Jessi Malay 'self-titled' album

Authenticity is one of those rare qualities that everyone respects—especially in music. While pop starlets are turning to the booming sounds of hip-hop and R&B for their next big hit, few of them truly love the culture. Jessi Malay is one of the few. Just take one listen to Jessi’s forthcoming self-titled debut album and you can see where her passion lies. From the somber R&B sensibilities of “Invisible,” produced by Stargate (Ne-Yo, Rihanna), to the brash unapologetic thump of “Gimme,” produced by J.R. Rotem (Destiny’s Child, Sean Kingston), the album has an urban-inspired edge that can not be faked. Jessi’s debut single, the Yung Joc-guested “Booty Bangs,” is just the kind of club anthem that will have tastemakers from coast to coast turning up their radios...

And no, it’s not about what you think. “The truth is it’s really not about the booty,” says Jessi. “It’s my coming out song and a warning to all the other female artists to watch out.” The album also features appearances from Trey Songz (“I Don’t Want To Share”) and Lil Scrappy (“Topsy Turvy”).

Born and raised in Los Angeles to a Filipino/Spanish mother and Caucasian father, it’s not hard to understand where she gets her swagger from. The multi-ethnic starlet was nodding her head to the beats of Dr. Dre and dancing to the sounds of Aaliyah and Brandy all at the tender age of 8 years old. It was her introduction to hip-hop and R&B—via her elementary school friends—that fueled Jessi to begin her love affair with music and dance. And while American hip-hop and R&B became a “subject” she studied in school, her family’s roots in Brazil were influencing her at home. “At parties, which happened frequently at my house, they would roll out the conga drum and dance samba.”

Before long the performance bug bit and Jessi was hitting the stage with dance and performance troupes. It was there that she discovered that she could not only dance, but that she could also sing. Given her talents, it seemed like Jessi was destined for stardom, especially when she was invited but declined to join the girl group that would become Dream. It was a decision that she regretted when the Bad Boy girl group became household names. “That was torture,” she admits. “One night, I was in the bathroom and I had a breakdown. I began crying and I just prayed for a second chance.”

Fortunately, opportunity did come knocking again a month later when Jessi auditioned for the girl group No Secrets. By the end of the day, Jessi was in the studio cutting the group’s first demo. Although the group toured with Aaron Carter and was featured on the Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius soundtrack, Jessi was unsatisfied with the group’s pop sound. She wanted to get back to her roots, she wanted to get back to that more rhythmic sound she grew up listening to. Jessi teamed with songwriters Bruce Roberts and Andy Goldmark (Donna Summer and Whitney Houston) and struck out on her own as a soloist.

In 2006, Jessi signed a deal with Warner Bros. Records and is now preparing to release her self-titled solo debut. Best described as one part Kelis (R&B), one part Chris Brown (dance) and one part Selena (ethnic), Jessi seems determined to make her own, authentic brand of music. “If you’re given a second chance like this, to do what you love, you better work your ass off for it.”

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Jessi Malay - self-titled