NEW YORK (Virgin Records) - Subliminal Entertainment/Virgin Records recording artist
Brooke Valentine makes a splashy Top 20 debut on Billboard's Top 200 album chart this week, entering at number 16 in the issue dated April 2, 2005. The impressive entry of her album "CHAIN LETTER" on the national sales chart was driven by a flood of multi-media attention surrounding the lead single and video, "Girlfight," which co-features Southern rap royalty - crunkmaster Lil Jon and Big Boi, of the Atlanta superduo OutKast.
MTV responded early to the video clip, directed by veteran Chris Robinson (Usher, Destiny's Child), with an immediate slot in heavy rotation on "MTV Jams." Early belief in Brooke's potential also led to a MTV/MTV2 "You Hear It First" news piece, "Advance Warning" special and a coveted "Pre-RL" premiere on "Total Request Live (TRL)." BET has also been a strong supporter, branding Valentine as a 'Rated Next' artist - a designation the channel gives to few select artists they really believe in. The "Girlfight" video has become a staple on the channel's "106 and Park" countdown and is now one of the most-played videos on BET.
Valentine was also named as one of six new AOL Music 'Breaker' artists (those AOL sees as having huge breakout potential). Recently described as one of the new media "gatekeepers" launching significant new pop artists, AOL Music reports that "Girlfight" has been streamed nearly 690,000 times, in video and audio form, and in AOL's signature "Sessions" live-in-studio performance series, in just the past seven weeks.
The national radio audience for "Girlfight" continues to grow, increasing by millions each week as the song moves up the rhythm and urban charts (where the track is already in the top 20). Valentine has also been traveling across the country, performing for radio stations in select markets. Among the major-market stations supporting the single are KKBT - Los Angeles; KBXX - Houston; WPWX - Chicago; WKYS - Washington, DC; WMIB - Miami and WHTA - Atlanta.
Brooke has also introduced the song and album in a wave of national television and cable appearances including roof-raising performances on ABC's "Live with Regis & Kelly" and BET's "106 and Park" (both with Big Boi), and a guest shot on MTV's "Total Request Live." Other coverage on Valentine and her exciting debut has been wide-ranging, including such news outlets as "ABC News One" and "BET News"; mainstream magazines such as Rolling Stone (who chose Valentine as one of '10 Artists to Watch' this year), Ebony, People (whose reviewer called "CHAIN LETTER" "a fun and feisty set that has a surprising alternative edge"), Entertainment Weekly, Jane, and Teen People; she has also been featured in the cutting edge lifestyle/entertainment publications King, Blender and Smooth, as well as major daily newspapers USA Today (which raved, "...Valentine's precocious personality makes this Letter a promising introduction."), the Baltimore Sun and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Look out for upcoming coverage on Brooke in the Associated Press, Billboard, Vibe and Entertainment Tonight's ET on MTV and ET on VH-1 programs.
The broad and sustained attention attracted by Brooke Valentine indicates the arrival of a true multi-format star. A nineteen-year-old native of Houston, Valentine started singing at an early age. She wrote or co-wrote all the songs on her debut album "CHAIN LETTER." "It was important that this album was an accurate reflection of me," she explains. "We worked with producers who didn't try to change that." Among the list of talented producers are Souldiggaz (Destiny's Child, Missy Elliott), Bloodshy & Avant (Britney Spears, Christina Milian), Heatmakers (Lil Flip) and Bink (Jay-Z).
Check out music and video clips of Brooke Valentine at www.brookevalentine.com
