Jackson Bradshaw

Jackson Kyle Bradshaw (born October 3, 1986) is a Canadian R&B singer and former male model. After spending many years having a modeling career which ended in 2009, Bradshaw pursued a career in music in 2010 and later that year released his debut single "Daze of Summer". "Daze of Summer" was commercially successfuly in the UK where it reached #6 and seemed to signal a promising music career. Despite releasing two more singles ("I Bet That You Don't Love Me" and "Hard To Find"), which both reached the top twenty in the UK, Bradshaw's music career ran into a series of setbacks and complications which seemingly derailed his promising music career.

In 2012, however, Bradshaw released his "comeback" single titled "Missing You". The single charted at #2 in the UK, becoming his breakthrough and biggest hit there. On June 25, 2012, Bradshaw finally released his debut album, Something Special. In July of that year, Bradshaw was announced as a judge on Urapopstar Idol 13.

Early life
Jackson Bradshaw was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and was the middle child of his parents. Bradshaw had four other brothers, with his two eldest brothers being identical twins. Bradshaw has stated that he and his family have always maintained a close and loving relationship with each other.

Bradshaw and his family had a very big fascination with and also had a vast amount of knowledge about modern music history when Bradshaw was little. He and his family showed appreciation towards many genres of music but mostly bought, listened to, and liked R&B and country music.

Modeling career: 2001 - 2009, 2011
Bradshaw was only fourteen (going on fifteen) when he was approached and discovered by a modeling agent who was on vacation in Vancouver. After being invited to New York do some test shots, Bradshaw was signed to the modeling agency and would spend the next few years modeling clothes (especially men's beachwear, swimwear, and underwear) on runways and also posing in plenty of print ads for big name fashion brands.

In late 2008, Bradshaw became more interested in pursuing a music career and started to focus less on modeling. In early 2009, Bradshaw quit modeling to take his pursuit of a music career more seriously.

One of Bradshaw's last jobs as a model was when he posed in a inlay picture with Syd Wolfe for the singer's debut album Big Bad Wolfe in early 2009. The picture surfaced on the internet a year later and sparked a minor controversy.

In 2011, while on hiatus of his music career, Bradshaw briefly returned to modeling in Spring 2011 and has since been seen in a few commercials and print ads for various fashion labels. Soon after, Bradshaw decided to focus more on his music and once again decided to leave his modeling career behind.

Beginning of music career: 2009-2010
In late 2008, Bradshaw became more interested in a music career and recorded a demo that was full of country songs; he had initially tried to pursue a career in country. However, Bradshaw initially changed his mind about pursuing music career and decided to stay with modeling; he did not shop his country-oriented demo around to any agent, manager, or label. In early 2009, Bradshaw ended up quitting modeling anyway and decided to take his pursuit of music more seriously. He decided that he would pursue a music career in genre that he was mostly very passionate about which was R&B music.

Starting in early 2009, Bradshaw began performing at clubs and bars in Vancouver late in the nighttime where the sets would sometimes last late until after midnight at times. When he would sing live, he would sing his own material with the lyrics of songs being old poems that he had written earlier in his life when he was still a model at a young age. He also independently released two "mixtapes" which he gave away for free at his live sets. Bradshaw often got rave reviews from locals because of his material and his live performances and became very well-known and somewhat respected on the live music scene in Vancouver.

In early 2010, Bradshaw left Vancouver for the UK in hopes to heightened his music career.

Early attempts at music career: 2010-2011
In early 2010, Bradshaw went to the UK in hopes that he would get more exposure with his music and because the UK has a bigger music market than his home country of Canada. He also felt that the mainstream British public was "more accepting" of R&B and soul music than Canadian or American audiences. Around the same time, Bradshaw was named by Billboard magazine as one of the "Artists To Watch 2010". In summer 2010, Bradshaw was signed to Fusion Records.

In August 2010, Bradshaw's debut single "Daze of Summer" was released in the UK. Critically acclaimed and commercially successful, the single debuted at #8 on the UK Singles Chart and subsequently peaked at #6; it also became a top ten hit in his native Canada. Later that summer, Bradshaw participated in the Fusion: Live Tour where he sung a three-song set list. In November 2010, Bradshaw released his second single "I Bet That You Don't Love Me". Despite being inadequately promoted, the single still became another UK top ten hit for Bradshaw, when it peaked at #10 on the UK Singles Chart.

Bradshaw was supposed to release the first incarnation of his debut album which was then titled Come Closer in December 2010. Bradshaw, however, stated that he and his management ran into problems regarding the album's title due to "bad given advice but an unsavory figure in the industry who was influential for some stupid crazy reason at the time." The concern of the album then shifted towards the album's material which then caused Jackson to postpone the album's release until January 2011. Subsequently, the album was intially temporarily shelved because Bradshaw had gone back into the studio to re-record more than half of the album. The album was shelved by mid-January 2011 by Bradshaw's own management and Bradshaw decided to "start over from scratch" and re-record the whole album because he felt that the album was "unacceptable". Bradshaw had to cancel two singles as a result of the shelving of the album. In May 2011, Jackson confirmed that he had finished recording a new version of his debut album and stated that it would be out that summer.

In June 2011, Bradshaw released his third ever single "Hard To Find". "Hard To Find" was marketed at Bradshaw's "comeback" and also the "song of the summer". It was also supposed to be the lead single from Bradshaw's second incarnation of his debut album which was no longer being called Come Closer but was now being called Keep Me Talking. "Hard To Find" suffered from poor promotion, which was caused by Bradshaw's escalating conflict with his manager Chrizhelle Chessacole, and consequently stalled at #12 on the UK Singles Chart. During the promotion of the single, Bradshaw was shot in the leg by Chessacole; though he would not press charges against him, Bradshaw fired Chessacole as his manager as a result of the shooting incident. Due to the poor performance of "Hard To Find", his shooting and subsequent hospitalization, and the firing of his manager, Bradshaw cancelled a then upcoming single titled "I Wonder" and once again postponed and shelved Keep Me Talking as his debut album. Once Bradshaw fully recovered from his shooting, he entered the studio to re-record his debut album entirely once again, though he adamantly decided to keep two songs from the Keep Me Talking sessions.

Something Special: 2012 to present
After spending the rest of 2011 re-recording his debut album, Bradshaw announced that the album was done and that this would be the "final and official version of the album". In April 2012, Bradshaw revealed that the album's title was Something Special. The album is expected to be released sometime after the first single or around the same time the second single will be released. Bradshaw confirmed that should he have to shelve his album once again, he will give up in the music industry and as a result he hopes that the "third time to get this album right is the charm. Let's hope that it is."

In May 2012, Bradshaw released his fourth single overall titled "Missing You" which also serves as the lead single from Something Special. Once again marketed as his "comeback" single, the single earned praise from critics and fans. The single was also commercially successful, surprisingly debuting at #2 on the UK Singles Chart, ultimately becoming Jackson's highest peaking single and also his breakthrough hit.

On June 25, 2012, Bradshaw finally released his debut album, Something Special. The album debuted and, so far, peaked at #2 and has been certified Silver selling over 100,000 copies.

In September 2012, Bradshaw was nominated for his first Urapopstar Award for Best Male; James Moss would win the award instead.

Urapopstar Idol 13: 2012 to present
In July 2012, Bradshaw was announced as a judge for Urapopstar Idol 13.

Influences
Bradshaw considers alternative rock singer Luke Ramada and R&B singer, Paulo Araujo his influences. He has even publicly admired their work in public. Bradshaw also states that his favorite artists are also Patti LaBelle, Michael McDonald, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, and many others that are mostly R&B or country artists.

Image and popularity
Bradshaw is known for being a "gentleman" as well as his good looks and his charisma. Despite being known as the "boy-next-door" in the industry, Bradshaw's problems with alcoholism and sex/love addiction have been reported in the press as well. Bradshaw initially denied that he was struggling with either problem but later admitted them. Despite this, Bradshaw is hardly involved in any scandals and he his seldom reported in the tabloids or the gossip blogs, a rare feat for celebrities in present times though the number of stories about him on those media outlets are slowly growing.

In August 2012, Bradshaw ranked at #23 on the URAPS Rate 18, gaining an approval rating of 75%. It was his first entry into the top forty of the list and was his highest rank ever; previously the highest Bradshaw ever went on a URAPS Rate was at #60.

Personal life
In late spring 2011, Bradshaw began a relationship with Ruby Stephingham of Ruby and the Gems. The couple broke up in late summer of that year. In the summer of 2012, the couple reunited. Shortly after their reconciliation, it was rumored that Stephingham was pregnant with Bradshaw's child; neither party has confirmed or denied the rumors and it was later revealed that she was not pregnant at all. Later that summer, Bradshaw and Stephingham split up again on the account that Stephingham was caught cheating with Sean Cotes, a member of the band Jetfire. Bradshaw has since publicly expressed his grief over the end of his relationship with Stephingham while also starting a rivalry with Cotes in the process. Bradshaw is currently single.

Despite being well known for being as a "gentleman" and a "boy-next-door", Bradshaw's problems with alcoholism reported occasionally in the press. Bradshaw initially denied this claim but later admitted it. Bradshaw stated that he had began to "frequently" drink at the age of sixteen and, by the time he was nineteen, he had developed a full-blown drinking problem. Bradshaw stated that he managed to initially hide his alcoholism from friends, family, and even his co-workers from his modeling days "very well to the point where no one knew. Even if I told them from the start they wouldn't have believed me. No one suspected that I was a drunk." Bradshaw admitted that, during his early modelling career, he would show up to photoshoots drunk but stated that he managed to hid the fact that he was drunk "very well" with people often thinking that he was suffering from jet lag or exhaustion instead. Bradshaw began going to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in 2010 and stayed sober until he relapsed in 2011 following the delaying of his debut album, the shooting incident with his manager (see below), and his dissolved relationship with Stephingham. Bradshaw went back to AA meetings in January 2012 and has been sober since.

In addition to his drinking problems, Bradshaw's problems with sex and love addiction have been reported by the press as well. Bradshaw has stated that he strictly believes in monogamy and the importance of being in an exclusive two-partnered relationship but has admitted that he too is indeed a sex and love addict under the account that he considers himself an "out of control hopeless romantic". Bradshaw declined to elaborate on his sex life, his sex/love addiction, or it started saying that he didn't "want people's opinion of me to change...I don't want them to think that I'm the next Brett Clarkson or anything!" Bradshaw admitted that he remained monogamous and exclusive to one person when in a relationship and would only sleep around when he wasn't in a relationship and single. Bradshaw began going to support and help groups to help him with his sex/love addiction in early 2012 where he has been going ever since.

2011 Shooting and Hospitalization
On June 21, 2011, Bradshaw was shot by his manager, Chrizhelle Chessacole following a heated argument over Bradshaw's career direction and also over creative and financial issues. Chessacole was said to have shot Bradshaw twice in his left leg before he immediately called the paramedics. Chessacole quickly fled the UK and returned to his homeland of the United States to avoid arrest. Bradshaw did not file charges against Chessacole but managed to fire him as his manager in a phone call from him.

Doctors confirmed that Bradshaw was not ever in a coma or in critical condition, therefore assuaging persistant rumors that he was. Doctors did confirm, however, that the reason why Bradshaw was kept in the hospital so they could monitor his left leg which had become infected and was in danger of being amputated if it was further infected. The doctors eventually managed to save his left leg and it was not amputated.

Bradshaw spent over a month in the hospital while trying to recover from his gunshot wounds and was discharged from the hospital on July 27, 2011.

Singles
1. "Before You Walk Out" and "In Touch" were released as a double A-side single in the UK. "Before You Walk Out" originally credited Honey as a featuring artist but for the single release she was co-credited alongside Bradshaw because she was also featured on "In Touch", the other half of the single's double A-side release in the UK. 2. "You Complicate Me" was released as the second single from Something Special in North America, Europe, and Ireland but not in the UK. Bradshaw plans on releasing "You Complicate Me" in the UK soon.
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