Janet Kay
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Janet Kay (born Janet Kay Bogle, 17 January 1958, London) is an English singer of Jamaican parentage, best known for her lovers rock songs of the late 1970s - "Silly Games" and a cover of Minnie Riperton's "Lovin' You". She has also had roles as a theatre and television actress. Kay's music became popular in Japan in the early 1990s, prompting the release of several of her albums under the Sony Music Japan record label.
Biography
Kay was born in North West London, of Jamaican parentage. Her career took off when she was invited to sing a reggae cover of Minnie Ripperton's song, "Lovin' You" (produced by Alton Ellis) which became a hit in 1977. She also recorded "I Do Love You" and "That's What Friends Are For" in 1978. In 1979, "Silly Games" (produced by Dennis Bovell) became a hit in not only the UK, but also in Europe. Kay has been recorded in the Guinness Book of Records, as the first British black female to have a reggae song at the top of the UK charts. In fact, "Silly Games" got to the Number 2 position in the UK Singles Chart. She appeared on BBC Television's Top of the Pops several times. She was also included in the cast of the sitcom No Problem! (1983–1985) as Angel.
Kay has recorded, and co-produced her seventh album for Sony Music Japan. It was released on the 18 June 2003, and is entitled Lovin' You … More. The popularity of the song "Lovin' You" in Japan is so strong, that she was asked to re-record it again for this album (for the third time). That version was produced by Omar.
In the UK she was a one-hit wonder three times over, as "Silly Games" first hit the UK charts in 1979; then in 1990 as a re-recording billed as Lindy Layton featuring Janet Kay (Number 22); and again the same year as a remix version of her original recording spent a further three weeks in the UK Singles Chart.
Kay is credited with production work on "Missing You" a track recorded by Aswad.
Discography
Albums
- Silly Games (1979, Arawak)
- Lovin' You (1991, Sony Music Japan)
- Love You Always (1993, Sony Music Japan)
- For the Love of You (1994, Sony Music Japan)
- In Paradise (1996, Sony Music Japan)
- Making History (1998, Sony Music Japan)
- Through the Years (1999, Sony Music Japan)
- Lovin' You ... More (2003, Sony Music Japan)
