Tortola’s Iyaz scores big on Billboard
ITS been a memorable musical journey for 22-year-old Keidran Jones. Jones, who records under the moniker Iyaz, didn’t pay attention to the messages in his inbox via his MySpace page from Sean Kingston.
It was the third message that he replied to, since he kept wondering why the pop/R&B singer would be reaching out to him. As it turned out, Kingston had taken an interest in Jones’ music after listening to tracks he heard on his page.
These days, Jones who was born in the US Virgin Islands, but who grew up in the British Virgin Islands, is sitting pretty at the top of the biggest music charts around the world.
His smash single Replay, which was produced by JR Rotem and written by Kingston, recently topped Billboard’s Pop 100 chart. The track peaked at number two on the Hot 100 Singles chart. Its success has already been making an impact in Europe, as the track is number one in Ireland, number 10 in Australia, and number two in New Zealand.
Iyaz was signed to Kingston’s Time is Money Entertainment company, but Kingston’s producer Rotem later signed him to his Beluga Heights entity which recently entered into a label partnership with Warner Bros Records.
Iyaz’s debut album My Life is due on Reprise Records in March. You can catch Iyaz when he performs with Sean Kingston on January 16 at the Lime Golf Academy at ‘Coke Zero presents Sean Kingston in Concert’.
Estelle and David Guetta hit the right notes
French house music producer and DJ David Guetta, who is up for five Grammy Awards (two for his production of the Black Eyed Peas single I Gotta Feeling, and three for his latest album One Love), is sitting pretty at the top of the Billboard Dance Music Club Play chart.
Guetta’s latest journey on the dance chart has culminated with the title track from his fourth studio disc One Love. One Love which features British vocalist Estelle, has given Guetta his third number one dance hit. The previous two were When Love Takes Over featuring Kelly Rowland and Sexy Chick featuring Akon.
Guetta, who is currently working on upcoming tracks with the likes of Celine Dion, Britney Spears, Kelly Rowland, Kelis, Lady GaGa and Madonna, placed third in the Top 100 DJs Poll conducted by DJ Magazine.
Kesha Tik Tok’s to the top
Twenty-two-year-old Los Angeles resident Kesha, takes full control of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with her ode to partying, and all-night fun and the morning after, with her single Tik Tok.
Kesha, who had a long-term friendship with Paris Hilton and Katy Perry, gained some attention when she teamed up with rapper Flo Rida on the single Right Round, which topped charts last year.
Tik Tok is the first single from Kesha’s debut album Animal, which was recently released via RCA Records. The song, which shifted 610,000 downloads in its first week, has to date moved two million downloads.
BITS AND PIECES
Cherine Anderson and Natel recently completed the video for their single You Turn Me On. It was directed by Kevin Lee.
Speaking of videos, Kimala Bennett will get behind the director’s chair for Nicky B’s latest joint Every Gal, which is featured on Tarik ‘Russian’ Johnston’s Go Go Club rhythm.
Soca artiste Terri Lyons, sister of Fay Ann Lyons and daughter of soca veteran Austin ‘Superblue’ Lyons, is paving her own musical path with the release of the songs Gone and Smile, which features Ataklan. Gone is being touted as one of the joints to make a major impact at Trinidad Carnival 2010.
It took all of six weeks for Susan Boyle’s album I Dreamed a Dream to emerge as the top selling album of 2009 in the UK. Boyle’s debut opus shot past Lady GaGa’s The Frame, which led the pack late last year.
VP Records is set to release the compilation album Volcano Eruption from veteran producer Henry ‘Junjo’ Lawes, on February 16. One of the most prolific record producers of his time, Lawes produced a string of hits for some of the biggest names in the business. Volcano Eruption is a double- disc package which also includes a DVD. Among the artistes featured on the compilation are Eeek-A-Mouse, Barrington Levy, Coco Tea and Little John.
DID YOU KNOW?
Did you know that the song Show and Tell which was a double platinum-selling single for R&B singer Al Wilson, was first recorded by Johnny Mathis in 1972? The song was originally written by Jerry Fuller and Mathis’ version failed to chart.
However, Wilson’s version spent one week at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1973 and managed to dent the R&B singles chart in the process. Sixteen years later in 1989, American R&B singer Peabo Bryson recorded a version of Show and Tell which went to the number one spot on Billboard’s R&B singles chart.
Wilson died in 2008 at the age of 68.