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Jody Watley, singer/songwriter/producer/businesswoman, is one of the architects of 21st century pop. From her groundbreaking marriage of rap & R&B (1987’s “Friends,” a collaboration with hip-hop legends Eric B. & Rakim) to her vision-forward marriage of high fashion, street fashion and music in the ‘80s (long before it became the norm), to her fusion of jazz and underground club culture with keen pop instincts, and the ease with which she crossed and still crosses genre, Ms. Watley forged the template that is now everybody’s playbook. Winner of the Best New Artist Grammy in 1987, Jody Watley’s entire career has been about looking forward, drawing inspiration from personal heroes like Grace Jones, David Bowie, Diana Ross and jazz great Nancy Wilson – iconoclasts who were always ten steps ahead of the pack. The Chicago native’s eclectic repertoire – R&B, hip-hop, House, jazz, pop, drum & bass, ambient, spoken-word – is built on a positive vision and a strong taste for artistic and aesthetic risk. Her self-titled 1987 solo debut – a showcase for her vocal chops and songwriting skills – was a beats & grooves tribute to her club kid roots, from the underground spots she frequented as a teenager to her stardom (while still a teen) as one of the most popular dancers in the history of iconic TV show “Soul Train.” It yielded the chart topping hits “Looking for a New Love” (which launched the Jody-penned phrase “Hasta la vista” into popular vernacular, becoming so huge that Arnold Schwarzenegger jacked it for his signature line in the movie The Terminator), “Don’t You Want Me,” “Most of All,” “Some Kind of Lover” and “Still a Thrill,” whose video was the first (and as yet unmatched) time a pop star flexed their skills at waaking, the underground Los Angeles dance that is a sibling to both breakdancing and voguing. 1989’s Larger Than Life, her blockbuster sophomore album, yielded the hits “Real Love” (whose influential music video – nominated for seven MTV Video Music Awards – was her second collaboration with acclaimed film director David Fincher, the first being her sleek video for “Most of All”), “Friends,” and the sultry ballad “Everything.” They were all huge hits. Like many artists who top the charts, Ms. Watley soon found herself stymied by the limited vision of her label, who wanted to shoehorn her into formula. The albums Affairs of the Heart (1991) and Intimacy (1993) displayed her deepening songwriting skills and singing prowess, as well as her assured experimentation with layered musical textures, but label support was missing in action. The powerful, beat-driven spoken-word track “When a Man Loves a Woman” from Affairs sparked controversy for addressing AIDS and domestic violence long before they were topics of national conversation, and her skittish label turned its back on the track and album. Though Ms. Watley’s artistry continued to deepen and grow, she was hamstrung by her label’s lack of support and their adherence to the same narrow definitions of success that saw her leave iconic R&B group Shalamar at the height of its popularity in 1983. Her own definition of success centered then and now on artistic growth and freedom, not simply replicating whatever was or is hot at the moment. After breaking from the majors and starting her own label Avitone Recordings in 1995, Ms. Watley began collaborating with a Who’s Who of visionary producers and remixers, many of whom were longtime fans and jumped at the chance to work with her: 4 Hero, King Britt, Kenny “Dope” Gonzalez & Little Louie Vega, Mark de Clive Lowe, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Ron Trent, Moto Blanco, and Alex Di Ciò. Thanks to her non-stop touring, her global fan base remains as fervent as ever and they’ve made chart and club hits of Ms. Watley’s indie albums – Affection (1995), Flower (1998), The Saturday Night Experience (1999), Midnight Lounge (2001), and The Makeover (2006) – and her 2014 EP Paradise. For the past five years, the ever multi-tasking Ms. Watley has focused on both her thriving solo career and the group project “Jody Watley featuring SRL.” Much like Prince had The Revolution, NPG, and Third Eye Girl (among many other projects and aliases) as extensions or branches of his music and creativity, Jody Watley feat. SRL allows Ms. Watley another outlet for her artistic expression. SRL members Rosero McCoy and Nate Allen Smith – gifted singers, dancers, and choreographers in their own right – bring their own cool style and vibe to Ms. Watley’s trademark high-energy, all-love live performances, and the trio’s critically acclaimed concerts draw SRO crowds around the world. With musical influences that include Kaytranada, Anderson Paak, and Little Dragon, they’ve released several chart-topping hit singles in Europe, including the Alex Di Ciò remix of “The Mood.” Their forthcoming album will be a seamless mix of dance grooves, funky beats, deep House, R&B, trap, rock, and ambient ballads accented with guitar flourishes. Also in the works is Jody Watley: The Jazzy Sessions, a longtime dream project finally come to fruition. Fans were given a taste of what to expect from that forthcoming EP on the bossa nova tinged cover of Bob Marley’s “Waiting in Vain,” which shot to the top of the jazz charts within weeks of its release. A lilting, gorgeously melancholy take on the classic tune, the track simmers with tension between the longing of the lyrics and the lush, languid music and arrangement. Though some newer fans were pleasantly surprised that Ms. Watley pulled off a jazz tune, longtime fans saw it as simply the artistic thread being pulled forward from Ms. Watley’s show-stopping cover of Cole Porter’s classic song “After You,” from the landmark AIDS benefit recording project Red Hot & Blue, released in1990. What links “Waiting” to the rest of Ms. Watley’s far-ranging and impossible to pigeonhole catalogue (which has seen her hit the charts in every decade of her career, from 1977’s Uptown Festival album with Shalamar to 2018’s “Waiting in Vain” single) is the sincerity and honesty from which it springs. “Everything I’ve ever done has been to be distinctively Jody Watley,” says the pop icon herself, “from my first solo album through right now. Everything that I will ever do always has to be authentic to me, work that I can always be proud of first and foremost. 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. And the fans can feel that. They connect with the honesty.”

Jody Watley Makes Appearance On The Jennifer Hudson Show

Jody Watley and Jennifer Hudson. 4.25.23 The Jennifer Hudson Show
Jody Watley and Jennifer Hudson. 4.25.23 The Jennifer Hudson Show

Jody Watley joins The Jennifer Hudson Show as guest on 4.25.23.

Jody Watley On The Jennifer Hudson Show April 25

Jody Watley On The Jennifer Hudson Show April 25. Tune In!

Jennifer Hudson Welcomes Jody Watley In Inspiring New Show

April 25, 2023. Grammy winning music legend Jody Watley is a guest on The Jennifer Hudson Show joining mega-producer Swizz Beatz and Olympian Jordan Chiles. Tune In!

The Jody Watley Show Music Playlist Episode 1 Is Now On Spotify

The Jody Watley Show On Sirius XM’s The Groove Ch. 50

Listen to the music playlist now on Spotify from the first episode of The Jody Watley Show which featured guest, Emmy winning actress Sheryl Lee Ralph.

The 2 hour show airs on the second Sunday of each month on SIRIUS XM’S The Groove Channel 50. All of the songs are curated and personally selected by Jody Watley from the best of classic R&B of the 70’s and 80’s.

The Jody Watley Show Episode 1 Music Playlist : https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4Mq2uPvrZcAjTguT2YiKKg?si=jySFMpZDTt61nzgA10itZg&dd=1

Stream The Jody Watley Show On Demand on the SXM app.

Jody Watley Keeps It Real On New Access Hollywood Interview

Music Icon, trendsetter Grammy winner Jody Watley on Access Hollywood – Watch it Now!

Access Hollywood Daily With Special Guest Jody Watley

Here’s the full interview of Grammy Winning Music and Style Icon Jody Watley on Access Daily with Mario & Kit. Watch it Now!

Jody Watley On Access Hollywood To Discuss New Radio Show

Jody Watley on Access Hollywood. 2023
Jody Watley on Access Daily with Mario & Kit

Tune in to Access Hollywood’s Access Daily with Mario & Kit – April 11, 2023 and catch Grammy Winning Music and Style Icon, Singer, Songwriter, Producer, Business Entrepreneur who now adds radio host with “The Jody Watley Show” on Sirius XM’s The Groove Channel 50 airling monthly.

Jody Watley Gives Huge Respect To Diana Ross and The Sound of Motown

Music Icon Jody Watley on KTLA 5

Grammy winning artist and songwriter Jody Watley recently stopped by KTLA 5 studio in Los Angeles to talk about her new show, The Jody Watley Show airing on SiriusXM – The Groove, Channel 50.

Watley gave huge love and respect to Motown royalties Diana Ross & The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and the ‘Sound of Motown during the KTLA 5 morning news interview. Click here to read the feature and watch the interview

SHEEN Magazine

Eurweb

Jody Watley Manifests More Goals With New Show – KTLA 5 Interview

Grammy Winner Jody Watley with KTLA 5 Anchors. March 31, 2023
Jody Watley – Green Room. KTLA 5. March 31, 2023

“Manifesting my goals” Watch the Jody Watley interview on KTLA 5: Here

Grammy Winner Jody Watley Shares Thoughts On New Sirius XM Radio Show | KTLA 5 Morning News

Tune in Friday March 31 to catch Grammy Winning Music Icon Jody Watley on KTLA 5 Morning News and Entertainment in the 9 AM PST Hour talking about her new Sirius XM radio Show airing monthly on The Groove, Channel 50 and more.