Jully Black is truly a woman of many talents. 

Born Jullyann Inderia Gordon to Jamaican immigrants in Toronto, Miss Black is a singer, songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and fitness trainer. 

Known as “Canada’s Queen of R&B Soul” Miss Black released four albums, including This is Me in 2005, and Revival in 2007.

This is Me included the hit singles, “Sweat Of Your Brow” and “5x Love” while Revival won the 2008 Juno Award for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year. 

The single “Seven Day Fool” off that album earned Miss Black a Juno award for Single of the Year.

As a songwriter and collaborator Miss Black has worked with Nas, Destiny’s Child, and Sean Paul. 

Her song, “I Know,” appeared on The Fighting Temptations soundtrack in 2003. It was written for Destiny’s Child. 

Miss Black the performer has shared the stage with The Black-Eyes Peas, Kanye West, Elton John, Céline Dion, and Etta James. 

Miss Black has headlined Canada Day in Trafalgar Square, kicked off the FIFA World Cup concert series and was hand-picked to perform at a private event for The Queen. 

As a television host and correspondent, Miss Black interviewed Alicia Keys, Jay Z, Rihanna, and Oprah Winfrey. 

In 2005, she joined Patti Labelle and the Neville Brothers at the Voices of Soul concert at the Montreal Jazz Festival. 

Also in 2005, Miss Black played the Preacher in the production of Da Kink in My Hair at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto. The play’s success turned into a weekly television series. Miss Black sang the opening theme and appeared in two episodes. 

In 2020, Miss Black made her musical theatre debut as the star of Caroline, or Change. She played Caroline, a housemaid and single mother of four living in Louisiana at the height of the civil rights movement. 

Miss Black won two awards for that role – The Toronto Theatre Critics Award for Best Leader Performance in a Musical and the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts’ esteemed Dora Mavor Moore Award for outstanding performance in a leading role.  

In 2019, Miss Black lent her voice to the Boys and Girls Club of Canada’s Unplug to Connect campaign. It encouraged young people to put down their electronic devices for at least an hour a day and reconnect with the people around them. 

Miss Black says the death of her mother forced her to re-examine her priorities, including the amount of time she spends online.

“I say my mom’s last breath became my first breath, and so [now] I take time to breathe and really feel the ground under my feet,” she said.

Part of that time Miss Black has put into her health, wellness, and lifestyle organization, 100 Strong & Sexy. She is the founder and president and her step videos are taking over social media. 

Fans of the woman of many talents are waiting for Miss Black’s new album. It was set for release in late 2020. 

SOURCES: 100STRONGANDSEXY.COM, CBC.CA, CTV.CA, GLOBALNEWS.CA, JULLYBLACK.CA, MONTREALJAZZFEST.COM