Hot new female singers on music scene

Jet, April 22, 2002

She is the voice on repeat play in your brain as you move through your day. The one who makes you say, "Who is that girl? She sounds tight!" when you hear her belt out those chords across the airwaves.

She can spark a five-alarm fire with her sensuality or be as sweet as the girl next door. If the mood strikes.

And when it does, she can step from the shadows of background vocals into the spotlight with a signature solo that makes the whole world remember her name.

Ashanti, Tweet, Jaguar and Cherokee are just a few members of a new generation of female vocalists who are ready to leave their mark.

So without further delay, Brothers and Sisters, prepare to meet the hottest sirens on the music scene.

Straight out the starting gates Ashanti Douglas immediately proved she had all of the makings of a star. Even before her self-titled debut album was on record shelves, people could hardly wait to find out more about the cute young singer with the angelic voice. She won over a generous fan base as a guest vocalist on the smash songs What's Luv? with rapper Fat Joe and Always On Time with hip-hop star Ja Rule. The 21-year-old singer helped both tunes soar to the top of music charts across the board. Then, only a short while later, her eager followers were pleased to see her step from out of the shadows and into her own spotlight with the release of her debut single Foolish. It soared to the top of music charts and in the process, Ashanti made music history along the way. According to a Billboard magazine columnist, "she became the first artist since the Beatles to see her first three songs rise to the elite regions" of the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. She's the first woman, reportedly, to ever do so. What's to be commended even more about Ashanti is that her success doesn't just rest in her soothing vocals. The Glen Cove, NY, native penned the remix of Jennifer Lopez's hot song Ain't It Funny, which features Ja Rule. Ashanti also cowrote all 13 tracks on her debut album.

Before her debut CD Southern Hummingbird was released, the newcomer simply known as Tweet, managed to wow music listeners with her voice when she sang background vocals on the Missy Elliott/Ginuwine duet Take Away. Soon after that she shook up the music scene with her top-selling, provocative hit Oops (Oh My).

"People think it's about something sexual, but to me it means self-love and appreciation," explains Tweet, whose real name is Charlene Keys. "It's about loving yourself. I had a problem with different things about myself. Then one day I looked in the mirror, saw myself and said, `Love yourself ... and what you look like.'"

After several failed attempts at music stardom, the Rochester, NY, native admits that she contemplated suicide. That's when she received the call from hip-hop superstar Elliott requesting her vocals on the CD Miss E.... So Addictive.

"I call her my guardian angel because she truly rescued me from ending my life," says the singer/songwriter, who has mastered, among other instruments, the bass and acoustic guitar, piano and drums.

Cherokee is in the spotlight again-this time with a new single.

The Brooklyn, NY-born, Los Angeles-based artist is making a buzz with a new song and video for her soul-stirring hit single I Swear.

"This time I wanted to create music that captured more of an edge," says the performer whose influences include music sensations Prince and Michael Jackson. "I wanted a certain energy and attitude."

The new single is a follow-up to her 1999 debut album I Love You ... Me that included the playful single Ooh Wee Wee.

Perhaps the slender singer, recognized for her funky, bohemian style, looks familiar--when she's not making music, she can be found on the pages of fashion magazines or in TV commercials.

With her musical talent Cherokee continues to be someone to watch.

Jaguar Wright, a protegee of the Grammy Award-winning rap group The Roots, is making a name for herself with her first CD Denials, Delusions and Decision.

This 24-year-old mother and wife, likens herself to a modern-day Etta James. Jaguar tells JET, "The thing that I feel I have in common with Etta James is the way she gets at a song. It's magic. She's very straightforward; she's very honest and that's the way I am. It's real singing. That's where I'm from."

Prior to releasing her CD Jaguar performed on the OK Player rap tour and was the opening act for a selected number of tour dates for singer Maxwell. She also made a singing appearance on superstar rapper Jay-Z's "Unplugged" MTV special when he performed with the Roots. She sang live vocals for Jay-Z's tracks Heart of the City (Ain't No Love) and Girls, Girls, Girls.

Currently, the powerhouse vocalist can be seen bursting into song on a Coca-Cola commercial where she performs her hit What Ifs? from her debut release.

In a short time Ketara "KeKe" Wyatt already has proven that she has the ability to make hit songs.

Last year the Indianapolis, IN, native made an impressive impact on the music scene when she teamed up with recording artist Avant to do a remake of Rene and Angela's '80s ballad My First Love.