J. Williams

J. Williams, a New Zealand R&B vocalist and hip-hop dancer, launched his recording career with the 2009 album Young Love, which entered the Top Five. Born Joshua Williams on September 3, 1986, in Mangere, Auckland, to parents of Samoan and Fijian descent, he is the younger brother of Emily Williams, who belonged to the R&B group Young Divas and appeared on the 2005 season of Australian Idol, as well as Lavina Williams, a member of the R&B group Ma-V-Elle who participated in the 2006 season of Australian Idol. Following appearances at the World Hip-Hop Dance Championships in Los Angeles, CA, in both 2006 and 2008 alongside the crews Dziah and Prestige, he issued his first commercial recording as an R&B artist whose approach drew frequent comparison to American R&B superstar Chris Brown. His initial single, “Blow Ya Mind,” achieved solid success by peaking at number 13 on the New Zealand singles chart in 2008. Additional tracks that followed included the Top Five hit “Ghetto Flower” and the Top Ten hit “Stand with You,” both of which appeared on the full-length album Young Love, itself a Top Five entry issued in 2009 through Illegal Musik in partnership with Warner Music.