R&B and pop singer Alexis Jordan kicked off her career at the age of 14 when she became a contestant on the 2006 season of America’s Got Talent. The South Carolina native earned a spot in the semifinals of the nationally televised talent competition along with some positive reviews from the show’s producer, Simon Cowell. After being eliminated from the show, Jordan and her family moved to Atlanta to be closer to the music industry. The big payoff came in 2008 when the songwriting and production team Stargate (Rihanna’s “Take a Bow,” Ne-Yo’s “Miss Independent”) brought her to the attention of Jay-Z, who would sign the singer to his StarRoc/Roc Nation family of labels. In the summer of 2010 her debut single, “Happiness,” topped Billboard’s Dance Airplay chart. Her self-titled debut album followed early the next year. ~ David Jeffries, Rovi