Jody Watley

An absolute legend in her own right, we were honored to have Ms. Watley perform an intimate engagement to benefit LifeWorks on September 27th, 2010. We love her for being a trendstarter and a trailblazer. Jody Watley is a Grammy Award Winning Singer, Songwriter, Producer and CEO of Avitone Recordings. To many she is a trendsetting icon who helped define a generation with her stylish videos and pop classics, including ‘Looking For a New Love’ ( with it’s sardonic signature line “Hasta La Vista Baby”), “Don’t You Want Me”, Real Love and the groundbreaking hip hop classic “Friends”, her collaboration with Eric B and Rakim recognized as the first mainstream hit to incorporate the Pop/R&B singer with a rapper formula with a 16 bar tailored verse/bridge.

With a career spanning three decades and an amazing 32 Top Ten Singles (Billboard Pop, R&B and Dance), 6 Top Ten Pop Hits, 15 Top 40 R&B Hits, 13 Dance Hits, 13 #1 Singles (Pop, R&B or Dance – 80s, 90s 00s), Watley received Billboards prestigious Lifetime Achievement award in Fall 2008.

Jody has consistently broken new ground in music, fashion (culminating in being featured in the Historic “The Black Issue of Italian VOGUE’ in 2008), being named as one of People Magazines 50 Most Beautiful People and Harper’s Bazaar’s Ten Most Beautiful Women. In music video she remains one of MTV’s most nominated female artists for her stylish video ‘Real Love’ directed by David Fincher.

Having sold over 20 million albums and singles worldwide, and being one of the first already established female artist to establish herself as an entrepreneur by forming Avitone Recordings in 1995, we see her as incredible example of talent that can be a game changer by being unique and incredibly successful. We are thankful that she will be sharing her talents with us and our youth.

We also love this video because it was shot by friends of OAM, Quincy LeNear and Deondray Gossett.)