Kaya Jones
{{Infobox musical artist
|image=Kaya Jones by Gage Skidmore.jpg
|caption=Jones performing in 2018
|background=solo_singer
|Measurements=
|alias=
|birth_date={{birth date and age|mf=yes|1984|8|28}}
|origin=Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
|genre= Pop
|occupations = {{flatlist|
- Singer
- dancer
- DJ}}
|instruments= {{flatlist|
- Vocals
- violin}}
|years_active=2001–present
|label={{flatlist|
- Interscope (2003–2004)
- Capitol (2001–2002)}}
|past_member_of=The Pussycat Dolls
| website = {{URL|kayajones.com}}
{{URL|huemanracerecords.com}}
{{URL|twitter.com/KayaJones}}
}}
Chrystal Neria (born August 28, 1984), known professionally as Kaya Jones, is a Canadian-born American singer and model. She originally became known in 2003 for performing with the American girl group the Pussycat Dolls. Since 2004, she has pursued a solo career in music.
In 2017, she joined the National Diversity Coalition for Trump as their Native American Ambassador for Trump, despite not being a member of any recognized tribe and having no evidence of indigenous ancestry.
Early life
Career
After Robin Antin struck a deal with Interscope Records to form the Pussycat Dolls into a brand, auditions were held for a recording group that would not include celebrity members. In December 2003, Jones was recruited as a vocalist alongside Nicole Scherzinger and Melody Thornton. She performed with the group for the first time on February 13, 2004, where they performed "Big Spender" live at the MTV Asia Awards. Jones provided vocals for "We Went as Far as We Felt Like Going" for the Shark Tale soundtrack and the single, "Sway" which is featured on the soundtrack of Shall We Dance?, as well as appearing in the music video for the latter. She performed with the group at the VH1 Divas 2004 where they sung "Tainted Love" (with Carmen Electra), "You Can Leave Your Hat On" (with Tom Jones) and "Girls on Film" before joining the headliners in a finale performance of "New Attitude" alongside Patti LaBelle. The group also performed "Tainted Love" at the 2004 Fashion Rocks, along with Marc Almond.
There has been controversy over whether or not she was ever a full member of the group. Antin has stated that Jones "was never an official member of the group".{{Cite news|url=http://www.etonline.com/pussycat-dolls-founder-robin-antin-slams-kaya-jones-claims-group-was-prostitution-ring-89298|title=Pussycat Dolls Founder Robin Antin Slams Kaya Jones' Claims that the Group Was a 'Prostitution Ring'|last=Willis|first=Jackie|date=October 16, 2017|work=Entertainment Tonight|access-date=January 7, 2018|language=en}} Jones left the group in September 2004 while the group was recording their debut album, claiming that it was no longer fun to be in the band. She told Yahoo! Singapore, "When everyone is not on the same page it affects the group so that I think was the worst part and I decided to leave".{{cite news|url=https://sg.style.yahoo.com/blogs/singapore-showbiz/ex-pussycat-dolls-member-kaya-jones-no-longer-101120495.html|title=Ex-Pussycat Dolls member Kaya Jones: It was no longer fun|last=Chai|first=Gail|date=August 3, 2012|work=Yahoo!|access-date=July 20, 2017}} Jones repeatedly made allegations that the Pussycat Dolls was a prostitution ring.{{cite web|last1=Harrison|first1=Lilly|title=Former Pussycat Dolls Member Kaya Jones Calls the Group a Prostitution Ring|url=http://www.eonline.com/news/887030/former-pussycat-dolls-member-kaya-jones-calls-the-group-a-prostitution-ring|website=E News|access-date=16 October 2017|date=15 October 2017}}{{cite web|last1=Caslin|first1=Yvette|title=Pussycat Doll accuses band of prostitution, but says R. Kelly never tried her|url=https://rollingout.com/2017/10/17/pussycat-doll-accuses-band-prostitution-says-r-kelly-never-tried/|website=Rolling Out|access-date=29 October 2017|date=17 October 2017}}{{Cite news|url=http://people.com/music/pussycat-dolls-member-claims-they-were-part-prostitution-ring/|title=Pussycat Dolls Founder Robin Antin Denies Member Kaya Jones' Claim She Was Victimized as Part of 'Prostitution Ring'|last=Petit|first=Stephanie|date=October 16, 2017|work=People|access-date=January 7, 2018|language=en}} She has claimed that she and her bandmates were abused by music industry executives. The group has denied the allegations.{{Cite magazine|url=http://ew.com/music/2017/10/18/pussycat-dolls-deny-prostitution-ring-allegations/|title=Pussycat Dolls slam 'prostitution ring' claims|last=Maslow|first=Nick|date=October 18, 2017|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=January 7, 2018|language=en|archive-date=January 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180108062718/http://ew.com/music/2017/10/18/pussycat-dolls-deny-prostitution-ring-allegations/|url-status=dead}}
After appearing with the Pussycat Dolls, Jones began a solo career in music. She released her first single, "Hollywood Doll," in 2009. Her next single, "Take It Off," was performed with DJ Regi and had a lukewarm reception in Europe, where it charted in the United Kingdom, Poland, and Belgium. In 2011, Jones started a record company called HueMan Race Records, Inc.
Politics
Jones is a conservative, previously registering as a Democrat but switching after becoming a born-again Christian, and an outspoken supporter of Donald Trump.{{Cite news |last=Plott |first=Elaina |date=October 19, 2017 |title=How a Former Pussycat Doll Became a Darling of the Right |url=https://www.washingtonian.com/2017/10/19/kaya-jones-pussycat-dolls-hannity-breitbart-trump/ |access-date=January 7, 2018 |work=Washingtonian |language=en-US}} She has appeared on the Fox News show Hannity several times, beginning with an appearance in June 2017.
In December 2017, Jones announced she had joined the National Diversity Coalition for Trump, where she is listed as a director with the title Native American Ambassador for Trump.{{Cite news|url=https://ndctrump.com/who-we-are/|title=Who We Are|work=National Diversity Council Trump|access-date=January 7, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=September 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922174319/https://ndctrump.com/who-we-are/|url-status=dead}} With this announcement, she began to draw heavy criticism from prominent members of the Native American community, and accusations of being a "pretendian".{{Cite news|url=https://etcanada.com/news/284868/cher-refuses-to-apologize-for-half-breed-after-twitter-war-fuelled-by-trumps-diversity-coalition-appointee/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101024845/https://etcanada.com/news/284868/cher-refuses-to-apologize-for-half-breed-after-twitter-war-fuelled-by-trumps-diversity-coalition-appointee/|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 1, 2018|title=Cher Refuses To Apologize For 'Half-Breed' After Twitter War Fuelled By Trump's Diversity Coalition Appointee|last=Furdyk|first=Brent|date=December 31, 2017|work= ET Canada |access-date=January 7, 2018|quote=Numerous Twitter users have balked at her claims, referring to Jones as a “pretendian” ... If you need evidence that Kayla is absolutely a pretendian, here it is}}{{Cite news|url=http://stoptribalgenocide.com/kaya-jones-the-apache-native-american-ambassador-for-trump/|title=Kaya Jones: The "Apache" Native American Ambassador For Trump|date=December 26, 2017|website=Stop Tribal Genocide|access-date=January 7, 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180130183059/http://stoptribalgenocide.com/kaya-jones-the-apache-native-american-ambassador-for-trump|archive-date=Jan 30, 2018|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.nativeamericacalling.com/monday-january-8-2018-native-american-ambassadorkaya-jones/|title=Monday, January 8, 2018 — Native American ambassador…Kaya Jones? |last=Hughes |first=Art |date=December 26, 2017|work=Native America Calling -Your National Electronic Talking Circle|access-date=January 8, 2018|language=en-US}} Jones has claimed to have Apache heritage, but Native American journalists state that no Apache tribe claims her, and that there is no confirmation of any Native ancestry for Jones.
Discography
- Kaya (2012)
- Confessions of a Hollywood Doll (2012)
- Rise of the Phoenix (2015)
- The Chrystal Neria Album (2015)
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{wikiquote}}
{{commons category}}
- {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130127015149/http://www.kayajones.com/|date=January 27, 2013|title=Kaya Jones Official Website}}
- {{webarchive|title=HueMan Race Records Inc. Website|date=April 11, 2013|url=https://archive.today/20130411024046/http://huemanracerecords.com/}}
{{The Pussycat Dolls}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Kaya}}
Category:American people who self-identify as being of Apache descent
Category:American women pop singers
Category:American contemporary R&B singers
Category:Canadian women pop singers
Category:Canadian contemporary R&B singers
Category:Conservatism in Canada
Category:The Pussycat Dolls members
Category:21st-century Canadian women singers
Category:21st-century American women singers