Cookie cutter artists find a style that works and stick withit. But newcomer Jason Derulo is not afraid to take a risk.
The 20 year-old singer-songwriter from Miami, Floridascored a No. 1 hit with his debut release, "Whatcha Say," a synthesized,mid-tempo track about cheating. But for his follow up single, "In My Head," heopted for something a bit brasher, with rock guitars.
"I continue to reinvent myself with every song," Derulo saidwhen he visited the Yahoo! Music studios to perform the songs for hisself-titled album. "Prince, Michael Jackson, and Madonna, they continued toreinvent themselves time and time again. That's what makes a legend. That'swhat I aspire to do."
Derulo has worked hard to prepare himself for his pursuit oflegendary status in the music business. He began as a child, attendingperforming arts schools where he studied classical music and various forms ofdance, including tap, ballet, and jazz.
But it was the creative freedoms pop music afforded him thatcaught his attention. He wrote his first song when he was 8-years-old. By thetime he was 16, he was making a name for himself in Florida.
He gave one of his CDs to an engineer for Baby of Cash MoneyRecords, and it turned into an opportunity to write a song for the hip hopmogul. It wasn't long before opportunities to write for Pitbull, Danity Kane,Donnie Klang, and Diddy came along.
It was his songwriting that got him a meeting with J.R.Rotem, the Beluga Heights head who signedSean Kingston and has produced songs for the likes of Rihanna, Britney Spears,and Rick Ross.
When Rotem learned that Derulo was also a performer, hedecided to take Derulo on as an artist on his Warner Bros. distributed label.
Rotem made a wise decision.
Derulo's career is promising. When preparing for hisdebut, he recorded more than 300 songs.
He described the record as diverse. "Music lovers, if youlove all kinds of music, it's is just for you," he said. "I take differentgenres and roll them all into one, and created this new pop sound."
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