Perry, Jonathan

Artist/Band/Group Birthday :	04/06/1988(Age 36)
Born In/Current Location :	Haiti
Occupation(s) :	Singer

Jonathan Perry, AKA J.Perry, was born June 4, 1988, and grew up in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. His parents noticed he had a good ear for music when Jonathan started playing music at the tender age of 6. Before garnering the ability to read musical notes, he was playing back songs he heard, so his mother enrolled him in piano lessons. Jonathan soon was participating in concerts, recitals, and contests—even performing with a Dominican orchestra at age 11—and played classical music until age 13, at which time he opted to pursue other musical styles. In June 2009, he took a break from the college scene to dedicate himself to completing his debut album.

Working with Carl Fred Behrmann—owner of Haitian independent music label Baoli Records—J. Perry released his first single, “Staring at your body” in 2010. Soon after, J.Perry went to work on his debut album with Baoli Records. Joe Mignon, a music industry veteran, came on board as J.Perry’s full-time manager. Indeed, Joe Mignon’s influence on J.Perry’s project provided a valuable approach to maximize his international exposure.

In November 2011, J.Perry’s debut album “One life to live” was released in Haiti, including to online distributors such as iTunes and Rhapsody. The first song on the album, “Dekole,” exploded to unparalleled airplay, airing 765 times in one week on local Haitian radios. Awarded “Hit Song of the Decade” in Haiti, “Dekole” was chosen as the theme song for the 2012 Haitian Carnival, which was renamed “Ayiti ap Dekole” in honor of J.Perry’s song. He concluded a phenomenal year by being named 2012 Haitian Artist of the Year and accepting an invite to the private home of international superstar Wyclef Jean—also a Zumba collaborator—who publicly put his stamp of approval on J.Perry’s music with a Facebook video and additional social-media postings.

J.Perry was introduced to Zumba Fitness by Zumba instructor Edmee Cherdieu D’Alexis, who had J.Perry’s hit single “Dekole” on constant spin in her New York City Zumba classes. Edmee played the song in 2012 for Zumba’s executives, which ultimately resulted in “Dekole” being featured on Zumba’s “Mega Mix 33” volume. The collaboration continues up until this date with a new version being recorded in Portuguese with Brazilian superstar, Claudia Leitte. The collaboration resulted in J.Perry being invited by Claudia Leitte to join her for the 2014 Brazilian Carnival in Bahia, Salvador, Brazil. As a dedicated fitness guru who appreciates the “exercise in disguise” that is Zumba Fitness, J.Perry has performed at various Zumba Fitness Conferences in Los Angeles, France, and Orlando. J.Perry’s song titled “Konsey,” produced by Grammy award winner Supa Dups featuring Haiti’s celebrity Dj Tonymix was the official theme song for the first Zumba cruise this past January. His new single is titled “Aba blabla” featuring French Caribbean superstar crooner Admiral T, fellow countrymen BIC and Gardy Girault.

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