Inaya Day

Inaya Day (born Inaya Davis, January 17, 1977) is an American singer, best known for her vocal work on house music tracks such as "Horny '98" by Mousse T, and her cover version of "Nasty Girl" by Prince protégées Vanity 6. Day started singing in church in Brooklyn, New York. She attended the prestigious High School of Music and the Performing Arts, and went on to study musical theater at the University of Bridgeport. She also appeared on Broadway, notably as understudy to Stephanie Mills as "Dorothy" in The Wiz, and stepped into the lead role in Washington, D.C., and St. Louis, Missouri. She has had extensive experience as a session musician, having appeared on tracks by Michael Jackson, Al Green, Puff Daddy, MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, Monie Love, Big Daddy Kane and Jonathan Butler. Day has also written songs for Randy Crawford and Bootsy Collins, and has writing credits on Missy Elliott's "Gossip Folks" (the second single from her Under Construction album), on which Day co-wrote the hook and provided backing vocals. Day was introduced to house music in 1996 when she was asked to do a demo. She met German record producers Boris Dlugosch and Mousse T, who produced a dance single "Keep Pushin", which went on to reach No. 2 on the Billboard dance charts. She then sang chorus for Mousse T's track "Horny", which later gained in popularity when additional vocals from the duo Hot 'N' Juicy were added to the song. "Horny" reached No. 1 on the Billboard dance chart. The follow-up song "Hold Your Head Up High", with Booom!, reached No. 6 on the Billboard dance chart. In 1997, she released the club anthem "Movin' Up", credited as DJ Mike Cruz Presents Inaya Day and Chyna Ro. For this record, long time friend and actress Tichina Arnold lent her vocals but chose to use the moniker Chyna Ro for the project. She again teamed up with Cruz for "Can't Stop Dancing" which reached No. 1 on the Billboard club play chart. In 2004 she sang on a track by the Australian dance producer mrTimothy called "I Am Tha 1", credited to Mr Timothy featuring Inaya Day, which went to the top of the Australian dance charts and top 30 in the Australian pop charts. She also sang on his next single "Stand By Me" later that year. "Nasty Girl" was first released in Australia, reaching the top 20, and it was then released in the UK in July 2005, and reached No. 9 there. Later that year, she also guest featured on "The Glamorous Life", a single by T-Funk, an alternate alias of mrTimothy. In June 2007, Day released a cover version of the 1988 Big Pig song, "Breakaway", which itself was a cover of the song "I Can't Break Away" by Chuck Jackson. Day is also the cousin of Solomon Roberts Jr., the bandleader and co-founder of the Dance/funk group Skyy, for which she has confirmed as she is serving as a contributor as part of a profile on the group in an Unsung episode that aired in March 2020. 1996 – "Can't Stop Dancin'" – Cruz and Bugz – No. 1 Billboard dance chart 1997 – "Movin' Up (Take My Problems to the Dance Floor)" – Mike Cruz featuring Inaya Day and Tichina Arnold China Ro – No. 2 Billboard dance chart 2000 – "Feel It" – with DJ Dome – UK No. 51 "I'm Touched" – DJ Dove featuring Inaya Day "Shout It Out" – Inaya Day meets Louis Benedetti 1999 – "Just Can't Get Enough" – Harry "Choo Choo" Romero Presents Inaya Day – No. 39 UK "I Will" – Mongobonix featuring Inaya Day "Hold Your Head Up High" – Boris Dlugosch Presents Booom! "Keep Pushin' On" – Boris Dlugosch remix 2004 – "Better Things" – Afropeans 2004 – "I Am tha 1" – Mr Timothy featuring Inaya Day 2005 – "Nasty Girl" – produced by Mousse T. and So Phat! (cover of the Vanity 6 song) 2005 – "The Glamorous Life" – by T-Funk featuring Inaya Day 2006 – "Stand By Me" – Mr Timothy featuring Inaya Day 2007 – "Breakaway" 2008 – "Say You Will" 2008 – "Natural High" – Michael Woods Feat. Inaya Day 2009 – "Take Me Up" – Inaya Day vs. Leggz & Femi B 2009 – "Got 2 Get Up" – Mr Timothy featuring Inaya Day 2009 – "Let There Be" – Inaya Day and Antoine Dessante 2010 – "Superstar" – Inaya Day and DJ Eako 2010 – "Never Had Another Love" – Mike Cruz presents Inaya Day 2010 – "Better Days" – Inaya Day and Native Sons 2010 – "All I'm Sayin' (Just Hold On)'" – Inaya Day and Nick J 2010 – "Joy" – Inaya Day and Antoine Dessante 2010 – "Til The Morning Comes" – Inaya Day vs Diego Ray & Nick Corline 2010 – "Do The Right Thing" – Quentin Harris and Inaya Day 2011 – "Chase me" – Inaya Day 2011 – "Rapid Fire (Rapido)" – Inaya Day & Giangi 2011 – "Where Are They Now" – Inaya Day & Dmitry Filatov 2011 – "Sweet Lover" – Inaya Day vs Menini & Viani 2011 – "Next To You" – Inaya Day 2011 – "Time Is Now" – Inaya Day and Mangesto 2011 – "Lose My Worries" – Inaya Day & Ralf Gum 2011 – "My Love" – Inaya Day vs Sem Thomasson & Siege 2011 – "One Way" – Inaya Day 2012 – "That Place" – Dunk N' Aliens feat Mia & Inaya Day 2012 – "Redemption" – DeVonde & Mangesto feat Inaya Day 2012 – "Jump Up & Down" – Mike Cruz produces Inaya Day & Mark Shine 2012 – "Long Day" – Inaya Day Allstars featuring Crystal Waters 2013 – "Like You" – Ridney & Inaya Day 2013 – "Make Some Noise" – Inaya Day & DJ Escape 2014 – "Shelter Me" – Lee Dagger, featuring Inaya Day 2015 – "Stranded" – Dirty Disco, featuring Inaya Day 2016 – "Do What We Do" – Bit Error & Country Club Martini Crew feat. Inaya Day 2016 – "Keep Pushin'" – Tujamo, featuring Inaya Day 2016 – "One Night In Heaven" – Toy Armada and DJ Grind feat. Inaya Day 2020 – "Love Like This" – (Greg Gould feat. Inaya Day) on the album 1998 2025 - ''Our Revival'' - Ewan McVicar & Inaya Day List of number-one dance hits (United States) List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart IMO Records. "Inaya Day Biography". Archived from the original on March 16, 2013. Retrieved March 1, 2012. "Inaya Day Biography"], IMO Records' Retrieved on March 1, 2011. "Inaya Day Biography" Archived March 1, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, LocalProductions.com found at "About Inaya Day" Archived July 5, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, InayaDay.com. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974–2003. Record Research. p. 71. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 143. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. "1998 album". Apple Music. April 2020. Retrieved May 12, 2020. Official Website T-Best Talent Agency Archived October 7, 2014, at the Wayback Machine