Songoftheday 5/6/15 - ..but baby I'm strong I'll get over you a new boy I'm gonna choose...

"Looking For A New Love" - Jody Watley
from the album Jody Watley (1987)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #2 (four weeks)
Weeks in the Top-40: 14

Today's SOTD comes from pop/dance singer Jody Watley, who transitioned from Soul Train dancer to music star as a part of the trio Shalamar. After their The Look album and top-40 hit "Dead Giveaway", Jody left the group in 1983. After a break in Europe, Jody returned to America and recorded her self-titled debut, which was released at the beginning of 1987. The first single, "Looking For A New Love", was written by Jody with producer Andre Cymone. With an assertive lyric and beat turned down from the frenetic post-disco of Shalamar, this was definitely Jody's own record...

"Looking For A New Love" spent a month in the runner-up position on the American pop chart in May of 1987. The single did go all the way to #1 on both the R&B and Dance Club Play charts in Billboard magazine. Internationally, the track topped the singles chart in Canada, made the top-5 in New Zealand, and peaked in the top-20 in Australia, Ireland, Switzerland, and the UK. It would go on to be nominated for a Grammy for Best Female R&B performance (losing to Aretha Frankin's Aretha album) and helping to nab her the Best New Artist Grammy.

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I had to include on Jody Watley's solo debut on the show that gave her her start, Soul Train (even if she's lipsynching for her life)...