How many of you like the Taja Sevelle debut album,which was released on Paisley Park Records in 1987? It contains two Prince tracks,"Wouldn't You Love To Love Me?" and "If I Could Get Your Attention",but for the most part,Prince's input was fairly limited.Thus,unlike the Jill Jones album,Tajas' album sounds more original and less like Prince.


As is the case with most female Prince proteges,Taja is not a great vocalist.But her album isn't half-bad.It consists mostly of catchy dance/pop tracks that probably would have been huge hits for a stronger vocalist.I love the song "Popular",with that swaggering bassline and killer hook.Another cool song is "Infatuation".And the first single "Love Is Contagious" is charming and annoying at the same time...lol...


Overall,not a bad debut album.What do you guys think?
[This message was edited Mon Jan 6 6:50:26 PST 2003 by DavidEye]

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[This message was edited Mon Jan 6 9:49:25 PST 2003 by Lammastide]

Taja: I liked the debut and I LOVE her. I thought her first album offered a proper mix of "Princeliness" and the introduction of her original talent.

Jill was/is very cool: She's sexy, could (sometimes) hold a note, and she was wonderfully enigmatic... just what we Prince fans were looking for in one of his circa 1987 gal proteges. Of all the Paisley projects, I probably still find hers the most fascinating, if not the most artistically meritorious. But if Prince's hand was heavier felt in Jill's album than in Taja's, it's because 1) he was much closer to Jill than Taja, and 2) Taja is by far the better talent.

I've bought Taja's subsequent stuff and I've seen her perform. I think she, in fact, has the makings of both an impressive songwriter and vocalist (Moreso than Jill, anyway. Her control is better and her octive range is really awesome.)

I've always thought it a shame that the Paisley Park label was so shitty on promotion (other than Prince's) and artist development. I'd have loved to see some of the artists' work mature over time. Here, I think Taja got screwed perhaps the most of any Paisley artist, because of all the neophyte talents introduced on that label before or after (understand that is not counting Sheila, George Clinton, Mavis Staples or members of The Family or The Time, all of whom were seasoned musicians and/or had worked with Prince for years), she is the most independently and genuinely talented. Music fans really lost out with her getting lost in the sauce.

I liked Taja Sevelle's album and I liked Jill's album they were both very good.

I liked that album! I don't have it anymore but I remember liking Wouldn't You Love 2 Love Me, If I Could Get Your Attention, Fly For My Painted Rainbow (?), & Popular. Good voice on her...

You know what? Compared to other Paisley Park artists,Taja actually got alot of promotion for her album (which flopped anyway).There were three singles,with a video for each one ("Love Is Contagious","Wouldn't You Love To love Me" and "Popular").In addition,she was on BET with Donnie Simpson.

Perhaps she slept with Prince??

(Hey,I'm just joking!)

I liked it, not my favorite paisley realese, though.

DavidEye said:

I heard that mtv wouldn't play jill's video for "mia bocca" and prince refused to service them with the video for "sign o' the times" (which I highly doubt, just something I heard)

DavidEye said:

I Remember all of that.Her on Donnie Simpson's Show.She had a Small Role in "Purple Rain"&is also Credited on "Around the World in a Day" Singing Background.I forget what song but Her Name appears.Vocally she was wack IMHO."fly your painted Rainbow","Wouldn't you Love to Love Me(Orginally Offered for Michael Jackson's Bad) was a decent cut but I liked Prince's version better overall.She did get some Hype but it was for the Golden Griddle Hair more than her vocal Skills IMHO.but I also got the feeling She wasn't fully attached too Prince say like Jill&Shelia IMHO.interesting thing She is the only Paisley park Chick still around actually making Pop Albums&"I&I" actually had a little buzz back in 97.good for Her&avoiding the Prince Kiss of Musical Death by Association.

lovebizzare said:

If it's true I can't blame them - the song absolutely sucked ass IMO

lovebizzare said:

Yeah,I remember reading about this in People Magazine.Apparently,MTV felt that Jill's video was too "racy".To this daay,I still do not fully understand the lyrics,although I know that "Mia Bocca" means "my mouth"


Anyway,the story goes that Prince got pissed at MTV for rejecting the Jill Jones video,so he refused to give them the video for his own single "Sign O The Times".

taja's album was one of the few protegee albums that i still listen to , and she was one if not the only protege's to have a top 10 hit in the u.k with love is contagious , which had a brilliant remix by ben liebrand.