Tamera Foster

Tamera , also known as Tamera Foster and TAMERA, is an English Afrobeat and R&B singer and songwriter who competed in the tenth series of ''The X Factor'' in 2013. Achieving a fifth place, quarter-final finish, she was subsequently signed to a Syco Music record deal.

Early life

Tamera grew up listening to many genres of music, but was most inspired by Whitney Houston, Missy Elliott, Erykah Badu, Sammy Davis Jr., James Brown, and Beyonce. She also enjoyed drawing and painting, which became more serious hobbies in her early teens. After being encouraged by her mother and grandmother, Tamera performed at church, as well as several local talent shows. She decided to audition for ''The X Factor'' one week before the show, at the age of 16. She has claimed to have synesthesia.

2013: ''The X Factor''

She competed in the tenth series of ''The X Factor'' in 2013. She was eliminated in the quarter-final, finishing in 5th place. Former Judge Simon Cowell subsequently signed her to his label Syco Music after dubbing her "the British Rihanna".

2014–2022: Syco Music and ''Afrodite''

After her stint on ''The X Factor'', Tamera was signed to a deal with Syco Music in March 2014, at the age of 17.

Tamera was sent to writing camps in LA, New York, and Sweden, and worked with producer Kamille in early pop-influenced album writing sessions. In a now-deleted December 2014 YouTube vlog upload of a behind-the-scenes studio session, a song titled "Hit You Like A Bullet" was teased alongside a jazz cover of "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town". Failing to agree with the label on a musical direction, the music from Syco never materialized, with Tamera instead waiting for the 3 year contract to expire. She parted ways with the label in 2016, Tamera was credited as a co-writer on 2017 Bakermat single "Don't Want You Back". In 2019, Tamera signed an undisclosed record deal with London-based label Moonshyne Music Ltd. and music distributor AWAL, subsequently releasing her debut single "Romeo" produced by Parker Ighile. She later released second single "Don't Phone", as well as third single "Flipside" produced by Future Cut and Oscar Scheller. ''Billboard'' described the sound of her fourth single "Wickedest" as "the embodiment of smoothness". Cuthbert released her debut EP ''Afrodite'', executive-produced by P2J, in 2021. The '' Clash'' reviewed it positively, describing it as a "warm embrace of feminine energy... spotlight ngthe singer's African and Greek heritage amongst silky riffs and intimate songwriting." In November 2022, she released the single "Insensitive", which received "track of the day" honors on ''Clash'' and was heralded as a "superb return".

2023–present: ''Lost In Translation''

In February 2023, Tamera released "Frozen", an electro-dance single co-written by OVO Sound artist Majid Al Maskati. Her second EP ''Lost In Translation'' was released in November 2023, which contained "40 Days", her first charting single on the UK Afrobeats Singles Chart. In December 2023, Tamera was nominated for "Best Newcomer" at the 26th edition of the MOBO Awards.

Discography

Studio Projects

* ''Afrodite'' EP (2021)
* ''Lost In Translation'' EP (2023)

Singles

Guest appearances

Songwriting Credits

Awards and nominations

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Foster, Tamera
The X Factor (British TV series) contestants
Afrobeat musicians
Afrobeats musicians
Syco Music artists
AWAL artists
1997 births
Living people