Melissa Jiménez

Infobox musical artist


Name = Melissa Jiménez
Img_size =
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Melissa Jiménez
Born = birth date and age|1984|4|14
Origin = New York, U.S.
Genre = R&B
Years_active = 2002-Present
Label = SRC/Universal Motown
Associated_acts = Abraham Quintanilla III, Selena, Kumbia All Starz
URL = http://www.melissajimenez.com

Melissa Jiménez (born April 14,1984) is an American R&B singer and songwriter currently signed to SRC Records/Universal Motown Records Group. Jiménez is slated to release her debut album titled "Signed Sealed Delivered" in 2008.

Early life

Born in New York, Jiménez was raised by her mother of Greek decent Maria and her Mexican father Horacio. Her musical experience started early on, going to studio sessions and rehearsals with her father since she was a baby. At age 14 she joined her father's Big band and orchestra as a vocalist. Shortly thereafter, Melissa began writing songs and learned to accompany herself with the piano. Dancing was a natural skill, and to enhance it she took ballet, jazz, modern dance, African dance, mambo, and hip-hop. Her official biography states that "before she was even old enough to be eligible, she received a standing ovation for performing on an amateur night at the world-famous Apollo Theater in Harlem." [http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=100186985 MySpace.com - MELISSA JIMENEZ - New Jersey - R&B / Pop / Hip Hop - www.myspace.com/melissajimenez0 ] ]

Early career

Early in her career Jiménez recorded with a variety of people including:
*the Sugar Hill label
*Ruff Ryders, appearing on albums by Drag-On and working with Styles P and Swizz Beatz
*former Roc-A-Fella founder Damon Dash, working with N.O.R.E. and rapper Beanie Sigel
*appeared on Sigel’s single and video, “Feel It in the Air,” from his 2005 Platinum-certified album "The B. Coming".
*wrote and performed “Dance With Me,” on the Forest Whitaker-directed major motion picture soundtrack for "First Daughter", with Damon Elliott, son of Dionne Warwick.
*appeared on “Take the Lead (Wanna Ride),” with Bone Thugs N Harmony and Wisin & Yandel featuring Fatman Scoop, from the Antonio Banderas film, Take the Lead.
*and also her latest with Kumbia All Starz in "Rica Y Apretadita"

RC records

igning

A demo she sent out ended up with Jamaal Meeks, aka Reality, now an A&R at SRC, but then an intern. Meeks played the demo for Steve Rifkind, chairman of SRC Records, who was impressed. Rifkind later attended a wedding where Melissa performed and, remembering the demo, looked for her immediately afterwards only to find she had gone. Jiménez was called to the office for a meeting with Rifkind, Universal Music Group chairman Doug Morris, and Universal Motown President Sylvia Rhone the next day and was signed on the spot.

Colaborations

She has been featured in the Wyclef Jean singles "Touch your Button" and "Selena", and in the Kumbia All Starz song "Rica y Apretadita".

Upcoming album

Jiménez's upcoming album "Signed Sealed Delivered" is due to be released in August 2008. Her debut single, "Untouchable", which she co-wrote with Claude Kelly, is currently available on her [http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=100186985 MySpace] page.

Producers that Melissa worked with on the album include:
*Bryan Michael Cox
*Trackmasters
*KNS
*Tyrice Jones

Discography

2008: Signed Sealed Delivered

ingles

2007: Untouchable

Guest Appearances

2007: "Touch Your Button" (Wyclef Jean Featuring Will.I.Am, Melissa Jiménez, Machel Montano, Daniela Mercury, Black Alex, Shabba & Djakout Muzik)

2007: "Selena" (Wyclef Jean Featuring Melissa Jiménez)

2008: "Rica Y Apretadita" (Kumbia All Starz Featuring Melissa Jiménez)

External Links

* [http://www.melissajimenez.com www.MelissaJimenez.com]
* [http://www.myspace.com/melissajimenez0 Melissa Jiménez MySpace]
* [http://www.complex.com/GIRLS/Hot-Complex/MELISSA-JIMENEZ Melissa Jiménez Complex page]

Press

# [http://www.sonyericssonopen.com/content/20070322200139.html] Melissa at Sony Ericsson Open
# [http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/234502] Melissa at BMI Publishing

References

# [http://profile.myspace.com/melissajimenez0] . Melissa's Myspace biography
# [http://www.srcrecords.net/] SRC Records website
# [http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=51273605] SRC Records Myspace

Notes