Janine And The Mixtape

Janine Foster, operating under the Janine and the Mixtape name from her Auckland, New Zealand base, produces introspective R&B shaped by Aaliyah and Mariah Carey as well as the ambient textures associated with Sigur Rós and Bon Iver. Her father prompted her early interest in songwriting and guitar, leading to open-mike performances once she reached age 14. Foster completed a Bachelor of Music at the University of Auckland in 2010 and received the institution’s singer/songwriter of the year honor that same year. Following the 2012 release of her first single, “Bullets,” she relocated to New York to develop the Dark Mind EP. The project, which drew from personal hardships such as sexual abuse, appeared in 2013 and brought a Critics Choice Award nomination at the New Zealand Music Awards. Additional recognition arrived when VH1 programs showcased two tracks from the EP: Black Ink Crew aired the title song during the second season’s later episodes in 2013, and “Hold Me” surfaced on the third season of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta the next year. “Hold Me” subsequently registered notable placements on Billboard and digital R&B charts. Foster has persisted in preparing Janine and the Mixtape’s first full-length album while seeking distribution support for her own imprint, Little Mixtape Records.