INOJ facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
INOJ
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| Birth name | Ayanna Porter |
| Also known as | Ayanna "Joni" Portee |
| Born | November 27, 1976 Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Genres | Pop-R&B |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1996-present |
| Labels | So So Def, Columbia |
Ayanna Porter (born November 27, 1976), known by her stage name INOJ (pronounced "I know J"), is an American singer and songwriter. She became famous in the late 1990s.
Her first song, "Love You Down", came out in 1997. It was a cover of a song from 1986 and reached number 25 in the United States. In 1998, INOJ released her first album, also called Ready for the World.
She also released a cover of Cyndi Lauper's song "Time After Time" in 1998. This song was a huge hit! It reached the top 10 in the United States, Canada, and New Zealand. She also sang a version of Anita Ward's "Ring My Bell".
Early Life and Music Journey
INOJ was born in Madison, Wisconsin. She loved singing from a very young age. Even as a baby, she would sing along to songs! She later sang in her high school choir.
She really wanted to be a singer. However, her parents encouraged her to study engineering, which was another interest of hers. She decided to go to the University of Baltimore. This university was close to big music cities like Washington, D.C., and New York City. She hoped to meet music producers there.
In her second year of college, she joined a girl group called Spellbound. They even got a record deal with a major label! But the group eventually broke up, and INOJ started writing songs instead.
One day, producers from So So Def asked her to sing a demo version of "Love You Down". This was just so someone else could hear it and then record their own version. But the producers loved INOJ's voice so much that they released her version right away!
Around this time, she created her stage name, INOJ. It's pronounced "eye know jay". The name is actually "Joni" spelled backward. "Joni" was a nickname she used, which came from her birth name, Ayanna.
Popular Songs and Albums
INOJ's first album, Ready for the World, came out in 1999. It featured some of her most well-known songs.
Her singles were very popular:
- "Love You Down" (1997) was her first hit.
- "Time After Time" (1998) became a top 10 hit in several countries.
- "Ring My Bell" (1999) was another song she released.
She has continued to release new music over the years.
Albums
- 1999: Ready for the World
Singles
- 1997: "Love You Down"
- 1998: "Time After Time"
- 1999: "Ring My Bell"
- 2007: "Nine to Five"
- 2008: "Baby You"
- 2011: "On"
- 2012: "Love Thang"
- 2012: "It's Over"
- 2016: "My Love for You"
- 2017: "LYD (Love You Down)"
- 2018: "September Love"
