J. Lewis
Encyclopedia
J. Lewis is an American
singer, songwriter
, producer
and Dancer, having done choreography
for the likes of Britney Spears
and Christina Aguilera
. Lewis is a multi-instrumentilist in guitar
, piano
and the keyboard
. This kind of talent is what got Lewis signed to a major record label (Blackground/Interscope) with the record debut release in 2012
, this multi-instrumentalist, songwriter
, producer
, vocalist and dancer grew up amidst a gumbo of musical influences worthy of his Louisiana roots. As a child, he counts Michael Jackson
as his number one inspiration, along with Stevie Wonder
, Prince
, Steely Dan
and the Beatles. As he grew, his tastes diversified. “I just really started listening to Hip Hop
and R&B pretty much exclusively. I was a huge Craig David
fan,” says Lewis. “And also just growing up, when I first started playing, definitely John Mayer
, Jason Mraz
, Jack Johnson
.” J. Lewis started singing at age six and was involved in local productions until his aspirations took him higher. “I auditioned for a major Broadway show,” recalls Lewis. “They brought in a choreographer and… I just had no clue what I was doing.” Then an athlete in High School, at that point he traded the locker-room for the hardwood floors and mirrors of an urban
dance studio
. “I started taking a lot of classes and was in a company in Dallas,” says Lewis. “I told my coaches and they laughed about it and gave me a hard time, but it was all in fun.” At age 17, J. Lewis left home and headed west to stake his claim on the goldfields of Hollywood’s entertainment industry. There, the reformed jock set his sights on the urban
-pop dance
scene. “I thought dance would be my avenue into music, but I just didn’t really dig the dance industry out here,” says Lewis. “You cannot step on your own foot. Just kind of keep your integrity but find a way to also give people what they want.” It was this thinking that led him to drop out of a promising tour engagement with pop
sensation Britney Spears
. “That was the last audition I ever went on,” says Lewis. J. Lewis then shifted the gears of his career. “I just didn’t want to be auditioning for other people’s videos,” says Lewis. “I wanted to be making the video.” Pursuing this path included waiting tables as he paid dues, honing his songwriting craft, taking vocal coaching and learning new instruments
. “I did the Hollywood scene for a while,” says Lewis, citing venues such as The Viper Room, The Roxy and the Hotel Cafe. “We did the Hollywood thing for three years and I was waiting tables the whole time.”
. “It’s an absolute honor. Barry is a great dude. He saw it from the get-go,” says Lewis. “It’s so good to have a label that has a plan… not the cookie-cutter mold of a plan that the rest of the industry is using: a plan that’s extremely effective.” That plan is coming to fruition with the release of his single, “Dancing for Me” featuring Flo Rida
. An exhilarating entrée
of riveting rhythms, “Dancing for Me” offers a refreshing repose from radio
’s regularity. “Dancing for Me” places J. Lewis amongst a vanguard of multi-talented young musicians composing
collages of cross-genre
, forward-facing music. “With the iPod
generation that we’ve all become, there’s just so much room for an album to branch out and stretch the boundaries of the genres we’re doing.” The accompanying video showcases these slightly left of center sensibilities, a futuristic fashion flair above and “Beyond Thunderdome,” and the agility of an athlete who has honed himself into a highly expressive body instrument. J. Lewis has moved past the training montage of life’s movie and is now prepared for his showdown with stardom
and success. “This is literally square one,” says Lewis,” just really getting a good foundation on hopefully the rest of an extremely long career.” Cowboy that he is, J. Lewis is settled in the saddle, guitar
slung over shoulder, ready to forge forward into life’s bountiful frontiers.
2011
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and Dancer, having done choreography
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
for the likes of Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
and Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
. Lewis is a multi-instrumentilist in guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and the keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
. This kind of talent is what got Lewis signed to a major record label (Blackground/Interscope) with the record debut release in 2012
Musical beginnings
Hailing from the Dallas suburb of Coppell, TexasCoppell, Texas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 35,958 people, 12,211 households, and 9,781 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,418.5 people per square mile . There were 12,587 housing units at an average density of 846.6 per square mile...
, this multi-instrumentalist, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, vocalist and dancer grew up amidst a gumbo of musical influences worthy of his Louisiana roots. As a child, he counts Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
as his number one inspiration, along with Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, Prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
, Steely Dan
Steely Dan
Steely Dan is an American rock band; its core members are Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. The band's popularity peaked in the late 1970s, with the release of seven albums blending elements of jazz, rock, funk, R&B, and pop...
and the Beatles. As he grew, his tastes diversified. “I just really started listening to Hip Hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
and R&B pretty much exclusively. I was a huge Craig David
Craig David
Craig Ashley David is an English singer and songwriter. He has released five studio albums: Born to Do It, Slicker Than Your Average, The Story Goes..., Trust Me, Signed Sealed Delivered and a Greatest Hits album...
fan,” says Lewis. “And also just growing up, when I first started playing, definitely John Mayer
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
, Jason Mraz
Jason Mraz
Jason Thomas Mraz , also known as Mr. AZ and Mr. Raz, is an American singer-songwriter. Mraz released his debut album, Waiting for My Rocket to Come, which contained the hit single "The Remedy ", in 2002, but it was not until the release of his second album, "Mr. A-Z", in 2005, that Mraz achieved...
, Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson (musician)
Jack Johnson was born May 18, 1975 is an American folk rock singer-songwriter, surfer and musician known for his work in the soft rock and acoustic genres. In 2001, he achieved commercial success after the release of his debut album, Brushfire Fairytales. He has since released four more albums, a...
.” J. Lewis started singing at age six and was involved in local productions until his aspirations took him higher. “I auditioned for a major Broadway show,” recalls Lewis. “They brought in a choreographer and… I just had no clue what I was doing.” Then an athlete in High School, at that point he traded the locker-room for the hardwood floors and mirrors of an urban
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
dance studio
Dance studio
A dance studio is a space in which dancers learn or rehearse. The term is typically used to describe a space that has either been built or equipped for the purpose....
. “I started taking a lot of classes and was in a company in Dallas,” says Lewis. “I told my coaches and they laughed about it and gave me a hard time, but it was all in fun.” At age 17, J. Lewis left home and headed west to stake his claim on the goldfields of Hollywood’s entertainment industry. There, the reformed jock set his sights on the urban
Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
-pop dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
scene. “I thought dance would be my avenue into music, but I just didn’t really dig the dance industry out here,” says Lewis. “You cannot step on your own foot. Just kind of keep your integrity but find a way to also give people what they want.” It was this thinking that led him to drop out of a promising tour engagement with pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
sensation Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
. “That was the last audition I ever went on,” says Lewis. J. Lewis then shifted the gears of his career. “I just didn’t want to be auditioning for other people’s videos,” says Lewis. “I wanted to be making the video.” Pursuing this path included waiting tables as he paid dues, honing his songwriting craft, taking vocal coaching and learning new instruments
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
. “I did the Hollywood scene for a while,” says Lewis, citing venues such as The Viper Room, The Roxy and the Hotel Cafe. “We did the Hollywood thing for three years and I was waiting tables the whole time.”
Breakthrough with Blackground/Interscope
Two years ago, one of his showcases led to a production deal and signing with (Blackground/Interscope) Records under the auspices of the label’s legendary founder, Barry HankersonBarry Hankerson
Barry Hankerson is an American record producer and manager who founded and runs Blackground Records. He was once a television producer and a politician in Detroit, Michigan. He managed and produced The Winans and produced Ron Milner's play Don't Get God Started in 1988.At one time Hankerson was...
. “It’s an absolute honor. Barry is a great dude. He saw it from the get-go,” says Lewis. “It’s so good to have a label that has a plan… not the cookie-cutter mold of a plan that the rest of the industry is using: a plan that’s extremely effective.” That plan is coming to fruition with the release of his single, “Dancing for Me” featuring Flo Rida
Flo Rida
Tramar Dillard , better known by his stage name Flo Rida , is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. He released his debut album, Mail on Sunday, in March 2008. His debut single "Low", featuring T-Pain, was a #1 hit for ten weeks in United States in early 2008. Two other singles resulted from...
. An exhilarating entrée
Entrée
An entrée is a dish served before the main course, or between two principal courses of a meal.The disappearance in the early 20th century of a large communal main course such as a roast as a standard part of the meal in the English-speaking world has led to the term being used to describe the main...
of riveting rhythms, “Dancing for Me” offers a refreshing repose from radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
’s regularity. “Dancing for Me” places J. Lewis amongst a vanguard of multi-talented young musicians composing
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
collages of cross-genre
Cross-genre
A cross-genre is a genre in fiction that blends themes and elements from two or more different genres.-Examples:*Action comedy *Comedy-drama or dramedy *Comedy-horror...
, forward-facing music. “With the iPod
IPod
iPod is a line of portable media players created and marketed by Apple Inc. The product line-up currently consists of the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the compact iPod Nano, and the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle...
generation that we’ve all become, there’s just so much room for an album to branch out and stretch the boundaries of the genres we’re doing.” The accompanying video showcases these slightly left of center sensibilities, a futuristic fashion flair above and “Beyond Thunderdome,” and the agility of an athlete who has honed himself into a highly expressive body instrument. J. Lewis has moved past the training montage of life’s movie and is now prepared for his showdown with stardom
Stardom
Stardom is a 2000 Canadian film written by J.Jacob Potashnik & Denys Arcand and directed by Denys Arcand and starring Jessica Paré and Dan Aykroyd. It tells the story of a young girl who tries to cope with her rise to stardom after being discovered by a fashion agency...
and success. “This is literally square one,” says Lewis,” just really getting a good foundation on hopefully the rest of an extremely long career.” Cowboy that he is, J. Lewis is settled in the saddle, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
slung over shoulder, ready to forge forward into life’s bountiful frontiers.
Partial discography
2010- "Dancing For Me" - featuring Flo RidaFlo RidaTramar Dillard , better known by his stage name Flo Rida , is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. He released his debut album, Mail on Sunday, in March 2008. His debut single "Low", featuring T-Pain, was a #1 hit for ten weeks in United States in early 2008. Two other singles resulted from...
- "Shut 'em up"
2011
- "Everywhere I Go"
- "Solo"
- "Sex & Coffee" - written by Nasri
External links
- Official website http://www.jlewisonline.com/
- Official TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
Page http://twitter.com/jlewisonline - official FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
Page http://www.facebook.com/jlewisonline