Birth name Janee Bennett Role Singer Name Jin Jin | Years active 2003–present Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter | |
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Also known as Jin Jin and the Ragdolls Profiles | ||
Janée Bennett, known professionally as Jin Jin (previously Jin Jin and the Ragdolls), is an English singer and songwriter from Manchester and daughter of former footballer Gary Bennett.
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Career
As a child Bennett became interested in music whilst hanging out in her Granddad’s reggae music record shop and enrolled at City College Manchester to do a National Diploma in Music Technology and a Higher National Diploma.
Bennett signed to the music publisher Windswept Music UK and auditioned for the second series of the BBC televised music competition Fame Academy, but didn't make it through to the final group. Subsequently, Bennett completed an undergraduate degree in Music Industry Management and Marketing at Buckinghamshire University. To see herself through college she modelled for fashion brands including Agent Provocateur and DKNY.
In September 2008, having moved to London, Bennett co-wrote the Roll Deep single "Do Me Wrong", from their album Return of the Big Money Sound. In October 2009, Bennett released her debut single, "Sex in the City" (with producer Bless Beats), via Moshi Moshi Records; NME magazine described the track as "rude, fresh and kinda brilliant". A version of the single features rapper Tinchy Stryder. Bennett was profiled in The Guardian's "New band of the week" feature the same month, with Paul Lester describing her as "a rougher, cruder version of glossy American R&B" and "a new urban female who is... like a Moss Side Pink if she'd worked with Tinchy instead of Linda Perry".
By 2012, Bennett had changed her professional name to Jin Jin and the Ragdolls and was working on an album titled Rhythm Homicide with Bless Beats and co-producer Jagz Kooner. She released the single "Cashpoint Drama" (featuring Mikill Pane) in July 2012, followed by "Love in Sin City" in September 2012 and "Whistle at Me" (featuring Wiley) in November 2012. In October 2013, Bennett issued the Bless Beats-produced single "Fire Me Up" under her shortened stage name Jin Jin. She collaborated with the band Polar Bear on the song "Cuckoo", released as a single in October 2014.
As well as the artist career Bennett is a successful songwriter for others, now signed through the UK office to Universal Music Publishing Group worldwide. Bennett discovered the five times #1 singer Jess Glynne whilst teaching a master class at Jess's music college, and with producer Bless Beats went on to collaborate with Glynne on tracks for her debut album. This included Jess Glynne's first official single "Right Here", which was a UK top ten hit in 2014. Bennett co-wrote Glynne's second collaboration with Clean Bandit, "Real Love", as well as "Not Letting Go" featuring Tinie Tempah which topped the UK charts. She also co-wrote Jess Glynne's "Hold My Hand" which was a UK #1 as well as being Jess's first entry on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was also used in an advertisement for Coca-Cola in 2015 and was featured on the original movie soundtrack for the 2016 film, Bridget Jones's Baby.
Bennett is now a platinum selling writer and has been nominated for an Ivor Novello Award (2016) and won a BMI Award (2016) - both for her work on "Hold My Hand" by Jess Glynne. Other major credits including the hit single "Drunk and Incapable" for Krishane featuring Melissa Steele in 2014, and tracks for artists including Little Mix, Olly Murs and Jax Jones
Recently Bennett set up her own publishing company, Raggamuffin Music, in conjunction with her business partner Bless Beats and Bucks Music Group, and is focusing on developing the stars of the future. First act to launch, Dom Mcallister, is already getting national radio play.
Artist Discography
Writer Discography
SINGLES
ALBUM TRACKS