Pip: The Official Jody Watley Website is where a five-decade career keeps moving forward — and right now, it is moving at dance-floor speed.
Mara: Admin has the full story on the new single, the label behind it, and what this release means in the context of a catalog that just keeps building. Let’s start with the music itself.
Jody Watley’s New Single ‘The Dawn’ Is Out Now
Pip: The question here is straightforward: what does a new Jody Watley single in 2026 actually represent — a moment, or a momentum?
Mara: The post frames it as the latter. The setup is that this release follows back-to-back chart successes, and the post puts it plainly: “The Dawn is the latest in the singer songwriting, producer’s ongoing discography of feel good blend of soulful rhythms and dance-floor energy.”
Pip: So this is not a one-off. It is the next step in a streak — a number-one iTunes USA and Amazon Music UK Dance and Electronic album in 2025, a number-two UK Soul Chart single in 2024 — and now a new remix produced by Alex Di Ciò landing on every major platform worldwide.
Mara: The release comes through Avitone, her independent label established in 1995 with the stated mantra of “Fueling Quality Music.” That label context matters — this is not a major-label rollout. It is a deliberate, multi decades-long independent operation.
Pip: Thirty years of independent operation, and the singles keep charting. That is not luck, that is infrastructure.
Mara: The post also grounds the release in a much longer arc. Watley is listed in Billboard as one of the Top 60 Female Artists of All Time, Top 25 Dance Artists of All Time, and Top 100 Black Solo Artists of All Time — a GRAMMY Award-winning Best New Artist and three-time nominee whose catalog spans R&B, pop, dance, hip-hop, jazz, and electronic music across more than five decades, going back to her Shalamar years beginning in 1978.
Pip: The bio closes with a phrase that earns its place: “Still Thriving. Still Creating. Still Evolving on her own terms independently.” At this point in the discography, that reads less like marketing and more like a statement of fact.
Mara: “The Dawn” is available now on iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, and SoundCloud.
Pip: Five decades in, a new single, a thriving independent label — the arc here is genuinely long.
Mara: And it keeps moving. More to come from this catalog, no question.
Arriving June 12, 2026: “The Dawn” (Alex Di Ciò Remix) — the groove-heavy new single from GRAMMY® Award-winning music icon Jody Watley.
Experience a fresh evolution of rhythm, soul, and dance-floor energy as Jody Watley and acclaimed producer/remixer Alex Di Ciò deliver the perfect soundtrack for the season. The song is another Jody Watley composition. “It’s a tough time for a lot of people, and also quite a bit of negativity in the world. I think it’s always important to have songs that keep people motivated and in a positive mindset – to let go of worries and stress, My music is always a vessel for that.”
Dawn definition: Dawn is the period of the day when the first light appears in the sky, marking the transition from night to morning before the sun breaks the horizon at sunrise.Metaphorically, it refers to the beginning, emergence, or advent of something new (e.g., “the dawn of a new era”) “the dawn of a new day”
About The Artist:
Jody Watley is a GRAMMY-winning, multi-platinum singer/songwriter/producer and style icon. Named Best New Artist in 1988, she’s one of Billboard’s Top 60 Female Artists of All Time, with 6 Top 10 Hot 100 hits, 13 No. 1 Dance singles, 2 R&B #1s and genre-spanning success across R&B, Pop, Dance, Downtempo Electronica and Jazz. Her career longevity spans 5 decades in the music industry.
A visionary in music and fashion, Watley helped pave the way for Black women to break boundaries. Honored as a Crossover Music Icon by Black Music Honors, an inductee in Women’s Songwriters Hall of Fame + more; her influence continues—decades strong and she remains an inspiration to many.Her most recent album “Let’s Dance Vol. 1 – Hit Them Beats” released July 9, 2025 vaulted to #1 on the iTunes Top Dance Electronic Albums and Amazon Music UK on July 11, 2025.
“The Dawn” Cover Art by Shawn West and Jody Watley. Logo Design: Ray Easmon.
Grammy Award-winning music icon Jody Watley is among the many esteemed trailblazing female artists featured in SUPREME SIRENS: Iconic Black Women Who Revolutionized Music, the celebrated 2024 release by acclaimed author and style expert Marcellus Reynolds.
Released on January 23, 2024 through Abrams Books, SUPREME SIRENS is the first-ever photography book dedicated to honoring Black female singers and musicians whose artistry, innovation, resilience, rebellion, and cultural impact transformed music history and popular culture.
The stunning collection celebrates generations of influential Black women in music through powerful imagery and storytelling — making it an essential addition for music historians, photography enthusiasts, style aficionados, and coffee table book collectors alike.
From groundbreaking artistry to enduring influence in music and fashion, Jody Watley continues to be recognized as a visionary creative force whose impact spans decades across music, style, culture, and entertainment.
Book Details:
SUPREME SIRENS: Iconic Black Women Who Revolutionized Music
It’s the ultimate party experience for fans of Disco, Dance, R&B/Soul and Funk music – all on one unforgettable cruise experience sailing from Ft. Lauderdale aboard the Celebrity Silhouette sailing to Grand Turk, Puerto Plata Dominican Republic, concerts, celebrity hosted activities and more.
Catch Her Outside! Join Jody Watley at Sea – It’s Paradise!
Jody Watley fans – Use Promo code JODYFAN for special cabin savings.
Let’s Do This! Let’s Dance! Get your groove and disco glam on!
Have you heard Jody Watley’s covers of the CHIC classic “I Want Your Love” a #1 single for Watley in 2008 and Diana Ross’ “Love Hangover” from her #1 2025 iTunes Top Dance Album “Let’s Dance Vol. 1- Hit Them Beats”? If not head to your favorite digital music platform.
Jody Watley. Let’s Dance Vol. 1 T-shirt – Make it Your Own!
Jody Watley’s latest album Let’s Dance Vol. 1 – Hit Them Beats energy isn’t just an album—it’s a mindset and a mantra to keep it moving. From adding to your playlists to your personal style statements, celebrate the spirit of Let’s Dance Vol. 1 (Hit Them Beats) in your own way.
The official collection is all about expressing your connection to the music, showing support for Grammy winning Icon Jody Watley and her sustained independence 40 plus years as a solo artist and entrepreneur—navigating the dance of life, perseverance and business.
Wear it. Share it. Dress it up or down!
Jody Watley – Let’s Dance Unisex T. Dress it Up or Down. Make it Your Own.
And if you haven’t yet—press play, add 2025’s #1 iTunes and Amazon Music UK Dance Electronica Album Let’s Dance Volume 1 – Hit Them Beats, released via her Avitone label celebrating the 30th Anniversary of forming the label; to your playlist. Keep the music in motion.
Just Push Play for a Non Stop Mix. Jody Watley “Let’s Dance Vol. 1 – Hit Them Beats”
Explore the lasting impact of Jody Watley’s Video Classics, Vol. 1 (1991), the RIAA Gold-certified music video collection that helped redefine the MTV era. From groundbreaking visuals and high-fashion imagery to iconic hits like “Looking for a New Love” and “Friends,” discover how Watley became a pioneering force in music video history and visual storytelling.
Long before visual albums became the norm, Jody Watley was setting the standard.
Jody Watley helped transform the intersection of music and fashion with Video Classics, Vol. 1. This retrospective highlights the cultural significance, visual artistry, and enduring influence of one of the first major music video compilations released by a Black female artist.
Jody Watley: Video Classics Vol. 1 (1991) is an RIAA Gold Certified music video compilation, groundbreaking as one of the first by a Black female artist.
Released via MCA Records on VHS and Laser Disc, it featured music videos from her early multiplatinum solo albums, including iconic hits like “Looking For A New Love” “Friends” featuring Eric B & Rakim, and the 6 time MTV VMA nominated video “Real Love” alongside insightful interviews discussing her visual style and video inspirations specific to each director and filming on location in London, England and Paris, France.
Tracks Included: “Looking for a New Love,” “Still a Thrill,” “Don’t You Want Me,” “Some Kind of Lover,” “Most of All,” “Real Love,” and “Friends”.
Impact: Validated Watley as a visual innovator in the MTV era and highlighted her collaborations with directors.
Significance: Showcased her transition from Shalamar to a pioneering solo dance-pop artist with high-fashion imagery.
Jody Watley is a GRAMMY-winning artist, multi-platinum singer, songwriter, producer, and global style icon.
Named Best New Artist in 1988, she ranks among Billboard’s Top 60 Female Artists of All Time, with six Top 10 Hot 100 hits – including iconic hits “Looking For A New Love,” “Don’t You Want Me,” “Friends” featuring Eric B. & Rakim, and “Real Love” and more.
She’s also earned seven No. 1 Dance hits, two No. 1 R&B singles, and success across R&B, pop, dance, electronica, and jazz—building a genre-spanning catalog that continues to evolve.
A true visionary in music and fashion, Watley broke barriers for Black women globally—becoming the first artist and woman of color to appear on the cover of a Japanese fashion magazine, and among the first artists to merge music, branding, and lifestyle with her Dance To Fitness movement.
Recognized by Vogue, People, and Harper’s Bazaar, her influence extends beyond music through iconic campaigns for GAP, LA Eyeworks, and Saks Fifth Avenue.
Her honors include Black Music Honors’ Crossover Music Icon Award, induction into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame, and multiple nominations from the American Music Awards, MTV VMAs and NAACP Image Awards.
A pioneer of independence, she founded her own label, Avitone, in 1995—well ahead of today’s artist-owned movement.
Decades into her career, Jody Watley continues to thrive with critically acclaimed, chart-topping releases. Her latest album, Let’s Dance Vol. 1, reached No. 1 on iTunes Dance and Amazon UK charts.
Her influence endures—timeless, trailblazing, and still setting her own standard – authentically, independently.
Jody Watley. All Rights Reserved 2026 Avid Music Inc
Jody Watley shares a special Wattage Thoughts message this Easter Sunday—reflecting on renewal, spring cleaning, and the importance of decluttering your life, not just your home. 🌸✨ Watch NEW Youtube Video Short: Here
A reminder that growth begins within—clear the space, reset your energy, and move forward with purpose, faith, and gratitude.
Celebrate the season of renewal with inspiration from Jody Watley
Jody Watley is a Best New Artist GRAMMY®️ award winner, 3 x Solo Nominee, Multiple -platinum selling singer /songwriter/producer with a diverse ongoing music discography spanning decades.
R&B / Pop / Dance /House Music/ Downtempo Electronica / Jazz – 80s, 90s, 2000s.
Jody Watley recognized as a style icon (VOGUE, People Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar +more) ranked by Billboard as one of the Top 60 Female Artists of All Time, Top 25 Dance Artists of All Time, Top 100 Black Solo Artists Of All Time. Crossover Music Icon from Black Music Honors 2017, Inductee in Women’s Songwriter Hall of Fame + more.
As a solo artist, Jody Watley has amassed 6 Billboard Hot 100 Top Ten Singles including iconic chart toppers “Looking For A New Love”, “Don’t You Want Me”, “Real Love” and the groundbreaking R&B/Rap collaboration “Friends” featuring Eric B. and Rakim. 6 Top 10 Hot 100 Singles, 13 # 1 Dance Singles, which led to a Billboard Magazine Dance Chart Lifetime Achievement Award; 2 R&B Number 1’s, 15 Top 40 Singles, Gold and platinum albums in the USA, Canada and Asia, a million selling fitness video and video compilation.
2007 Billboard Dance Lifetime Achievement, 2017 recipient of the Black Music Honors Crossover Music Icon Award and nominations from the American Music Awards, MTV Awards, NAACP Awards and Soul Train Awards.
A visionary and trailblazer, she set the blueprint for the independent artist movement by launching her own label, Avitone, in 1995—decades before it became a trend. Her solo career continues to thrive with critically acclaimed and chart-topping releases including 2025’s “Let’s Dance Vol. 1 Hit Them Beats” which vaulted to #1 on iTunes Top Dance /Electronic Albums on July 11 and Amazon Music UK’s Top Dance Electronic Albums,
Released March 27, 1989 — the platinum-certified second solo album “Larger Than Life” from Jody Watley.
A defining project of the late ’80s, the album delivered three Billboard Top 10 hits, with Watley contributing once again to the song narratives co-writing 9 of the 10 songs produced by Andre Cymone:
“Real Love” (Gold-certified), also her second R&B #1, “Friends,” and “Everything.”
“Real Love” — directed by Oscar-winner David Fincher— became one of MTV’s most nominated videos, pushing visual storytelling and fashion-forward aesthetics while cementing Watley as a true music and style trailblazer.
The groundbreaking “Friends” featuring Eric B & Rakim helped pioneer the fusion of R&B, hip-hop, pop, and dance (Source: Okayplayer), becoming one of the first crossover collaborations to hit the Top 10 across multiple charts. The video also featured voguing, street dance, with a cast of true New York club kids and sub culture icons such as Connie Fleming. The album also showcased emotional depth with the timeless ballad “Everything.”
Stream Larger Than Life and explore the ongoing music discography of Jody Watley across your favorite digital platforms.
About the Artist:
Jody Watley is a GRAMMY® Award–winning Best New Artist and 3x nominee, multi-platinum singer, songwriter, producer, entrepreneur, and style icon.
Renowned as one of the most defining female artists of the 80s and 90s with Top 10 hits including the iconic “Looking for a New Love,” “Don’t You Want Me,” “Friends” ft. Eric B. & Rakim, and the gold-certified “Real Love,” she has built a genre-spanning, critically acclaimed catalog across R&B, Pop, Dance, Jazz, Electronica, 80s, 90s, 2000s-Present including 2025’s #1 iTunes Dance Electronic Album “Let’s Dance Vol.1”
To date she has 6 Hot 100 Top 10 Singles, 13 Number 1 Dance Singles, 2 Number 1 R&B Singles, 15 Top 40 Singles, 3 Number 1 Dance Electronic Albums in the 2000s, numerous UK Soul Chart Top 5 singles in her ongoing independently released music.
An award-winning songwriter (BMI Medal of Honor, Women’s Songwriters Hall of Fame), Watley is ranked by Billboard among the Top 25 Dance Artists of All Time and Top 65 Hot 100 Female Artists of All Time. Her honors include Black Music Honors Crossover Icon and the 2022 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award + more. A former member of the group Shalamar (1977-1983), Jody Watley was a part of the Band Aid #1 UK charity single “Do They Know It’s Christmas.
She was the first artist to brand herself and release a #1 Fitness Video to her music, in 1989, the first artist and black woman to appear on the cover of a Japanese fashion magazine, with the launch of SPUR that same year.
Jody Watley – SPUR Fashion Magazine Japan Launch November 1989.
Celebrated as a fashion and cultural trailblazer, Watley has features in GAP, VOGUE, Harper’s Bazaar, Rolling Stone, People Magazine (Most Beautiful Issue) and more.
A pioneer at the intersection of music and style. Her multi-decade, multi-generational career continues to evolve since her early Pop R&B era with MCA (1986-1994) through progressing into her independent label Avitone era 1995 into the present.
OTD February 23, 1987 — A Cultural Reset in Pop & R&B
On this day, Jody Watley released her self-titled debut album, JODY WATLEY— a groundbreaking statement of independence, innovation, and style that redefined what a modern female pop & R&B artist could be.
More than a debut, this was a bold artistic rebirth.
Emerging from group success to claim her own creative vision, Watley delivered a genre-blending body of work that fused pop, R&B, dance, and fashion-forward imagery — helping shape the sound and visual language of late-’80s pop culture and the MTV era.
✨Certified Multi-Platinum (3 million U.S. / 4+ million worldwide)#1 R&B Album / #10 Top 200 Albums
The project also featured a duet with global superstar George Michael and production from production team including André Cymone, David Z., Bernard Edwards, and Patrick Leonard.
Even more significant — Watley co-wrote 6 of the album’s 9 tracks, establishing herself not just as a performer, but as a songwriter, visionary, and architect of her own image.
At a time when few Black women in pop were granted full creative authorship and fashion autonomy, Jody Watley stood at the intersection of music, high style (blending couture, vintage, custom designs) into her own Jody Watley Style, and most importantly empowerment to “Believe In Yourself” “Be Yourself” no matter what — influencing generations to come.
Avitone Recordings Founder Jody Watley Women In Music Leadership
In 1995, when Jody Watley launched Avitone Recordings with the release of “Affection,”the move signaled more than creative freedom—it marked a long-term commitment to ownership, resilience, and quality in an industry that often prioritizes immediacy over legacy. Reflecting on thirty years ago, founding an independent record label was not the popular—or protected—choice it might appear to be today.
Since her iconic MCA years (1987–1994), Jody Watley has continued pushing past boundaries, navigating an ever-changing music landscape while remaining committed to the core principle that defines Avitone: Fueling Quality Music.
Independence Is Not a Shortcut
Being an independently released artist—especially one with an iconic legacy—comes with unique challenges. There is no major-label machine, no guaranteed playlist placement, no 24/7 publicity cycle. Instead, there is strategy, patience, and persistence. Every release must earn its moment on merit, consistency, and trust built over time.
As the industry evolved—from physical sales to digital downloads, streaming, and now algorithm-driven discovery—Jody Watley and Avitone evolved alongside it. Not by chasing trends, but by adapting thoughtfully while maintaining artistic integrity. That evolution has resulted in critically acclaimed releases, dance-floor chart toppers, UK Soul chart success, brand partnerships, and licensing deals that continue to expand the Jody Watley catalog across platforms and generations.
Navigating Culture, Algorithms, and Expectations
Today’s environment presents new complexities: gossip culture, controlled algorithms, and attention economies that often favor virality over substance. For artists with a long history, there is also the reality that a portion of the audience may only engage with earlier classics—while overlooking the breadth and depth of new work.
Yet growth doesn’t always happen at scale. Sometimes it happens in niche pockets, where listeners actively choose quality, intention, and artistry. Those pockets matter. They sustain momentum. They build community. And over time, they compound.
A powerful example of this ongoing growth is the 100,000-subscriber milestone and Silver Creator Award on YouTube—an achievement that is far from automatic for an iconic “legacy” artist. In fact, it’s one of the hardest spaces to grow authentically without sensationalism or algorithm gaming. Reaching that milestone signals something meaningful: continued relevance, curiosity from new audiences, and a willingness to meet fans where they are—without compromising identity.
Jody Watley holding YouTube Silver Creator Award Celebrating 100K plus subscribers, marking digital growth, relevance, longevity for an iconic independent artist.
Thirty Years, Still Moving Forward
Avitone’s journey includes three #1 Dance / Electronic Albums—Midnight Lounge(2003), The Makeover(2008), and Let’s Dance Vol.1 – Hit Them Beats(2025)—with the latter reaching #1 on iTunes Top Dance Albums and Amazon Music UK Hot Dance / Electronic. These Jody Watley moments are not outliers; they are the result of sustained effort, creative belief, and long-view thinking.
Thirty years in, Avitone is not about nostalgia—it’s about continuity. About proving that independence can be durable, that quality still resonates, and that evolution doesn’t require erasure of the past.
The journey continues with gratitude for every listener, supporter, and partner who understands that real independence is built over time—and that quality music always finds its audience.
About the Artist:
Jody Watley is a GRAMMY award winning multi-platinum singer/songwriter/producer recognized as a style icon. Winner of Best New Artist in 1988, only the third black artist in recording academy history at the time. Jody Watley is listed in Billboard as one of the Top 60 Female Artists of All Time, Top 25 Dance Artists of All Time and Top 100 Black Solo Artists Of All Time.
The recipient of Crossover Music Icon from Black Music Honors 2017, Inductee in Women Songwriters Hall of Fame, Billboard Dance Music Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient, Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award (Joe Biden), various proclamations for her contributions in women’s & artist and LGBTQ rights, with an ongoing diverse music discography spanning decades in Disco /R&B / Pop / Dance /House Music / Spoken Word/ Dance Electronic – 80s, 90s, 2000s-Present
As a solo artist, for over four decades; the Pop and R&B singer-songwriter -producer has 6 Billboard Hot 100 Top Ten Singles (Looking For A New Love, Don’t You Want Me, Friends ft. Eric B & Rakim and more), her video for the now classic hit “Real Love” remains one of the most nominated MTV VMA’s of all time, 13 Number 1 Dance Singles, 2 R&B Number 1’s, 15 Top 40 Singles, Gold and multi-platinum albums in the USA alone as a solo artist.
Watley’s eventual fusion of jazz, and deep house music made her a long time staple in underground club culture. The ease with which she crosses genres opened the doors for greater acceptance of black women thinking outside the box in music and fashion is notable.
The versatile songstress and Chicago native was recognized by People Magazine in their 50 Most Beautiful People Issue, and appeared in breakthrough ad campaigns for GAP, Saks 5th Avenue and LA Eyeworks of many ongoing milestones in her solo career.
