Blonde Electra

Jazzy and Ruby King started to sing on the streets at an age of one or two at their father's instigation. He later formed with his five oldest children the Christian band The King Family and they toured through the world performing religious music as street musicians, in clubs, churches, schools and prisons and on TV shows.[6] In 1998 they were offered a $4 million record deal by Word Records/Warner Music Group (US) which was refused by their father because of the young age of the children.[7]

Blonde Electra singers Jazzy and Ruby King in their stage outfits at the first Live Show of X Factor UK, 11 October 2014

Jazzy and Ruby King at the EMA MediaSkin Gifting Lounge in London, 6 November 2014

When Jazzy and Ruby King turned 15 and 13, now living in Slovakia,[3] they left their family to stay on their own and to sing in a night club,[8] after their oldest brother Michael had already quit the band in 2003. The five siblings reunited in 2006 and started outside their father's control the band King Family, supported by the German producer Dieter Falk. They were soon given a record deal by EMI and published two singles and one album.[9][10] In 2009 the band was invited to Nashville, Tennessee by Doc McGhee (the manager of KISS and Bon Jovi) and the siblings decided to emigrate to the United States. They parted ways with EMI and renamed their band to KING. Their move from a camping ground in Cologne to Los Angeles in June 2009 was accompanied by a film crew and was broadcast in the series Goodbye Deutschland! Die Auswanderer on the German TV channel VOX.[7][11][12][13] At the end of 2013, KING released the music video "B.O.M.B.", directed by Nicholaus Goossen, in which Jazzy and Ruby King featured.[14]

After differences with their siblings Jazzy and Ruby King left the band KING and started their own group called Blonde Electric. They were based in Düsseldorf, Germany, at that time and decided to move to England and audition for The X Factor after they heard that Simon Cowell had been back on the judging panel.[15] They were earning their living with nannying and waitressing jobs and increased their initial combined assets of about only £150 to over £10,000 in only a few months.[16]

Ruby and Jazzy King (far right) at the MyFaceMyBody Awards 2014

Blonde Electra were the first auditionees to be shown in the 2014 series.[17] They performed the song "Do It like a Dude"by Jessie J and were accepted to go on with three 'yes' votes from Cowell, Louis Walsh and Mel B and one 'no' vote from Cheryl. At the bootcamp the group sang "I Love Rock and Roll" by Joan Jett and at the judges' houses, which took place in Bermuda, they performed "Gold Digger" by Kanye West. Walsh, their mentor, selected them as the first act to perform in the live shows,[18][19] after which Jazzy King told the show host that they needed to succeed because they did not have "a plan B" and they "don't function in the outside world, this is all we can do.".[20]

During their time on The X Factor, the group decided to change their name from Blonde Electric to Blonde Electra shortly before the live shows because the old name was too descriptive.[21] According to Jazzy King the new name should "represent who we are and what we stand for. When we think of Blonde Electra, we imagine a strong, independent woman that doesn't take no for an answer".[1]

Although the duo did not advance to the second week, the choreography (with X Factor creative director Brian Friedman)[17] and fashion style of their live performance stood out. Head stylist Gemma Sheppard, responsible for the outfits, called them the most fearless with fashion, willing to push boundaries and having a vision.[22] At The X Factor finals, the two sisters aroused controversial attention when they kissed each other on stage during their performance of the opening number with the other finalists.[23]

Blonde Electra in 2014