Joi Gilliam
| Joi | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Joi Elaine Gilliam |
| Also known as | Joi |
| Born | January 25, 1971 |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Labels |
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| Associated acts | |
| Website | Official website |
Joi Elaine Gilliam (born January 25, 1971), better known by her stage name Joi, is an American singer, songwriter and record producer associated with the Dungeon Family collective based in Atlanta, Georgia, and as such often performs with OutKast, Organized Noize, and Goodie Mob (her ex-husband, Big Gipp, is a member of the latter group). Her signature songs include "Sunshine & the Rain", "Lick" and "Freedom".
Joi is the daughter of NFL Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Joe Gilliam and granddaughter of Tennessee State Tigers football coach Joe Gilliam, Sr.
In 1994, Joi released her debut album, The Pendulum Vibe, on EMI with Dallas Austin as the executive producer. While the lead single "Sunshine & the Rain" received heavy airplay on video outlets such as VH1 and MTV, the single failed to become a hit and album sales were disappointing, selling only 76,000 copies in the U.S. Even though album sales were low, Joi received widespread praise from critics, some calling her the new "Madonna". Madonna herself was so impressed with Pendulum Vibe that she changed the direction of her 1994 album Bedtime Stories. Madonna was also responsible for assisting Joi in becoming the first black model in a major Calvin Klein print ad campaign. While Joi was receiving heavy media attention she released two more singles: "I Found My Niche" and "Freedom". During this time, Joi's personal and musical style was the first to be dubbed as "neo soul".
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