# Jason Rowe

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{{For|the basketball player|Jason Rowe (basketball)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{BLP sources|date=August 2009}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = Jason Rowe
| image           = 
| alt             = 
| caption         = 
| image_size      = 
| landscape       = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank -->
| background      = solo_singer
| birth_name      = Jason Rowe
| alias           = Jai
| birth_date      = {{birth date and age|1969|12|31|df=y}}
| birth_place     = [Yeovil](/source/Yeovil), Somerset, England
| origin          = London, UK
| genre           = [Electronic](/source/Electronic_music), pop, [soul](/source/soul_music)
| occupation      = Singer-songwriter
| instrument      = Voice, acoustic guitar
| years_active    = 1994–present
| label           = [M&G](/source/M%26G_Records), [RCA](/source/RCA_Records), [Four Music](/source/Four_Music)
| associated_acts = The Strings, VictoriA
| website         = {{URL|www.myspace.com/jasonrowe88|Jason Rowe}} at [Myspace](/source/Myspace)
}}

'''Jason Rowe''', who formerly recorded under the name '''Jai''', is a British pop and [soul](/source/Soul_music) singer currently residing in England.

== Life and career ==
Jason Rowe was born in [Yeovil](/source/Yeovil), England, in December 1969. He moved to London in the mid-1990s and began working with producer [Joel Bogen](/source/Joel_Bogen). A single, ''Don't Give Me Away'', was recorded under the name Jai and released on independent record label [M&G Records](/source/M%26G_Records) in February 1997. The success of the single in the UK and across Europe attracted the attention of [RCA Records](/source/RCA_Records), who released Rowe's debut album, ''[Heaven](/source/Heaven_(Jason_Rowe_album))'', later that year.<ref>{{cite web | url = {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p276316|tab=biography|pure_url=yes}} | title = Jai: Biography | first = J | last = Bush | work = [Allmusic](/source/Allmusic) | publisher = [Rovi](/source/Rovi_Corporation) | location = [Santa Clara, CA](/source/Santa_Clara%2C_California) | accessdate = 21 August 2011}}</ref> The album featured mostly original works co-written by Rowe with Bogen, Christopher Bemand, and Rob Watson, as well as contemporary [covers](/source/Cover_version) of the [Arthur Hamilton](/source/Arthur_Hamilton) standard ''[Cry Me a River](/source/Cry_Me_a_River_(1953_song))'' and [J. J. Cale's](/source/JJ_Cale) ''Magnolia''. The single ''I Believe'' was a minor hit in the United States, and the album itself made a brief appearance at No. 49 on the ''[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))'' [Heatseekers Album Chart](/source/Top_Heatseekers).<ref>{{cite magazine | editor-last = White | editor-first = T. | date = 31 January 1998 | title = Heatseekers Album Chart | magazine = [Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine)) | volume = 110 | issue = 5 | page = 34 | location = New York City, NY  | issn = 0006-2510 | accessdate = 21 August 2011 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=iQ0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA34}}</ref>

In a February 1998 interview with ''[Rolling Stone](/source/Rolling_Stone)'', Rowe discussed his vocal influences and overall style, likening the content of his first album to "a cross between [Portishead](/source/Portishead_(band)) and [Prince](/source/Prince_(musician))."<ref>{{cite magazine | last = Hess | first = S. | title = Jai Finds ''Heaven'' | date = 16 February 1998 | magazine = [Rolling Stone](/source/Rolling_Stone)  | location = New York City, NY | url = https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/jai/articles/story/5926486/jai_finds_heaven | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080724055653/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/jai/articles/story/5926486/jai_finds_heaven | archivedate = 24 July 2008 | url-status = dead | accessdate = 21 January 2008}}</ref>

After residing in New York City for a couple of years, Rowe returned to Europe, eventually settling in [Berlin](/source/Berlin). He continued to write and perform his own music, also penning songs for the [German hip hop](/source/German_hip_hop) band [Die Fantastischen Vier](/source/Die_Fantastischen_Vier). Signing with manager Jobst Henning-Neermann, Rowe briefly returned to the U.S. in 2006 to record a new solo album. ''Lovelife'' was released 23 February 2007 on German record label [Four Music](/source/Four_Music) but received only limited promotion and distribution. Shortly thereafter, Rowe contributed a song, ''The Dreaming'', to an advertising campaign for the [Tommy Hilfiger](/source/Tommy_Hilfiger) fragrance of the same name.

Rowe has since moved back to England. In June 2011, he married American musician [Daphna Dove](/source/Daphna_Dove), having met her several years earlier when she contributed backing vocals to ''Lovelife''. Most recently, Rowe collaborated with Dove in forming two musical groups, The Strings and VictoriA.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{AllMusic | class = artist | id = p276316 | label = Jai}}
*{{Discogs artist | artist = Jai | name = Jai}}
*{{AllMusic | class = artist | id = p540060 | label = Jason Rowe}}
*{{Discogs artist | artist = Jason Rowe | name = Jason Rowe}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rowe, Jason}}
Category:1969 births
Category:Living people
Category:English male singers
Category:Neo soul singers
Category:People from Yeovil

{{UK-singer-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jason Rowe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Rowe) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Rowe?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.