JoJo 'The High Road' album

At the ripe old age of 15, Joanna Levesque—a.k.a. JoJo—has experienced more success and acclaim than most recording artists achieve in a lifetime. She signed her first major record deal at 12, debuted with her now-worldwide platinum album, JoJo, at 13, and became both the youngest solo artist ever to score a #1 hit single on the Billboard charts and the youngest to be nominated for an MTV video music award. Add to that a whirlwind world tour, a starring role in the box office-smash, RV, and a chance to sing for the President of the United States twice, and you’ve got the stuff of teen dreams. “I feel so blessed, like someone is looking over my shoulder,” JoJo says. “I’ve also learned that when you have a positive outlook and surround yourself with a great team, you will go far.”

JoJo is now poised to hit the stratosphere. Her much-anticipated new album, The High Road (Da Family/Blackground), showcases a talent that knows no bounds. In just three years, her voice has gone from exceptional to enormous, while her confidence and maturity have soared to heights far above her age. “This album will show people what I’m really made of,” she says. “I want the world to see I’m here for the long run, and not some flash in the pan.”

To help make musical magic, she and Vincent Herbert, President of Da Family Records and the man responsible for signing her, assembled an all-star team of writers and producers, including Herbert , Swizz Beatz, Scott Storch, Diane Warren, Sean Garrett, Bo Dozier, Billy Steinberg, Josh Alexander, Ryan Leslie, and SoulShock and Karlin—the dynamic duo behind her previous hit single “Leave (Get Out).” But it’s JoJo’s extraordinary vocal range and passion that takes center stage on the album. Says Vincent Herbert, “Sometimes when I hear her sing, I can’t believe it’s even possible.”

Despite possessing a talent that surpasses her years, JoJo is still a teen to the core. Her songs reflect all the highs and lows of a typical young woman’s life—from boy problems to self-esteem struggles. She’s also not content to rest on any one musical style. “I don’t think teenagers listen to one genre of music,” JoJo explains, “so I wanted to do something people could groove to, chill to, connect to, and listen to again and again.” To this effect, the album serves up a delicious mix of soul, R&B, hip hop, and rock flavors.

One of the early songs JoJo recorded was “Too Little Too Late.” Upon hearing it played back in the studio, she knew she had her first single. “Tears just came to my eyes,” she recalls. Written by Steinberg and produced by Vincent Herbert, the record’s stirring melody and timeless message—about getting over your first love—speaks to young women everywhere. Says JoJo, “All my friends have told me, ‘Jo, we’re so happy you wrote this song because it’s about us!’”

JoJo continues the theme of female empowerment in the uplifting ballad, “Exceptional.” The song, written by legendary composer Diane Warren, struck a personal chord with JoJo: “I’ve had low moments where I just didn’t feel good enough—we all do,” she says. “This song definitely makes you feel better about yourself.” Warren also contributed the haunting but soul-searching “Note to God”. And again, it was the tears that did it. When Warren first played it for JoJo and her mom on the piano, mom broke down on the spot. JoJo was so moved she recorded the song that night in under an hour. What listeners hear on the album is the raw and unedited end result.

She picks up the pace with straight-out party jams like “This Time”, produced by Scott Storch, and “The Way You Do Me” by Swiss Beats. With JoJo’s complex vocalizations over highly-infectious beats, these songs are impossible to listen to sitting down. On the hard-hitting track, “Anything” (Bo Dozier), JoJo puts a funky new spin on a familiar 80’s megahit—Toto’s “Africa.”

Perhaps the record she’s most proud of is “How to Touch a Girl,” which she co-wrote with Steinberg. JoJo admits the lyrics were influenced by real-life romantic events. “I was confused about a boy,” she says, “so I wrote this to tell him how to touch a girl’s heart.” The record’s simple and sumptuous sonics are reminiscent of soul and jazz classics from back in the day. Not surprising, considering JoJo’s greatest influences are artists like Aretha Franklin and Sarah Vaughn.

JoJo understands the pressures of following a smash-hit debut album. She knows all about the sophomore jinx. But it’s precisely this kind of challenge that drives her—and keeps her hunger alive. “I will always keep striving for the best,” she says. “I’ll never be satisfied to remain where I am.” This is a mind-blowing concept, when you think just how far she’s come in so few years. Says Warren, who has worked with greats such as Whitney Houston and Celine Dion, “JoJo is one of the best singers I have ever worked with—and she’s only 15. I can’t wait to see where she goes. I will be watching. The world will be listening.”

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JoJo - The High Road