“He was less than an inch away from being permanently paralyzed,” says Harris. While rehearsing outside of Miami for a world tour in January 2012, Derulo attempted a challenging acrobatic move and accidentally landed on his head, snapping a vertebra in his neck. 17 on the Hot 100, was an accident that not only came close to killing his career, but almost ended his life. Putting an effective pause to the momentum just after his sixth single, “It Girl,” peaked at No. PHOTOS: Behind Jason Derulo’s Billboard Shoot While Jason grew up rooted in Michael Jackson and Usher, he was just making music he enjoyed. “That he was a corny kid who lacked swag and coolness. “Everyone thought he wasn’t black, whatever that meant,” says Harris. Another hurdle: Derulo was never marketed as an R&B artist, something his manager Frank Harris, CEO of 23 Management, feels confused his audience. “Even though I had sold millions in America, people still didn’t know who I was,” he admits. It’s a first-world problem: Derulo had hits in such quick succession that he and his team had no time to properly strategize an image campaign. THIS ARTICLE FIRST APPEARED IN BILLBOARD MAGAZINE GET THIS WEEK’S ISSUE HERE OR SUBSCRIBE TO BILLBOARD HERE But the determined artist hopes this latest round of attention will put to rest the question, Who is Jason Derulo?
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Although prone to such exaggerated hyperbole, that’s not the case when it comes to talking about his own career - for despite racking up five top five singles in five years plus impressive song sales (totaling 19 million in the United States alone, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and 30 million worldwide), Derulo remains a relative unknown. “Thank you, that saved my life right now,” says Derulo appreciatively as his girlfriend of nearly three years, “American Idol” season-six winner Jordin Sparks, drapes a lightweight jacket over his shoulders.
(Chart-toppers by Warner-associated acts Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Baauer in 2013 were promotion-only deals.)ĭerulo shows moments later buff as ever, but all that muscle doesn’t shield the chill backstage, where he attempts to take in a few minutes of downtime. And in the last two years, Warner lost the bulk of its urban roster when Rick Ross’ Maybach Music Group (rappers Meek Mill, Wale) segued to sister label Atlantic in late 2012 along with other acts like R&B singer Jill Scott. 3 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, “Talk Dirty” is Warner’s biggest homegrown hit since the singer’s own “Whatcha Say” reached No. The celebration of the April 15 release kicks off in less than an hour, but equally anxiety-inducing is the fact that the label has been counting heavily on Derulo for a return to top 40 territory. While the club’s waitstaff stocks the bars, security guards confer and Warner Bros.