Jody Watley in V Magazine Summer 2014

Jody Watley Candid.  V Magazine Photo Session.

Article:

THE IRREPRESSIBLE JODY WATLEY RETURNS WITH A BRAND NEW ALBUM THAT HARKS BACK TO HER FUNK SOUL ROOTS. HERE, THE SINGER REFLECTS ON HER RISE TO THE TOP, WORKING WITH THE WORLD’S GREATEST FASHION PHOTOGRAPHERS AND STAYING TRUE.

Jody Watley at Giorgio’s the exclusive, the exclusive Saturday party at The Standard in Hollywood, where Mick Jagger and Andre Harrell mix and David LaChapelle might be spotted with Daphne Guiness on his lap. Watley is the queen of the venue-she holds court almost every week just past DJ Adam XII’s booth with her friend and Decades cofounder Christos Garkinos. Tonight, the mother of two a self described basketball mom, carpool mom, fabulous mom..” wears all black save for a pair of crystal Jimmy Choo pumps. When she’s in the mood, she’ll fan herself on the dance floor-something she has done since beginning her career as a dancer on Soul Train as a teenager. “I always have my little fan action.” the icon says with a smile. “It’s so glamourous. Eat your heart out Karl Lagerfeld.” Watley shot the video for “Nightlife”, the clubby lead single off her new album “Paradise”,at Giorgio’s.  “I want to inspire people, because people get stuck in a rut.” she says of the music. “Oh, I’m not going out, Oh, the good ole’ days..” And it’s so frustrating. It’s like make new memories! Even if you had a great time ten, twenty, thirty years ago, be fabulous now! You’re alive, Hello!”

The daughter of a Chicago minister, Watley first performed onstage as a child with her godfather, the incredible crooner Jackie Wilson. After relocating to Los Angeles she succeeded in her mission to become a Soul Train regular. In 1977, Don Cornelius the show’s creator and host, selected her to become an original member of the disco super trio-Shalamar, which would record world-class dance-floor anthems like “The Second Time Around” and “A Night To Remember.” Watley left the group after six years, loved to London, and recorded “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” with Band Aid.

After returning to Los Angeles three years later, she signed with MCA Records and released her 1987 solo album “Jody Watley”, co-writing a handful of tracks. It contains some of her most enduring dance music, including the lead single “Looking For A New Love” (which features the popular pre Terminator 2 kiss-off “Hasta la vista baby!”). “Don’t You Want Me.” and “Some Kind of Lover.” She accepted her 1988 “Best New Artist” Grammy-winning over Breakfast Club, Cutting Crew, Swing Out Sister and Terence Trent D’Arby – in a vintage dress and biker jacket painted with her likeness.

‘When I signed to MCA, I didn’t see anybody like who I wanted to be.” she says. “I wanted to do that badass fashion chick that’s just different. And not everybody likes her. And not everybody liked me. “You don’t smile, you’re a black girl, you’re glamorous and you’ve got this cold as ice stare.” While in London she sought out designers like Azzedine Alaia, Claude Montana, Vivienne Westwood, and Jean Paul-Gaultier. “I bought one of the first cone bra’s, pre-Madonna. It’s on the single sleeve of “Don’t You Want Me”. I also bought the huge one that she ended up wearing, but the understated one was more me”, she says.

With her gorgeous mane, lean frame, stunning brows illegal cheekbones and ballsy attitude Watley was the perfect subject for fashion’s top photographers.”[When I first started] the label didn’t want to fly me to New York for my first layout for Harper’s Bazaar” she laughs. “So I flew myself out to shoot with Scavullo!” Steven Meisel photographed the cover of her 1989 follow-up album Larger Than Life. The video for ‘Real Love’ was directed by David Fincher and featured her ruling the runway in menswear paving the way for future acts like Aaliyah and TLC.

“I never wanted to be like anybody else” says Watley who, in the decades that followed never stopped recording, performing and changing up her style and sound. Now she’s writing a memoir, which she plans to finish this year.  “I can only be who I am. Because to me that’s what street is. Street is real.” – Mark Jacobs

Jody Watley Is Back Talking Iconic Style with Singersroom

©2013 Jody Watley 

Jody Watley is simply FABULOUS! Throughout her career she has been a trendsetter that has never sacrificed her integrity. She taught many how to move on Soul Train, how to groove as a member of Shalamar and she showed fans how hard it is to find a friend or love as a solo artist. Jody Watley talked to us about being authentic, connecting with her fans, her favorite spot in L.A., the dance movement, how controversy plays a big role in music today and more.

Read more: Here

Jody Watley NEW Essence Feature.

Dishing on music, fashion, career, new music, upcoming memoir and Essence Festival appearance July 6. Read the full article: HERE

Jody Watley. I Love a Great Hat.

Jody Watley in Gladys Tamez Classic Valentino.

I learned of milliner Gladys Tamez through my friend, beauty expert, consultant, nail guru and fine arts diva Shawanna Davis.

After visiting Gladys' studio in downtown Los Angeles, it was hard to resist not leaving with at least one hat. I chose "the classic Valentino,"  which I was measured for and tailored just for me - hat couture! I'm certain I'll be adding others to my hat collection. Millinery is really a lost art. To see the process and how it's done makes one appreciate the craft even more.

Jody Watley and Gladys Tamez at downtown Los Angeles showroom/studio.

Jody Watley at Gladys Tamez Los Angeles Showroom/Studio.

I love this color!

With Armando Lopez who constructs the hats. Armando made Michael Jackson's classic fedora's.

With Gladys Tamez. I couldn't stop trying on hats!

All Photo's: Jody Watley (c) 2013, All Rights Reserved.

Jody Watley Attends Dukes of Melrose Launch Party

I'm  wearing a vibrant green Stella McCartney tunic dress, black slacks, and color blocked pumps in nude and orange. My bag is a studded MCM clutch from their new collection. It's always a trick to pull off fashion forward, classic, a touch of trendy while being age appropriate while still being very Jody Watley - today. I say age appropriate because I do think that everything isn't for everyone at any age..and personally there's something a little sad and desperate when you see a woman dressing as a teen or woman in her twenties. One can still be youthful and fashionable and not leave it all out there. I decided against my signature hoops, wanting the tunic to be the feature. I was wearing a thin spiked bracelet. The great thing about the tunic as well was it has pockets.

Christos Garkinos rocked a dashing red Paul Smith suit and was a perfect host along with Cameron Silver from Decades. Their series "The Dukes of Melrose" premieres March 6, 2013 on Bravo TV - don't miss it!

Photo's: Getty Images

Jody Watley. Attends Harper's Bazaar Fendi Reception in Los Angeles.

Attended a casually chic cocktail reception at Fendi, The Beverly Center in Los Angeles. Christos Garkinos of Co-Owner of Decades, Avril Graham Executive Fashion and Beauty Editor of Harper's Bazaar, and Carlota Espinosa CEO and Co- Founder of Styleloot were co-hosts presenting Fendi Resort 2013.  I made the printed pants trend my own by pairing them with a black turtleneck and black Christian Louboutin's.

Jody Watley with Co-Owner of Decades Christos Garkinos

Photo's: LookbookLA.com and Jody Watley, All Rights Reserved 2012.

I Love These..

Tom Ford padlock ankle strap patent pumps! The price is steep, but it's a fierce shoe in white or black.



Upper White: via Neiman Marcus
Bottom Black via: polyvore

Jody Watley Photographed by Francesco Scavullo. Classic Pop Style.

"..making a substantial dent in the annuals of pop history" - Harper's Bazaar, jody Watley 1988 photographed by legendary Francesco Scavullo.

"The label at the time didn't want to pay the fare for the trip to New York, not understanding how appearing in a fashion magazine would help sell records or raise the artists profile..but I knew, so I paid for the trip myself. It wouldn't be long before labels would soon get it. I was familiar with the work of Scavullo because he'd photographed one of my inspirations growing up Diana Ross and I was an avid reader of VOGUE from childhood because my Mom always bought it. "

Classic Retro| Jody Watley. Jean Paul Gaultier

In London. Candid 1984 in Jean Paul Gaultier Cone Bra. 

Cover Art (Japanese Edition) 1988 In Gaultier.

I discovered the designs of a few favorites such as Jean Paul Gaultier while living in London in 1983, post Shalamar. One of my first pieces was his velvet cone bra. I bought the smaller orange version and also the larger more extreme cone shape in Burgundy, though I never wore it - it didn't suit my personality. Madonna would later make the more extreme shape famous in the 90's.

I wore this  unique creation on my UK 12" Promo single video "Where The Boys Are" written with former Buggles member Bruce Wooley and produced by Gary Langan, Anne Dudley and JJ Jeczalik who went on to be  "Art of Noise.

On the rare UK promo "Girls Night Out", I'm wearing wearing an early version of his corset dress.







When I moved back to America in 1986 and signed to MCA I pulled it out of my UK style stash for the cover art and video for "Don't You Want Me", knowing fans in America would not have seen me in it due to the UK release being so obscure. My UK label didn't know how to market me and shelved the project, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The great thing was being able to experiment with a new look and Identity for my solo career. I knew I didn't want to fit in the stereotypical box of black artists. I'm still happy with this song and video - peacock feather shaped hair and all. The hat is by Stephen Jones whose work with Gaultier also caught my eye.





The Gaultier Museum Retrospective reminded me of my own love and support of his designs through the years.

You can see me in Gaultier in my video for "Still a Thrill" filmed in Paris, France at The Opera House rocking a Black fishnet top dress with leather bra underneath (also Gaultier) and wool bubble bottom dancing in rotunda with Tyrone Procter..as well as the end scene in red Gaultier dress when the video goes from black and white to color.





I will have to share a post of the journey of my quest of Gaultier couture for my video "Friends" in 1989, it was quite an adventure.



The media and most people credit Madonna for wearing Jean Paul Gaultier, and while she is definitely better at Marketing than I and her PR team perhaps more adept at getting that message across. Traditionally in the music business it's no secret white artists have taken cues from black artist (cue Elvis and my godfather Jackie Wilson and so many others over the years). Madonna definitely took things to another level, and certainly never had the baggage and politics of 'You need to be m more black, more urban, more ghetto, more street.." amongst issues I had to deal with at the time - as a cutting edge woman in music - who happens to be black. We are BOTH trendsetters. To be clear it isn't just about Gaultier, rather about raising the bar for individuality and style. Grace Jones is another unsung artist and someone who inspired me.

I was already rocking his designs and a major supporter of his work before Gaultier was really known to the mainstream fashion world, that's no shade because I respect and like Madonna very much - we even had the same manager at one time early in my career; people in the office said I was the only one she was nice to.

In Jean Paul-Gaultier Tartan Vest, Jewelry and Scarves worked as a head-wrap.

In Gaultier studded sleeved jacket paired with bustier and leggings performing "Don't you Want Me" "LIVE"

Photo's Jody Watley (c) All Rights Reserved.

Style Tip. It's Worth Spending Major Coins When..

1. It's seasonless.
2. It's versatile.
3. It has great craftsmanship, high quality and made to last.
4. It's timeless.
5. It's rare and unique.