Fefe Dobson – Biography

Songwriter, performer and actress, Felicia Lily ‘Fefe’ Dobson was born in Toronto to a biracial couple. During her childhood, she took lessons at the New Conservatory of Music in Agincourt to improve her singing, and later attended Wexford Colligate Institute for the performing arts in Scarborough. She was offered a record deal at 16 with Jive Records, but turned it down because Jive wanted to groom her for pop and R&B, whereas she wanted to sing rock ‘n’ roll.

Within three months of the release of her 2003 self-titled album for Island Records, it went platinum in Canada and gold in America. It earned her two Juno nominations, for best pop album and best new artist of the year. The album debuted at Number 1 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Albums Chart, and it was nominated for three MuchMusic VideoAwards in 2004: Best Pop Video, Boldest Breakout Award and People’s Choice Favourite Canadian Artist. It also won for Dobson the best new solo artist at the Canadian Radio Music Awards.

Her second album, Sunday Love was never released because she was terminated by Island Records just days before the album was scheduled for release. One song from the unreleased album, “Be Strong,” is featured on the soundtrack for the 2006 Canadian co-production It’s a Boy Girl Thing. Sunday Love finally received a digital release in 2012.

During production of Dobson’s subsequent studio album Joy, she was re-signed by Island. Joy was released at the end of 2010 after taking almost four years to complete. Rooted in Alternative rock, the album was certified gold in Canada in 2011. A highlight of her burgening career was being the opening act of Justin Timberlake’s 2007 European tour. She performed at a 100-Day Countdown event at for the Vancouver Winter Olympics at the Canadian Embassy in Washington in 2009, and performed in 2010 at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto as part of CTV’s national celebration of the Olympics. In 2011, she won a MuchMusic Video Award for her single “Stutterin.’”

Dobson has also appeared in film as an actor, most notably in Sudz Sutherland’s Home Again. She garnered a nomination for best supporting actress at the Canadian Screen Awards for her role in that film.

Also see: Fefe Dobson’s filmography.

This biography was written for Northernstars.ca by Wyndham Wise and is Copyright © 2013. It may not be reproduced without prior written permission. Click here for more about copyright.