Model, actor, singer, Bond girl, and “The Queen of Gay Discos”
The above photo of Grace Jones holding a microphone while nearly naked was published in New York magazine in 1978 and was so loved by Jones that she used it on her 1985 album Island Life.
Grace Jones was born on May 19, 1948, in Spanish Town, St Catherine, Jamaica. When she was 12 y.o. she moved to Syracuse, New York.
Jones later moved to New York City and signed on as a model with Wilhelmina Models. When her looks were not successfully received, she moved to Paris, France, where her androgynous, bold, dark-skinned appearance was so highly appreciated she began to model for Yves Saint-Laurent, Claude Montana, Kenzo Takada, Helmut Newton, Guy Bourdin, Hans Feurer, and Azzedine Alaïa.
In 1977, she signed with the British record label Island. Her disco-driven debut, Portfolio, issued that year, including a version of Tomorrow from the musical Annie. Three more albums paved the way for 1981 classic Nightclubbing, featuring one of the era’s most suggestive songs: Pull Up to the Bumper. The album completed her evolution from disco to a fusion of funk, reggae, and new-wave rock. Her appearance underwent a startling transformation under the direction of her then-lover, Jean-Paul Goude.
Her androgynous and statuesque style made her very successful in New York City’s underground and nightlife scenes, and her sexually evocative stage shows and songs like “I Need A Man” earned her the title “The Queen of Gay Discos” because of her large following of gay men.
Official Trailer: Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami
“Electrifying concert performances and intimate, personal footage showcase the life and talent of singer and actress Grace Jones.”
Director: Sophie Fiennes
Stars: Grace Jones, Lowell ‘Sly’ Dunbar, Jean-Paul Goude, etc.
