Her name is: Jes Brieden, aka JES

Her bag is: Electronica, dance music, trance.

She sounds like: Bjork with a sexier edge

Be sure to download: Ghost, It’s You I Need, Heaven

JES is one of the sexiest divas of the dance music scene – and not just because of her good looks and avant garde sense of style. Her voice is smooth like honey yet slightly raspy.

She has just released a new album, Into The Dawn, that shows a different side of herself. It has been described as a chill/ambient/acoustic/instrumental mixture of new songs and remakes of others. She even does a cover of Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here in her own distinct vocal style.

The singer, songwriter and producer was born and raised in New York City, but she ended up as a rocker in L.A. She said the combination of the music scenes influenced her music.

“I’m from New York and it’s more of a hip-hop and R&B scene, then you go to L.A. and it’s more alternative rock. When I was in California, I had a band and more of an alternative rock sound. The rock band part really prepared me for the performance aspect of what I’m doing now,” JES said.

She got her start doing reference vocals for professional songwriters who wanted to create demos to sell their songs to top performers. “I developed the phrasing, anything to make money and stay in the music business when I was first starting. I did backup vocals for a famous Mexican band. I did commercial jingles.”

She’s come a long way since then, playing large venues and festivals like the Bacardi Festival in Lebanon, Fresh in Malta, the World Electronic Music Festival in Toronto, Escape in the Park in Wales, the L.A. Memorial Sports Arena, and Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Denver. Later this month, she’ll be appearing at the Ultra Music Festival in Miami during the Winter Music Conference. She’s nominated for International Dance Music Awards for best alternative/rock dance track for the song Heaven and best progressive house/trance for Ghost.

“[My live show is] completely energetic. I write music with the mindset of singing for a lot of people. A lot of dancing and fun. I try to give it a lot of power for a little girl. Sometimes I think it isn’t my show but OUR show. It amazes me when I go to a town or country and all of the people are singing my words. Even in the big arena shows, the crowd is so important. I have great crowds, great fans, and I try to give it my all. Sometimes I’ll be at these crazy raves and dance clubs and do a slower song. My fans ask for everything,” she said.

Does she have groupies?

“You’ve got to have groupies! They are the best! I’m a big flirt and love boys. If they have the same tattoo as mine, well, I don’t know, I guess they are in a special club. I get more girls with my tattoo, though. I do these signing sessions for my show and sometimes it is like a kissing booth. These cute guys come up wanting to meet me. It’s not a bad job,” she says.

Her new album in particular has a mellow quality that is perfect for, ahem, seduction.

“Many people have told me they have sex to my music, especially this new album. I like that. I think an album you can have sex to is a good thing. I think that’s a compliment.”

JES, we’ll add you to our “make sexytime” playlist.

She is signed to Tiesto’s record label, Black Hole Recordings, and has a song called Everything on his Grammy-nominated album Elements of Life, as well as songs on several of the In Search of Sunrise series albums. She has also had songs on many top DJ's albums like Paul Oakenfeld's Great Wall and Creamfields, Sharam's (Deep Dish) Dubai album and the venerable Paul van Dyk’s Politics of Dancing series.

Her look is no accident.

“It’s so important these days to be individual, so the styling requires a lot of thought be put into it. When I do my shows I do electronic music, so I want my look to have a bit of a modern edge as well,” she said.

While the recording industry fights file-sharing, JES is an artist who embraces the digital age.

“I do a lot of pod casts. They’re so funny because of the combination of music and personality. They’re a very good way to get your music out there because you don’t play the whole song, you just give a little taste. Sooner or later, I think everything will be free. The Internet is a great tool for promoting yourself because it is uncontrollable. You can try to stop it, but you can’t, so you ought to get on the bandwagon. The more important thing is to promote and get your music all over. It’s all about performing because you make more money with live shows than selling albums,” she said.

We were curious if her future plans include knocking Madonna off her throne as the queen of pop/dance music, thus breaking Madge’s hip?

“No one can knock Madonna off her pedestal. That woman is amazing. She’s a model for what women in music can be. Everything is a stepping stone. I definitely want to make better records and keep on touring. I’d love to be a part of mainstream music and be recognized, but that isn’t what keeps me going. I love what I am doing now. I’d love to win a Grammy, but that isn’t why I get up every day. What I love is when people write to me and I feel as if I have all of the friends in the world. Some days I wake up and it’s hard, but the messages I get from fans are the best thing in the world,” she said.

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Does JES have a ritual to appease her creative muse?

“Whatever the inspiration is, you have to find it. I don’t have any ritual. I’m just constantly writing and listening with open ears. I collect music that inspires me.

“The Internet is so great because I talk to people all over the world about collaborating. I like to collaborate because you change your style a little bit. You want to find those people you connect with, and I search far and wide for them. Anyone who comes into the room might lead to changing something.

“Usually I sit down with a guitar. Every night I write down ideas. Every once in a while one out of the 20 ideas is worth something. I’m always working on many songs at any given time.”

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On the Web:

http://www.planetjes.com (Her official site)

http://www.wintermusicconference.com/events/idmas/idmaballot.php  (Vote for her as Best Alternative/Rock Dance Track for the International Dance Music Awards)