:198Material Things4:269Double Life3:53105x Love4:0211Just Life3:1712Lovin' You3:3913Living in the Ghetto4:0914Gotta Let You Know (Scream)3:0315I Travelled5:1516This Is Me (Outro)1:03, was released by Universal Music Canada. The album included singles "Sweat of Your Brow" and "5x Love". Also in the same year, Black played the Preacher in the theatre production of "Da Kink in My Hair" at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Downtown Toronto. This led to the weekly TV series on the Global Television Network, with Black singing the opening theme and being featured in two episodes.
In summer 2007, her single, "Seven Day Fool×Seven Day Fool2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1Seven Day Fool (radio version)3:252Seven Day Fool (U-Turn remix)4:203Seven Day Fool (Alister Johnson remix)4:024Seven Day Fool (Yug mix)3:475Seven Day Fool (Ian Nieman Werk mix)3:456Seven Day Fool (Lunatics of Sound mix)2:56", was released, becoming Black's first Top 10 hit in Canada. Her second album, Revival×Revival16 October 2007 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1DJ Play My Song5:222Seven Day Fool3:253Queen4:324Just a Moment3:445Catch Me When I Fall4:186My Baby4:497Never Lost My Sight3:508Temporary Insanity4:409Until I Stay3:3710Wishing4:1711Mystery4:54, was released on October 16, 2007, and was awarded the Juno for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year.
Black was a correspondent on the sixth season of the CTV reality competition show Canadian Idol and hosted the 2008 Canadian Radio Music Awards. She has also been a celebrity reporter for the CTV daily entertainment news magazine program, etalk.
In 2008, Black lost her manager of four years, Bonnie O'Donnell, who passed away suddenly at age 32.
Black stated that the loss of O'Donnell was a low point in her personal and professional life.

In 2009, Black, alongside YoungPete Alexander and Kellis E. Parker, wrote and released her third studio album, The Black Book×The Black Book23 November 2009 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Running3:452Share My World2:483The Plan3:414I'll Rock It3:425Recalculate3:456Love U 4ever3:567She's Out There3:168Glass Ceiling3:239What Is This3:4210Need You3:4211Time of Your Life3:14. Following its release, Black kicked off a country-wide tour in Vancouver at the 2010 Winter Olympics. In 2011, Black and YoungPete created a production team known as "The Officials".
In 2010, a song by Black, "At the Roncies" (about the Roncesvalles Avenue neighbourhood of Toronto), was chosen by listeners to represent the province of Ontario in CBC Radio 2's Great Canadian Song Quest.
Black was selected to perform and open for Celine Dion at the 2012 Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival honouring Jamaica's 50th Anniversary of Independence in 2012.
In 2012, Black was nominated for a Juno Award for 'Best R&B/Soul Recording' for her song "Set It Off" featuring Kardinal Offishall. In the same year, Black released an EP, Dropping W(8).
In 2020, Black performed on FreeUp! The Emancipation Day Special.
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.
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. She was later honoured by the Assembly of First Nations for this action. 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.
In 2024 she narrated the television documentary series Paid in Full: The Battle for Black Music.
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"

Albums

2005: This Is Me
2007: Revival
2009: The Black Book
2022: Three Rocks and a Slingshot

Soundtracks

2010: George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight – Episode 7.24 (performer: "At The Roncies")
2008: Saving God (performer: "I Travelled")
2007: Da Kink in My Hair (composer: theme music - 5 episodes)
2006: Words to Music: The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (TV film) (performer: "Put Your Hand in the Hand")
2004: You Got Served (performer: "Heaven")
2003: The Fighting Temptations (writer: "I Know")
2002: Brown Sugar (performer: "You Changed")