Meet Alicia Keys’s Back-Up Singer Jermaine Paul
True talent can be spotted a mile away. That’s what happened when Alicia Keys saw Jermaine Paul performing one night years ago in a small club in New York City. Paul was hand picked by Keys out of the crowd and called on-stage to perform an impromptu show for her. She was so impressed with his talent she later invited him to become one of her background singers, tour the world with her and feature prominently on classic hits such as “Diary.”
Now embarking on a long-awaited solo career, I caught up with Jermaine after a charity performance in his hometown of Spring Valley, NY to talk about him being Alicia Keys’ “right hand man on the vocals,” how R&B music is currently flooded with “cookie-cutters,” the frustration of growing up in Spring Valley (which is approx. 45 minutes outside of Manhattan), an upcoming European tour, his current major label status and more.
Video: Foundation Pictures
