Janice Robinson’s powerful voice has filled dancefloors for decades, best known for her work with 90s outfit Livin’ Joy on the track Dreamer. She’ll taking to the stage at Connections Nightclub on Saturday night.
It’s a song that been a slice of euphoria on radio and in nightclubs for over 30 years. Robinson says she’s always left speechless by the longevity of the song.
“It’s leaving me speechless. I wrote in on a train in Italy in like 1993, and it was released in the November, and then it was re-released in ’94, and again in ’95 – and that’s when it became a hit.
“I’ve always said Dreamer has had one life, and I’ve had another life.” Robinson told OUTinPerth ahead of her Connections appearance.
The singer and songwriter’s career has seen her work with many different artists. She began as a touring vocalist with Snap joining the British band for their live shows, but it was her collaboration with two Italian producers that brought her global fame.
She wrote the lyrics to Dreamer and provided the stirring and powerful vocals for the song. Once the tune took off around the world and suddenly Robinson was appearing on shows like the UK’s iconic Top of the Pops.
Robinson reflects on the 90s dance music scene and describes it as a time when there was a lot of exploitation in the music industry.
“I’ve worked really hard for my name to be associated with Dreamer.” Robinson says of the tracks that she’s re-recorded and re-interpreted many times over the years.
“It’s timeless, it’s absolutely timeless.” She says of the uplifting song. “It brings you joy. It takes you back to whatever happy place you were in when you first heard it.
“So depending on how old you are, it brings people back to their middle school years. It brings them back to their first years of clubbing. It brings gay men back to their coming out season. This was the song that for a lot of gay men represents that big moment.”
“I was just writing a song that resonated with my truth. Pursuing your dreams, having love and knowing that if I close my eyes, and I can wake up in my dreams.”
Like many singer’s Robinson has had the experience of hearing her song in the supermarket while doing her grocery shopping, but she laughs as she tells us that friends always send her videos of where they encounter Dreamer. When it played in a scene in the British soap opera Eastenders she was flooded with messages.
“It’s bigger than my life.” Robinson says of the song, “But it’s a beautiful legacy that I can leave to my daughters.”
Later Robinson brought out her own album, and toured the USA with Tina Turner, and she worked with many top producers and DJs including David Morales.
Robinson has continued as a songwriter creating tunes for many well-known artists including Ricki-Lee, Taylor Dayne and Tevin Campbell.
When she takes to the stage on Saturday night at Connections the audience will not only get to hear Dreamer, but work from across her long career.
“What they will experience is that me being on stage for more than 35 years. I think they will experience my truth. They will experience seeing someone who has survived all of life’s obstacles, and the fact that I’m still here will tell you I am a dreamer of living her dreams.
“And by me being here, I hope you’re inspired to never give up on life. Never give up on love. Never give up on your dreams. I hope that they see and feel my testimony. They’re going to hear it in every note, and they’re going to feel something special.” Robinson said.
