Jakia

Taking the seed of a childhood love of music and growing it into her blossoming career a pop recording artist, Jakia is quickly setting herself apart as a force to be reckoned with in Dallas’ music scene.
As a prodigiously talented creator of hip-hop, dance and R&B-flavored pop, Jakia made her first splash with singles “Extra Extra” and “I’ll Let You Know,” in 2007.
But despite her pop leanings – her influences include Janet Jackson, Ella Fitzgerald and Madonna – the multitalented songstress refuses to be categorized as a master of only one genre.
“The perk of being an independent artist is that I don’t really have to be so black and white when it comes to sound and style,” says Jakia, who has also penned country music tunes and performed jazz.
On her current project, a CD titled “Who’s That?”, Jakia is collaborating with other artists at the top of their game on the national and local levels, including Dallas band Odis and master remixers such as Fred Alan Brax and Daft Punk.
Working with such an impressive roster of musical partners is a notable accomplishment, considering Jakia once pursued a career in filmmaking.
“My aspirations were to become an independent film director,” she says. “That dream was squashed when I didn’t get into the University of New Mexico ’s film school – and the fact I really didn’t want to direct!”
In fact, the Texas native’s original love was song, as she had grown up in a musically rich household with a mother who was always singing and where “singing was second nature to me, like being bilingual.”
But it wasn’t until her film school plans were dashed that her true path in life materialized, at a Lauryn Hill concert.
“The idea clicked: sing!” Jakia remarks. “I never thought of doing it as a career, but after witnessing her on stage and feeling the energy that evening, I was sunk!” And thus began a 10-year journey crafting her own unique music.
Look out for “Who’s That?”, written and co-produced by Jakia, and her blazing first single, “Girlfriend,” produced by Paul Couture of Yippi Records, on her MySpace profile, Rhapsody.com, iTunes, and JakiaOnline.com. Jakia envisions her Web site as a vehicle through which to pique and satisfy her fans’ curiosity as well as provide a video blog and clips of her live performances.