Janita

Puppetry is cool...despite what Being John Malkovich had to say about the profession. The long-lasting appeal of the many characters and worlds of Jim Henson and Sesame Street should attest to that. And in the dark video for her new single, "Traces Upon Your Face," Brooklyn songwriter Janita delivers a melding of the pastoral, almost Pagan feel of Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal with the macabre but mesmerizing contemporary spirit of Spike Jonze's spin on Where The Wild Things Are.

We have the exclusive premiere of the video for "Traces Upon Your Face," and we couldn't be more excited (especially considering we premiered the stream of Janita's album, Didn't You My Dear, back in March which features this excellent track. Combining the vocal intensity of Bats for Lashes' Natasha Khan with the turbulent rock edge of St. Vincent, Janita continues to mark her self as an artist capable of producing music of great beauty and unsettling power, and you're going to want to strap in for the ride that is "Traces Upon Your Face"'s video. It has to be seen to be believed. - Baeble.com

"We caught up with Brooklyn artist Janita to talk about the darkly atmospheric new video for Traces Upon Your Face from her masterful record “Didn’t You, My Dear?” which we reviewed earlier this year. Check out the brilliant video and our interview below."
(continued... see link) - OneTrackMine.com

"It’s one thing to perform a song; it’s another to capture the attention of a listener, and few accomplish this better than Brooklyn based singer/songwriter Janita. From concerts to sold out festivals, for years Janita has been electrifying listeners with her cool take on alternative rock imbued with a touch of soul. Billboard wrote, “This woman’s got the goods. Stardom awaits,” but I’m inclined to say they were wrong— Janita has always had stardom, and with each new song it’s more evident than the stars in the night sky! You can find Janita’s new album, “Didn’t You, My Dear?,” now available worldwide via ECR Music Group."
(continued...see link) - SmoothieTunes.com

"Comparisons to Patti Smith and Blond Redhead are just the beginning. This Finnish transplant to Brooklyn has the balls and the pipes to make great music, even having the guts to cover a Tom Waits’ song and do it right. With just a touch of the blues (think Nina Simone) with punk DIY spirit and just the right production, Janita shines through. Her voice is amazing. Many artists are known by one name; Janita only needs one. She is that good. Don’t be surprised to hear more from her." - AudioFuzz.com

"Stripped-down Brooklyn siren Janita has come a long way from her roots as Finland’s pop sweetheart. The singer/songwriter has been in the public eye since her career kicked off when she was only 13, launching her into the sort of crazy fame and grooming Americans associate with “Hit Me Baby One More Time”-era Britney Spears. Janita’s all grown up with her swoony new album, “Didn’t You, My Dear.” Far from the tanned, teenybopper vibe carefully cultivated by stylists and label execs, Janita has transformed herself into as effortlessly beautiful adult informed more by more androgynous fashion icons.

“Didn’t You, My Dear” is currently available on iTunes, Spotify, and good old-fashioned CDs. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news."
(continued...see link) - You-Do-You.com

“This female Jeff Buckley is all about evolving––as a musician, as a member of the community of artists and as a person. Her new record, Didn’t You My Dear? is a powerful reality check and proof that when you make a record from your heart (without constraints)––everyone can hear its authenticity.” ––Speak Into My Good Eye - Speak Into My Good Eye

"When I heard the first song, knowing nothing about her background, immediately I felt like I was listening to an artist that had put in far more than a thousand hours, inspired and mature, with a perfectly efficient connection from her heart to my ears. Big comparisons were easily drawn, to the likes of Sarah McLachlan, Fiona Apple, a less batshit Tori Amos, a more experienced Natasha Khan." - Antiquiet.com

“Some Serious Gravity“ kicks things off, sexy and undulating, foreshadowing some treats the album has up its sleeve, like Janita’s voluptuous vocals and Blake’s song-serving production. Holding the wine glass to my nose, I get hints of Jeff Buckley, a little Radiohead, even some spicy Patti Smith, specifically in the stark “Who’s Gonna Tell The Wolf She’s Not a Dog.” - www.OneTrackMine.com

"Janita's voice is hauntingly beautiful and delightfully rich. Her music is as multi-faceted as it is intelligent, incorporating flecks of R&B, jazz, indie folk and alternative. And more than anything, it's extremely digestible without sacrificing depth, a very rare characteristic. " - BaebleMusic.com

"Janita’s Didn’t You My Dear? is so good, it’s intoxicating. The gently churning grooves and lush arrangements are heightened by the artist’s mesmerizing, rich mocha vocals. The circling riffs and fluid beauty make the album, in a word, hypnotic." - www.axs.com

Most singer-songwriters, when building up to releasing their breakthrough new album, are getting publicity photos taken, proofreading lyrics on their album booklet, and readying to hit the media circuit. Not too many are doing that and also meeting with members of Congress. But then Janita is used to striking out on a different path.

Last week, the Finnish-born, Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter took a break from making the finishing touches to her new album Didn't You, My Dear? ahead of its March 31 worldwide release on ECR, and getting ready for her March 26 album release concert at New York's fabled Webster Hall, to head for Washington DC to meet with Congressmen and women including Representatives Marsha Blackburn, Doug Collins and Ted Deutch, as well as representatives of the National Music Publishers' Association and the Recording Industry Association of America. Janita (pronounced YA-nee-tuh) was there to represent the #IRespectMusic campaign, the grassroots movement that has been galvanizing musicians on their right to get paid for airplay, joining the movement's leader Blake Morgan in pushing for legislation to make crucial change in this area... (continued in article...) - BroadwayWorld.com

“This woman’s got the goods. Stardom awaits.” - Billboard Magazine

“It probably shouldn’t be allowed for someone as talented as singer-songwriter Janita to, also, be goddess beautiful. She not only writes beautifully powerful songs, but sings with such passion and conviction that it’s hard to take your eyes off her.” - The Telegraph (UK)

“This belle can belt and pen. Janita teems with vocal wattage and knows it.” - The Village Voice

“Janita keeps listeners hooked . . . HEAR IT!” - Marie Claire

“Janita’s expressive yet soulful performances prove (even) more beautiful than her silhouette.”
 - All Music Guide

“For some artists, it’s enough to be known by one name like Madonna, Prince, Sade, and Sting. Janita might be another name to add to the list.” - Pop Matters

“I suspect Janita’s popularity will be fueled by excited word-of-mouth promotion and performances at intimate settings. She has that specialness.” - Philadelphia Daily News

“Critics have oozed over this gifted artist, and rightly so.” - ASCAP / Playback

“Janita’s supple voice is capable of finding just the right tone of aching melancholy or dreamy wistfulness, her songs painting a relationship mosaic of yearning, regret, resistance and struggle, even amid love’s sweetness.” - The Intelligencer