As frequent lead vocalist for New Kids On The Block, Jordan Knight toured the world's stages, belting out a pop-R&B rap hybrid that climbed to the Top 20 ten times in half as many years in dozens of countries, sparked a revolution in merchandising, and endeared five young men to millions of crazed fans. His fame endures as evidenced by the tens of thousands of fans that visit his official web pages (www.jordanknight.com and www.jordanknight-uk.com) every week.
Knight was just shy of 15 when he joined what would become New Kids On The Block. At 16, he began teaching himself keyboards. By 17, Knight had begun writing songs. But, Maurice Starr, the New Kids' producer, who also wrote much of the New Kids material, was reluctant to add the teenager's work to the band's repertoire. Knight offered his composition "I'll Be Your Everything" to a young singer named Tommy Page. Page's version of the track, which Knight produced, went all the way to #1 and spent 13 weeks on the Billboard charts in the USA.
The New Kids On The Block's fourth album, "Step by Step", hit #1 in the U.S. and the throughout the world. The New Kids also had record selling merchandise, the debut of New Kids cartoon series and milestones on top of bestselling books, video collections and comic strips. Five of their albums were charting simultaneously on the Billboard 200. At the peak of the band's popularity, their recorded telephone message line received 100,000 calls a week. Conservative estimates of the New Kids' 1990 income topped USD$850 million (AUD$1.2 billion, NZD$1.36 billion).
Shortly after the critically and fan acclaimed, but poorly received NKOTB album - Face The Music was released the New Kids went their separate ways. Knight took a long needed break from the business after suffering a bout of stage fright (well documented in an Oprah Winfrey special with fellow bandmate and brother Jonathan Knight), but came back strongly in 1999 with his self-titled studio release "Jordan Knight". As a solo artist, Knight enlisted the help of veteran producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. As it turns out, Jam and Lewis were intrigued by Knight's concepts for his first solo album and quickly took the gig. The album turned out to be a success. In 1999/2000, Knight enjoyed Top 10 status in Asia, England and Germany as well as the rest of Europe with his debut single "Give It To You". The single was nominated for a 1999 MTV Video Music Award for "Best Dance Video". The album won an Aspire Music Award for Best Male Album (Pop). In New Zealand the single "Give It To You" was on Mai FM's most added list and joined the Mai FM compilation later that year.
With his first solo album under his belt, Knight has been in the studio non stop continually expanding his repertoire and in October of 2005 released the appropriately titled EP "The Fix". Judging from the countless letters from fans that subscribe to his official websites, and some six years since Knight's last outing, a "Fix" is exactly what his fans needed. "The Fix" is soft-rock/pop/r&b EP driven by first single, power ballad; "Where Is You Heart Tonight". The EP is supported by a stunning array of r&b dance flavoured tracks such as "The Fix" and "Keep It On The Sly" both of which include raps by the legendary Slick Rick. The debut single is already a hit earning Top 12 status on American Billboard AC charts.
Whilst touring throughout the US and Canada, Knight came up with the idea for his first "theme" album. The album, set to be a double CD of covers and duets entitled "Love Songs", is being eagerly awaited. Says Knight; "In the past my albums and shows combined love songs with upbeat songs, dance tunes and the like. But, I always made sure to include a set on stage where I went to the piano alone and sang love songs. The funny things was that more and more people told me that this was their favourite part of my show. And that was cool because it was often my favourite part too ... I could concentrate on singing from my heart, on connecting with my audience and playing whatever I wanted." With support from his label (Trans Continental / EMI) Jordan began building his album around the concept of love. "From the start, it felt right", explains Knight, "Back when I began as a singer, a love song basically said 'me, me, me'," he says laughing. "It was adolescent, about looking for love, rather than giving it. But, of course I was young too, a teenager, so that was how I heard those songs. Quite naturally you grow up and mature, you stop thinking that way. You don't take things, like the lyrics of a song, for granted. You start to see those things in a refreshing new light". Reflecting on lessons he'd learned, artistically and personally, and drawing on inspiration from Luther Vandross and his other favourite ballad singers, Jordan conceived an approach to "Love Songs" unlike anything he'd ever attempted. It would be, in his words; "almost like a coffee table book". Something that would add to the quality of your day. Maybe you'd listen to it as you were driving somewhere on a Sunday afternoon or when you're with the people you care about at home. It's an adult album. Knight explains; "I'd never gone that route before, but the more I thought about it, the more I realised it comes from the way I live my life today." With that he went to work writing new material and thinking about tunes by other artists that fit his concept. Early in the process he noticed the covers he wanted to include in "Love Songs" seemed to come from more a pop-rock / power ballad background than the R&B he had favoured on his previous releases. "I wan't thinking much about it at the time," Jordan says. "I just went on what I felt without analysing it. But, looking back I think I leaned toward things like George Michael's "Careless Whisper" and Foreigner's "Waiting For A Girl Like You" because the have simpler chords than the ones I usually use. That opens up the melody and leaves for fewer restrictions on what I can sing, which was more important to me on this record than it had ever been before." One such track is; "Say Goodbye", which Knight recently recorded with 80's pop diva Deborah Gibson. The track is an original composition penned by Knight's good friend and touring partner 98 Degrees' Jeff Timmons and is rumoured to be the album's first single. Another 80's icon set to join Knight in the studio is New Edition's Ralph Tresvant.
Knight has recently enjoyed a return to TV screens throughout the US and Europe with VH-1's "The Surreal Life" (season three). The show puts together an unlikely group of celebrities and films them living their day to lives with each other inside a luxurious shared mansion. Knight was originally sceptical to join the cast of the infamous show, but, encouraged by his manager and the thought of a new legion of fans Knight agreed. Knight says of the experience; "I didn't want to be on that (The Surreal Life), but everyone else wanted be to be on it. It was like fourteen days in an insane asylum! Reality TV can't have been all bad though, just months after the Surreal Life wrapped up Jordan signed on to the UK's Channel Five produced "Trust Me: I'm a Holiday Rep". The show, a 10-part documentary series based in Ayia Napa - Cyprus, followed Knight and five barely known celebrities around as they grappled with the day-to-day grind of life as Olympic Holidays representatives. Knight was a huge success on the show and won over fans and fellow celebrities alike due to his bond with children and shy charm. Knight had planned the third instalment of his reality TV career; a Surreal Life spin-off ingeniously entitled "Surreal Life: Fame Games". The show, filmed in early 2006, put ten of the most memorable cast members from all six seasons together in Las Vegas to compete in a series of Fame Games which whittled them down to just one winner of a $100,000 grand prize. However, three days in to fiming Knight received news of a serious family illness. Jordan Knight, admirably dedicated to his family, threw in the proverbial towel on the series and rushed home to Boston to be with his extended family throughout their deeply personal ordeal. Officials of the show have said they "respect and admire Jordan's courage and dedication to his family" and that the show will run with out him.
Whilst Knight continues to records his new album and tours North America, legions of fans from around the world write hundreds of letters a week to his website requesting tour dates in their countries. Knight, more than happy to oblige, has toured Asia, the UK, Spain, Canada and Mexico in recent years. Down Under fans haven't seen Knight since the infamous New Kids On The Block "Tour Souvenir" tour of 1992. However, stay tuned to this page; Jordan Knight is rumoured to be coming Down Under for a week long tour in Australia and New Zealand in early August and/or early December. JordanKnightDownUnder will bring you the tour dates as we receive them.
