| Jumping Trains | ||||
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| Studio album by JoJo | ||||
| Released | April 3, 2012[1] | |||
| Recorded | 2007 - April 2011[2] | |||
| Label | Blackground, Interscope, Streamline | |||
| Producer | Vincent Herbert (exec.), Ron Fair (exec.), Mario Marchetti, Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, Da Internz, Boi-1da, Timbaland, Danja, Jim Beanz, Oak, Billboard, Jim Jonsin, The Messengers, The Stereotypes | |||
| JoJo chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Jumping Trains | ||||
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Jumping Trains is the upcoming third studio album by American recording artist JoJo scheduled to be released on April 3, 2012 in the United States through Blackground Records, Interscope Records and Streamline Records. The album includes production from Mario Marchetti, along with Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, Da Internz, Boi-1da, Timbaland, Danja, The Stereotypes, Oak among others. The album was announced in 2007, for a 2008 release, but was in limbo for several years due to issues between JoJo and her now former record label DaFamily Entertainment.[3][4] The album spent 5 years on hiatus and was accompanied by many of it tracks leaking during the recording process of the album.
JoJo began writing new material and working with producers for the album in late 2007 with recording sessions for the album beginning in early 2008 and wrapping up in early 2011. The album was preceded by the release of "Disaster" as the album's lead single. It premiered on US radio on August 29, 2011 and was released for digital download on September 6, 2011. The song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart at number 87, but has since failed to chart in any international markets. Disaster also debuted on the Billboard Pop Songs chart in the week of January 2, 2012 at number 38 making it her first single to chart in this category since 2007.[5]
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Following the release of "Anything"—the final single from her sophomore album The High Road—in late 2007, JoJo stated that she had been writing and working with producers for her third studio album, but would not go into the studio until early 2008.[6] In mid-2008, JoJo revealed that the album, formerly titled All I Want Is Everything, was scheduled for a fourth quarter release that year, to coincide with her eighteenth birthday in December. The title was taken from the self-penned title track, an "inspirational anthem for everyone who has struggled and strives for more".[7] The song is featured on her first mixtape Can't Take That Away From Me which was released on September 7, 2010 exclusively to Rap-Up.com.[8] The album has spent a long time on hiatus, which was accompanied with a leak of many of its tracks. As of August 2011, thirty tracks leaked, well over an album's worth of material.
On choosing the lead single from the album, JoJo explained that: "We got to the studio and made a few records that the label flipped over. So we thought that maybe we should re-evaluate the plan and go with one of those tracks [as the lead single]. I'm totally comfortable with that. All of these songs are my baby so I'm not necessarily attached to one more than the other. So our plan right now is to shoot another video and move forward, go to radio, and do all of that stuff for one of the new songs.[9] In October of 2011, 4 new songs set to appear on the album leaked online including "Lie To Me", "Jumping Trains" and "Sexy To Me". JoJo stated that she has some pretty cool surprises for the album, some really cool features that will be on the album but doesn't want to announce the names just yet and thinks people will be surprised.[10]
When speaking on the concept of her video for "Disaster" she said that she wanted to show young, crazy love and how passionate it can be — how you get wrapped up in it, and it’s awesome and it’s fun and sexy. She also wanted to have a dangerous element, so her boyfriend [in the video] is a motorcyclist. This video is a little rock and roll. It’s colorful. The video for Disaster is set to premiere within the next 3 weeks or by the end of October of 2011.[11][12] When speaking on the creative process JoJo said that "Independence and finding yourself as a young woman and solidifying your identity and finding that, not having that identity be shared with a guy, not chasing after being apart of a couple, about really being strong, independent, successful. This isn't an album about bashing guys but its about female empowerment, about having fun but its not about begging guys to stay with you or anything like that."[13] She also stated that "sometimes I writes my songs from a perspective of how strong I wish i could be because we all fall short and none of us can be these strong, independent women that we want to be at all times, we still have our emotions and sometimes they can get the best of us but I wanna portray something that's a picture of strength and all that".[14]
Near the end of 2008, it was rumored that JoJo had parted ways with Da Family Entertainment and Blackground Records, and had signed a new record contract with Interscope Records. In early 2009, JoJo denied the rumor, saying that she was still signed to Blackground Records. Later in June 2009, JoJo confirmed that the album had been fully completed and will begin its promotion as soon as her record label finalized a new distribution deal.[15] JoJo, after having waited almost two years to get her album released, decided to file a lawsuit against her label in August 2009. She was asking to be released from Da Family Records and to receive US$500,000 for her troubles.[16] JoJo won the case, and in October 2009 Blackground Records reached a distribution deal with Interscope Records.[17] Through the deal, JoJo owns the final mastered copies of the records.
| “ | I had the opportunity to work with JoJo from Blackground Records, she's coming out, and we made a record together (that me, her and DJ Toomp did). I'm really selective about who I work with because I'm not interested in it like that as far as working with so many different people. I really like JoJo. I like her music, I like her voice and I believe she’s a true talent. We came up with some great material. | ” |
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—Jovan Dais on working with JoJo[18] |
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JoJo stated that she is writing and producing her new album as early as 2008 in Boston and Atlanta. She had also lined up producers Jordan Gatsby, Tank, DJ Toomp, J. Moss, Toby Gad, The Underdogs, Danja, J.R. Rotem, Billy Steinberg, Bryan-Michael Cox, Marsha Ambrosius, Madd Scientist, Tony Dixon and Eric Dawkins to work on the album.[19] In July 2008, JoJo confirmed that she had finished three quarters of the material for the album. At the time, she had written all of the tracks except for one song. JoJo wrote about her experiences in the past year, including her break-up with Freddy Adu, finding a new relationship, and being a young woman.[20] In February 2009, Kenna stated that he and Chad Hugo had produced five or six tracks for the album.[21] In June 2009, JoJo stated that she had finished the album, and was waiting for her record label to sign a distribution deal.[15]
In January 2010, JoJo said that she was going to be working with Timbaland, Jim Beanz and Pharrell. She also revealed that she had finally finished her album.[22] However, the album's release was delayed due to issues with her record label Da Family Entertainment, which had encountered financial difficulties and were thus unable to release the album. Eventually, she decided to sue the label in order to be released from her contract.[23] In an interview with Rap-Up, JoJo revealed that many of her records leaked since the recording process began. She acknowledged that most of them were demos for other artists but one or two of them could make the album.[24] To prepare for the release of the album in 2011, JoJo decided to release a mixtape, Can't Take That Away from Me, in September 2010.[25]
According to JoJo's manager, she was set to release the name of her first single by the end of February 2011.[26] On February 18, JoJo begun her album packaging photoshoot for the album and released a sneak peek at the album's packaging through her Twitter account.[27] In a recent interview with Teens With A view, JoJo confirmed that she had most recently been working in the studio with Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, who has worked with Brandy, Jennifer Lopez, Destiny's Child, Britney Spears and others.[28] She also confirmed that she will be shooting a video very soon for the first single which will be out in a few months and the album's release will follow after that.[29] In mid-March 2011, the songs making the final track listing were selected, as hinted by JoJo in a tweet.[30]
When speaking about the mixtape and album, JoJo said: "The album is more cohesive than the mixtape, The mixtape was kind of a compilation of songs from different genres that we put together, which I loved. But this album is more of a journey in my mind, the sound I like to describe as 'pop with an anger management problem,' so it’s aggressive, it's edgy, it's... woo! It's a little kooky! But it's still a pop album but it still has that feminine vulnerability and that transparency that I wanted. I want it to be honest, and I wanted it to just be truthful. So um, the album is just a more purpose-driven project, whereas the mixtape was more... just an assembly of songs."[31]
| “ | My personal experience definitely has lent itself to not only this song but you know this whole album. I kind of like snapped in the recording process, I kinda lost my mind but it was great it was perfect, it was exactly what needed to happen. I was frustrated I was going through stuff and it was my outlet. | ” |
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—JoJo on the set of "Disaster" music video[32] |
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On June 17, 2011, it was revealed that JoJo recorded about 100 songs for the album so far. In an interview with Hollywoodthewriteway.com, JoJo revealed that since they were still mixing the album and choosing the song titles they would be looking our for a fall release date. She also revealed that they were ready to move forward with the buzz single "The Other Chick" and release the video but says that "We got to the studio and made a few records that the label flipped over. So we thought that maybe we should re-evaluate the plan and go with one of those tracks.(as the lead single) I’m totally comfortable with that. All of these songs are my baby so I’m not necessarily attached to one more than the other. So our plan right now is to shoot another video and move forward, go to radio, and do all of that stuff for one of the new songs.[9]
JoJo stated that the majority of the songs for the album's body of work was recorded after her mixtape was released and only a few songs that had been recorded "a significant amount of time ago" would make the album and that the title track is one of the oldest records on the album.[9]
In mid-2008, JoJo revealed that the album, titled All I Want Is Everything, was scheduled for a fourth quarter release that year, to coincide with her eighteenth birthday in December. The title was taken from the self-penned title track, which sums up her feelings about what she wants in life and how she can go about getting it as being an "inspirational anthem for everyone who has struggled and strives for more".[7] The song is featured on her first mixtape Can't Take That Away From Me which was released on September 7, 2010 exclusively to Rap-Up.com.[33] She has confirmed that it will be her most personal album to date coming from her breakup with Freddy Adu to finding a new relationship, as well as feeling sexier and more confident in becoming a woman.
When speaking of the concept of the album she said:
I like to think that this album is going to be a big pop record and pop doesn't mean the same thing that it meant maybe five years ago. I think that it's really evolved and really what we want is big undeniable records that's still true to me. I don't like to sing about things that don't have feeling and that I don't relate to otherwise I'm not gonna get the best vocal performance. I want it to be a slice of my life, other young people and young women to relate to it and I kinda want it to stretch across the board. I don't wanna sound like anyone else. I don't want people to say oh she's biting off that. It's a time of experimentation and falling on your face and so all those things I'm talking about just messing up and making dumb decisions, hurting people and getting hurt and having to work through that. So all the songs Ive recorded so far have really been the slice of life.[34]
In December 2010, it was announced that the album was no longer titled All I Want Is Everything[3] On February 28, 2011, JoJo revealed the new title in a viral video. She said, "My third album will be called Jumping Trains and it's very symbolic for a variety of reasons... Moving from Boston to L.A., transitioning from being a girl to being a young woman, living on my own, taking a different direction sonically, and just really finding myself and just jumping into a new chapter of life."[35] When talking about where the inspiration of the albums title track came from, JoJo said "I wrote the song because I was in a relationship where I just felt like I was locked in place. I wasn't moving forward in my life. He was ready for things that I wasn't ready for as far as commitment. I wanted to explore the world and be this young woman and travel and have my career and everything. That's where it came from. I am a history buff and was thinking of the act of freight-hopping though. I thought it was be a great name for the album because this is such an important and risky moment. It's that thing, where if you can make it from one train to the next it feels incredible, and the payoff can be great. It's that scariness and that exhilaration. I kind of wanted to bring that energy into it." and when talking about the inspiration of the video for disaster she said "I just really wanted to do something aggressive.[36]
A number of songs from the album were performed prior to the album's release. In May 2010, JoJo performed two new songs, "Play This Twice" and "Safe With Me", from the album on the Then & Now Concert Tour in Manila, Philippines. These two songs briefly appeared in an interview with E! news in December 2009.[37] In fall 2009 the song "Safe With Me" leaked onto the internet.[37] In an interview with Rap-Up.com she stated that "if any of the songs had to make the album it would only be one or two".[38] She has performed the song several times before, including at the NOH8 Campaign Lounge in 2009.[39] JoJo later premiered the album's title track live on June 10, 2011 during the Girls Who Rock concert at New York's Gramercy Theatre.[40]
On February 18, JoJo went ahead with a planned photo shoot for the album's cover and future singles. A picture from the photo shoot was released by JoJo herself through her Twitter account which shows her wearing a slim fitting black dress with white lace over it and a red skirt, she was also seen wearing a pair of Dr. Dre Beat headphones with her arm bent forward looking into the distance.[41] In preparation for the album's release, JoJo released a promotional mixtape titled Can't Take That Away from Me with Clinton Sparks and Chester French. The mixtape was released on September 7, 2010 exclusively to Rap-Up.com.
"The Other Chick" was initially announced as the album's lead single, but JoJo later announced that it would only be released as a buzz single. "It’s something cool that’ll introduce people to a more mature me, I suppose. It’s edgy, but it’s a buzz single.".[9]"The Other Chick" was released on May 14, 2011 via JoJo's official website, after the unfinished version of the song was leaked a week prior.[42][43] Kai Regan directed a music video for the song on April 20, 2011.[44]
In support of the album, JoJo was the supporting act for Joe Jonas & Jay Sean co-headlining 19 city fall tour, from September 6 at the House of Blues in Boston, MA through till October 6 at the Best Buy Theater in New York.[45] Two days before the release of "Disaster" JoJo performed the song for the first time at Perez Hilton second annual VMA pre charity event One Night In… Los Angeles event. where she also premiered a new track from the album tentatively titled "Lie To Me", which is currently set to appear on the album.[46][47][48][49] JoJo gave her first TV performance of the song on Good Day Dallas on September 29.[50] She then made her second TV performance of the song on KTLA LA morning show on October 11, 2011.[51][52] On October 18, 2011 it was announced that JoJo would be performing a series of free shows to benefit breast cancer awareness month (Pinktober) at Hard Rock Café locations across the country. [53][54][55] JoJo also appeared at the 107.9 years end 2011 Jingle Ball on December 1st and performed the song at the end of the show.[56] She has also performed the song on Boston's Fox News morning show on October 28, 2011.[57] Philadelphia’s Q102 will also be hosting it’s annual Jingle Ball on December 7th and they had invited JoJo to perform.[58] JoJo is scheduled to tour with Big Time Rush for a 5 date tour beginning February 17, 2012.[59]
JoJo revealed via HollywoodLife.com that Jumping Trains is set to be released on April 3, 2012 under Blackground/Interscope/Streamline[60].
The lead single "Disaster" had its radio premiere on August 29, 2011.[61] It was made available for purchase as a digital download on September 6, 2011.[62] JoJo filmed the video for the single on September 14, 2011 in Down Town Los Angeles. Disaster debuted at number 87 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming JoJo's first charting single on the Hot 100 since her 2006 hit, "Too Little Too Late". It was set to officially impact U.S. Top40/Mainstream radio on November 1, 2011, however the song's release was pushed up 8 days and will now officially impact U.S. Top 40/Mainstream radio on October 25, 2011.[63] The Benny Boom directed music video for "Disaster" premiered online November 1, 2011.[64]
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