Jody Watley

Last updated

Jody Watley
Jody Watley Capital Pride - 10.jpg
Watley performing in 2022
Background information
Born
Jody Vanessa Watley

(1959-01-30) January 30, 1959 (age 66) [1]
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Origin Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
  • radio host
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • piano
  • keyboards
Years active1974–present
Labels
Website jodywatley.net

Jody Vanessa Watley (born January 30, 1959) [2] [3] is an American singer, songwriter, and music producer. [4] [5] [6] Watley began her career in show business as one of the prominent dancers on the urban TV show, Soul Train , from 1974 until 1977. Watley first found musical acclaim when she became part of the original lineup of the R&B group Shalamar in 1977. With the group, Watley recorded the hits "Take That to the Bank", "The Second Time Around", "A Night to Remember" and the Grammy-nominated "Dead Giveaway" before leaving the band in 1983.

Contents

After initially launching her solo career in the United Kingdom in 1984, Watley signed with MCA Records and issued her self-titled debut album in 1987. The album launched three top ten singles on the Billboard Hot 100, including "Don't You Want Me", "Some Kind of Lover" and her signature song, "Looking for a New Love". The success of the album helped her to win the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1988. [7] [8] Watley would eventually record four more top ten singles between 1989 and 1996 including "Real Love" and "Friends", which arguably started the formula of pop and hip-hop collaborations with rapper Rakim and became commonplace by the mid-1990s. After the success of her sophomore album, Larger than Life , her commercial success peaked and subsequent releases such as Affairs of the Heart and Intimacy failed to chart, prompting Watley to become an independent artist. Since 2023, Watley has hosted the Sirius XM Satellite Radio show, The Jody Watley Show, a monthly life, music and culture show featuring celebrity guests and classic R&B hits. [9] [10]

Her honors have included a Billboard Dance Lifetime Achievement Award and a Crossover Music Icon honor at the Black Music Honors. [11] [12] [13] In 2018, she was ranked the 53rd most successful female charting artist on the Billboard Hot 100. [14] In March 2021, Watley was named the First Ambassador of the National Museum of African American Music. [15] In 2022, Watley received an honorary doctorate in business and Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from Joe Biden at Jody Watley Day at Georgia State Capitol, [16] [17] and was inducted into Women Songwriters Hall of Fame. [18]

Biography

1974–1984: Soul Train and Shalamar

Jody Watley in 1977 Jody Watley - Dorsey High School - Class of 1977.jpg
Jody Watley in 1977

Watley was born the second eldest of three to parents Rose Watley, a choir singer, and John Watley, a radio evangelist, in Chicago. [19] According to Watley, her home entertained famous musicians such as Sam Cooke, Joe Tex and Jackie Wilson, the latter of whom becoming Watley's godfather. [19] According to Watley, her father's itinerant ministry "kept [them] on the move". [19] When Watley was eight, Jackie Wilson brought the unsuspecting girl onto the stage with him during a performance. [19] [20] Three years later, while living in Kansas City, Watley organized a dance trio called "Black Fuzz". [19] Shortly after the Watleys moved to Los Angeles in 1974, she began attending Dorsey High School, where she subsequently graduated from in 1977. [21]

During her first week in Los Angeles, while attending James Cleveland’s Cornerstone Institutional Baptist Church, a parishioner there, Glen Stafford, approached her with an offer to be his temporary dance partner on the popular urban dance TV show, Soul Train , to which the 15-year-old happily accepted. [19] Watley wouldn't become a regular dancer on the program, however, until 1975. [19] By then, she had become dance partners with Jeffrey Daniel and shortly thereafter became a popular attraction on the show. [19]

Not too long afterwards, in 1976, Soul Train host and founder Don Cornelius and his then business partner Dick Griffey formed Soul Train Records and bought masters for a record called "Uptown Festival", a disco medley of Motown classics that was billed with the name "Shalamar". The song had been led by Gary Mumford and background session singers. To promote the record, Cornelius decided to replace the background singers with Watley and Daniel. [22] "Uptown Festival" was released in April 1977 and became a hit. Soul Train Records soon folded and Griffey formed SOLAR Records in 1978, with Shalamar and the Whispers as his first acts. By then, Mumford had left the group and was replaced by former session vocalist and Soul Train dancer Gerald Brown, releasing their second album, Disco Gardens , which featured the R&B hit, "Take That to the Bank", which was Watley's first recorded co-lead in the group alongside Brown. Around that same year, Watley and Daniel were both featured in an October 1978 issue of Ebony as she was noted as part of "The New Generation" in an article called "The 'Outrageous' Waack Dancers" on the magazine. [23]

Brown left the group in early 1979 right before the release of another Brown-led single from the album. He was soon replaced by singer Howard Hewett, therefore assembling the "classic" lineup of the group. Between 1979 and 1983, Watley, Daniel and Hewett recorded five albums together — Big Fun (1979), Three for Love (1980), Go for It (1981), Friends (1982) and The Look (1983). Watley co-led on some of the group's biggest hits, namely "Make That Move" and "A Night to Remember", while singing background on other hits such as "The Second Time Around", "This Is for the Lover in You" and "Dead Giveaway". [24] [25]

During this period, three of Shalamar's albums — Big Fun, Three for Love and Friends — and one single ("The Second Time Around") all received gold certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America. Despite the success, all three Shalamar band mates had a contentious relationship with one another and with their SOLAR record label for lack of payment as well as artistic decisions that neither band mate could agree to. By the completion of The Look, Watley demanded to be let go from the group. Following a UK promotional tour, where they filmed the music video to "Dead Giveaway" in London, Watley and Daniel left the group. [26] [27] [28] Despite The Look not performing as well as Friends, "Dead Giveaway" won the Watley-Hewett-Daniel lineup of Shalamar a Grammy Award nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group.

Watley relocated to London after leaving Shalamar. During this period, Watley recorded session work with Musical Youth on their album, Different Style! . [29] She also recorded with Gary Langan, Anne Dudley and J. J. Jeczalik (who later became Art of Noise). In 1984, she recorded two singles for Phonogram Records under the mononym "Jody" — "Where the Boys Are" and "Girls Night Out", which was released only in Europe and Australia. [30] [31]

In December 1984, Watley was one of only a few American acts — including R&B group Kool and the Gang — to participate in Bob Geldof's Band Aid recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?", which included Bono, Boy George, Sting, George Michael, Phil Collins, Status Quo, Paul Weller, Bananarama and other prominent Irish and British artists.

Solo career

1987-1988: Jody Watley and commercial breakthrough

Watley in Paris shooting the music video for "Still a Thrill" in 1987. Thrillvideo.jpg
Watley in Paris shooting the music video for "Still a Thrill" in 1987.

In 1986, after more than two years in the UK, Watley returned to the United States where she signed with MCA Records. [32] Working with former Prince collaborator André Cymone and Bernard Edwards of the group Chic, Watley released her self-titled solo debut, Jody Watley , in March 1987.

The album included six songs that were co-written by Watley. During her interview on the album with Rolling Stone , Watley stated she wanted to showcase her voice against "really funky hard dance tracks". [32] The album would become a hit upon its release, reaching number 10 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Top Black Albums chart, later selling over four million copies worldwide and going platinum in the United States, remaining her best-selling album to date.

The album produced three top ten singles on the Billboard Hot 100, including "Looking for a New Love", which peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified gold, [33] "Don't You Want Me", which peaked at number 6 and "Some Kind of Lover", which reached number 10, along with minor hits "Still a Thrill" and "Most of All". [34] The album is also notable for the George Michael-featured duet "Learn to Say No".

The album's success led to Watley being nominated for two solo Grammy Awards at the 30th Annual Grammy Awards in 1988, winning Best New Artist, which became a controversial win due to having released her first solo records in 1984 under the name "Jody". [35] During that period, she had been featured in the UK pop magazine Smash Hits as "formerly of Shalamar".

This "technicality" (no second name) allowed her to be considered for Best New Artist. Watley's win was also negatively compared to the Grammy snubs of Whitney Houston and Richard Marx. [36] [37] It remains her only Grammy win as of 2025. [38]

Following her Grammy win, Watley was featured in Harper's Bazaar magazine photographed by Francesco Scavullo. [39] In addition to the Grammy nominations, she also received multiple nominations at the MTV Video Music Awards and the Soul Train Music Awards.

1989-1992: Larger Than Life and Affairs of the Heart

Watley pictured in 1990. Jw in vintage90.jpg
Watley pictured in 1990.

Watley's second album, Larger Than Life was released in the spring of 1989. Watley was even more hands-on with the album, co-penning eleven of the album's twelve songs with Cymone.

The album peaked at number 16 on the Billboard 200 and produced three top ten singles, including "Real Love", which repeated the success of "Looking for a New Love", by peaking at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, "Friends", which reached number 9 on the same chart, and her first hit ballad, "Everything", which peaked at number 4. A fourth single, "Precious Love", was a moderate hit, peaking at number 78.

"Friends" was notable for being the first multi-format hit single to include the formula of a pop star featuring a guest rapper with the custom full 16-bar verses and bridge concept; its formula became commonplace in pop music, later leading to the Grammys to add the category of Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration in 2002. [40] [41] [42]

"Everything" was Watley's first hit ballad after all of her previous hits were uptempo dance material. It would also become Watley's last top ten single as a leading artist. Despite repeating the top ten singles success of her debut, Larger Than Life performed less stellar, only receiving a gold certification in the United States.

The "Real Love" music video was nominated for seven MTV Video Music Awards in 1989, which was at the time the most nominations for a video until Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson's music video for "Scream" in 1995. In October 1989, Watley released her first remix album, You Wanna Dance with Me? , followed by the music video collection, Video Classics, which later attained gold status in the United States. Watley was also featured in Harper's Bazaar 's "Ten Most Beautiful Women" issue, while also being featured on the cover of the Japanese fashion magazine, SPUR in its debut issue. [43] [44] She also became the first black woman to produce a fitness video, Dance to Fitness. [45] [46]

Watley photographed with President George H. W. Bush, First Lady Barbara Bush, 1992 JodyWatley Pres FirstLady Bush.jpg
Watley photographed with President George H. W. Bush, First Lady Barbara Bush, 1992

After recording the song "It's All There" for the film, Switch , [47] Watley's next album, Affairs of the Heart , was released in December 1991. During promotion of the album, Watley explained to interviewers that she wanted to change her musical range and image, showing she could do more than dance music. [48] Watley told Alan Light that she was inspired toward a more introspective approach, wanting to address social topics. [49] The album proved to be not as successful as Watley's previous two albums, only peaking at number 124 on the Billboard 200 and number 21 on the R&B Albums chart, her lowest showings at the time. Justin Kantor described the album as an "overlooked standout of her 1980s and 1990s output" in the book All Music Guide to Soul: The Definitive Guide to R&B and Soul. [50] The album's leading single, "I Want You", peaked at number 61 on the Billboard Hot 100. The second single, "I'm the One You Need", reached number 19 on the Hot 100 and would be Watley's last top 40 entry. The follow-up, "It All Begins with You", failed to make the Hot 100 at all. Watley later performed the song while attending the White House for President George H. W. Bush in 1992; during her visit, Watley encouraged the United States government to provide more support and funding for public schools. [51]

1993-1999: Intimacy and subsequent releases

Promotional photo, 1993 Jwaffairs93 mini.jpg
Promotional photo, 1993

In November 1993, Watley dropped her fourth solo album, Intimacy . [52] Noting that new jack swing was the emerging popular subgenre of R&B at the time, Amy Linden wrote in People magazine that Intimacy continued the process of Watley's move toward more refreshingly adult themes and that Watley was deserving of serious attention. [53] Watley herself said that the songs she wrote were always personal statements. [54] Filled with songs of "romance and angst", Intimacy peaked at number 164 on the Billboard 200, with the first single, "Your Love Keeps Working on Me", barely scraping the Hot 100. The follow-up, "When a Man Loves a Woman" was notable for it being a mostly spoken word song and reached the top 20 of the Hot R&B Singles chart. The David Morales-produced "Ecstasy" became an underground hit for Watley.

Intimacy would be Watley's last release with MCA. She formed Avitone Records shortly afterwards and released her fifth album, Affection , in July 1995. The album was engineered and produced by Booker T. Jones and Angelo Earl. [55] She aligned Avitone with the independent Bellmark Records for distribution. According to a review of the album "Affection" by Jose Promis of AllMusic , the release lacked the urgency and immediency of her dance-era hits, but was an engaging collection of slow burners, mid-tempo and jazzy R&B. [56] The album's title track, "Affection", didn't crack the Hot 100 but became a moderate R&B hit, peaking at No. 28. [57] The following year, Watley made Broadway history when she became the first black actress to play the role of Rizzo in the Broadway revival of Grease . [58] That same year, she briefly reunited with her former Shalamar band mates Howard Hewett and Jeffrey Daniel on Babyface's hip-hop soul rendition of Shalamar's 1981 hit, "This Is for the Lover in You", featured on Babyface's album, The Day , which featured new lyrics by Babyface and rap verses by LL Cool J. Credited to Watley, Hewett and Daniel, it would be Watley's seventh and last top ten single on the Billboard Hot 100 as of 2025.

At the end of 1996, Watley signed with Big Beat/Atlantic Records in an attempt at a mainstream comeback. Nearly two years later, in 1998, Watley released her sixth studio album, Flower . The first single, "Off the Hook" was moderately successful reaching number 73 on the Hot 100 and number 23 on the Hot R&B Singles chart, with a remixed version topping the Hot Dance Club Songs chart. "Off the Hook" has remained Watley's last single to chart on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B singles chart. A second single, "If I'm Not in Love", was also successful on the dance chart, peaking at number two. Despite this, however, Watley faced trouble promoting the album. Just as Flower was set for release in the United States, Big Beat was absorbed into its parent label Atlantic Records, which in turn, shelved the album from being released in the United States, leading to two years of legal troubles for Watley. [59] The album was still a critical success after its release in Canada, the UK and Japan. One of the songs on the album, "Lovin' You So", was featured on the soundtrack to the 1998 Eddie Murphy vehicle, Dr. Dolittle . Around this same time, a previously unreleased song featuring Watley with George Duke titled "Baby Love" was included as a bonus track on The Best of George Duke: The Electra Years in 1997. [60]

Watley revived Avitone in 1999 to release her final 1990s release via Universal Japan, The Saturday Night Experience Volume 1 , a collection of organic club music tracks, inspired by her newfound love of electronic music. Watley told music historian David Nathan that originally the album was intended to be a concept album, "aimed at people looking for something different", further stating she had no desire to release the project in the United States. [59] [61] The title song of the same name was licensed to Giant Step and included on their compilation "Giant Sessions, Volume 1 Mixed by Ron Trent". [62]

2005-2013: Independent releases

Watley meeting Tuanku Tengku Fauziah, Queen of Malaysia, 2005 Jw queen malaysia2005.jpg
Watley meeting Tuanku Tengku Fauziah, Queen of Malaysia, 2005

In 2001, Watley released her eighth studio album, Midnight Lounge , in Europe and Japan. Watley was quoted in Billboard around its release, "an artist should always explore new frontiers". [63] The album included songs that "combined a blend of soul, jazz, R&B and electronic club music". [64] [65] After securing a short license deal with Shanachie Records in the US, the album was released in Watley's home country in March 2003, becoming her first US release in eight years, peaking inside the top 20 of the Billboard Top Electronic Albums chart. Remixes of the song "Whenever" helped it reach number nineteen on the Billboard dance singles chart. Watley was helmed by critics for updating her sound over the years and "evolving into a soulful chanteuse". [65] [66] [67] [68] Watley would make Billboard chart history in 2005 when a re-release of "Looking for a New Love" reached number one on the dance charts in the US, making Watley the first to take the song to number one in two different decades. [69] The same year, Watley was invited to participate in the Force of Nature Relief Concert [70] to aid the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. [71] During the trip Watley and others (including the Black Eyed Peas, Lauryn Hill and Jackie Chan) were invited to the Royal Palace to meet the King and Queen of Malaysia for a special tea reception in showing their gratitude for all involved with Force of Nature. [72]

In 2006, Watley's ninth studio album, The Makeover , was released. Another electronica album, it brought Watley together with 4Hero and King Britt among others. [73] [74] Watley's label arranged for the album to be released exclusively to the Virgin Megastore chain in its first ever CD exclusive, noting the shifting paradigms and changing business models in the music industry. [75] [76] [77] Due to Watley having a Virgin mini-tour, the album topped the week of new releases for the retailer. [78] [79] The first single, a cover of Madonna's "Borderline", peaked at number two on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart while the second, a cover of Chic's "I Want Your Love," topped the same chart. [80]

Jody Watley promoting The Makeover in-store, 2006 VirginMega.jpg
Jody Watley promoting The Makeover in-store, 2006

In 2007, Watley was ranked the fifth best selling Dance Club Songs artist on Billboard's year-end chart, while "I Want Your Love" and "Borderline" ranked in the top 20 of the Dance Club Songs list. [81] [82] In January 2008, "I Want Your Love" topped the UK dance charts in January, giving Watley her first UK mainstream dance hit in two decades. [83] In 2008, she launched an online music store, [84] while scoring another top five Billboard dance single with "A Beautiful Life," bringing the total of top five singles for The Makeover to three.

In May 2008, continuing over a decade of support for various charities dedicated to raising funds and awareness for HIV/AIDS, Watley performed at Life Ball, Europe's largest gala for the cause held in Vienna, Austria. [85] In May 2009, Watley's Avitone signed a distribution deal with London-based Alternative Distribution Alliance Global where she released an "international" version of The Makeover that October to positive reviews. [86] Pete Lewis from Blues & Soul noted her evolution as an artist and performer as being showcased on the album. Further stating Watley being hailed by some, as exemplifying the 21st-century recording artist continuing to exercise her own creative path. [87] Distinguishable from the original release, The Makeover "International Edition" featured new cover art and track listing. New inclusions featured the bossa nova rendering of Bob Marley's "Waiting in Vain", a sparsely arranged version of Carole King's 1960s ballad "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", Erasure's anthem "A Little Respect", and a reworking of the Diana Ross hit "Love Hangover" that was faithful to the Ross disco original than the ambient version featured in the original issue of The Makeover, suggested by the song's co-writer Pam Sawyer. [87] [88] Reg Dancy from Basic Soul would write that Watley was able to handpick songs and make them seem as if they had been written for her. [89] Added to the lineup of producers which included King Britt, Mark de Clive-Lowe, 4Hero, DJ Spinna and longtime co-collaborator Rodney Lee, are remixer/producers Marco Zappala from Brazil and Craig C. from the UK.

In February 2010, Watley joined Jamie Foxx onstage at a post-Grammy event for a duet performance of her signature hit "Looking For a New Love" [90] and also appeared in the VH1 documentary Soul Train: The Hippest Trip In America. [91] On October 27, 2012, Watley starred in the one time international humanitarian musical event Loving the Silent Tears with performers from 16 countries and cultures, created by Al Kasha, directed by Vincent Paterson and choreographed by Bonnie Story at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles [92] [93] [94] [95]

Watley recorded collaborations with the electro pop duo French Horn Rebellion on singles titled "Cold Enough" and "Dancing Out" also featuring Young Empires in December 2012 and June 2013. [96] [97] Watley added high-profile summer concerts including Grammy All-Stars in Chengdu, China at Chengdu Sports Centre and Essence Music Festival in July 2013. [98] [99]

Watley released a new single "Nightlife", in 2013. [100] [101] [102] [103] [104] The song, which marked a return to the disco sound in her early years, was a top five UK R&B hit and reached the top 20 of the Dance Club Songs chart in 2014. [105]

2014-present: Paradise, Shalamar Reloaded and recent releases

In July 2014, Watley dropped the EP, Paradise, through digital outlets and limited edition CDs through her website. [106] [107] [108] [109] Watley made headlines that same year after the singer announced that she had now claimed ownership of the name of her former group Shalamar, though this claim was contested numerous times in court. [110] [111] Watley hired two singer-dancers Rosero McCoy and Nate Allen Smith and added "Reloaded" in front of the name. [112] [113] [114] The new act made their debut at the Howard Theatre in Washington, D.C.. [115] Throughout 2015, Watley and Shalamar Reloaded toured in package concert sets with other acts. [116] [117] A performance by Watley and the group at her childhood hometown of Chicago in May 2015 was well-received. [118] [119]

In July 2015, the group released their first single, "SlowDance", first through Avitone and then later distributed with the Spectra Music Group that October. [120] [121] Watley was a guest vocalist on Dam-Funk's second studio album, Invite the Light on the song "Virtuous Progression". [122] [122]

In 2016, Watley and Shalamar Reloaded dropped the singles, "O.R.I.G.I.N.A.L." and "The Mood". [123] The following year, it was announced that Watley had changed the group's name to SRL, with Watley explaining she wanted a "fresh start" for her group without the negativity and baggage associated with the original Shalamar; later on the name changed again to Jody Watley & SRL (Soul Revolution Love). Due to these changes, previous releases associated with Shalamar Reloaded were removed from digital outlets with social media pages either updated or removed completely. A remix of "The Mood" by Italian producer Alex Di Cio, released in 2018, became an underground UK R&B hit. [124] In August 2018, Watley and SRL dropped their final song, "The Passion", which also became an underground R&B hit in the UK. [125] Watley cancelled her registration of the name Shalamar shortly thereafter and is no longer the registered owner of the USA Shalamar trademark according to the USPTO as of 2025. [126] Watley returned to her solo career, releasing a smooth jazz remix of her previous cover of Bob Marley's "Waiting in Vain", which landed Watley her first Billboard chart entry since 2014, landing at the top 30 of its Smooth Jazz Airplay chart, peaking at number 25 that April. [127] [128] In 2020, Watley dropped her first solo EP in six years, Winter Nights. That project was then followed by "The Healing" and her first Christmas song, "Christmas Time is Here", followed by "Renderings" the next year. In November 2024, Watley was featured in the Canadian magazine, In Magazine, celebrating her 50-year career in show business. [129] In July 2025, Watley released the remix compilation album, Let's Dance Vol. 1 - Hit Them Beats, through Avitone.

Personal life and family

Watley has two children: a daughter, Lauren, with former fiancé and music producer Leon Sylvers III and a son Arie, with ex-husband André Cymone. [130] [131] [132] [133] [134] She is the goddaughter of Jackie Wilson. [135] Her younger sister is singer and former pornographic actress Michele Watley, better known as Midori. [136] [137] [138]

Influences

Her early music influences are Diana Ross, Donna Summer, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, The Jackson 5, The Carpenters, Roberta Flack, Prince, Grace Jones and various jazz artists, including Nancy Wilson. [139]

Legacy

T-Boz of TLC cited Watley's song "Still a Thrill" as an example setting her vocal tone for her singing career. In a personal video, she sent to Watley (and was given permission to share on her YouTube channel) T-Boz thanked Watley for this song during her teenage years citing she was "hitting them notes" and helping her sing at a lower register to better suit her vocal range. [140] Fellow TLC member Lisa Lopes was seen in a video pre-TLC dancing to Watley's song "Friends" which Watley acknowledged during one of her concerts. [141] [142]

Selena was influenced by Watley's song "Looking for a New Love" as the reason she wanted to crossover to the English-language market. Selena has also performed this song in concert which was notably documented in her Netflix bio-drama. [143] Jody Watley is an influencer who brought high fashion mixed with street style, along with her signature hoop earrings to the mainstream, fashion magazine features, ad campaigns, a million-selling fitness video, the first Black woman on the cover of a Japanese fashion magazine and a style of branding an image now common in the music industry.

Influence on fashion

In 1987, Watley filmed the video to "Looking for a New Love" and made a conscious decision to use fashion to help her express her vision, wearing clothes and accessories from designers such as Issey Miyake and Philip Treacy. [144] In 1990, Watley would continue to be involved with fashion. On her second album, she was photographed by fashion photographer Steven Meisel, where she continued to make her own style statements. [43] In the videos for "Real Love", Watley would introduce a higher fashion aesthetic blending vintage and custom designs. [43] "Friends" mixed couture by Jean-Paul Gaultier, with an urban sensibility. She released a million-selling home video, Dance To Fitness. She was featured in the first celebrity ad campaign for Gap [145] LA Eyeworks and in magazines such as Harper's Bazaar , Vogue , Vogue Italia , Rolling Stone , Essence and Vanity Fair . [146] She was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful People of 1990 in People . [147]

In the same year, she contributed a jazzy rendition of "After You, Who?" the compilation album "Red Hot + Blue", an AIDS-awareness charity recording of songs by Cole Porter produced by the Red Hot Organization. Watley was photographed by Victor Skrebneski, for the Saks Fifth Avenue Defining Style Fall Catalog, where she appeared in a 15-page high-fashion layout in 1996. [148] In 2006, Watley would walk the runway with designer Kevan Hall for LA Fashion Week. [149] The style icon [150] [151] [152] is also noted as an influence on contemporary designer Malan Breton, contemporary A.Potts whose Spring/Summer 2021 collection was inspired by Watley [153] and countless uncredited trends in contemporary style.

Discography

Studio albums

Tours

Awards and nominations

Grammy Awards

YearNominee / workAwardResult
1983 "Dead Giveaway" Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals [8] Nominated
1988 Herself Best New Artist Won
"Looking for a New Love" Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female Nominated

American Music Awards

YearNominee / workAwardResult
1988 "Looking for a New Love" Favorite Single (Soul/R&B) Nominated

MTV Video Music Awards

YearNominee / workAwardResult
1988 "Some Kind of Lover" Best Female Video Nominated
Best New Artist in a Video Nominated
1989 "Real Love"Best Female VideoNominated
Best Dance Video Nominated
Breakthrough Video Nominated
Best Direction in a Video Nominated
Best Art Direction in a Video Nominated
Best Editing in a Video Nominated

Soul Train Music Awards

YearNominee / workAwardResult
1988 "Looking for a New Love" Best Music Video Nominated
Best R&B/Soul Single, Female Nominated
Jody Watley Best R&B/Soul Album, Female Nominated

Billboard Awards

YearNominee / workAwardResult
2007HerselfDance Lifetime Achievement AwardWon

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Jody Watley". Nndb.com. July 22, 1999. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Jody Watley". Jody Watley. January 30, 1959. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  3. ↑ Gregory, Hugh (July 2, 2010). Soul Music A-Z. Da Capo Press. ISBN   978-0-306-80643-8 . Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  4. ↑ Nathan, David (December 7, 1993), "Intimate Secrets: Jody Watley reveals the intimate secrets behind her new 'Intimacy' album", pp. 26–27, Blues and Soul.
  5. ↑ Paoletta, Michael (February 22, 2003), "Watley Relaxes In The Setting of The 'Midnight Lounge', Billboard magazine.
  6. ↑ Galloway, A. Scott (Feb 26, 2003) Urban Network: Startime "Jody Watley Midnight Lounge" Review.
  7. ↑ "Jody Watley > Charts & Awards > Grammy Awards". AllMusic . January 30, 1959. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  8. 1 2 "Jody Watley". Grammy.com. May 22, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Grammy Winner Jody Watley Gets into 'The Groove' with New SiriusXM Show". Billboard .
  10. ↑ "'The Jody Watley Show' Debuts on SiriusXM's the Groove". Eurweb.com. March 14, 2023.
  11. ↑ Shropshire, Terry (August 19, 2017). "The Jacksons, Donnie McClurkin honored at Black Music Honors in Nashville". Rollingout.com.
  12. ↑ Roberts, Kimberly C. (September 2017). "The Jacksons receive Lifetime Achievement Award". Phillytrib.com.
  13. ↑ "Black Music Honors". Blackmusichonors.com.
  14. ↑ "Hot 100 Turns 60! The Top Female Artists of All Time, From Madonna, to Mariah Carey and More: Page 1". Billboard.com.
  15. ↑ "Jody Watley Named First Ambassador Of National Museum Of African American Music". Bet.com. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Iconic Singer Celebrated With Jody Watley Day & Prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award At Georgia State Capitol". Eurweb.com. June 3, 2022. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Atlanta holds Jody Watley Day for legendary R&B, pop and dance singer". Atlanta Journal Constitution.
  18. ↑ "Jody Watley Amongst Honorees At Women Songwriters Hall of Fame". Eurweb.com. April 15, 2022. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Stu Black (December 13, 1987). "She Took the Soul Train to Stardom : Once a Voice in the Background, Jody Watley Has Burst Onto the Pop Charts in Her Own Right". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  20. ↑ Holly George-Warren, Patricia Romanowski, Patricia Romanowski Bashe, Jon Pareles (2001), "Jody Watley", p. 1051, in Rolling Stone Rock and Roll Encyclopedia, Fireside Books, Paul Simon & Schuster, ISBN   0743201205.
  21. ↑ "The Circle 1977 (Susan Miller Dorsey High School, Los Angeles)" . Ancestry.com. Generations Network. 1977. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
  22. ↑ DeCurtis, Anthony (June 18, 1987), "Jody Watley's New Love, Tired of Her Role In Shalamar, A Soul Diva Breaks Away For Solo Success", p. 23.
  23. ↑ The 'Outrageous' Waack Dancers. Ebony. August 1978. pp. 64–68.
  24. ↑ "Solar Records Celebrates 30 Years With 'Hits' Discs From Shalamar, Midnight Star and Lakeside; Listen". Starpulse.com. August 8, 2006. Retrieved January 1, 2010.
  25. ↑ Benson, Chris (May 1, 1980). "Shalamar: Having Big fun with hot hits". Jet. pp. 22–24.
  26. ↑ "SHALAMAR: SHALAMAR BREAKUP Jeffrey Daniel on Shalamar Split 1983 Interview". Archived from the original on May 5, 2014. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
  27. ↑ "ShalamarFanBlog: SHALAMAR BREAKUP Jeffrey Daniel On Shalamar Split 1983 Interview". Shalamaronline.blogspot.com. July 16, 1983. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  28. ↑ "Introducing: Jody Watley". Ebony. February 1988. p. 170.
  29. ↑ Greene, Jo-Ann. "Anthology > Overview". Allmusic . Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  30. ↑ "Jody - Where the Boys Are". Discogs . Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  31. ↑ "Jody - Girls' Night Out". Discogs . Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  32. 1 2 DeCurtis, Anthony (June 18, 1987), "Jody Watley's New Love, Tired of Her Role In Shalamar, a soul diva breaks away for solo success", p. 23 Rolling Stone .
  33. ↑ Billboard. January 24, 1998. pp. 30, 33. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved June 26, 2012.
  34. ↑ All Music Guide, All Music Guide Jody Watley Billboard Singles Chart History, AllMusic . Retrieved September 7, 2009.
  35. ↑ "21 Strangest Best New Artist Grammy Wins". Rolling Stone . January 20, 2014. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  36. ↑ Tuber, Keith (August 1988). "Music: Richard Marx Hits the Mark". Orange Coast . Retrieved June 19, 2010.
  37. ↑ Geoff Mayfiled (March 4, 2000). "Billboard magazine's Between The Bullets". Billboard . Retrieved June 19, 2010.
  38. ↑ Paul Grein (September 6, 2024). "These Grammy Winners For Best New Artist Haven't Been Nominated Since". Billboard . Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  39. ↑ Scavullo, Francesco. "Sultry Watley", Harper's Bazaar (September 1988), pp. 121–122
  40. ↑ "Ten Songs From The Late 80's That Kicked Off R&B Rappelled Collaborations", OkayPlayer.com, Dart Adams
  41. ↑ Hess, Mickey (2007), Icons of Hip Hop : An Encyclopedia Of The Movement, Music, Culture Vol. 1. Jody Watley, Eric B. and Rakim 'Friends', p. 154, Greenwood Press, ISBN   0-313-33903-1.
  42. ↑ William Jelani (2007), To The Break of Dawn: A Freestyle on the Hip-Hop Aesthetic, Jody Watley Eric B and Rakim "Friends" p. 142, NYU Press 2007, ISBN   0-8147-1670-9.
  43. 1 2 3 McDowell, Anna (September 1989), "America's Ten Most Beautiful Women", Jody Watley, pp 180–184, Harper's Bazaar.
  44. ↑ Dixon, Philip (November 1989) "The Face", Jody Watley, SPUR Japan.
  45. ↑ "Jody Watley Fitness Video". Blackdoctor.org. January 30, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  46. ↑ "Jody Watley – Biography". Billboard.com. January 30, 1959. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  47. ↑ "AMG" Jody Watley Bio
  48. ↑ "Jody Watley makes a stylish about-face". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. January 26, 1990. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  49. ↑ Light, Alan (November 1991), "Heart and Soul: Pop Diva Jody Watley", pp. 142–147, Harper's Bazaar.
  50. ↑ Bogdanov, Vladimir (August 14, 2003). All Music Guide to Soul: The Definitive Guide to R&B and Soul. Hal Leonard Corporation. pp. 736–. ISBN   978-0-87930-744-8 . Retrieved June 26, 2012.
  51. ↑ "Jet". Jet: 6–. February 24, 1992. ISSN   0021-5996 . Retrieved June 26, 2012.
  52. ↑ "Billboard". Books.google.com. June 24, 1995. p. 23. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  53. ↑ "Picks and Pans Main: Song". People.com. November 8, 1993. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  54. ↑ Norment, Lynn (November 1993). "The Lives and Loves of the New Pop Divas". Ebony . pp. 36–42. Retrieved September 1, 2009.
  55. ↑ "Jody Watley Biography – ARTISTdirect Music". Artistdirect.com. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  56. ↑ Promis, Jose F. (July 11, 1995). "Affection > Overview". AllMusic . Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  57. ↑ "Affection > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". AllMusic . July 11, 1995. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  58. ↑ Siegel, Scott and Barbara (April 25 – May 1, 1996), "Grammy Award Winner Jody Watley Cruises to Broadway to Play Rizzo in 'Grease' Revival", DramaLogue, p. 5.
  59. 1 2 "Jody Watley 2002 Interview". Archived from the original on April 23, 2011. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  60. ↑ "George Duke > Best of George Duke > The Electra Years". AllMusic . January 12, 1946. Retrieved January 22, 2012.
  61. ↑ "Jody Watley, Soul Music Interview With David Nathan". Soulmusic.com. September 11, 2001. Archived from the original on April 23, 2011. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  62. ↑ Glazer, Joshua (October 2, 2001). "Giant Step Records Sessions, Vol. 1 – Ron Trent | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  63. ↑ Paoletta, Michael (Feb, 22, 2003) "Watley Relaxes In The Setting Of The Midnight Lounge", Billboard.
  64. ↑ Blues and Soul (September 22), "Single of The Week, Jody Watley, Photographs".
  65. 1 2 Wells, Chris (March 14–17, 2001, Issue 888), "Jody Watley, Midnight Lounge Album Reviews.
  66. ↑ "Jody Watley Midnight Lounge", Newton Daily News (March 15, 2003).
  67. ↑ Blues and Soul (September 22), "Single of The Week, Jody Watley, Photographs'.
  68. ↑ LF, Billboard (March 15, 2003), "Dance/Electronic Album Review: Jody Watley Midnight Lounge", Billboard.
  69. ↑ "Jody Watley Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  70. ↑ "Black Eyed Peas, Backstreet Boys Head To Malaysia For Tsunami Relief | News". VH1.com. Archived from the original on April 21, 2011. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  71. ↑ "Tsunami death toll". CNN. February 22, 2005. Retrieved April 9, 2010.
  72. ↑ "Listings". WireImage. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  73. ↑ Woods, Mikael (August 10–16, 2006), "Jody Watley, The Makeover", Time Out.
  74. ↑ Paoletta, Michael (August 26, 2006), Album Review, "Jody Watley The Makeover", Billboard.
  75. ↑ Virgin Entertainment Group (August 16, 2006) Adams, Carlos, Virgin Megastore Urban Product Manager.
  76. ↑ Hiatt, Brian, and Evan Serpick (June 19, 2007), "The Record Industry's Decline", Rollingstone.com. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
  77. ↑ BBC News "Death of The Record Label". Retrieved September 12, 2009.
  78. ↑ HitsDailyDouble (August 15, 2006) "Mega Move: Jody Watley The Makeover" Hitsdailydouble.com.
  79. ↑ Hits Daily Double (August 15, 2006), "Top Tens", HitsDailyDouble.com,
  80. ↑ AMG, Billboard Billboard Jody Watley Singles Chart History. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
  81. ↑ Billboard Billboard Charts – Year-end Top Artists – Hot Dance Club Play Artists Archived December 26, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  82. ↑ "Billboard Charts – Year-end Singles – Hot Dance Club Play Tracks". Billboard.biz. Archived from the original on December 26, 2007. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  83. ↑ Jones, Alan (December 1, 2008), "Club Charts, Datafile, Jody Watley I Want Your Love", p. 8, Music Week UK.
  84. ↑ Cane, Clay (August 26, 2008). "Jody Watley: Flashback Fridays". Essence.com. Archived from the original on January 4, 2010. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  85. ↑ Kost, Jeremy (May 17, 2008) "Jody Watley Life Ball", Life Archived April 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved July 28, 2010.
  86. ↑ Mitchell, Gail (June 13, 2009), "Jody Watley Going Global", p. 36, Billboard.
  87. 1 2 Lewis, Pete (October 21, 2009), Jody Watley, "Three's A Crowd, Blues & Soul Magazine Retrieved Oct, 22, 2009.
  88. ↑ Nathan, David (October 2009) Jody Watley, The Makeover International, Soul Music.Com Archived October 9, 2009, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved October 22, 2009
  89. ↑ Dancy, Reg (October 9, 2009), Jody Watley, Review, The Makeover "International" Retrieved October 22, 2009
  90. ↑ Donnelly, Matt (February 1, 2010) Blame it On The Grammys. Latimesblogs.latimes.com, Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  91. ↑ Greenblatt, Leah (February 5, 2010) Soul Train Documentary The Hippest Trip. Music-mix.ew.com, Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  92. ↑ Denette, Kelsey (August 8, 2012). "Liz Callaway, Debbie Gravitte, Jon Secada and More Set for LOVING THE SILENT TEARS in LA, 10/27". Broadwayworld.com. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
  93. ↑ "Loving The Silent Tears Tickets, News and Information | Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA". Theatermania.com. October 27, 2012. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
  94. ↑ "Loving The Silent Tears Brings Poetry To The Stage". Bhcourier.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
  95. ↑ "Loving the Silent Tears | A New Musical". Archived from the original on September 26, 2012. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  96. ↑ Rahman, Ray (December 7, 2012). "Judy Watley hooks up with French Horn Rebellion on 'Cold Enough': Hear it here – EXCLUSIVE | EW.com". Music-mix.ew.com. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  97. ↑ Hampp, Andrew (November 6, 2013). "French Horn Rebellion, 'Dancing Out': Exclusive Video Premiere". Billboard.com. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  98. ↑ Valeris, Monique (2013). "Jody Watley Dishes on Her Career, Fashion & Upcoming Memoir". Essence.com. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  99. ↑ "Grammy all-stars light up Chengdu". China.org.cn. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
  100. ↑ "Wax Poetics Issue 57 featuring Janelle Monáe and Jody Watley". Waxpoetics.com. December 13, 2013. Archived from the original on September 16, 2018. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  101. ↑ "ICONIC: Jody Watley Talks Trendsetting, Fashion and Music". UPTOWN Magazine. January 24, 2013. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  102. ↑ "Catching Up with Jody Watley". JetMag.com. November 21, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  103. ↑ "Jody Watley Is Still a Thrill [INTERVIEW". EBONY. August 3, 2016. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  104. ↑ Johnson, Billy Jr. (October 26, 2013). "Why Jody Watley's New Song is a Call to Get Fabulous". Music.yahoo.com. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  105. ↑ "Dance Songs: Top Dance Music Chart". Billboard.com. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  106. ↑ "Home". Jody Watley Boutique. Archived from the original on August 1, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  107. ↑ "Jody Watley Takes Us To 'Paradise'". soulbounce.com. August 6, 2014. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
  108. ↑ "Make Yourself At Home In Jody Watley's 'Sanctuary' With This Soulpersona Remix". Soulbounce.com. June 23, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  109. ↑ "Paradise by Jody Watley". iTunes . April 8, 2018. Archived from the original on April 8, 2018.
  110. ↑ "[EXCLUSIVE] Jody Watley Talks New Project, Bogus TV One Unsung Episode, First to Collaborate, More". Singersroom.com. February 24, 2015. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  111. ↑ "4440 – MUSIC Jody Watley: Songs, legal battles and reloading Shalamar – Gay Lesbian Bi Trans News Archive – Windy City Times". Windycitymediagroup.com. May 6, 2015. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  112. ↑ "Rosero McCoy". IMDb.com. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  113. ↑ "Jody Watley: The OKP Interview Okayplayer". Okayplayer.com. June 18, 2015. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  114. ↑ "The Second Time Around: Jody Watley 'Reloads' Shalamar". Eurweb.com. April 17, 2015. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  115. ↑ Jones, JV (June 20, 2014). "Jody Watley at Historic Howard Theatre". DC Nitelife. Archived from the original on April 14, 2016. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  116. ↑ "Jody Watley returns to Chicago with a revamped Shalamar – live performance!". WGN-TV. May 29, 2015. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  117. ↑ van de Lisdonk, Serge (June 30, 2015). "Shalamar laat disco herleven in Melkweg". Maxazine.nl. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  118. ↑ "From disco to house and hip-hop, Jody Watley and new Shalamar sparkle". Chicago Concert Reviews. May 30, 2015. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  119. ↑ "Let The Sunshine In! KC & the Sunshine Band, Jody Watley delight concertgoers at the Mountain Winery". Sac Cultural Hub. June 8, 2015. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  120. ↑ "Jody Watley & Shalamar Reloaded Celebrate New Single LA Style". Eurweb.com. July 15, 2015. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  121. ↑ Music, Spectra (September 30, 2015). "Spectra Music News: Shalamar To Release New Maxi-Single "Slow Dance" On October 20th, 2015". Spectramusicgroup.blogspot.com. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  122. 1 2 Kreps, Daniel (June 23, 2015). "Hear Dam Funk's Bouncy 'We Continue' Off New Album 'Invite the Light'". Rolling Stone . Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  123. ↑ "Jody Watley & Shalamar Reloaded Are In A Sexy 'Mood'". Soulbounce.com. October 14, 2016.
  124. ↑ "Albumismn Jody Watley Ft SRL The Mood". Albumism.com. February 9, 2018.
  125. ↑ "Jody Watley and SRL Score Second Top 5 UK Soul Single". Jodywatley.com. August 17, 2018.
  126. ↑ "Trademark Status & Document Retrieval". United States Patent and Trademark Office. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  127. ↑ "Smooth Jazz Songs (week of April 21, 2018)". Billboard . April 21, 2018. Retrieved October 28, 2025.
  128. ↑ "Jody Watley Makes Waiting In Vain Sound Heavenly". Soulbounce.com. November 13, 2018.
  129. ↑ Elio Iannacci. "November/December 2024 Cover Story: Everlasting Icon". In Magazine. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  130. ↑ "Jody Watley, Sexy On Stage Concerned Mom At Home", JET (June 22, 1987).
  131. ↑ Working Mother (April 1991) Cover Story Jody Watley and Lauren Watley.
  132. ↑ "Jody Watley Birthday Wishes to My Daughter. | Official Jody Watley Website". Jodywatley.net. July 10, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  133. ↑ People (October 16, 1995) Jody Watley R&B Singer, Great Bodies.
  134. ↑ Ebony (August 1995), "Star Moms Share Their Dreams For Their Daughters".
  135. ↑ Music On The Charts, "Jody Watley's New Love" (Rolling Stone, Anthony DeCurtis.
  136. ↑ "Midori Interview". Johnrodeo.com. Archived from the original on November 11, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  137. ↑ "The Second Time Around". Tmz.com. March 14, 2009. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  138. ↑ "Rock's Most Embarrassing Siblings". Retrojunk.com. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  139. ↑ "Jody Watley: Bio In My Own Words" 'The Official Jody Watley Myspace Page, Bio In My Own Words, Myspace.com
  140. ↑ "T-Boz of TLC Talks Influence for Vocal Tone and Love to Jody Watley". February 19, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2022– via YouTube.
  141. ↑ "Lisa "LeftEye" Lopes – Friends Video 1989". May 27, 2010. Retrieved February 11, 2022– via YouTube.
  142. ↑ "Jody Watley Shouts Out TLC – T'Boz & Left Eye "Friends" LIVE (Edit) 2022". February 6, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022– via YouTube.
  143. ↑ Guerra, Joey (December 4, 2020). "'Selena: The Series' on Netflix rightfully celebrates pop superstar Jody Watley". houstonchronicle.com. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  144. ↑ Iannacci, Elio. "Style Setter Jody Watley – Flare". Flare.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2020. Retrieved February 7, 2020.
  145. ↑ Ritts, Herb (2006) GAP "Individuals "Portraits From The GAP Collection" Melcher Media ISBN   1595910158
  146. ↑ Hirschberg, Lynn (October 1991), Jody Watley Soul Survivor, p. 197, Vanity Fair.
  147. ↑ "People Magazine America's 50 Most Beautiful People". People.com. May 9, 1990. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  148. ↑ Skrebneski, Victor (1996) "Saks Fifth Avenue Definitive Style Fall", Jody Watley, pp. 81–96 Saks Fifth Avenue Fall Catalog.
  149. ↑ Fashion Week News, (October 21, 2006 Los Angeles Fashion Week: Kevan Hall Archived September 28, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  150. ↑ "Saluting Jody Watley: The Iconic Trendsetting Pioneer In Music, Video, Fashion and Style". Lastylemix.com. July 28, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  151. ↑ "Jody Watley's 'Larger Than Life' Hair". Huffpost.com. January 30, 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  152. ↑ "After a 40-Year Career, Artist Jody Watley Still Shines as an Icon, Influencer, and Entrepreneur". August 22, 2020. Archived from the original on August 22, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  153. ↑ Saunders, Brycen (February 24, 2021). "The Rising Unisex Label Who Brought Black Joy to Fashion Week". Paper. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.