Paul Kraft Productions

www.erikajayne.com
New album Pretty Mess out now

If disco balls, ecstasy, pearls, Studio 54, sex, crystal chandeliers, Purple Rain, and Crème Brule, could be whipped in a blender and made into a delicious pop-dance musical confection, you would have Pretty Mess, the debut CD from dance-pop’s latest sensation Erika Jayne. Pretty Mess, which includes the No. 1 Billboard Dance Radio Airplay hit singles “Rollercoaster” and “Stars” and a guest appearance from Sheila E., will drop early in the spring of 2009.

It’s typically a no–no to be so bold as to compare any new artist to the Queen of Pop, Madonna. But, when it’s comes to Erika Jayne, it’s impossible not to make the comparison. Just ask the Guardian U.K., which wrote, “Erika Jayne is Madonna trapped in the moment when she recorded the Eroticaalbum. She’s Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge goes trance with a dash of debauchery, or Gwen Stefani goes burlesque. She’s equal parts Hollywood glamour and S&M chic. The spawn of Sapphic union between Rita Hayworth and Traci Lords.”

“That is a perfect description of my music and vibe, actually,” says the Atlanta-bred, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter proudly. “All of that influenced me, as did Purple Rain, the feel of Studio 54, Kylie Minogue, and the Old Hollywood designers Edith Head and Adrian Adolph Greenberg. They were all about having a good time, and that is what my record is about. I want people to have fun, dance, and escape into fantasy. I want the listener to take a sexy little trip away from their lives. It’s a very sensual, erotic, luxurious-feeling album. That was my state of mind when I wrote, and that comes naturally for me. It’s something that I could either choose not to accept or to embrace it and run with it. And, I’m running with it. I’m not afraid to be me and to sing about the things I want to sing about.”

To honor her love of all things Prince, Erika scored Prince protégé Sheila E. to play percussion on the sexually charged “Time to Realize,” one of the four songs Erika co-wrote. “Having Sheila play was a dream come true!,” she says. The singer also recorded a cover of Apollonia 6’s 1984 hit “Sex Shooter,” which was featured in Purple Rain. “When I saw her perform the song in the movie in lingerie, I was totally shocked. It was so provocative and I loved that.”

Erika also scored heavy-hitters on the production side for her 14-song collection of dance, rhythmic pop, and dreamy electronica songs. Peter Rafelson (Madonna, Britney Spears, Stevie Nicks) and Eric Kupper (Shakira, Destiny’s Child, Kylie Minogue) produced and co-wrote Pretty Mess, while Canadian singer-songwriter Esthero (as Pinklake), Jahi Lake (Chris Brown) and Ike Dirty (Lil’ Scrappy, Ying Yang Twinz, and son of legendary artist Isaac Hayes) contributed additional production.

The third single to follow the two chart-toppers “Rollercoaster” and “Stars” will be the upbeat disco-flavored dance track “Give You Everything.” “It’s the first song I recorded. I did it in one take. It’s my favorite song,” she says. “’Run Along’ is my Atlanta song. I love my hometown. It has Ike Dirty on it. We were feeling very glamour-ghetto-royalty when we wrote it. ‘I Lose Myself’ is about an orgy and the decadence of Paris in the ‘20s. ‘Rollercoaster’ is my simple, catchy, and fun song. ‘Just a Phase’ is my sassy, blow-off song. ‘Everybody Wants Some’ is a total performance number, very sex kitten.”

Erika gravitated to music and performing as young as her earliest memory. “My mom was a young mom, 18, so she would always have the latest music on in the car, but she was also a classically trained pianist who taught lessons in our home. Music was always playing in the house, which was cool,” explains Erika. “At 3-years-old, I would go in the closet, ask my mom to introduce me, and pop out to put on a show for my family. I would usually sing ‘Little Miss Muppet.’ Then, when I was 5, I won the Best Little Performer award in my dance class, and my first performance was singing Dolly Parton’s ‘9 to 5’ in the third grade school talent show. I knew I wanted to be a performer.”

The precocious child also did musical theater (she was Val in A Chorus Line and Frastrada in Pippin) and honed her singing, dancing, and acting chops at North Atlanta School of Performing Arts for high school. It was in high school when she got her first real taste of what it would be like to be an international pop star. She toured the world in the school’s revue show where she performed “9 to 5” and Madonna’s “Get Into the Groove.” “I was singing and dancing five nights a week on top of going to school,” says Erika, who is also a skilled ballet dancer. “At 18, I moved to New York and was in a few girl groups , but I always wanted to step out on my own. I worked my ass off to get to where I am today and I’m really glad I did it this way. It makes the success worth it.”

Erika has indeed accomplished more before the release of her debut CD than most artists. Along with two chart-topping dances radio tracks, the sensual video for “Stars” – directed by Scott Speer (Will I. Am, the Veronicas, Paris Hilton) – has spent 12 weeks (peaking at No. 2) on LOGO’s The Click List, and the song also hit No. 1 on the Billboard Dance Play chart and is featured in the 2009 movieAmerican Summer with Efren Ramirez (Napoleon Dynamite) and Matthew Lillard (Scream). Three other songs have been placed in movies as well –“Rollercoaster” is in 2008’s Deal featuring Burt Reynolds and in the horror film Bumper, and “I Lose Myself” and “Just a Phase” are in the 2007 Matthew Modine flick The Neighbor.

“I couldn’t have asked for a more fitting scene in The Neighbor for ‘Just a Phase’ to be playing in,” Erika explains. “These young girls are having a slumber party and they are just jumping up and down and going crazy to the song. It reminded me of when I was a little girl and would jump on my bed singing along to music. Just pure, unadulterated fun! It was delicious. It’s what I hope everyone will do when they listen to Pretty Mess. It’s all about that feeling.”

Meet the perfect dance-pop confection that is Erika Jayne: All pleasure. No guilt.

Fort Lauderdale/Miami 205-218-2087
DJLydia@aol.com
www.myspace.com/lydiaprim

From a distance, with her cap pulled down, it’s easy to mistake the Alabama-born DJ Lydia Prim for a good ol’ boy instead of a Southern belle – a fact that suits her just fine. While her beautiful and petite mother dreamed of the Southern traditions—debutante balls, finishing schools, a good sorority—the husky tomboy was hypnotized instead by mirror balls. .”My ‘finishing schools’ were Backstreet in Atlanta and The Bourbon Pub/Parade in New Orleans” says Lydia with a wide grin on her face. “Mother always said I should join a sorority to help my progression as a young lady……I thought the Brotherhood of DJ’s was a better choice.”

When asked to describe Lydia, DJ/Producer Tony Moran used the following words: “Over the years of experiencing some of the most incredible performances that bring out feelings of hope, love, inspiration and appreciation, Lydia Prim has to be one of the top of a very short list of those who have managed to consistently bring out the best of what a meaningful night has to offer.She proves that music is not a formula that you repeat over and over to create the same effect…”

DJ Lydia Prim’s dedication to dance music was forged in the clubs of the hot and sticky South. Starting in Pensacola, Florida, and then Birmingham, Alabama, where she was added to Billboard Magazine’s prestigious Club DJ panel. Soon she was playing major events in Atlanta, and fell in love with the thriving dance scene and nightlife. She moved to Atlanta, where she quickly won a residency at the famous 24-hour mega-club Backstreet. After several successful years in Atlanta, she received an offer to join The Bourbon Pub/Parade in New Orleans. Lydia once again joined a nightclub with a national reputation, where tourists from all over the country were exposed to her amazing ability to take dancers on a journey like no other.The years in New Orleans led to a wide fan base and guest appearances far beyond the boundaries of the southern states.

Lydia has played venues with many well-known DJ’s including Manny Lehman, Tony Moran, Junior Vasquez, Chris Cox, Oscar G. and countless others. The Godfather of House, Frankie Knuckles, had these words to say about Lydia: “I became familiar with Lydia’s artistry a number of years back thru my legendary friend, Buc From Atlanta.”, says Frankie. “Not only is Lydia a great technician but her taste in music is absolutely exquisite. Her sounds know just how to reach you at just the right moment on the dance floor. And I don’t just say this because I love the woman (or the boy in her) but, there are only a handful of DJs that truly appeal to my musical spirit. Lydia is one. One AMAZING musician/dj/artist.”

Venues Lydia has played include Twilo, Sound Factory, and SBNY in New York, Nation in DC, Eleven in LA, CroBar in Chicago/Miami, Backstreet in Detroit, Pure in Philadelphia and Universe in San Francisco just to name a few. Clubs across the nation were charmed by the wide-eyed, wildly enthusiastic DJ who pounded their dance floors with her unique blend of sexy vocals and sleazy rhythms. She became a repeatedly requested DJ at major events including Winter Party, Black & Blue, Cherry DC, Hotlanta, Pride New York, Fireball, Fashion Cares, Folsom Street Fair, Gay Disney, and White Party (both the Miami and Palm Springs incarnations) She was chosen by the most recognized producer of dance/circuit CD’s in the country, Centaur Records/Global Groove, for three of their popular mixed CD releases. Lydia recently made an impressive return to the Gay Days line-up in June of 2009,where she was the DJ at the Let’s Go Play party held at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon. Over 4000 were in attendance, and the event was by far the most successful of the weekend..

Lydia Prim currently resides in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and has become a regular in the South Florida dance scene. When not on the road, she can be found playing at CroBar/Exit 66 in Fort Lauderdale as well as Twist in Miami Beach and The Honey Pot in Tampa.

Escape’s being compared to Vin Diesel – and he doesn’t mind. He’s got Diesel looks, Deisel charisma, and the power Vin Diesel yields in Hollywood matches that which Escape holds over gay clubland.

The irony is that the gayest part of DJ Escape is where he hails – Queens, New York. Every other facet about him is, sigh, straight. But that doesn’t deter his mostly gay following from packing nightclubs across the country to experience the wonder-kid live.

Starting at an early age, Aaron Christopher always had an attraction to music taking every opportunity to learn and master new instruments. While tending bar in Dallas, he was drawn to the dark pulsating beats energizing the atmosphere and driving the crowd.

It wasn’t until a few years later that Aaron met local DJ Paul Kraft, becoming instant friends as they spent countless hours talking about music. Paul, recognizing Aaron’s passion, taught him the basics and gave him the extra push Aaron needed to become a DJ. After practicing on equipment of his own, Paul invited Aaron to spin with him at one of his afterhours parties. The entire experience was an amazing rush, and Aaron was hooked.

In the Spring of 2009, Aaron Christopher relocated to San Francisco with his partner, giving him a whole new level of exposure to the dance scene. Advice and influence gained through friendships with DJ Tony Moran and DJ Jamie J. Sanchez have significantly helped Aaron hone his skills in the DJ booth.

Aaron’s style has a Brazilian influence, ranging from progressive vocal house to deep tribal house.

Very comfortable spinning anything from tea to afterhours, Paul gravitates towards high energy happy house music, and lots of vocals. He also enjoys getting down and dirty in the deep hours before dawn.

His inspiring sets are very popular with the Dallas dance community.

The love and passion for music is what brought Bryan Konrad from Corpus Christi to Austin in Fall of 2000. From an early age Bryan knew music was his life and sought out every opportunity to capitalize on his passion. Bryan began his career in Austin at the Boyz Cellar under the guidance of local Austin DJ Filthy Rich. He quickly picked up the art and technique of spinning to become the next up and coming DJ in Austin.

From the Boyz Cellar Bryan’s career began to grow. He soon found himself being sought out by clubs from the local and surrounding areas. The Forum was the next stop on Bryan’s career path. Bryan’s experience at The Forum paved the way for him to begin his expansion into other markets. He has opened for several big name DJ’s such as Alyson Calagna, Scotty K, Roland Belmares, Phil B, Tony Moran & James Andersen. One of Bryan’s first major events was the quintessential circuit party itself “SPLASH”, hosted in Austin over Memorial Day Weekend. Spanning the state of Texas Bryan has dj’d in every major city in some of the most popular venus. Venus such as South Beach, Meteor, Alameda Theater in San Antonio, Texas (T-Dance benefiting Aids Services of San Antonio), the ever popular Purple Party in Dallas, Texas.

Bryan Konrad’s love for music doesn’t stop at the dj booth. In addition to spinning he is working on his next step to further his career, which is learning how to produce his own music. He is always looking to meet and network with other fellow djs. He has collaborated on some tracks with LTD (Licious The Diva) and Remixer/Producer Scotty K in 2007. He hopes to take all that he has learned from these great DJs and produce his own sound.

Currently Bryan can be found spinning the latest mixes at Oilcan Harry’s, where he has been a resident DJ for over three years. Oilcan Harry’s is not only recognized as one of the top gay clubs in Austin, but also one of the top 50 in the world. http://www.djbryankonrad.com is where you can find the latest happenings and podcasts of DJ Bryan Konrad.