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LIVIN' HELL
I was a 90s dance legend who went on X Factor – Robbie Williams loved me but there’s a shock reason my career is at risk
HAVING brought Robbie Williams to tears on the X Factor in 2018, 90s dance legend Janice Robinson looked all set to relaunch her music career.
But the singer - who wrote the hit dance track Dreamer - has now had those, ahem, dreams dashed by an “imposter” who is touring music festivals pretending to be her.
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In the 90s Janice, now 54, fronted the band Livin’ Joy. Her role as lead singer was taken over by Tameko Starr - who penned the group’s subsequent hit, Don’t Stop Movin’ - after she left to go solo.
Janice released a well-received solo album, The Color Within Me, in 1999, and toured with Tina Tuner in 2000.
But the following year, Janice discovered a stranger was performing as Livin' Joy at London Pride.
Now, in an exclusive interview with The Sun, Janice and Tameko have vented their fury that the woman - who was never a part of Livin’ Joy - has been lip syncing to their hits at festivals across the country for over a decade.
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Recalling the London Pride incident, Janet says: “She was singing over my vocals, and that's when all hell broke loose.
“I called up my agents pretty p****d off, like you can’t just put somebody up there singing over my voice, it was identity fraud!
“But she kept on going because I was in America, taking care of my sick parents, and I’d just had a baby.”
Janice was happy for Tameko to step into her shoes and "inherit everything she created" when she left Livin' Joy, because she went on to write her own hit songs.
More on the x factor
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“I never complained then," she says. “Tameko went and sang her face off. She was talented. And she warranted every merit that came. She deserved it.
“What's happening now is that some woman is taking everything that I created, and is reaping the benefits and it's morally wrong. It's disgusting.”
'Feels like I have tape over my mouth'
Tameko agrees: "It feels like you have your identity stolen. It feels like someone has me in a closet with tape over my mouth. And I'm screaming out, 'That's not me. I need to get out there.'
“To see someone using my voice, that's not me. And the public thinks it is me.
“They think it's me because I'm black. And that person is black. They think because my hair is in an afro and so is hers, that that's me.”
Recently the woman posing as Livin’ Joy - whose real name is Luzahnn - has performed at UK festivals including Mighty Hoopla and Back To The 90s.
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She has even set up a Facebook page under the band's name, and claims to have "all the qualities to provide a world class vocal performance which is worthy of Livin’ Joy’s seminal house records".
She's set to play at Ibiza Rocks three times over the course of the summer.
Janice and Tameko say they are constantly tagged by fans on Instagram who have had their photo taken with Luzahnn.
Tameko explains: “I've seen several comments where people are saying, 'I'm with the actual Livin' Joy' and they're taking pictures with someone else that's not me or Janice.
“It's very hurtful. Janice and I have written hit songs, this is our life from since we were little.
"We wrote these songs from the heart, and then to have someone come out and reap the benefits of what you have done, it's like decades of hurt."
'Uncomfortable feeling'
Janice and Tameko say they have both tried reaching out to Luzahnn in a “civil, calm way”.
In fact, Janice - who has penned tracks for High School Musical star Ashley Tisdale - says she even offered to “write her a hit song”.
But they claim she’s given them “attitude” back.
Janice recalls: “I said, ‘Let me offer you a song of your own, so you can really feel what it’s like, because all that love that people are pouring onto you, when you walk on stage, that's meant for Tameko and me.'
“But the attitude we got back from her… it's a very uncomfortable feeling.”
X Factor stint
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In 2018, Janice went on the X Factor to try and tell her story - and make people see what she looks like now, to put a stop to Luzahnn's pretence.
She sang Dreamer during the live shoes and brought judge Robbie Williams to tears as he realised the significance of the moment.
“The way he reacted, that's when I knew I created something that holds a special place in a lot of people's lives," she says.
“And I think now is the moment to tell our truth, because the people deserve it.
“Tameko and I live in a nightmare right now, and we want justice.”
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When The Sun reached out to Luzhann for comment, she claimed Janice and Tameko's account of events was "inaccurate".
She added: "I have never claimed to be Janice Robinson or Tameko Starr, however I did block Janice as she became extremely patronising."
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X Factor behind-the-scenes secrets
JANICE made it through to the second week of the live shows of The X Factor in 2018.
She claims she never applied to go on the show, and that contestants are forced to sing what the producers want.
Janice says she got a direct message on Instagram from one of the producers inviting her to audition, knowing she was from Livin' Joy.
";They did their homework, and were looking for a 90s act," she tells us.
"I thought it was a joke, but she left her phone number. I called. I said, 'Are you serious?'"
While many people have to go through several rounds before they meet the judges, Janice didn't.
"I think they wanted me to be a 50-year-old has-been who couldn't sing, and didn't know I had the star power to back it up," the mum-of-two says.
"Those stories are already scripted in a sense. The producers know which artists they want to get the sympathy vote for, and what stories they want to tell."
She says she was waiting around all day "just like all the regular contestants" but sailed through to the live shows, where she lived with 10 other contestants.
"They've got glam squads, chefs cooking for you, make-up artists, all the bells and whistles - but I just wanted to do my own," she says.
"I can do my own make-up, and I can cook!";
When it came to song choices, Janice says contestants didn't have the final say.
She explains: "You have to go to a judge and a jury with your song choices.
"For my guilty pleasure song, I wanted to sing You Oughta Know by Alanis Morissette, because I love rock and I'm an amazing rock singer."
After singing an incredible off-the-cuff rendition of You Oughta Know to us, she continues: "They wanted me to do Show me Love [by Robin S].
"But I said the only way I'm gonna do that is if I get to honour my friend, Robin S.
"She's got to give me her blessing and be on the show. And that's the only way I was going to do Show Me Love. And of course she gave me her blessing."
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