Model and singer Grace Jones is one of the most important cultural figures of the 20th century, building up one of the biggest fanbases in the world.
Jones was born in Jamaica, moving to New York when she was 13 years old. She was scouted as a model soon after, going on to be one of the most iconic faces of the era. She shot covers for Vogue and Elle and worked with designers such as Kenzo and Yves St Laurent. She was responsible for the rise of androgynous looks and became known for her boundary pushing, gender resistant style. After rising to become a hugely successful international model, Jones moved into music, signing a record deal in 1977 and going on to be one of the most important performers of the 1980’s and beyond. Her unique mix of styles and distinctive voice made her an international phenomenon, with records such as Nightclubbing, Slave to the Rhythm and Warm Leatherette charting highly. Singles including Pull up to the Bumper, La Vie En Rose, Libertango and I’ve Seen That Face Before reinforced Jones’ reputation as one of the most important, and sometimes controversial, figures of the era.
At the height of her fame as a singer, Jones also made the move into the film industry, appearing in Vamp, A View to a Kill and Conan the Destroyer for which she was nominated for a Saturn Award. In recent years she has continued to perform, appearing on the Gorillaz fifth album and releasing a memoir in 2015 called I’ll Never Write My Memoirs. Jones remains an iconic figure in the music industry, and is cited as an inspiration for hundreds of artists around the world.
