Labels Jay Vibe Records Role Singer-songwriter | Name Elam Jay Website www.elamjay.com | |
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Born October 31, 1974 (age 49) ( 1974-10-31 ) Origin Geneva, Switzerland, Casablanca, Morocco Genres pop rock, soul, electronic Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, producer composer, dancer, choreographer, performer, music video director and also entrepreneur Instruments Vocals, Multiple instruments Similar People Ahmed Soultan, Katrina Elam, Mohamed Fatima, Mohamed Reda, Abdou Cherif Profiles | ||
Record label Sony Music Entertainment | ||
Elam Jay (born October 31, 1974) is a Swiss-Moroccan singer-songwriter.
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Entirely self-taught, Elam Jay is a Swiss-Moroccan songwriter, vocalist, dancer, performer, composer, and music arranger. His artistic talent and influence, reaches an international audience. He is redefining what it means to be a multi-national personality in the global music industry. With the success of his pop tunes, he has received iconic status in his region. His fan base expands from North Africa to the Middle East, Europe, and parts of North America.
A mélange of pop rock, soul and electronic sounds, True Story is Jay's newest album.
Early life
Born in Casablanca, and raised in Geneva, Elam was influenced by the R&B, Pop, Arabic, and Spanish cultures. While growing up, artists such as James Brown, Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder, were his musical idols. As a young boy he performed regularly in front of family, friends and in other social settings. During these performances, he learned early on about the importance of connecting with his audience.
Music career
A recording contract with BMG Sony Entertainment, and the release of his first single, "Wanna Be Free", created a presence for Elam Jay in Europe.
Elam Jay partnered with Coca-Cola for their North African territories campaign, becoming the first Moroccan spokesman for the company. The partnership garnered him critical acclaim with the song, "Morena" which was recorded for the Coca-Cola campaign. Subsequently, his album, Morena, was released with a major Middle Eastern music label, reaching over 120,000,000 people. The record became a massive international hit. His music from the record was played in over 20 countries, which included North Africa, Middle East, Europe, and North America.
His hit single, "Gnaouitone", was incorporated in their marketing campaign for a leading Moroccan telecommunications company, which reached 30,000,000 people. The same year, "Marrakech Baby" was released in the Middle East.
Not only is Elam a vocalist, but also a dancer and entrepreneur. For a number of years he taught dance at a prestigious Geneva center for the arts. Not long after that, at 17 years old, he created his own dance academy with over 180 students.
Elam Jay is most recognized for his charismatic and elaborate live performances. Often, these performances consist of nearly fifty performers, including dancers and a nine-piece band.
Gerry Griffith, former A&R Director at Arista Records and the man instrumental in the discovery and success of Whitney Houston, travelled to Marrakech, Morocco to see Elam Jay in concert. "I have travelled the world and have seen many performances. Elam’s brazen and aggressive command of the stage was nothing less than compelling!" Over 80,000 were in attendance for this acclaimed performance.
As Elam’s music succeeded in Casablanca Cairo, Dubai, Beirut, and countless other cities throughout North Africa and the Middle East, Elam always kept his dream clear and focused; to share his music with a global audience.
His latest album entitled, True Story, was released in October 2014. The lead single of the album is Sunshine, released in July 2014.