Music News: Newcomer Alja Jackson Writes for Beyoncé’s New Album

Newcomer Alja Jackson has confirmed that she has done some writing for the new Beyoncé album.

“I’m listening to the record I wrote for Beyonce” she says “Oh mane! Sh*t snappin! So Pretty Girl Bad! ‘Bout to have B on dat PGB! She on it!”

More on Alja after the jump….

Alja Jackson is a new, up and coming singer/songwriter/rapper signed to Interscope Records/Geffen Records. She even runs her own label “LEFTFIELD”…

Alja Jackson has been in this music game for more then 5 years now. She is known for going against the norm, using guerilla tactics & strategies with a new sense of style & flair, with her eclectic musical taste.

“When my mother would drive me around in that old Toyota Corolla, all we had was that broken car radio. It was stuck on one station and that only played pop music. I listened to that a lot and then we got home I listened to R&B and hip-hop. That’s the music I knew I wanted to do when I became an artist. I knew I wanted to be an R&B/soul star”.

What she didn’t know is that pop music would make its influence known when she started writing and shaping her sound. Alja moved to NYC to be in the heartbeat of music and to be where she thought she would find fame and fortune. She sang background vocals for iconic artists like Maxi Priest and Sean Paul. She took meetings with labels, knowing that one day she would be a star. But NYC wasn’t the dream for Alja’ Jackson and than she moved to ATL

“I knew that I had to go home because I just wasn’t feeling the vibe. I knew that ATL was the new hotspot for music, so I moved.” Alja’ was motivated but everyone wasn’t digging her sound. “It’s not that they didn’t like my music. They liked my music, but I didn’t have a sound. Every artist needs to know their own voice, their sound, and I didn’t really have one..You have to take a minute to find out who you really are. A lot of artists don’t want to struggle, but that advice opened every door. I started working with all these producers and artists and it changed everything. Then, one day I was in the studio working with the Pussycat Dolls and the next day, I was in an artist meeting with Jimmy Iovine.” Alja’ slouched in the chair, sure that this was just another “we don’t get you and your style” meeting, but “Jesse Jane,” her vibrant alter ego, knew that this was it. “Jesse Jane” was right.

Interscope Records got it and signed her the next day.

As a songwriter Alja has written songs for Diddy-Dirty Money,  Trey Songz–“Already taken{Co-wrote it with Ester Dean}”, and Sharaya {Missy Elliott’s new artist}-“What is Love”. And she has worked with many big names in the music industry such as producers Mad Scientist, Ike Dirty, Chuck Cha-Loa, MissyElliott, Timbaland and Pharrell Williams. It’s just  been confirmed that the singer will release “I’m the Prettiest Girl”, as the first single off her upcoming debut album. It’s also been confirmed that the single will have an alternate remix that will feature Lil Wayne and Missy. The video is said to be directed by Nicole Ehrlich who also directed Kelis’s video “Acapella”.

You can listen to the single below, with lyrics that go like “I’m Hotter Than Electricity In A Wire”:

Listen:

DOWNLOAD IT: “The Prettiest Girl”

Bio info source: toyaz-world.net

New Talent: Greyson Michael Chance performing Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi”

Sixth-grader Greyson Michael Chance [Bieber who?] performs a chick-magnetized version of Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” in a pit of lip-biting, face-touching young women. lol.

No really, he’s Amazing..

Check out his video below after the jump…

Your thoughts?

Source: YouTube, fuckyealadygaga

New Talent: Ieshia ~ An Artist on the Rise

“Still Standing”, the first single from R&B/Rap artist Ieshia is a laid back track that talks about surviving whatever is thrown at you and coming out stronger for it. It talks about strength and hope and celebrating the human spirit that allows us to do so. It’s not a surprising choice, considering her background.

Since the day she was born, her life has been an exercise in survival. Born into a musical home, the would-be star would suffer heart failure twice before she even got home from the hospital. She bounced back from her medical issues to become an active child and got her start in music by doing what so many before her have done: singing in church.

Before she would graduate High School, Ieshia would suffer the loss of her mother and the grandmother who raised her after her mother’s death. Reeling from these losses, the budding singer focused all her energy into making the dream they had shared with her come true. She recorded an album with Pimptown Entertainment (a deal her Grandmother had helped her secure, as Ieshia was too young to do so herself at the time) and was forging ahead with appearances. The bookings were being done by the same agent that secured gigs for Destiny’s Child, Yolanda Adams and other such acts. It was looking like nothing was going to stop her.

Hurricane Katrina. The storm came to Louisiana and New Orleans in 2005, devastating communities and leaving little in its path. Along with her home and many of her possessions, Ieshia’s recordings and promotional materials had also been destroyed. She was back to square one with little money left to recreate it all. The singer had to get creative if she was going to piece it all back together again.

A letter written by her husband and the CEO of her company was the first step. The letter detailed her situation and what she was hoping to accomplish with the help of others in the Industry. This letter would eventually find its way to legendary artist Chuck D and Giana Garel. The duo read her letter live on their radio show and before long, many stepped in to help the singer get her career going again by sending her tracks and other assistance. All they asked for in return was for her to do design work for them.

The exposure from all this helped Ieshia to appear on “How She Move” as well as the CW’s “Dig it or Diss it”. Since then, she has managed to build a large fan base at home and abroad through her MySpace Music page and is preparing for her album release. The recording, also titled Still Standing, is scheduled to be released sometime in 2008.

Because of everything she has gone through, she is also planning to release a book called Gigster. The book will detail helpful hints for artists looking to get their names out there and will eventually become a service dedicated to offering transportation and other assistance to aspiring artists. Will Ieshia become the next Ciara or Rhianna? Only time will tell. No matter what the future brings, she’s sure to be “still standing” at the end.

If you wanna see more, check out my interview with her on my old pop blog. It’s quite the read. Also, check out this video of her via her youtube performing Still Standing