Biography
Amethyst Amelia Kelly, professionally known as Iggy Azalea, is an Australian former rapper and songwriter, born on June 7, 1990, in Sydney. She moved to the United States at age 16 to pursue a music career, first gaining attention with YouTube music videos for her songs "Pussy" and "Two Times." These early tracks led to her debut mixtape, Ignorant Art, in 2011 and a deal with American rapper T.I.'s Grand Hustle label.
Her big break came with her debut studio album, The New Classic, in 2014, which hit the top five on many international charts and topped the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. This made her the first non-American female rapper to reach number one on that chart. The album featured her hit single "Fancy" with Charli XCX, which topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for a Grammy for Record of the Year. Her song with Ariana Grande, "Problem," got to number two on the Hot 100, making Azalea only the second act after the Beatles to hold the top two spots with debut chart entries.
After her initial success, Azalea achieved another milestone by placing three songs in the Hot 100's top ten simultaneously: "Fancy," "Problem," and "Black Widow" with Rita Ora. However, her career path changed after issues with her record label led to the cancellation of her second album, Digital Distortion. She then moved to Island Records and released the EP Survive the Summer in 2018, but further disputes led her to become an independent artist.
Azalea launched her own label, Bad Dreams, through a distribution deal, starting fresh in her career. During her time in the spotlight, she received recognition like the MTV Video Music Award for Best Pop Video and the American Music Award for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album, both in 2014. She made an impact on hip-hop culture, becoming a key figure in talks about cultural appropriation and the worldwide spread of rap music.
Before Fame
Before she became internationally famous, Iggy Azalea grew up in Mullumbimby, New South Wales, after being born in Sydney. She was raised in a working-class family and developed an early interest in hip-hop culture, starting to rap as a teenager. At 16, she made the bold decision to leave Australia for the United States. She first settled in Miami, then moved to Atlanta, where she dived into the local hip-hop scene.
She gained attention by promoting herself through social media and YouTube, where she posted music videos that showed off her unique style and Australian-accented rap. The viral success of tracks like "Pussy" and "Two Times" caught the attention of people in the industry and hip-hop blogs, leading to her signing with Grand Hustle Records and establishing her presence in the American music scene.
Key Achievements
- First non-American female rapper to top the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart
- MTV Video Music Award for Best Pop Video (2014)
- American Music Award for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album (2014)
- Second artist after the Beatles to simultaneously hold top two Billboard Hot 100 positions with debut entries
- Three simultaneous top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100
Did You Know?
- 01.She adopted the stage name 'Iggy' after her childhood dog and 'Azalea' after the street where she grew up
- 02.Before fame, she briefly worked as a house cleaner and in other service jobs to support herself in the United States
- 03.Her song 'Fancy' spent seven consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100
- 04.She was the first artist since the Beatles to have her first two Hot 100 hits occupy the top two positions simultaneously
- 05.She temporarily retired from music in 2021 to focus on other ventures and personal projects
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| MTV Video Music Award for Best Pop Video | 2014 | — |
| American Music Award for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album | 2014 | — |