Janice Robinson (born 8 December 1967) is an American singer and songwriter, initially known as a member of 1990s Italian
Eurodance
Euro-Dance (sometimes referred to as Euro-NRG, Euro-electronica or Euro) is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s in Europe. It combines many elements of hip hop, techno, Hi-NRG, house music, and Euro-Disco. Thi ...
group
Livin' Joy
Livin' Joy are an Italian Eurodance group who released various successful hits during the mid-1990s, including " Dreamer", " Don't Stop Movin'" and " Follow the Rules". The group consists of singer Tameko Star, and Italian brothers Paolo and G ...
before she embarked on a solo career.
Early life and career
Robinson, raised in
Garfield, New Jersey
Garfield is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 30,487,[Snap!
Snap! is a German Eurodance group formed in 1989 by producers Michael Münzing and Luca Anzilotti. The act has been through a number of line-up changes over the years, including American singers, songwriters and rappers Thea Austin, Turbo B, N ...]
in 1990-91, replacing studio vocalist Penny Ford in the group’s live shows. Robinson gained worldwide success in the early to mid-1990s with the Italian house group
Livin' Joy
Livin' Joy are an Italian Eurodance group who released various successful hits during the mid-1990s, including " Dreamer", " Don't Stop Movin'" and " Follow the Rules". The group consists of singer Tameko Star, and Italian brothers Paolo and G ...
as the lead singer before going solo in 1999. After Robinson left, Livin' Joy scored more hits during the 1995–1996 period with singer
Tameko Star
Livin' Joy are an Italian Eurodance group who released various successful hit record, hits during the mid-1990s, including "Dreamer (Livin' Joy song), Dreamer", "Don't Stop Movin' (Livin' Joy song), Don't Stop Movin'" and "Follow the Rules (song) ...
. However, the biggest remains "
Dreamer", an international hit reaching number 1 in the UK and the top 10 in many other European countries. Robinson had previously worked with the Livin' Joy producers on two singles, "Children" and "Sweetest Day of May". On Livin' Joy's ''Don't Stop Movin'', her vocals do not appear on any tracklisted songs, until the original "Dreamer" appears as a hidden track at the very end. Her subsequent solo debut album ''The Color Within Me'' was an earthy, more
pop
Pop or POP may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* Pop music, a musical genre Artists
* POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade
* Pop!, a UK pop group
* Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band
Albums
* ''Pop'' (G ...
styled album and was released in 1999 to largely favorable reviews, scoring a minor pop hit with the single "Nothing I Would Change". In 2000, Robinson performed on the drama ''
Charmed'', in the episode "Animal Pragmatism".
In 2000, she toured America as an opening act for
Tina Turner
Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939) is an American-born Swiss retired singer and actress. Widely referred to as the " Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", she rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue before ...
's U.S. leg of her world tour. Robinson's biggest hit with Livin' Joy was reissued with new production, and new vocals and Robinson was credited for her work on it this time. "Dreamer '05" became a hit making the top five of the
Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. Her dance single, "Earthbeat" is featured on the compilation ''Pride 1998'', mixed and produced by
Julian Marsh
''42nd Street'' is a 1980 stage musical with a book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble, lyrics by Al Dubin and Johnny Mercer and music by Harry Warren. The 1980 Broadway production won the Tony Awards for Best Musical and Best Choreography an ...
. Robinson took a long hiatus and had two daughters and to care for her ill parents.
In 2015, Robinson released "There Must Be Love" in collaboration with
David Morales
David Morales (; born August 21, 1962) is an American disc jockey (DJ) and record producer. In addition to his production and DJ work, Morales is also a remixer.
David Morales has remixed and produced over 500 releases for artists including Ma ...
; the track was well received, particularly in Italy, and reached the Billboard Dance Charts. In 2017, she released the single "Father".
In 2018, Robinson returned to the stage on
''The X Factor'' UK as a contestant surprising the judging panel with the revelation that she was the voice and songwriter behind the international dance track "Dreamer". She successfully made it to the live shows as part of the Over 28s category mentored by
Ayda Field
Ayda Field (born Ayda Sabahat Evecan, May 17, 1979) is a Turkish-American model and actress. She is best known for being a regular panellist on British television show ''Loose Women'', a judge on the British ''The X Factor'', alongside her husba ...
and finished in 14th place.
In 2019, Robinson spent the spring and summer touring the UK and abroad. On August 1, she released a new single titled "Freedom", teaming up with DJ
David Morales
David Morales (; born August 21, 1962) is an American disc jockey (DJ) and record producer. In addition to his production and DJ work, Morales is also a remixer.
David Morales has remixed and produced over 500 releases for artists including Ma ...
once again.
In 2021, Robinson continued working on a documentary about her life, alongside performing across the UK and abroad.
In 2022, Robinson announced that she was continuing to work on her documentary about her life story. On 8 January, she announced on
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 15 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the station broadcasts a wide range of content ...
that new music is in the works. The first single called "Essex Girls" with British rappers who used the verse of "Dreamer" was released in January on
Warner Records
Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...
and a brand new new version of "Dreamer" was released in February 2022 with DJ
Salvatore Lodato
Salvatore Lodato (born 7 July 1987), better known by his stage name LODATO, is an American DJ, musician, and remixer. He is best known for his 2019 original single "HOME", which reached #1 on the U.S. Dance Radio Chart for three weeks, #1 on BPM's ...
on
Spinnin Records
Spinnin' Records is a Dutch electronic music record label founded in 1999 by Eelko van Kooten and Roger de Graaf. In September 2017, Warner Music Group acquired Spinnin' Records for over $100 million.
Background
Van Kooten is the son of former ...
. Robinson said she was "excited to reach a whole new generation" of fans who love her music. She also released "Love Comes Once in Your Life" with OMG Collective.
[https://www.omgcollective.co.uk/]
Songwriting discography
;
Abigail
Abigail () was an Israelite woman in the Hebrew Bible married to Nabal; she married the future King David after Nabal's death ( 1 Samuel ). Abigail was David's second wife, after Saul and Ahinoam's daughter, Michal, whom Saul later marri ...
- ''
Home...Again''
*11. "Let the Joy Rise"
;
Ashley Tisdale
Ashley Michelle Tisdale (born July 2, 1985) is an American actress and singer. During her childhood, she was featured in over 100 advertisements and had minor roles in television and theatre. She achieved mainstream success as Maddie Fitzpatr ...
- ''
Headstrong''
*14. "Suddenly"
;Brahim - ''Evolution''
*02. "So into You"
; Hania Stach
*00. "Regroup"
;
Kristine W
Kristine Elizabeth Weitz, widely known by her stage name Kristine W, is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and entrepreneur. She is most widely known as a dance music artist. Born and raised in Pasco, Washington, she found ear ...
- ''
Stronger''
*09. "Let Love Reign"
;
Lucas Prata - ''Let's Get It On''
*04. "Love of My Life"
*13. "Feel the Love Again"
;
Natalia - ''
Back For More''
*02. "Risin"
;
Reina - ''This Is Reina''
*01. "If I Close My Eyes"
*05. "On My Own"
;
Ricki-Lee Coulter
Ricki-Lee Dawn Coulter (born 10 November 1985), also known mononymously as Ricki-Lee, is a New Zealand-born Australian singer, songwriter, television, and radio presenter. She was born in Auckland, New Zealand, grew up on the Gold Coast, Qu ...
- ''
Brand New Day Brand New Day or A Brand New Day may refer to:
Music
*''Brand New Day'', the American title for the 1990 Australian musical ''Bran Nue Dae''
Albums
* ''Brand New Day'' (Swollen Members album), 2014
* ''Brand New Day'' (Ricki-Lee Coulter album), o ...
''
*03. "Melody of Life"
*12. "I Appreciate You"
;Sandrine Van Handenhoven - ''Story of Us (Movie)''
*00. "Story of Us"
;
Taylor Dayne
Taylor Dayne (born Leslie Wunderman; March 7, 1962) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She rose to fame in 1987 after her debut single " Tell It to My Heart". Dayne achieved six additional U.S. top-10 singles, including " Love Wil ...
- ''
Satisfied''
*09. "Crash"
;
Taylor Dayne
Taylor Dayne (born Leslie Wunderman; March 7, 1962) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She rose to fame in 1987 after her debut single " Tell It to My Heart". Dayne achieved six additional U.S. top-10 singles, including " Love Wil ...
- ''
Naked without You''
*02. "Whenever You Fall"
;
Tevin Campbell
Tevin Jermod Campbell (born November 12, 1976) is an American singer and songwriter. He performed gospel in his local church from an early age. Following an audition for jazz musician Bobbi Humphrey in 1988, Campbell was signed to Warner Bros. R ...
- ''
Tevin Campbell
Tevin Jermod Campbell (born November 12, 1976) is an American singer and songwriter. He performed gospel in his local church from an early age. Following an audition for jazz musician Bobbi Humphrey in 1988, Campbell was signed to Warner Bros. R ...
''
*02. "Never Again"
;
VFactory
V Factory was an American pop/ R&B/ urban boy band produced by late former pop artist Tommy Page. The members have yet to confirm what the "V" stands for. Wesley Quinn, in an interview with Popstar! Magazine, stated that "the V is a hidden meanin ...
- ''These Are the Days
EP''
*03. "These Are the Days"
Singles
Other singles
See also
*
List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
This is a list of recording artists who have reached number one on ''Billboard magazine's'' Dance Club Songs chart. ''Billboard'' began ranking dance music on the week ending October 26, 1974, and this is the standard music popularity chart in t ...
References
External links
Janice Robinsonat
MyspaceJanice Robinsonat
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
Janice Robinsonat
Instagram
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Robinson, Janice
1965 births
Living people
20th-century African-American women singers
American women singer-songwriters
Singer-songwriters from New Jersey
People from Garfield, New Jersey
American women pop singers
American contemporary R&B singers
American soul musicians
American expatriates in Italy
The X Factor (British TV series) contestants
African-American songwriters
21st-century African-American people
21st-century African-American women