ROCK OF ASIAN: Jay Sean
Having already made a name for himself in the UK and India, British singer Kamaljit Singh Jhooti, better known as Jay Sean, is poised for big things in the States.
In 2008, he became the first British Asian artist to sign with an American label, Cash Money Records. “Down” (featuring labelmate Lil Wayne), the lead single off of his forthcoming American debut, All or Nothing, went platinum after two months and is currently #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making Jay Sean the only artist of Indian descent to achieve a number one-single in the U.S. And this week he made his first American television appearance on “Ellen,” which means he’s not only well on his way to becoming a household name (and the soundtrack of choice for power-walking suburban Moms across America), but that his music crosses over age, race, gender, and economic lines.
Another gauge of Jay Sean’s potential mass appeal can be found on YouTube, where “Down” has been covered a bajillion times in countless different ways.
There’s the geeky piano recital version:
The angsty girl-and-her-guitar version:
The exuberant electro-power pop version:
And, yes, even the inevitable khaki pant-wearing, bizarre dance move-practitioning, awkward tingles-inducing, white boy Glee version, an homage so far-removed from the popular recording that it somehow tells the original artist, “You’ve arrived”:
[Jay Sean - Official]
Filed under: A Cappella, All or Nothing Album, British Indians, Brits, Desis, Down Jay Sean, Jay Sean, Kamaljit Singh Jhooti, Lil Wayne, R&B Artists, YouTube
All the covers are great, though I think my favorite is the piano instrumental version.
http://www.youtube.com/user/KurtHugoSchneider#p/u/5/k-vorcTAHGQ
here is another cover done by a guy named sam tsui. he’s an amazing singer.
I also really like this one from your Filipina sista, Kat:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tvEw5Bubhk
Right! He did that incredible Michael Jackson medley: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R12QVtuB0_Q
And he’s a Yale a cappella nerd–near and dear to my heart.