“If you’re just making a fashion statement without making a difference, that’s a travesty. As artists, we all have to assume responsibility for the messages we send out…”
8 dollar Hanes t-shirt — more importantly the attitude and sentiment are priceless and contribute to longevity.
Wattage!
A few April Jody Watley music milestone anniversaries.
#OTD April 15, 1989
The Platinum second Solo Album – Happy 33rd Anniversary
“Larger Than Life”
Debuted on the Billboard 200 chart.
Multi-Chart Top 10 Hits
“Real Love” written by Jody Watley & Andre Cymone
The groundbreaking “Friends” ft. Eric B. & Rakim – written by Jody Watley, Andre Cymone, Rakim, Eric Barrier
Ballad “Everything.” written by Gardner Cole, James Newton-Howard
Produced by Andre Cymone
The album cover is featured in Taschen 1000 Greatest Album Covers.
Art Direction –
Lynn Robb
Concept
Jody Watley
Inspiration – High fashion, good music and never playing yourself small – Make it ‘Larger Than Life’
Released #OTD April 15, 1989:
“Friends”
ft. the Legendary Eric B. & Rakim
Written by: Jody Watley, Andre Cymone, Rakim, Eric B.
Billboard Charts
#3 Hot R&B,
#7 Dance,
#9 Hot 100
The first original Pop/R&B/HipHop/Rap/Dance single to crossover Top 10 on Multiple Charts.
#OTD April 16, 1988
“Some Kind Of Lover”
Happy Anniversary
by GRAMMY® winner Jody Watley
Peaked at #10 on the @billboard Hot 100 chart
Written by: Jody Watley, Andre Cymone
Produced by Andre Cymone
Additional Chart Notes
#1 Dance,
#3 Hot R&B
Full Jody Watley Discography – https://jodywatley.net/discography/
The second platinum solo album featured Top 10 Singles “Real Love”, the groundbreaking “Friends” featuring Eric B & Rakim along with the ballad “Everything.” The 4 and final single was the mid-tempo “Precious Love.”
The album featured photography by legendary fashion photographer Steven Meisel and a change in the visual style and look to a more fashion forward aesthetic also incorporating designer looks with street style. T
The now classic “Real Love “ video directed by David Fincher remains one of the most nominated in MTV Awards history with 6.
“Friends” featuring Eric B & Rakim is the first original song pairing a Pop / R&B artist with Rap/Hip Hop verses to crossover into the Top 10 on multiple charts.
1989
Real Love (J. Watley, A. Cymone) Jody Watley Music BMI, Ultrawave ASCAP
# 2 Hot 100
# 1 Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles
# 1 Hot Dance Club Play
Friends featuring Eric B and Rakim (J. Watley, A. Cymone, Rakim, Eric B) Jody Watley Music BMI, Ultrawave ASCAP
# 9 Hot 100
# 3 Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles
# 7 Hot Dance Club Play Singles
Everything (G. Cole, J. Newton-Howard)
# 4 Hot 100
# 3 Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles
# 11 Adult Contemporary
Via RnB Soul Effect TV — #OnThisDay March 21st 1987 , “Looking For A New Love” went Number 1 for three weeks on the Billboard Hot R&B charts, Grammy Award Icon Jody Watley solo debut Number #1 hit single.
Written by Jody Watley & Andre Cymone Produced by Andre Cymone & David Z.
The song became one of the biggest Pop and R&B singles of 1987.
The single hit number two for four consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 in May 1987 and spent three weeks at number-one on the Billboard R&B chart.
It is the only single between 1985 and 1990 in the United States to have spent four weeks in the runner-up position and not have reached Number One.
It ranked number 16 on Billboard’s year-end chart for 1987.
The song also reached number-one on the RPM Singles Chart in Canada.
In 1988 the song was nominated for two Soul Train Music Awards for Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video, and Best R&B/Soul Single, Female. She was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.
One of the song’s key phrases became a popular saying: “Hasta la vista, baby.” It wound up on innumerable answering machines and was used by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1991 film Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
A music video, directed by Brian Grant was released in March 1987 to promote the song. Grant previously made videos for Whitney Houston, Peter Gabriel and Tina Turner.
Welcome Spring! Wishing everyone the best of the season. May we all continue to bloom, blossom and grow.
Wattage!
Photography, Paul Gobel, InFashion Magazine 1988.
I love this image taken during the promotion of my solo debt, which of course 2022 marks the 35th Anniversary of the release – this photo could have been taken today – truly timeless!
Jody Watley, Harper’s Bazaar 10 Most Beautiful Issue (Women from 21 to 48 Talk About Their Looks and Lives), September 1989
I was in great company as the ‘The Top 10’ list also featured Academy Award winning actress Jodie Foster on the cover, other inclusions were Faye Dunaway, Whitney Houston, Susan Sarandon, Kelly LeBrock, Julia Roberts, Melanie Griffith, and Anjelica Houston.
Clothing – Rifat Ozbek
Photography Matthew Rolston
For me – though having a strong visual presentation and identity as an artist is important – your looks never define who you are as a person nor have anything to do with substance, character, talent, tenacity and perseverance. One must have something going on beyond what’s on the outside. Over the decades I’ve found in some ways with women physical appearance when others consider you ‘beautiful’ can work against you too, you almost have to work double to be taken seriously not to mention those that may resent what they see and some to their own personal biases, misperceptions and so on – it’s a double edged sword. That said, looking back it’s special to have broken through some of the barriers that often exist for black women and artists in the lexicon of beauty and fashion opening the door a bit wider for others that have followed. This was my second of 3 features in Harper’s Bazaar.
No matter what – don’t forget to be awesome not matter what you look like!
Wattage!
#OTD March 7, 1987
“Looking For A New Love”
by GRAMMY® winner Jody Watley
Debuted on the @billboard Hot 100 chart peaking at #2
✍️🏾 Written by: J. Watley, A. Cymone
Chart Note➡️ #1 Dance, #1 Hot R&B
Grammy and American Music Awards Nominated
👉🏾 The smash hit no one saw coming!
#JodyWatley #Icon #35thAnniversary
“*Legendary singer Jody Watley, one of the architects of 21st-century pop “lit it up” on The Nick Cannon Show with an epic live performance!” Read and Watch Full Post on Eurweb: Here