Exclusive Queens Our City Radio Interview with Inaya Day

Inaya Day is an amazing vocalist who, for the past 25 years or so has been featured on no less than 12 Billboard dance hits, half of those being #1s, as well as Top Tens in the UK, Australia and internationally! She is an accomplished songwriter and has sung and/or written gospel, musical theater, jazz, hip-hop, pop and R&B. She has also backed up the likes of Missy Elliott, Queen Latifah, Ultra Nate and many more. Music is her passion, her life, her love, her way of life and I am grateful that she graciously consented to do the following Q&A with me for Queens Our City Radio. Special thanks to Queens Our City Radio Manager, Barbara Sobel, for arranging this Q&A. ~ Dj Buddy Beaverhausen

Dj Buddy Beaverhausen: Greetings from Our City Radio, Ms Day. It is a true pleasure to interview you!

Inaya Day: Thank you! It's a pleasure to be interviewed!

DBB: You are the hardest working club-music diva in the industry! It seems like everyone (understandably) wants to work with you. How many Billboard dance hits have you been featured on as lead vocalist to date?

ID: This summer, my song, MAKE SOME NOISE, marked my 12th Top ten billboard dance hit. I'm lucky and blessed to have six #1's within those 12. I surely won't complain.

DBB: I just want to say, I have been a huge fan of your dance music but was just blown away when I discovered your jazz rendition of the Gershwins' "Summertime" (from Porgy & Bess) live in Germany on YouTube! How did this all come about? (ps., you looked great in that tailored gown!)

ID: Why, thank you! And thank you for noticing that the dress was tailored! I'd auditioned for CATS here in New York. The audition was run by Arlene Phillips, judge from Britain's SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, to name just one of her many credits. She told me that she had a musical that she wanted me to do in Germany right then! I declined to leave within the next two days but, after I finished a Euro tour with the Harlem Gospel singers and an industrial gig in Belgium, I was driven to Germany, joined the cast of BROADWAY: Dusseldorf, and sang SUMMERTIME in the second act.

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DBB: That's marvelous! Now, you've written for Bootsie Collins, Randy Crawford and Missy Elliott, among others. Obviously an accomplished songwriter in your own right, please tell us about your musical background.

ID: Much of my family sings. We're all from the Baptist church. The first place my mom took me as a newborn was to church and I've been there ever since. Gospel is my background and musical foundation. I became a musical theater performer at the age of 12 and am still a card-carrying member of the Actor's Equity Association.

DBB: Who were your musical influences growing up? And could you share with us what your childhood was like?

ID: Growing up, my musical influences were The Clark Sisters, The Hawkins' Family, The Richard Smallwood Singers, Chaka Khan, and Ella Fitzgerald. When I was a kid, there was always music in my house. My older sister played music all the time, and once my mom bought me a stereo, that was IT! Music Music Music! We often went to my mom's sister's house where i'd listen to my cousin rehearse with his band all night. This band later became known as the Gold+ Selling act, SKYY, who made songs like CALL ME, and LET'S CELEBRATE....and they weren't the only ones I'd hear rehearsing in my Aunt's basement; Cameo, Brass Construction, and some others filled my ears with live music, as well. Music was and has been a permanent fixture in my life.

DBB:  Barbara Sobel informs me you have hot, new single out right now called "Rock This Party." Could you tell us more about it? What was your inspiration for the song and the video?

ID: Well, there's a festival in Melbourne, Australia called MidSumma. A while back, Nick Jay, an Aussie DJ, sent me a track and the first thing that came to me was the hook, "miiiiid summmmmmer, no better feelin' than this".  I'd performed there and had gotten such a warm welcome, I guess I was still on a high and wanted to write about it. That was almost two years ago and we never released it. This year, the MidSumma folks licensed it as their theme song, which is pretty cool.

DBB: Your house music career began in the mid '90s in Europe with "Keep Pushin'" and "Horny." What brought you abroad to do these fabulous, now-classic numbers?

ID: Musical theater took me to Germany. One of my directors introduced me to Boris Dlugosch. At the studio with Boris, I met Mousse T. We made KEEP PUSHIN'. That hit worldwide. We followed up with HOLD YOUR HEAD UP HIGH. That hit worldwide. Then, we did HORNY. That song mega hit so I figured I'd be in house music for the long haul.

DBB: And your fans, including me, are thrilled you decided that! You then went on to do the groundbreaking "Movin' Up" with the great producer, Mike Cruz and your good friend, Tichina Arnold (as China Ro). Many of us best know Ms Arnold for her work on tv's Martin, Everybody Hates Chris and in the musical film, Little Shop of Horrors. Why did she record under an alias? And how did you two come to be friends?

ID: Tichina recorded under an alias for the same reason that I did in the beginning. We were both from other genres of music and, at that time, one would do well not to cross the lines. Tichina and I went to the same high school. We sang in the same gospel chorus and sometimes, she'd ask me to walk her to the bank so she could deposit a "big check" from one of her acting jobs. We became thick as thieves.

DBB:  What was it like to work with Mike Cruz?

ID: It's awesome to work with Mike Cruz! It's like making music with my brother! I truly adore his talent AND his person! He's never produced a track for me that I didn't like!

DBB: In your long string of dance songs, which one is your personal favorite?

ID: I guess if I had to choose, I'd choose KEEP PUSHIN' because it's my first.

DBB: Give us your view of the state of the club music industry today.

ID: The state of the club music industry is alive and well but the plight of the true club music maker is bleak. Pop stars are now singing the up tempo music that club music makers usually do, so it makes it harder for the ones who are making true club music to shine through. What they label as club music, which is really pop, has infiltrated the club chart. So the industry is thriving but its true artists struggle to be considered.

DBB: Did you know Lonnie Gordon is currently recording a cover version of "Horny" in the UK? Any opinions?

ID: No, I didn't know that. Someone has recorded KEEP PUSHIN', too! I think it's great. I've re-recorded other artists' tunes, myself. I count it a blessing that my songs are being chosen... especially if they're songs that I've written and published. 

DBB: I'm sure you're aware of your international, adoring LGBT fan base. What would you like to say to them?

ID: Thank you for your support and LOYALTY!

DBB: Is there anyone you've worked with and thought, afterwards, "never again?" Could you share with us anything about that type of professional experience?

ID: YES! It was actually an UNprofessional experience. One producer I worked with had absolutely NO knowledge of music whatsoever. He didn't know what unison, harmony, stacking, key signatures, octaves, etc meant. Nothing. Working with him was like running outside but somehow ending up back in the house again,,,,,over and over....just an exercise in futility. Taking instruction from him was impossible and being put in that position by my A&R was insulting and frustrating. Never again.

DBB: Thank you so much, Inaya Day, for your time and attention. We look forward to the hot, new remixes of "Rock This Party" coming up from Sobel Nation. Are there any last shouts out to your fans, friends, family?

ID: Yes! Thank you for all of the awesome, positive energy and Happy Holidays!!!!!

Dj Buddy Beaverhausen Shakes It with Victor Po

Victor Po is a model-turned-vocalist and he has demonstrated his acumen in managing both careers. His new club song, "Shake It" has shaken clubs around the world; it's positively infectious. Sobel Promotions will soon have a plethora of remixers on board to amp up the club value intrinsic in this number. Here is our interview:

Dj Buddy Beaverhausen: Hi, Victor, thank you for joining us at QUEENS OUR CITY radio, and on my Blab It to Beaverhausen blog, both of which will reach an international club-friendly crowd. I also want to thank Barbara Sobel of Queens Our City internet radio and Sobel Promotions for arranging this interview. 
Victor Po: Well, thank you very much for having me here and thanks to Barbara at Sobel Promotions for bringing us together.

DBB: "Shake It!" Great song, very catchy. Getting a lot of attention and I see there are still new remixes to come. How did this all come about for you? [Available through iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/shake-it-single/id525617921]
VP: Thank you, it all started after a shoot in LA where I decided that I wanted to give something different to my fans, so eventually I returned home, wrote the song, recorded it and since then everything has been going so well with the reception... by my fans. I'm also very pleased that so many DJ's are as excited by the song as me and I love the creative process of seeing the song transform into different forms much like I was used to in my modeling career. 

DBB: You were previously a model. What is working in that business like? Do you still do any modeling? Best memory, worst memory? 
VP: Oh, my God! I love modeling, it's been a passion of mine since I was very young. Modeling is never easy, at the end of the day it's a job, you need to enjoy it and the process behind it and be able to take direction and absorb as you progress in the industry, but it's a blast to be in front of the lens! I do modeling still, I feel the two fields compliment each other very well. Personally I've been very lucky to have enjoyed wonderful memories in my modeling career and ending up on my first magazine cover was a feeling I can't explain! 

DBB: When did your interest in singing begin? And what were your influences in music growing up? 
VP: [Laughs] I've been singing in the shower ever since I can remember, I love singing and always have. My influences range from Madonna, MJ all the way to Gloria Estefan, though I never try to imitate them in my work, I do draw from my memories as I grew up shaking to them.

DBB: It's rumored you recently got hitched! Would you like to talk to us about married life? Do you think it's changed you in any way? 
VP: The rumors are true, I actually just came back from honeymoon. I married my best friend, so I wouldn't say it's changed me, but definitely strengthened me as he has been there for me since the beginning supporting me every step of the way in my dreams.

DBB: That's really great! Now, You'll be performing in Fort Lauderdale November 23 and again, I see, on December 7. Can you tell us more about those upcoming gigs? 
VP: Yes I have two shows coming up, November 23rd at The Manor, and the Ramrod bar on December 7th and we're currently preparing for those shows. 

DBB: Where did you grow up? Tell us a little about your childhood and adolescence. 
VP: I grew up in a small town on a farm in Argentina, I had a wonderful childhood with loving parents, my father in particular instilled a lot of good qualities in me and raised me to always pursue my goals and dreams in life and I will always be grateful to him for that! I was never the most popular kid, I was overweight and got bullied a lot, before that word even existed, so I took it because it seemed normal at the time. In the end it made me stronger and I was just like any other normal person, with dreams and I worked hard to realize them 

DBB:  How might you relate modeling to the dance music scene? 
VP:  Each relates to the other in the sense of being an art of motion in different phases, both having a creative release of bodily expression and emotions.

DBB: How would you most like to reach out to the LGBT club community worldwide? What do you say to injustices here and abroad, particularly in Russia? 
VP: I want to communicate to everyone on a level field and not distance myself from any one in the LGBT community. I just want to be clear that no matter how you feel or what you believe in, it's ok to express yourself positively. I normally don't like to talk about religion or politics, but the situation in Russia is disgusting and sad. I was already speaking out freely against Russian politics when they incarcerated Pussy Riot. Putin is like Hitler and he is taking the country backwards instead of forward. You cannot cover the sun with one finger 

DBB: I love the way you put that! Do you have any upcoming gigs you'd like to keep us informed about? Anything planned for NYC in the near future? 
VP: I was in NY last month when I got married there, so it's very close in my heart. I'm currently recording and will keep everyone up to date in the progress and my future plans.

DBB: Victor, thanks so much for this interview. We very much look forward to seeing you perform.
VP: I thank you very much, I enjoyed having this opportunity to share my story with your NY listeners. I look forward to being back in NY in the near future and lets "Shake It"!

Scarlett Santana and Give K.i.D. a Chance at The Gallery Bar

The Gallery Bar at 120 Orchard St., on the border of the lower east side and Chinatown, is one of those crunchy little cozy clubs nestled in lower Manhattan. It has a very groovy aura to it and the staff is especially accommodating. I was on Scarlett Santana's guest list (through Queens Our City internet radio http://queens.ourcityradio.com/ ) and was ushered in graciously, joining the very downtown-chic audience. I purchased a pino grigio at the glisteningly new cash bar as I settled in to watch the fundraiser event, "Give K.i.D (Kids of international Deportees) a Chance," a very worthwhile cause.

Arriving at Grand Street, I hailed a cab and asked the driver to take me to 120 Orchard. I admitted I wasn't sure exactly where that was. "I've never been there before," I said. Quoth the driver, in his Korean accent: "You never want to come back either, I tell you." I was pleasantly surprised upon arrival, then, and discarded the advice.

Paintings graced the exposed brick wall to one side of the room, where there also were seats and table, while the opposite side of the room, for the most part, was the bar. Everything looked clean and new and shimmery. The night was hosted by Dj Leo, who played some very funky sets before the show and during intermission. There were inspirational and touching speeches by guests about children of deported parents that brought attention to a not generally known known very serious issue in the United States. There was also a raffle and, of course, entertainment provided by soprano Sharon Cheng and dance diva Scarlett Santana, whom I recently interviewed (http://queens.ourcityradio.com/music-news/hot-november-interview-diva-scarlett-santana).

Scarlett finished big-time with a powerful rendition of her international smash hit (top ten on U.S. Billboard and #1club song in the U.K.), "Rain," which she recorded with C&C Music Factory. Acoustics at Gallery Bar are perfection. There was an intermission after that and Scarlett greeted me and we chatted.

Scarlett is very petite and, even in her stilettos, was only as tall as I am (in my flats, of course, at 5'6"). She was warm and graceful, dressed in a multi-colored, very tailored frock. Her friend snapped our picture together. (Ok, goal for the New Year: lose some weight for crying out loud! I look like Chaz Bono!) Scarlett and I also engaged in some small talk and I was curious as to how she decided upon her stage name. (She was born Jasmine Mercedes, an equally lovely name in my humble opinion.) Ms Santana told me she just thought it sounded appealing to her and assured me, when I asked, that she absolutely was not thinking about Carlos Santana or the band that bears his surname.

A worthy cause, a diva encounter, a drink and a raffle in a cool, happening new club. Does it get better than that, people?  I think not, even if I didn't win the raffle.

***Breaking Beaverhausen Bulletin***

Ok, everybody, I can blab it! I got off the phone with Barbara Sobel of Queens Our City Radio (thanks for your patience, Barbara) earlier today and I'm signed up as Dance Promoter! Wish me luck in this new endeavor! 

As Barbara blabbed on Facebook: Here we are! An interview with the one and only Chris Colby, Dance Personality Of Queens Our City Radio! Thank You Charles Truenski for the interview who has just joined Queens Our City Radio as our Dance Promoter! The World Famous Blab It To Beaverhausen Blogs & Interviews Moves To Queens Our City Radio!

http://blabittobeaverhausen.blogspot.com/2013/10/internet-with-queens-our-city-radios.html 

 

It will bring Beaverhausen to a larger audience. And it will also expose my interviewees, to whom I'm so grateful, to an even wider circle of embracing fans.

A love shout-out to all my readers. In the USA, Brazil, the UK, Canada, Dominican Republic, France, Sweden, Ukraine, Germany, Japan, Ireland and Israel! We've got some hot interviews coming up.

Blab It to Beaverhausen was launched last month but it's already skyrocketing! Thanks to all my interviewees! Without you, I am nothing. No, I really mean that!

As Faye as Joan howled in Mommie Dearest: "Barbara, please, Barbara!" Or, really, as I meant to quote from that film, Faye's very first line: "Let's Go!"