A Girl Called Jane 'A Girl Called Jane' album

Music is supposed to be fun. Singers should have fantastic voices and out-of-this world personalities (or vice-versa). The songs should make you dance -- even if you can't. Oh, and if the singers happen to be extraordinarily attractive and put on a vibrant stage show, well, that's just a bonus. Most importantly, music should unite, not divide. It should bring out the best in people, no matter where it's played or who's behind it. The beats need to be Earth-shattering, and the songs life-changing. With that in mind, meet A Girl Called Jane.

FUN FACT: Before you ask, there is no girl called Jane in the band A Girl Called Jane

"The name represents every woman," explains Angel, one of the three lovely and talented singers in AGCJ. "You know how they use the name 'Jane Doe' to talk about a woman? That's what it means."

"Our name reflects strong women," says Ness, another AGCJ-er. "Like the three of us in this band. We're from completely different backgrounds and experiences. But, even with growing up in different parts of the world, we still came together and formed this group. And I think we compliment each other perfectly."

That's an understatement. Angel is Russian, but grew up in Germany. Ness also resides in Germany, but she's Ukrainian. Nora hails from Holland, but is of French and Moroccan descent. Talking to these young women for even a few minutes about music and traveling around the world is an eye-opening experience. You can see, and hear, why they formed.

Simply put, A Girl Called Jane is the first true global pop act.

FUN FACT: Collectively, the women in A Girl Called Jane speak 11 languages.

The three women in AGCJ share one similarity: they have music in their blood. Nora started singing at the age of 14. She later got her start as a contestant on Dutch Idol, a talent/reality show where boy and girl groups faced off in a musical competition ... all while living together in one house and having their every move filmed. [Nora and her girl group not only won the show, but also scored a No.1 Christmas single.]

When Ness turned 12, she was already signed to a label. By 14, she was recording with David Foster and Celine Dion. But even as a child prodigy, she strived to improve. So out went the solo records, and in came a long period of writing, producing and waiting for the right moment.

Despite her love of hip-hop, Angel's background is more traditional – her parents and grandparents were all opera singers in Russian. "I always wanted to study opera, but I think I started too late," she admits. "But my family is really proud of what we're doing now."

WHAT INSPIRES A GIRL CALLED JANE
Angel: Hip-hop, old-school Michael Jackson, Take 6, Latin pop
Ness: Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, neo-soul ... "and Marilyn Manson"
Nora: Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, rock (The White Stripes, Coldplay, Fall Out Boy)

Let's make this clear: A Girl Called Jane is not a pre-fabricated pop group. While the girls had never met before last year (save for one brief meeting between Nora and Ness), their collective musical resumes brought them together by chance. First by meeting noted pop producers June & Frank (D-Town Productions, then getting their demo into the hands of Tye-V Turman (Executive Paradyn Records) and manager Blue Williams, and ultimately, the girls ended up showcasing for Antonio "L.A." Reid (Chairman, The Island Def Jam Music Group) and Karen Kwak (A&R SVP) and landing a record deal on the spot!

There are no musical boundaries in A Girl Called Jane. The music has a universal appeal; it's the only album where three multilingual girls can sing in perfect English, rap like it's the Dirty South and pull in elements of dance, pop and hip-hop. Jazze Pha (Ciara, Ludacris, Outkast) produced half the record including first single, "He's Alive," a scorching dance-floor anthem with a slightly unusual back-story. "It's about a guy who falls in and out of love with a girl," explains Ness, who then laughs. "She's trying to keep him – or, to force him to love her." A Girl Called Jane also worked with acclaimed producer Sean Garrett (Usher, Chris Brown, Destiny's Child) on two tracks.

FUN FACT: Everyone in A Girl Called Jane is single. Not that they have time to date...

A typical day A Girl Called Jane involves 16 hours of recording, exercise, interviews and rehearsal (as well as occasional marathons of Sex and the City and The White Rapper Show). "Thankfully, we seem to give each other a lot of energy," says Angel. "It's stressful, but it's fun."

You'll see these efforts pay off later this year when the band plans to hit the road with a stage show featuring some intense choreography and a hot backing band. "We'd like to make it almost like a Broadway musical," says Ness. [Oh, they have that background, too: Nora was cast in a big-stage production of The Wizard of Oz just before she left Holland]

FUN FACT: Nora is afraid of pigeons.

Once you talk with the members of AGCJ, it becomes more difficult to describe each member. None of them fit into simple stereotypes, nor do they want to. But they will describe each other, and themselves, if you ask nicely.

Angel: Ness is passionate and charismatic. Nora is energetic, and very lively.
Ness: Nora is fun, and strong-willed. Angel is ... I don't think there's an English word for it, but it means "still waters run deep."
Nora: Angel is forgiving and warm-hearted. Ness is talented and a lot of fun.
Angel: Personally, I think I'm sort of a housekeeper type.
Ness: I'm more of a princess. (Laughs)
Nora: Well ... I hate pigeons. But I love Thai food.

As you can tell, the women in A Girl Called Jane have strong personalities and a huge passion for music, as well as a good sense of humor. It's a rare mix that could have the band filling stadiums from Boston to Bangkok. "We want to have some fun with this music," says Ness. "And we want to show off our personalities and stay unique." "We want to stay humble, but still have fun," says Nora. Then she pauses, and laughs. "Oh, and sell millions of records."

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A Girl Called Jane - A Girl Called Jane