JAKI GRAHAM is one of that elite band of artists who can truly claim a classic soul voice. Instantly recognisable, powerful and emotive, Jaki's sound has been an inspiration to many a budding singer - she's an artist who others try and emulate, and it's very easy to see why.

Her reputation as the UK's most popular lady of soul has not, however, been confined to these shores alone. It's proceeded her to the four comer~ of the globe. Her recent worldwide smash, "Ain't Nobody", not only made No. 1 on the Billboard Dance Chart but also went Top 20 in America's Black Entertainment Video charts. Her first album, "Real Life", on her new Japanese label, (not released in the UK) sold in excess of 800,000 units worldwide in under four weeks and went to No. 5 in the Japanese charts.

Live work has always played an important part in the Jaki Graham success story; she is always in much demand - as her hectic tour schedule testifies. After a sell out twelve date tour in Japan last year, (tickets for her Tokyo show sold out in 20 minutes flat'), she has just returned from Australia where she has spent the past three months on a hectic IV, Radio and PA Tour. Her new album "Rhythm of Life", has just been released in America, where she will be taking up a major radio promotional outing as soon us she has finished touring with "Dancing In the Streets'. After the promotional tour of America she will also be doing a live tour In Japan at the end of this year to promote her new album.

In between this hectic schedule of touring and promotion, Jaki also has to find time to start recording a new album, due for release in the UK market in the summer of '99. This will be Jaki's first album release in Britain for 10 years.

After the success of the "Dancing In The Streets" tour, which was a celebration of 40 years of Motown, from January 99 Jaki will be taking her live band on tour across the country to play a mixture of some of her own hits from the 80's and also some of the great classics from the MOTOWN label.

Since her first big chart hits in the eighties - "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love", "Set Me Free", "Step Right Up", "Round And Around" "Breaking Away", and "Mated", to name but a few - the Midlands based songstress has come a long way. It. seems there's no stopping her now the world is Jaki Graham's proverbial oyster!!!