J*Davey

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• Genre: Soul

About

Many artists have attempted to create a post-R&B strand of soul, but few have come as close as J*DaVeY. The Los Angeles duo take R&B's swoon and run it through the filter of electro, hip-hop and rock, with quivering vocals, start-stop rhythms and rubbery synth lines building into a sound that is sensual and funky. Jack Davey (the girl) grew up on a steady diet of classic jazz, while Brook D'Leua (the boy) was nurtured on new wave. Davey left her hometown of St. Louis for L.A. at the age of 8 and was signed to MCA as part of an all-female singing group in the early '90s. Though that project never bore fruit, the move to La-La Land proved fortuitous, as she met D'Leua in high school. The two began to make music together, initially trying their hand at hip-hop. They then threw out their preconceptions and entered a period of deep experimentation, resulting in The Beauty of Distortion, a left-field fit of electro-funk that channeled both Gary Numan and Prince. They opened for Prince in New York and had their music featured in TV shows and movies. The buzz led to a deal with Warner Brothers, and J*DaVeY is currently working on their debut LP for the label.

- Sam Chennault