Biography

Known for her alluring vocals, catchy melodies and electro beats, not to mention an infectious taste of decadence, pop vocalist, songwriter and performer ERIKA JAYNE is a bona fide queen of the charts. Distinguished by industry powerhouse Billboard magazine for an “uncommon feat” (issue date 6/26/10), ERIKA JAYNE has sent her first four singles to #1 on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart.

The Atlanta-born, Los Angeles transplant began her Billboard streak with her first #1 single “Rollercoaster” and followed with a chart-topper each successive release with “Stars,” “Give You Everything” and most recently “Pretty Mess.” These chart-busting hits are featured on her debut album PRETTY MESS, released August 2009 on E1 Records. With that, ERIKA joins quite the illustrious club: According to Billboard, only 13 acts including Rihanna and The Pussycat Dolls have taken at least their first four hits to #1 since the chart launched in 1976 as a national weekly survey of the most-played tunes as reported by club DJs.

If disco balls, ecstasy, pearls, Studio 54, sex, crystal chandeliers, Purple Rain, and crème brûlée, could be whipped in a blender and made into a delicious pop-dance musical confection, you would have Pretty Mess, JAYNE’s debut album—a 14-song collection of dance, rhythmic pop, and dreamy electronica songs. Peter Rafelson (Madonna, Britney Spears, Stevie Nicks) and Eric Kupper (Shakira, Destiny’s Child, Kylie Minogue) produced and co-wrote Pretty Mess, while Canadian singer-songwriter Esthero (as Pinklake), Jahi Lake (Chris Brown) and Ike Dirty (Lil’ Scrappy, Ying Yang Twinz, and son of legendary artist Isaac Hayes) contributed additional production. Prince protégé Sheila E. is found playing percussion on the sexually charged “Time to Realize” and there is a cover of Apollonia 6’s 1984 hit “Sex Shooter,” which now is a staple of her live repertoire.

The Billboard distinction is only the cherry on top of an already stellar year. In addition to key national appearances including Gay Pride events in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Miami and New York just to name a few, ERIKA skyrocketed up the U.K. music charts with remixes of “Give You Everything" by Paul Harris, Mark Brown and Michael Woods. The tracks shot to #2 on the Music Week Upfront Club Chart as well as #6 on the Music Week Commercial Pop Club Chart, marking her first time to land on the U.K. charts. In addition, the single hit #5 on Billboard’s 2009 year end Hot Dance Club Play Songs chart. JAYNE also released a package for “Pretty Mess,” featuring remixes by Dave Aude, Tracy Young, DJ Escape & Johnny Vicious, Larry Tee, Bill Hamel, Klubjumpers, Peter Rafelson and Marshall Stack, along with a sexy and provocative video cut to the Dave Aude remix and co-directed by VMA-nominated choreographer, artistic director Mikey Minden (Pussy Cat Dolls, Girlicious, Paradiso Girls) and famed photographer Mike Ruiz.

ERIKA gravitated to music and performing as young as her earliest memory. The precocious child also did musical theater (she was Val in A Chorus Line and Frastrada in Pippin) and honed her singing, dancing, and acting chops at North Atlanta School of Performing Arts for high school. It was in high school when she got her first real taste of what it would be like to be an international pop star. She toured the world in the school’s revue show where she performed “9 to 5” and Madonna’s “Get Into the Groove.” At 18, she moved to New York and was in a few girl groups, but always wanted to step out on her own.

She has indeed accomplished more before the release of her debut CD than most artists. Along with two chart-topping dances radio tracks, the sensual video for “Stars” – directed by Scott Speer (Will I. Am, the Veronicas, Paris Hilton) - spent 12 weeks (peaking at No. 2) on LOGO’s The Click List, and the song also hit No. 1 on the Billboard Dance Play chart and is featured in the 2009 movie American Summer with Efren Ramirez (Napoleon Dynamite) and Matthew Lillard (Scream). Three other songs have been placed in movies as well --“Rollercoaster” is in 2008’s Deal featuring Burt Reynolds and in the horror film Bumper, and “I Lose Myself” and “Just a Phase” are in the 2007 Matthew Modine flick The Neighbor.

Currently working on new music, ERIKA is giving a taste of what’s to come with performances in her live show of “One Hot Pleasure,” an unreleased song for which she has just shot a video. Stay tuned for more news about exciting things from the glamorous ERIKA JAYNE.

www.erikajayne.com