Jin Jin (musician)

Janée Bennett, known professionally as Jin Jin (previously Jin Jin and the Ragdolls), is an English singer and songwriter from Stockport.

Career

Bennett was signed to the music publisher Windswept Music UK in 2003.^[1] She auditioned for the second series of the BBC televised music competition Fame Academy, but was rejected.^[2] Subsequently, Bennett completed an undergraduate degree in music industry management and marketing, and modelled for fashion brands including Agent Provocateur and DKNY.^[3]

In September 2008, Bennett was featured on the Roll Deep single "Do Me Wrong", from their album Return of the Big Money Sound. In October 2009, Bennett released her debut single, "Sex in the City" (with producer Bless Beats), via Moshi Moshi Records; NME magazine described the track as "rude, fresh and kinda brilliant".^[4] A version of the single features rapper Tinchy Stryder.^[5] Bennett was profiled in The Guardian‍ '​s "New band of the week" feature the same month, with Paul Lester describing her as "a rougher, cruder version of glossy American R&B" and "a new urban female who is edgier than Pixie, who comes from a more authentic place than Alexandra Burke, halfway between Alesha Dixon and Lady Sovereign, like a Moss Side Pink if she'd worked with Tinchy instead of Linda Perry".^[3]

By 2012, Bennett had changed her professional name to Jin Jin and the Ragdolls and was working on an album titled Rhythm Homicide with Bless Beats and co-producer Jagz Kooner. She released the single "Cashpoint Drama" (featuring Mikill Pane) in July 2012,^[6][7][8][9] followed by "Love in Sin City" in September 2012^[10] and "Whistle at Me" (featuring Wiley) in November 2012.^{[11][12][13][14]} In October 2013, Bennett issued the Bless Beats-produced single "Fire Me Up" under her shortened stage name Jin Jin.^[15][16][17] She collaborated with the band Polar Bear on the song "Cuckoo", released as a single in October 2014.^[18]

As a songwriter, Bennett is affiliated with Universal Music Publishing Group in the UK.^[19] Having met fellow singer Jess Glynne at music college, she and producer Bless Beats collaborated with Glynne on tracks for her debut album; one of these, "Right Here", was a UK top ten hit in 2014.^[19] Bennett co-wrote Glynne's second collaboration with Clean Bandit, "Real Love", and the single "Drunk and Incapable" for Krishane featuring Melissa Steele (both 2014). She has written material for artists including Tamera Foster, Angel Haze, Little Mix, and Olly Murs.^[19]

Discography

• "Do Me Wrong" (2008) (Roll Deep feat. Janée)
• "Sex in the City" (2009) (with Bless Beats)
• "Cashpoint Drama" (2012) (feat. Mikill Pane)
• "Love in Sin City" (2012)
• "Whistle at Me" (2012) (feat. Wiley)
• "Fire Me Up" (2013)
• "Cuckoo" (2014) (with Polar Bear)
• "Break Loose" (2015) (Televisor feat. Jin Jin & Splitbreed)

References

External links

• Official website
• Jin Jin on Twitter