Taylor Dayne performs at the Bmoblie and Studio 98's 'Dyin To Be Dancin' held at Countryside Club, Eastwood Park Road, on Saturday. - WINSTON SILL
HER VOICE IS powerful and unmistakable and her songs are timeless. That's what makes Taylor Dayne a musical powerhouse of our time.
Dayne is widely known for her first song Tell it To My Heart which topped the charts in 1987. But she was no one-hit wonder because she also had top singles including, With Every Beat of My Heart in 1989, Love Will Lead You Back in 1990 and Planet Love in 2000.
PASSIONATE
"As an artiste, I am very passionate with a very soulful strong voice...and as a person I tend to be truthful and direct," she said in a recent interview with THE STAR.
Dayne was born Leslie Wunderman, but later changed her name. "No, that's really my name now, I changed it a long time ago," she said.
She developed a love for music during high school and after graduating joined the band Felony and in 1985 the band The Next. However, she soon decided to go solo.
SLOW ROAD TO SUCCESS
It was a slow road to success until the release of her song Tell it To My Heart. Some only know her as an artiste who dominated the charts in the late 80's through early 90s. However, she is adamant that she never really went anywhere.
This was in response to the reality show Remaking Taylor Dayne which aired in April of this year on VH1. "They (network) approached me with a concept and I said okay, but as it turns out that wasn't what the show turned out to be.
They told me I would be working with Rodney Jerkins and that sort of thing...but what can I say, I enjoyed performing on The View. It was seen as a comeback, but I am always making a comeback.
I am never comfortable where I am, I am constantly working," she said.
Like many other artistes of her musical era though, Dayne has had to find her niche in the American market dominated by young new talent. "It's not a matter of it being fair, but people are more interested in spending money on 16 and 19 year-olds.
So usually I go to Europe and work with producers who are willing to work with me. Then I will make some hits, come back and people are like 'aha!'"
Dayne says even during the show she was working with Michael Mangini who also produced Joss Stone's debut CD. "We are taking material that's very soulful, like Gladys Knight's It's Amazing and remaking it for the album," she said.
Dayne was one of the performers at bMobile and Studio 98's Dying to be Dancing which took place at the Countryside Club, Eastwood Park Road on Saturday. Other performers on the show included Diana King, the Ladies of Chic, France Jolie and Chakademus & Pliers.
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