Janet Kay

On tour

Pictures

Listen to, buy or share

Buy

Buy on Amazon Amazon Expand purchase options
  • Digital download
  • Amazon Amazon
  • 7digital 7digital
  • iTunes iTunes
  • Physical media
  • Amazon Amazon Search
  • eBay eBay Search
  • 107,180
    scrobbles
  • 21,246
    listeners

Tags

Everyone’s tags

More tags

Biography

Janet Kay, was born Janet Kay Bogle (the first of 6 children) in London to Jamaican parents, Clifton and Monica Bogle. Janet is a descendant of the Jamaican National Hero the Rt Excellent Deacon Paul Bogle.

As a sixties child, Janet was exposed to the singing greats, especially those from the Tamla Motown stable and as a result of the exposure and inspiration, Janet’s love for singing was born.

In 1977, whilst in Secretarial College, Janet was invited by her school friend Sonia Ferguson (who recorded a cover version of Smokey Robinson’s ‘Oh Baby Baby’ in the late 70’s) to a band rehearsal. Destiny saw to it that band member Tony Gad heard Janet singing in the rehearsal room. He was so impressed with the sweetness of Janet’s voice that he introduced her to the reggae legend, the great Alton Ellis.

That meeting resulted in Janet recording a cover version of Minnie Ripperton’s ‘Loving You’ (produced by Alton Ellis), which became a reggae smash hit spending many weeks at No. 1 in the reggae charts.

The following year, 1978, saw Janet record 2 more cover versions, ‘I Do Love You’ and ‘That’s What Friends Are For’, again, both spending weeks at No. 1 in the reggae charts.

In 1979, Janet made history by becoming the first British born black female to have a reggae song at the top of the British charts. The song ‘Silly Games’, (produced by Dennis Bovell) was a hit not only in the UK but also in Europe. Janet’s history making has been recorded in the Music Guiness Book of Records.
Read more… Edit bio

Top Albums

Events

Add event

Listening Trend

21,246listeners all time
107,180scrobbles all time
Recent listeners trend:

Start scrobbling and track your listening history

Last.fm users scrobble the music they play in iTunes, Spotify, Rdio and over 200 other music players.

Create a Last.fm profile

Shoutbox

Leave a comment. Log in to Last.fm or sign up.

  • SoulJazzsterInc

    She is the Minnie Riperton of reggae.

    27 Mar 6:15pm Reply

  • spacemanBOSE

    lovin' you janet kay...

    26 Jan 2012 Reply

  • rogoff

    silly games, lovers rock - ahh, brings back some good memories

    29 Apr 2010 Reply

  • 1Marley

    @Tr1xx when i saw her live in February and back in November she could DEFINITELY reach the notes of Silly Games. She's one amazing woman.

    16 Mar 2010 Reply

  • 1Marley

    I've just seen Janet Kay perform live -AMAZING. I got to sing with her too, as well as a signed album and photo!

    8 Nov 2009 Reply

  • Bubimann

    every day of my liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiffffffffffffffffeeeeee, i'm more in love with youuuuuuuuu

    6 Oct 2009 Reply

  • Sott23

    ooo bejbeee ooo ;)

    12 Mar 2009 Reply

  • blueyz

    great track,,i got the 12 inch in red vynl,she can hav my cold anytime,,atchoo

    26 Jan 2008 Reply

  • Tr1xx

    I wondered how she reached those incredibly high notes in Silly Games. I just read she'd a really bad cold on the day of recording which allegedly affected her voice... but she could never achieve it again

    3 Apr 2007 Reply

  • LOSTSTARR

    SILLY GAMES

    21 Feb 2006 Reply

Top Listeners