Jadyn Maria

Sexy and sassy Puerto Rican singer and songwriter Jadyn Maria joins “Ne-Yo Live in Manila” at 8 p.m. on Jan. 9, 2010 at the SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds.

Born Joy Lynn Strand, Strand was the first artist signed to Ne-Yo’s Compound Entertainment label. Strand was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico but grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. At the age of 17, Strand was signed to Sparrow Records, a Christian music subsidiary of EMI, after being spotted singing at a wedding. She appeared on the song “Never Alone (Nunca Solo)” from Avalon band member Jody McBrayer’s album, “This is Who I Am.” She was also asked to record a cover of “With or Without You” with GRITS on the U2 tribute album “In the Name of Love: Artists United for Africa.”

In 2007, Strand signed a songwriting deal with Universal Music Publishing Group, which led to her meeting with Ne-Yo’s manager and then Ne-Yo, himself and eventually signing with his label and Universal Motown after auditioning for its president in 2008. She also had a chance to perform the national anthem in Universal Motown’s Finest Rock Detroit at the 2009 United Way Thanksgiving Day NFL Halftime Show.

She is a friend of Katy Perry and appeared in Perry’s music video for “Hot and Cold” as a bridesmaid. Strand co-wrote the title bonus track from Ashley Tisdale’s album, “Guilty Pleasure.” Strand is working on her album, “Man’s World,” due to be released in 2010. Her debut single, “Good Girls Like Bad Boys” was released on June 9, 2009, with Flo Rida. Another song, “Trenchcoat & Shades” was released digitally in the UK on Sept. 6, 2009.

Ne-Yo, meantime, has had five top ten songs on the Billboard Hot 100 as a lead artist and two number-one albums on the Billboard 200. Ne-yo has also amassed a catalog of chart-topping songs that he has written for other artists.

His latest single “I Never Knew I Needed,” original soundtrack of Walt Disney pictures animated feature “The Princess And The Frog,” is now available at all record bars nationwide.

Ne-Yo is backed up by an entourage of more than 30 artists composed of band members, dancers, lighting designers and special effects personnel. The one and a half hour show promises to sizzle with front act group EURASIA, half-Asian and half-European, composed of five talented and beautiful young ladies pushing their musicality to the next level as his front act.

For individual purchases, special early bird tickets are available at Ticketworld and at Alchemy until Dec. 16 only. With prices at VVIP – P7,500; VIP – P5,500; Platinum – P4,000; Gold – P2,500; Silver – P1,500; Bronze – P500.