Grace Jones

Grace Jones (b. May 19, 1952), born Grace Mendoza, in Spanish Town, Kingston, Jamaica is a model, singer and actress.

Grace Jones. 70s and 80s icon, singer, model, actress, performance artist. She was born in Jamaica and

Grace Jones (b. May 19, 1952), born Grace Mendoza, in Spanish Town, Kingston, Jamaica is a model, singer and actress.

Grace Jones. 70s and 80s icon, singer, model, actress, performance artist. She was born in Jamaica and raised in Syracuse, New York. Before rising to public prominence as a celebrity and singer; she started out modelling in New York and later in Paris during the Seventies. During this time, she got a record deal that started her string of club hits. She recorded the disco albums, Portfolio (1977), Fame (1978), and Muse (1979). Disco singles such as :La Vie En Rose, I Need A Man, and Sorry were club hits. During this time, she also became Andy Warhol's muse, appearing in many of his portraits and accompanying him to Studio 54 on many occasions. As the Seventies drew to a close, and the anti-disco movement was spreading, Grace adapted the emerging New Wave style of music and started to produce some of her strongest work. Her string of club hits continued by collaborating with producers Alex Sadkin and Chris Blackwell, they produced Warm Leatherette (1980) and Nightclubbing (1981). Nightclubbing produced the hit Pull Up To The Bumper. It is around time that Grace adopted an androgynous look that enhanced her already strong presence. Her iconic cover of Nightclubbing exemplifies this new identity. Her collaboration with Alex Sadkin and Chris Blackwell continued with the reggae influenced album Living My Life. Throughout the Eighties, she worked the top notch producers Trevor Horn ( Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Seal) for Slave to the Rhtyhm (1985) and Nile Rodgers (Duran Duran, Madonna) for Inside Story (1986). The latter produced her last US Top 40 hit , I'm Not Perfect, but I'm Perfect For You. Bulletproof Heart (1989) produced the the US Club hit, Love on Top of Love, produced by C+C Music Factory's, David Cole and Robert Clivilles. Grace's strong presence translated well on stage. Her performances were unique spectacles as she adapted various personas and wore outlandish costumes. Her most memorable performance was at the Paradise Garage in 1985, wherein she collaborated with legendary visual artist Keith Haring for her costume. Grace Jones never achieved mainstream musical success, but most of her singles became hits in dance clubs and many could be regarded as classics.