Pop/R&B/Soul singer and songwriter (BMI), Jay’e R. has always wanted to be in music and has continued to pursue his dream of becoming a success in the industry. Jay’e R. (Born Greg Pridgen Jr.) began singing at age 6 in his hometown of Ivanhoe, NC. Jay’e R. faced many hardships as a young kid, a survivor of premature birth and two strokes; Jay’e R. found comfort in music once a family friend discovered that he could sing and taught him how to sing. “I felt as I got older, that it was God that moved in her to know that I had the gift and I am so glad she brought it out of me.” As a kid, Jay’e R.’s voice has always had something special about it. He performed in tons of school talent shows, and won nearly every one he entered and grew up singing in his school chorus. With his unique tenor voice and strong falsetto, Jay’e R. has been compared by some to having a voice similar to Tevin Campbell, Smokey Robinson, Phillip Bailey of Earth Wind and Fire and Maxwell. Influenced by powerhouse male and female artists like Whitney Houston,Peabo Bryson, Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway and Luther Vandross, Jay’e R. has a voice that is made for Pop/R&B/Soul sounds of the ‘70’s and‘80’s in which Jay’e R. says, “Is a dying breed of music. Everything is about sex, drugs and violence these days, there aren't many artists who sing about love anymore.” Jay’e R. got into songwriting after meeting his longtime friend Terrance Downs who is an accomplished singer/songwriter in 2009. “He inspired me to do something I had never done before and I enjoyed it so much, I knew I was going to do a lot with it.” Jay’e R. wrote his first song, “Sexy Seductive Sensual” that year but never recorded it. In 2010,after relocating to Charlotte, NC, Jay’e R. began posting videos under his legal name on YouTube to showcase his talents, but the drive was still there to record his first original song. In March 2013, he finally got his chance. Jay’e R. wrote and recorded the song that would be his debut single, “Something ‘Bout the Way”. “Something ‘Bout the Way"" was released on to Social Media sites that same month, and on to ReverbNation in April. The song debuted at #70 on the ReverbNation R&B/Soul charts for Charlotte, NC and peaked at #15 within five days of it's debut. The song was produced by another longtime friend and music producer, Benie “Benie Beatz” Encarnacion, who also produced another of Jay'e R.'s singles, “You’re No Good (But I Want You)”. A few short months after the release of those two singles, Jay’e R. wrote and recorded his third single, “Out of My Life”. At the time of it’s release, Out of My Life became his most trended hit song on ReverbNation, and more recently his second #1 on numberonemusic.com for a consecutive 3 weeks on both the R&B/Pop charts. During the time following Out of My Life, Jay'e R. penned and recorded a few other songs, ""You Were Meant For Me"" which is Jay'e R.'s third #1 on the NC Pop charts, ""Never Be A Fool With Love Again"" and a cover of Rihanna's ""Umbrella"". Though the songs are a part of his musical repertoire, they did not have as much success as Out of My Life or Something 'bout the Way. As the summer was coming to an end, Jay'e R. was already one of the top artists on ReverbNation's R&B/Soul charts in Charlotte NC staying at the #2 position for nearly 6 weeks, but he desired to put out a song that would take him to the top. In August 2013, Jay’e R. was discovered on Twitter by music producer Keith Heard who as Jay'e R. puts it, ""put me on to something official."" In September, Jay'e R. wrote and recorded the two songs that would place him at the top of the R&B/Soul charts and grab worldwide attention. In October 2013, Jay'e R. was nominated for R&B Artist of the Year at the Charlotte Music Awards and that following week he released, Tonight's Your Night. ""It's interesting with that song, I had prepared in my head that everyone would hear it and say, what a beautiful song... definitely not the case."" Tonight's Your Night placed Jay'e R. at the top of ReverbNation's R&B/Soul charts at #1 for nearly 6 weeks. Later that same month, Jay'e R. released the single to iTunes where it debuted at #26 on iTunes New Release R&B/Soul Top 100. After Tonight's Your Night was released on iTunes, it was released on Amazon in the US,UK, Germany, France, and Japan. Tonight’s Your Night went to #1 on several Independent and Unsigned R&B/Pop charts, landed Jay'e R. a feature in Independent Artist Magazine (December/January 2014), as well as overseas attention in January 2014 debuting on the radio in London, England. Due to the warm reception of his music and it's climb to the top of the R&B/Pop charts of numberonemusic.com, his seventh single, I've Found Love was released on iTunes in February 2014 to a well received audience and one month following, Jay’e R. released his ninth single to ReverbNation, ""Heaven Sent"" and has been working on releasing a CD. “It’s a tedious process but I love every minute of writing and recording. I get such a rush writing, arranging and recording my music. Because of all the limitations I had as a kid, being told what I could not do, and feeling like I would never find who I am as a person; I finally found something that makes me stand out and makes me different and it’s such a gratifying feeling knowing that what I am doing, people love me for it. I love when my fans tell me how much they love my music or my sound. Even when I perform in a club or venue, I get the same feedback, it’s amazing!!!"" With all the great things occurring so rapidly for Jay'e R., how does it make him feel? ""I feel I have arrived into what I was born to do, and I thank God so much for all that I endured to get me here.” Currently with 9 top 40 singles on the R&B/Pop charts, Jay’e R. continues on his journey as a Pop/R&B/Soul artist on the rise. As the journey continues, he never forgets how he started, how he got to where he is now, and is focused on where wants to go. “It’s because of my faith in God, His power and favor over my life as well as my fans who have supported me from the beginning. I am so humble that I have gotten this far and I pray to go farther.” There is definitely a place for Jay’e R. and his music in the major music industry and there is no doubt he is going to go far indeed.
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