Erika Jayne :: ready to rumble
Move over Ms Gaga, there’s a new gal on the scene ready to rumble. Erika Jayne brings her Atlanta musical upbringing to the forefront of the Billboard dance charts, with three singles from her debut album already hitting the top 10, and another set to drop sometime around mid-March. One of her first hits was "Sex Shooter," an obscure song from Prince’s 1984 Purple Rain movie by Apollonia 6.
Released last year, Pretty Mess features production from industry heavyweights Peter Rafelson (Madonna, Britney Spears) and Eric Kupper (Kylie Minogue, Shakira), along with guest percussion from the legendary Sheila E on the track "Time to Realize." yet another Prince connection. Her next single release, the album titled track, sees her once again working with some big name producers on the scene, each taking a turn at remixing and giving the song their own unique style. Larry Tee, Dave Aude, Tracy Young, and the DJ duo Escape and Vicious, all take turns at helping Jayne maintain her steadfast climb in club land.
The Madonna influence
Although Jayne swings to the hetero side, she’s gathered most of her recognition from within the gay circles so far, much like her icon Madonna did. She admits to Madonna’s ’Virgin Tour’ being the first concert she ever attended. "I totally loved the music, fashion, dancers, and overall choreography that her image projected," she admits. "I knew right away that I wanted to emulate her".
Her current shows take place in small bars, both gay and straight, and she also performs at many LGBT events, such as her past main stage gigs at both the Los Angeles and San Francisco Pride festivals. "I give the same show for a crowd of 1 or 10,000", she says. "I love what I do and I want to perform at my best for anyone that comes out to see me." She says her shows are currently done to tracks, with a half dozen hot dancers and lots of fun visuals. Her long-term goal is to keep growing the show, eventually incorporating DJ’s or perhaps a live band that will tour with her.
She’s also created a bit of a buzz in Europe, where she’s already played a couple of shows in London and Brighton, and has been in talks on a possible Paris show. The UK press are typically quicker to jump on the newest pop sensations than North America is, so to get accolades over there usually plummets an artist up the international charts much more quickly.
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Watch Erika Jayne’s video of "Give You Everything."
