Inessa Lee is a singer and songwriter best known for her American Idol appearance and her U.S. Billboard charting single "Gimme All (Ring My Bell)". She was named in 2024 the number 1 vintage TikTok influencer for her Betty Boop parodies on social media.[1]
Inessa Lee | |
|---|---|
 Inessa Lee at New Media Film Festival 2018 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as |
|
| Born | March 13 Surgut, Russia |
| Origin | Zhytomyr, Ukraine |
| Genres | Dance, pop |
| Occupation | Singer-songwriter |
| Years active | 2010-present |
| Website | https://www.inessalee.com |
Career
edit2010–2011 American Idol and "Insane in F#"
editThe singer gained international fame in early 2011 as a result of her appearance on the tenth season of the television series American Idol as the most prominent contestant from San-Francisco. MTV News portrays her as a "sexy video vixen."[2]
Her song "Insane in F#" was aired on November 5, 2011 in the Lifetime original movie Cheyenne,[3] a part of Five (for the Cure),[4] directed by Penelope Spheeris (Wayne's World).
2011 "You Turn Me On"
editIn 2011, the singer co-wrote "You Turn Me On" that was nominated for a 2011 HMMA Hollywood Music in Media Award (Dance Category)[5] and was a finalist in the 2011 ISC International Songwriting Competition (Dance/Electronica).[6]
In October 2013, the singer released a machinima music video "You Turn Me On"[7] filmed by Pia Klaar based on the song of the same title in the 3D virtual world Second Life.
"You Turn Me On" has been featured in commercials for CBS TV shows including The Big Bang Theory, Good Wife, How I Met Your Mother, The Millers, The Price Is Right, Undercover Boss, The Young and the Restless.
2012–2013 "Gimme All (Ring My Bell)"
editIn 2012, the singer co-wrote "Gimme All (Ring My Bell)" – a modern interpolation of the disco-era classic "Ring My Bell" by Anita Ward.[8] The song peaked at No. 9 the U.K. Music Week Commercial Pop chart in February 2013 and stayed for 7 weeks on the chart.[9] "Gimme All (Ring My Bell)" peaked at No. 12 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in April 2013 and stayed for 9 weeks on the chart.[10]
In February 2013, a 2-D mobile game "Be.X" was released.[11] It features remixes by Ralphi Rosario, Mark Picchiotti, Almighty, and Hoxton Whores.[12]
2014 "Dynamite"
editOn May 19, 2014, Liza Fox's "Динамит" premiered on the StarPro channel.[13] On November 21, the English version "Dynamite" premiered on the Cat Music channel in Romania.[14] The song was written by Radu Sîrbu and Ana Sîrbu; and produced by Radu Sîrbu (a former band member of O-Zone).
Dynamite peaked at No. 33 on the U.K. Music Week Upfront Club chart in March 2015, and stayed for a total of 8 weeks on the chart.[15] The Ruff Loaderz remix peaked at No. 11 on U.S. iTunes HOT 100 Weekly Chart (Electronic) on May 17, 2015.[16]
In the July 30, 2015 episode of the TalentWatch TV Show serving music fans on Dish Network, Comcast TV and AT&T U-verse, host Alyssa Jacey praised the singer as "the protector of abused women" in her Dynamite music video.[17]
2015–2016 "I Am Not I"
editThe 6-song album I Am Not I was released on August 6 with rave reviews.[18] DJ Robert Scott called it "a marvelous pop/dance affair of the highest order,"[19] MusicDish considered it "the true epic of Liza Fox and her struggle",[20] Hollywood Weekly praised that it "brings a hypnotic beat and mesmerizing music... like Liza's colorful personality, her songs also exhibit each distinctive color shining in the rainbow,"[21] and Computers in Entertainment predicted that "it will surely become a rage in the EDM circuits."[22]
In October 2015, I Am Not I reached No. 1 on ReverbNation's U.S. and worldwide EDM charts. In November 2015, the song peaked at No. 15 on the U.K. Music Week Commercial Pop Chart. In March 2016, the song peaked at No. 41 on the U.S. Billboard Dance Club Songs Chart.
2023 "Coffee Face"
editAfter a long break from music, Lee released an EDM coffee anthem. Coffee Face peaked at No. 1 on Spotify's Top 50 Luxembourg and No. 2 on Iceland chart, staying there for 3 weeks.[23]
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMA) | Best Dance Song | "You Turn Me On" | Nominated |
| 2011 | International Songwriting Competition (ISC) | Dance/Electronica | "You Turn Me On" | Finalist |
| 2012 | Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMA) | Best Dance Song | "Gimme All (Ring My Bell)" | Nominated |
| 2012 | International Songwriting Competition (ISC) | Dance/Electronica | "Gimme All (Ring My Bell)" | Semi-finalist |
| 2013 | Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMA) | Best Dance Song | "Free" | Nominated |
Discography
editSingles
edit| Single | Year |
|---|---|
| "Insane in F#" | 2010 |
| "You Turn Me On" | 2011 |
| "Gimme All (Ring My Bell)" | 2012, 2013 |
| "Free" | 2013 |
| "Динамит" ("Dynamite") | 2014 |
| "Unlimited" | 2015 |
| "I Am Not I" | 2015 |
| "Coffee Face (2023 Remastered Edition)" | 2023 |
EPs
editAs Liza Fox and Jus Grata
- I Am Not I (2015)
- "I Am Not I"
- "Coffee Face"
- "Love Gun"
- "Seize the Moment"
- "Super Jazz"
- "Unlimited (Jus Grata Remix)"
Transhumanism
editIn 2019 Inessa Lee joined the U.S. Transhumanist Party and became a contributing author of The Transhumanism Handbook by Newton Lee. In her chapter 66, Inessa suggests a new socioeconomic theory called Equalism which is based on the even distribution of resources on the planet due to technology advancements during the Singularity era ISBN 978-3-030-16919-0. In 2020 she became the Chief Ideologist of California Transhumanist Party and created a 7-point program that offers a solution to social stratification.[24]
References
edit- ^ "Top Vintage TikTok Influencers to Follow in 2024". OK Magazine. October 9, 2024.
- ^ Kaufman, Gil (February 9, 2011). "'American Idol' Finds Golden Girls in San Francisco". MTV News. Archived from the original on February 13, 2011.
- ^ "Penelope Spheeris on Wanting to Direct "Cheyanne"". Lifetime Movie Network. 2011. Archived from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
- ^ Cina, Mark (March 29, 2011). "Jennifer Aniston, Demi Moore to Direct Breast Cancer Short Films for Lifetime". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ^ "2011 HMMA Hollywood Music in Media Awards Nominees". HMMA.
- ^ "2011 ISC International Songwriting Competition Finalists". ISC.
- ^ "Liza Fox – You Turn Me On [Music Video]". YouTube. September 28, 2013.
- ^ "Liza Fox – Gimme All (Ring My Bell) [Music Video]". YouTube. September 20, 2012.
- ^ "Music Week Charts".
- ^ "U.S. Billboard".
- ^ "Be.X [Android Game]". Google Play.
- ^ "Gimme All (Ring My Bell)". iTunes.
- ^ "Liza Fox – Динамит [Music Video]". StarPro.
- ^ "Liza Fox – Dynamite (Video)". Cat Music. November 21, 2014.
- ^ "U.K. Music Week Charts".
- ^ "U.S. iTunes HOT 100 Weekly Chart (Electronic)". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
- ^ "TalentWatch TV Show (July 30, 2015)". TalentWatch. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
- ^ "Jus Grata feat. Liza Fox – I Am Not I". YouTube. July 13, 2015.
- ^ "Affair of the Highest Order Shines Light On Bipolar Disorder". Top40 Charts.
- ^ "MusicDish Review: "I Am Not I" By Liza Fox". Music Industry News Network. Archived from the original on August 12, 2015. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
- ^ "Liza Fox Puts a Spell on You". Hollywood Weekly. September 16, 2015.
- ^ "Apple Music and Indie Artists". Computers in Entertainment.
- ^ "A Coffee Anthem from Inessa Lee". EXPOSED magazine. October 16, 2023.
- ^ "Inessa Lee, has a transhumanist plan to revive the U.S. economy". MENAFN.COM. November 2, 2020.