(August 17, 2009 - Brooklyn, NY) Accomplished newcomer K'Jon scored one of the most impressive R&B crossover debuts of the year, with his new Universal Republic album I Get Around
landing in the Top 15 of the Billboard Top Albums chart this week. The
eye-opening debut, logging in at # 12 and # 5 on the R&B chart, is
due in large part to the Detroit native's epic first single, "On The Ocean,"
which already reigns as one of 2009's smash hit dual-qualifiers - a
certified radio and club smash. The classic single owned the nightlife
grid for months as a popular 'stepping' song before becoming one of the
most requested urban radio hits of the year. "On The Ocean" locked the #1 spot at the Urban AC
format for more than a month, with radio listeners and online music
followers extending the grassroots wave stirred by the song's soulful
message of perseverance. "On The Ocean" was also a multiple format
radio-record breaker, making the biggest vault to #1 in BDS-based chart
history, overtaking the previous high-water mark set by superstar Alicia Keys with her 2001 classic "Fallen."
K' Jon's new single, the breakup-to-makeup ballad "This Time,"
is proving a worthy follow-up, already soaring at urban-adult formats,
entering the radio fray as one of the most added/played songs of late
summer. Critics have been favorably weighing in on the new album, with
the singer/songwriter's hometown Detroit Free Press calling the
fifteen-track effort a , "boldly autobiographical work... K'Jon is
poised to be Detroit's next big breakout act." USA Today also hailed
the major label debut, touting I Get Around's "distinctive phrasing and thoughtful songwriting which sets K'Jon apart... his ship has finally come in."
Avery Lipman, Co-President & Chief Operating Officer of Universal
Republic Records, echoed the words of praise for the multi-talented
vocalist: "K'Jon is one of those rare artists who packs a message of
hope with an undeniable staying power, earning the respect of his
audience by inhabiting the same tenacious qualities he magically
conveys in his music. We're thrilled to see mainstream music fans
embrace and reward his talent with this awesome debut. The entire
company joins me in congratulating K'Jon on his much deserved success."
Frequently mentioned alongside contemporary hit makers such as Ne-Yo and Robin Thicke, the talented K'Jon has also drawn comparisons to legendary Detroit music icon Marvin Gaye.
The irrepressible K'Jon was groomed on Detroit's East side, toughing it
out in the motor city's competitive underground urban music scene under
a couple indie guises until his breakout 2004 cameo on the electric 2 Fast 2 Furious soundtrack with the hit "Miami."
The determined hit-maker schooled himself in streetwise production
techniques, working the edges of the hip-hop world before developing an
indelible tenor and knack for finding the open lane with music fans
receptive to his intimate, straight-up style; What one critic has
called, "a hip-hop first-person voice in an R&B template."
He's collaborated with established stars such as Ludacris and other sought-after industry song-makers like Cool & Dre, Ginuwine, Ne-Yo, and T-Pain.
Still, it's K'Jon's own instinctual production/songwriting chops - what
the artist calls his "insistence on writing from experience" - that
makes his major label debut album I Get Around such a strong departure from other sound-alike urban music debuts.
Whether it's the engaging title track, the alluring "On The Ocean," or the cool flow of "After The Club"
and the second-chance anthem "This Time," K'Jon stays true to a
personal creed that saw him build a steady, slow-burning momentum with
two independently released offerings before bringing his dice to the
big table and partnering with Universal Republic. Just as his first hit
single would come to separate him from the rest of the pack at one of
the most crucial cross-roads of his career, the thoughtful star is
mindful of even wider avenues forming on the horizon now. "I'm a big
believer in establishing your identity, but first and foremost knowing
who you are before you try and win over others," he says, "I thank
everyone on the Universal Republic team for letting this album be that
introduction. I also thank all my fans. A lot of my songs speak to the
notion about working your dream from the ground up, and they have been
a big inspiration to me. I'm grateful for the opportunity, and excited
about where the journey is headed next."
To purchase: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=325287659&s=143441
http://www.amazon.com/I-Get-Around-KJon/dp/B002CAOE0I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1250519304&sr=8-1
