Established as one of the most prominent visionaries of her era, whose influence remains a key touchstone in contemporary pop music, Grammy Award winner,

Jody Watley returns with her glamorous and funky new album, PARADISE. As executive producer at the helm of her own label, Avitone, Watley continues to convey her commitment as a savvy entrepreneur. Proving that quality rules over quantity, pre-orders for the 6 track album sold out in less than one week. PARADISE is available world-wide on iTunes, Amazon and other digital music outlets. A limited edition CD which was encouraged by her devoted fans, that includes the bonus track Everlasting, is available exclusively on Jody Watley’s online boutique.

About :

 

“She’s one of the most prominent visionaries of her era, and one whose influence remains a key touchstone in contemporary pop music.” - Dean Van Nguyen, Wax Poetics Magazine 2014, Issue 57

 

“Everything I’ve ever done has been to be distinctively Jody Watley,” says the Grammy-winning singer/songwriter/fashion icon when asked why she thinks she’s lasted over three decades in the cutthroat music industry. “From my first solo album through right now,” she says thoughtfully, “everything that I will ever do has to be authentic to me. It’s not so much about, ‘Oh, this is going to be popular,’ or ‘Oh, this is going to be a big hit.’ It’s always been so personal to me, everything that I do. The fans can feel that. They connect with the honesty. It’s in the music.”

 

That enduring connection between the artist and her fans recently received a dazzling jolt in the form of “Nightlife,” a global smash for Ms. Watley that offers just a taste of the forthcoming Paradise. The track – her 19th Billboard Top 20 Dance hit; a UK Top 10 Commercial Pop and UK Top 5 soul hit – adds another notch to her impressive chart history: six Top 10 Pop singles; thirteen #1 Dance Singles; seven Top 5 R&B Singles; two Top 20 pop albums; 2 Top 10 R&B albums; and a Top 5 R&B album. A horn-laced, bass-driven, beat-pumping call to glamorous arms, “Nightlife” is an anthem of uplift where the dance-floor is a refuge of self-creation and spirit preservation. The track celebrates dance music tradition, its classic sounds and motifs (nodding to disco, House, soulful R&B,) while looking squarely to the future. As an artistic statement, it’s a perfect encapsulation of Ms. Watley’s career thus far: This is where I’ve been / this is what I’ve done / this is where I am and what I’m doing right now / this is how I’m mapping the future. PARADISE features the thumper next single DANCER produced with Italy's Luminodisco and the sublime SANCTUARY produced by the UK's Soulpersona and already a fan favorite.

From her days as a dancer on the iconic TV show “Soul Train” (where she first amassed a huge cult following) to her breakthrough as one third of legendary pop-soul trio Shalamar (whose lush harmonies on such hits as “A Night to Remember,” “There It Is,” and “Second Time Around” led the UK press to coin the phrase “Shalamar sound,”) to her groundbreaking career as solo artist (kicked off with her Grammy-winning 1987 solo debut album Jody Watley, whose chart-topping lead single “Looking for a New Love” launched the Watley-penned catch phrase “Hasta la vista, baby,” into pop culture vernacular ), Ms. Watley has always been ahead of the pop culture curve.

The video for her 1987 hit “Still a Thrill” was the first time a major pop star showcased waacking, the underground freestyle dance (an even more beat-driven cousin to voguing)

that is now a worldwide phenomenon; her classic 1989 cut “Friends” carved the template for both R&B/hip-hop and pop/hip-hop fusions to come, being one of the first times a rapper (the legendary Rakim, of Eric B. & Rakim) wrote original verses for an R&B/pop song becoming a multi format Top 10 single in Pop, R&B/Hip-hop and Dance; long before making his mark as a film director, David Fincher (Se7en; Fight Club; Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) cut his artistic teeth on Miss Watley’s sleek music video for 1989’s smash hit “Real Love,” premiering a signature visual style that he would later impart to other pop divas and fine tune for his films; in honor of her visionary fusion of fashion, music, and music videos, Ms. Watley was featured in VOGUE Italia’s groundbreaking “Black Issue” in 2008. But that was all then. “Nightlife” and the smoldering, groove-driven EP Paradise are now as Watley.

 

“I respect my past,” she smiles. “I respect the journey, taking time off from the glare of the spotlight to raise my children. I gave up a lot in terms of visibility for a while though I continued to grow artistically. But I’m not the type of person who is not nostalgic, except about my children being little. I hate it when people say, ‘Oh, the good old days…’ Well, the good old days are now, what you make of the now. One of the things I wanted to come through in “Nightlife,” right from the get-go, is right there in the lyrics I wrote – “Life’s not easy / think I want to get out and have myself a good time, forget all my worries…” I’m telling people to be in the moment. Make the most of right now. I am.” Being in the moment also presented entrepreneur Watley to acquire the trademark rights to SHALAMAR in 2014. "It was a business acquisition as an advised by my legal team." Watley says.

 

Being at the helm of the brand allows Jody Watley to give fans the groups signature sound (rich harmonies, soulful melodies, funky fresh moves and musical beds with high style.) "Becoming owner allows me to revive the name to a new audience and not get stuck on the safety net and limited appeal marketing appeal of past nostalgia. There's merchandise now for fans young and old to purchase, with plans for new music and other projects in the pipeline. 

 

Inspired by her retro-futuristic EP PARADISE, with her penchant for current sounds and underground club movements Watley has reloaded SHALAMAR with two new singer/dancer/choreographers Rosero McCoy (Usher, Beyoncé, America's Next Best Dance Crew, Shake it Up, The Sing Off) and young Ohio talent Nate Allen Smith. With a dynamic live stage show breathing new life into classics such as "A Night To Remember" "Take That To The Bank" "The Second Time Around" fused with Watley's own signature hits such as "Friends" "Looking For a New Love" "Don't You Want Me" and plans for upcoming new music - Jody Watley continues to write new chapters in one of music's most enduring, unpredictable and stylish careers.

You can listen to the best of Jody Watley on our Featured Artists Airtime Program on

Mondays, Thursday, Saturday and Sundays at 18h CET on OneLuvFM