Positively Somewhere

Who ever thought that her little "Crush" would launch her touring, dancing and singing around the seven continents? Now Jennifer Paige is busier than ever with her latest offering, this time singing with maturity and claiming to the world that she is Positively Somewhere.

She was in Venice when we called her up for the interview; the day before that she was in Norway for her tour. We who woke her up just to ask her the same old questions everyone had asked her before. But nevertheless, she was nice enough to entertain us. Back in her old days, her time was poured performing in local coffeehouses and restaurants with her brother, Chance. Today, even her brother is busy producing in the music industry and she’s been busy touring the world since the explosion of "Crush," a cut from her self-titled album.

This Atlanta-born beauty started singing when she was only five, and since then, no one could take the microphone away from her, while her musical tastes kept expanding to include rock and pop with inspiration from the people that surround her. Her mother says she knew her daughter would become a star when Jennifer performed during a high school show when she was a sophomore. "She walked onstage dressed like an angel, the lights were lowered, and she started singing "I Dreamed a Little Dream" from Les Miserables. Her dad and I got cold chills; she captured the audience." And does she live up to her mother’s words.

After high school, Jennifer toured the country with Joe’s Band, which eventually landed her a stint at Bally's in Las Vegas. One night, Jennifer had a chance meeting with actress/singer Crystal Bernard. Crystal was impressed with her singing and advised her to try her luck in Los Angeles — and that’s where it all started. She traveled all over the country with Joe’s Band for three years and by mid-1996, she hooked up with producer Andy Goldmark (known for his hit-making work with Elton John, All 4 One, Natalie Cole, Patti LaBelle, Michael Bolton, and Bryan White). She recorded a dance cut for Aretha Franklin's Chain Of Fools, which caught the attention of German indie label Edel Records, which eventually signed her up for a record deal. When "Crush" became the number one most requested song, even Jennifer was caught by surprise at the speed of the song's success.

But she didn’t stop there. Even with her hectic schedule, she managed to compile a follow-up album. "The first record was a good indication of where I was at the time, but I’ve grown musically and grown as a person and I think that comes out in (my) music," Jennifer says. Her latest album, Positively Something, definitely shows the depth of her talent and gives a fascinating insight on her life in the public eye. She used different tunes for the whole album so that it’s more interesting, and doesn’t make one feel as if one is listening to 12 of the same songs. "Positively Somewhere" is a line from the track "These Days," she says it breaks down on as an obstacle somewhere, like a nice strong phrase and confidence that’s kind of what she’s feeling these days. She has changed a lot since the "Crush" reign, and it definitely came out in the album. I can still remember how the "Crush" gave us all a last song syndrome. Hopefully, her new singles will have the same effect when it hits the airwaves.