Interview With Erika Jayne

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Erika Jayne isn’t pretentious about her dance music or the fact that her blonde hair gets her compared to people like Paris Hilton and Madonna. Jayne’s prior training in classical music as an opera singer gave her all the snobbery she needed to breakaway and move into a genre that is synonymous with fun. Her first single “Rollercoaster” was an innocuous piece of electro-funk lite that was universally accepted by fans of pop-oriented dance music. The song reached the coveted number one chart standing and created a readiness among her fans for the next release. “Stars” was the buoyant follow-up ode to physical attraction in the ethereal environment of the club. Dance and pop music veterans Eric Kupper and Peter Rafelson are the primary sources of her sound that some writers have referred to as “the coming of the next Kylie Minogue” who Kupper also worked with in the past. “Give You Everything” is the third single and it is stirring up the buzz for her first full-length project Pretty Mess which will premiere on August 11th.

How do you feel about the comparisons to Madonna and Paris Hilton?
Love the one about Madonna and you just kind of blow off the one about Paris. I don’t know whatever people are going to have their own opinions it’s fine.

It’s cool that you are doing something mostly based in an electronic sound but you still have someone like Sheila E on the album, how did that happen?
I love Sheila E she was down for it I said you know ‘Can we do this?’ and she said ‘Yeah I’d love to’ and it’s a really cool thing to have Sheila on the timbales on your dance track. It’s hot it takes it to another level it gives it a different texture.

I know you are a Prince fan with Shelia E on your album, you’ve done a cover of “Sex Shooter” and the name of the project “Pretty Mess” is also the title of a song that Vanity sang.
You’re the only one to catch the Vanity thing quite honestly it’s not at all. I wrote a song called “Pretty Mess” not even thinking about Vanity or referencing Vanity at all my “Pretty Mess” is completely different than hers. I know what hers is about and mine is about being a complicated woman. You’re the first person to say that, that’s very clever of you. I mean the “Sex Shooter” thing I just always kind of liked that song and wanted to remake it on my own in my own way. But they definitely did not have anything to do with each other.

You are a classically trained opera singer how did you end up on the dance charts? What defines you? Why do you do the music you do?
I’ve always loved dance music classical music can get a little stiff I like to dance and jump around so that’s how I ended up on the dance charts I’ve always loved dance music.

Can I ask you about your time with The Flirts?
Very briefly I was with The Flirts I was a kid and lost someone and had an audition I just came in and helped people that know them. The Flirts were kind of like they changed their lineup a lot.

Do the clubs inspire you?
Without a doubt some of the clubs you get inspiration. I get a lot of inspiration from film and pop culture things that are going on. The point of my record is fantasy and escape. It’s about fantasy, love and escape having a good time there’s so much going on right now it’s supposed to take you away.

How does it feel when you hear your music in the club?
It’s great when people are loving it and dancing to it.

Do you think you will ever record music outside that genre?
You know if the right song comes along why not?

Any closing comments?
I want to thank my fans for their support and to make sure they are on the lookout for the album this summer.

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