Jody Watley

In the same year, she contributed a jazzy rendition of "After You, Who? " the compilation album "Red Hot + Blue", an AIDS-awareness charity recording of songs by Cole Porter produced by the Red Hot Organization.

Watley was photographed by famous photographer, Victor Skrebneski, for the popular Saks Fifth Avenue Defining Style Fall Catalog, where she appeared in a 15 page high fashion layout in 1996.

In 2006, Watley would walk the runway with designer Kevan Hall for LA Fashion Week.

She is also noted as an influence on contemporary designer Malan Breton of Project Runway.

Watley would state that she was eager to change her musical range and image, and no longer wanted to be seen as just a dance diva. She was inspired toward a more introspective approach for ‘Affairs Of The Heart", wanting to address social concerns. Read Less

Jody Watley now has the distinction of being among the few artists who have been to #1 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in all of the past three decades (the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s).

The same year, Watley was invited to participate in the Force of Nature Relief Concert to aid the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. During the trip Watley and others (including The Black Eyed Peas, Lauryn Hill, and Jackie Chan) were invited to the Royal Palace to meet The King and Queen of Malaysia for a special Tea reception in showing their gratitude for all involved with Force of Nature.

The Makeover would bring Watley together with 4Hero and King Britt among others in a chilled electronic out musical style. Understanding the shifting paradigms in the music industry and the changing business models, Watley’s Avitone Recordings arranged for The Makeover to be released exclusively to the Virgin Megastore chain in its first ever CD exclusive. It debuted at #1 for the retailer, and was accompanied by a Virgin mini-tour where she performed for customers and signed copies of the CD. The first single was a cover of Madonna's "Borderline". The single reached #2 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in January 2007. The second single, a cover of Chic's "I Want Your Love," reached #1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play in June 2007. Read Less