Janita’s Journey to Stardom

Finding freedom in her music, as well as success in the U.S., has been anything but easy for 27-year-old Finnish beauty and music sensation Janita.

Janita’s journey has been a long, hard road. From the time she was 3 years old, she knew that she wanted to sing and perform, so her mom began taking her to auditions. At the age of 13, she landed her very first record deal, becoming a celebrity in her home country of Finland.

“I was the perfect match for what they were looking for. It was very exciting,” Janita recalls.

From there, Janita’s career in Scandinavia skyrocketed. At age 14, she released her very first album, and soon thereafter, she was voted the “Most Sensuous Woman in Finland.” Janita appeared on magazine covers and popular television shows, and quickly became Scandinavia’s hot, young music sensation. She eventually toured the nation twice over and took home two Finnish Grammy Awards.

But suddenly, at the pinnacle of her success in Scandinavia, Janita disappeared. Although she was thrilled with her career, Janita decided that it was time to move to the U.S. and make a name for herself here.

“I had done all that I could do in Finland,” she says. “It was the right time for me to sing in English and begin my international career.”

So the 17-year-old packed up and took only herself and her big dreams to the Big City. “New York is different than anything else I was used to. It’s a hard place to be, but also very motivating at the same time,” Janita explains.

She traveled far away from home by herself, knowing full well that she did not have a single contact in the U.S. But nonetheless, Janita had high hopes for success.

“I was just assuming things would work out,” she confides.

She got off to a good start in her new home, signing with Sony’s 550 label about a month after her arrival. She worked with Boyz II Men’s Michael McCary, producer David Gamson (Me’shell Ndege’Ocello, Chaka Khan), JayDee from Slum Village, and engineer Jimmy Douglass, who had also worked with Missy Elliot, Timbaland and the then-newly signed artist Ginuwine. With them she created R&B and urban-flavored music. She eventually completed a record, but it was not released in the U.S.

“The record came out in Finland and Japan, but not in the U.S. There was so much competition in that genre,” Janita offers. “It was hard to stand out.”

After pouring her heart and soul into her work with Sony’s 550 Label, the company underwent some major internal adjustments in 1999. Janita’s creative management team changed, and so did the label’s outlook on her style of music. They wanted Janita to go back into the studio and record songs with a completely different style than the songs she had spent a year creating for her album. Thus, after a lot of thought, Janita asked to be let out of her contract.

Once more, Janita found herself starting all over again. She worked hard to find another label, but because Janita’s music is so eclectic and unique, she struggled to find a label that was willing to back her.

Industry professionals rejected Janita time and time again. “I was discouraged. I had some really tough times,” she confesses. “Labels and the industry are not the same as they used to be. I was a risk because they couldn’t really categorize me.”

But Janita would not let the feedback she had been receiving from the industry get her down. She continued to write music and performed every opportunity that she got.

But then one day, out of the blue, Janita was literally and figuratively hit with a big wake-up call, and her entire outlook on her career — and on life — dramatically changed. Janita was walking down the streets of Manhattan when a piece of scaffolding fell from above and hit her on the back of her head and back. It was then that this Grammy Award-winning artist decided it was time to make music that she is passionate about.

“I was faced with my own mortality — physically and psychologically — it hit me on the head,” Janita explains. “I realized that I can’t be shy about life, because you never know when it’s all going to end.”

Janita realized that she was not willing to compromise her passion and style of music for a record label that ultimately wanted to change her. She wanted to write her own lyrics and make music that she was passionate about. “I decided I wanted to make music that I want to make,” Janita lends.

So, Janita decided to use what was left of the money that she had received from her Sony settlement to record and produce her next album independently. She worked with Tomi Sachary, a long-time friend and music partner, and wrote all of her own lyrics. And in 2001, Janita released her debut album in the U.S., “I’ll Be Fine.”

Great reviews helped get her music noticed in both the UK and the U.S., where the single “Gavin” reached top-40 in the smooth jazz format. She was scheduled to do interviews with several magazines and appear on multiple national television shows, but then 9/11 struck.

After the terrorist attacks, Janita’s press tour was bumped as the country’s attention turned elsewhere. “I didn’t feel bad because of my career — nobody cared at that point about a career. This was something that was totally unpredictable,” Janita says.

Despite the continued hardships, Janita preserved, determined to share her music with the world. And in 2005, she finally got her break. Arnie Holland, the president of Lightyear Entertainment, happened to catch Janita’s performance at the renowned “Bitter End” in New York City. He soon signed Janita to his label.

“I had been waiting so long for something like that to happen,” Janita recalls with excitement.

After 10 years of hard work and determination, Janita finally had the opportunity to complete the album of her dreams. “Seasons of Life,” which was released on May 16, is a compilation of honest, soulful, sensual music that comes directly from Janita’s open heart and honest soul.

When asked to describe her new release, Janita offers, “The album is a blend of pop, jazz and Brazilian flavor. There is definitely some sensuality with my lyrics. People can relate to them. They’re enticing.”

Overall, “Seasons of Life” offers sensual, soulful music with an eclectic beat. The album truly is the product of one beautiful, talented, young woman’s up-hill battle for success in this land of opportunity. After such a long and challenging journey, Janita confesses that she finally finds herself at peace with both her music and career.

“I feel like I’m just starting out,” she expresses. “I’m looking forward to seeing the world and playing some music for a while. I guess I’ll just have to see what’s to come.

“I feel very lucky, and I’m very thankful. I try not to take anything for granted. Fame is something I have never really craved. Fame doesn’t drive me. Music drives me.”

For more information on Janita, be sure to visit her official website — Janita.com