INOJ
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INOJ | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Ayanna "Joni" Portee[1] |
| Born | Ayanna Porter Script error: No such module "person date". |
| Died | Script error: No such module "person date". |
| Genres | Page Template:Hlist/styles.css has no content. |
| OccupationTemplate:Pluralize from text | Singer, songwriter |
| InstrumentTemplate:Pluralize from text | Vocals |
| Years active | 1996-present |
| LabelTemplate:Pluralize from text | So So Def, Columbia |
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Ayanna Porter (born November 27, 1976), better known by her stage name INOJ (pronounced "I know J"),[2] is an American singer and songwriter. Her two Miami bass cover versions in 1997 and 1998, debut single "Love You Down" (originally by Ready for the World, for whom she titled her debut album) and "Time After Time" (originally by Cyndi Lauper), reached No. 25 and No. 6 in the United States, respectively. "Time After Time" was also a top 10 hit in Canada and New Zealand. She also released a version of Anita Ward's "Ring My Bell".
Early career
INOJ was born in Madison, Wisconsin. As a baby, she started singing War's "The Cisco Kid" in her crib before she was talking.[3] She sang in the high school choir.[1] She wanted to have a singing career, but her parents convinced her to pursue engineering, another passion. She decided to attend the University of Baltimore because it was near Washington, D.C., and not too far from New York City, and she had a better chance of connecting with music producers. In her sophomore year of college, she joined a girl group called Spellbound, who got signed to a major label recording contract. The group disbanded, and she became a songwriter.[4]
She was asked by So So Def producers to sing a reference track for someone else to hear and emulate, and she recorded her vocals to "Love You Down". The producers immediately put her version out as the final product. At this time, she created her stage name INOJ, pronounced "eye know jay". The name is "Joni" spelled backwards; her birth name is Ayanna and she had been nicknamed Yanni, but she spelled the nickname "Joni" for personal style.[4]
Musical style
When discussing her musical style in an interview with Billboard, INOJ stated that she doesn't identify with one particular genre of music.[5] According to her, "I try not to classify my sound, but I think I would call myself rhythm and pop instead of R&B." She continued saying, "R&B is more street today than rhythm and blues, and I'm definitely not urban, so I guess I've come up with a new category of my own."[5]
INOJ said she was raised listening to artists such as the Carpenters and Sandy Patty.[5] She is influenced by artists Minnie Riperton, Stevie Wonder, Chicago, Michael Jackson, Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, Shania Twain, Shawn Colvin and Aaliyah.[5]
Discography
Albums
- 1999: Ready for the World
Singles
- 1997: "Love You Down" (US No. 25, 20 weeks)[6]
- 1998: "Time After Time" (US No. 6, 16 weeks)[7]
- 1999: "Ring My Bell"
- 2007: "Nine to Five"[citation needed]
- 2008: "Baby You"[citation needed]
- 2011: "On"
- 2012: "Love Thang"
- 2012: "It's Over"
- 2016: "My Love for You"
- 2017: "LYD (Love You Down)"
- 2018: "September Love"
References
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- ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Phares, Heather. "INOJ Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Phares, Heather. "INOJ Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More > AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
Soft-voiced pop-R&B vocalist Ayanna Porter, known as INOJ (pronounced "I know J")
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Taylor, Chuck (September 19, 1998). "Ingénue INOJ Follows Her Instincts As 'Time After Time' Clicks At Top 40". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 38. p. 96. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Brooks, Crispin (November 17, 2020). "Interviews: INOJ". Planet Thirty. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
- ^ a b c d Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Ingenue INOJ Follows Her Instincts As "Time After Time" Clicks At Top 40". Billboard. September 19, 1998. p. 96. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
- ^ Billboard Hot 100 Chart from June 20, 1998, the last week the single was on the 100.
- ^ Billboard Hot 100 Chart from Dec 5, 1998, the last week the single was on the 100.
External links
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