Album Notes

JANELLE
Biography

"Barreto's diva stage presence fits well with her voice, which seems to project and reverberate throughout a crowd with the depth and power of a great rock voice." - Mari Fong Burr, Campus Circle Magazine.

Singer, songwriter, performer, recording artist, Janelle Barreto has been pounding the musical circuit in Los Angeles for 10 years now. With a new solo album, Glorious Sexual Cool, and recently launching a new imprint indie-record label and publishing company, Exploited Music, Janelle is still full steam ahead to continue her pioneer through a radically changing and unpredictable music industry. "It's no longer about impressing industry execs. Even more than ever, you can't do things in hopes that someone is going to come to change your destiny and make your music career happen. Now it's all about my relationship with the regular everyday music audience. It's about being innovative, passionate, and obsessed about getting to live a life that's centered around playing and giving music to people," expresses Barreto.

A trained vocalist and musician, with years of experience in musical theater, live shows, and a degree in English from UCLA, Barreto's musical journey is quite diverse and extensive. Janelle grew up in the OC where she first began performing in stage musicals, winning local talent competitions, and landed a Press Telegram Award in Performing Arts. Immediately after high school she was discovered by and signed to her first development/production deal by Howling Dog Productions. She soon recorded several 12" albums and began showcasing at local dance clubs and venues. Meanwhile, she attended UC Irvine and continued to train in performing arts. Soon after signing with Howling Dog, she landed her first record deal and was signed to Solar/Sony Records, as part of an all female group.

While recording and traveling with this act, Janelle transferred into UCLA as an English major where her lyric writing grew in depth and originality. Upon her graduation from UCLA Janelle was honored to be selected to sing the National Anthem for her graduation class and a crowd of 3000+.

Immediately after graduation, Janelle began performing on stage for Disney Entertainment as Pocahontas performing 5 shows daily in front of 1000+ audiences, for their live show production. Janelle longed for something to call her own, "I realized if I was going to be on stage every night, I wanted to be myself and play my own material."

Janelle began to write her own original material and soon co-formed and built a huge local following around the Los Angeles modern rock band, Exploiting Eve. In this original music project she recorded 4 albums, several music videos, and played the best and largest of the local venues including: The House of Blues (LA), The House of Blues (OC), BB King Blues Club, The El Rey Theater, Huntington Beach Pier, Santa Monica Pier, Gay Pride Fest, Key Club, Viper Room, Roxy Theater, and countless others. During this time, press began to surmount as did reviews from local music magazines like Music Connection, Spin, Mean Street, OC Weekly, No Cover and many more. During this time she also began to be nominated and win several accolades from the local music community, including BEST ROCK BAND from the Orange County Music Awards, BEST FEMALE VOCALS from the Los Angeles Music Awards, BEST FEMALE VOCALS and BEST FEMALE FRONTED BAND from the Rock City Music Awards, BEST ALTERNATIVE ROCK BAND by Adrenaline Radio, and Nominated for BEST FEMALE VOCALS and SONG OF THE YEAR, and winner of BEST ADULT CONTEMPORARY BAND at the All Access Music Awards.

Upon these achievements, Janelle continued her education by returning to school and graduating with a certificate in Music and Guitar from the Los Angeles Music Academy in Pasadena. Recent career highlights for Janelle have included radio features on KLOS 95.5, and appearances on MTV's Battle for Ozzfest, and UPN's Morning Show "Primera Edition." Also, this year having music licensing deals in indie films such as Creative Light Productions' "Slammed," and Raging Elf Films' "Murder Inside of Me."

"Now more than ever, is the time to make anything I can dream of, of my musical journey. It's all about being non-traditional." Janelle now has her sights on making music that people can escape with, reflect on, that brings inspiration to be more adventurous, take larger risk, and celebrates existence. Barreto proudly claims, "There's a real rush in looking out at the crowd of a filled venue, and watching them dance and party to my music....it's like looking into the face of god."