"Don't say we didn't warn you."
This is sound advice from VIBE Magazine. Because, after all, Janine and the Mixtape's undeniably seductive sound "may have you dialing your ex."
It's true. That soulful and passionate voice, those cavernous hip-hop beats, shimmering synths, and entrancing productions all belong to only one person: Miss Janine Foster.
Unquestionably, Janine and the Mixtape is a fiercely talented songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. But, her greatest weapon: an ethereal and devastatingly beautiful voice that commands every single verse, hook, and refrain. She's magnetic — bringing you into her world with that swanky tone and the perfect blend of R&B, hip-hop, and indie.
Born in New Zealand, Janine dedicated herself to music almost as soon as she could walk, recording herself singing her favorite tunes on a double cassette player at the age of five. At the age of fourteen, she began performing her original songs with a guitar at open mics, mostly held at bars she wasn't technically allowed into. As a result, her art remains as honest as it is hypnotic. After completing her Bachelor of Music in 2011, Janine booked herself a month of shows in New York, falling in love with both the energy of the city and the endless opportunities to fulfill her dream. She packed up and relocated to Brooklyn in 2012, where she is currently based.
In 2013 Janine and the Mixtape released her debut EP, "Dark Mind". A tangible buzz began to simmer around the five-song collection, eventually sending it to #2 on the iTunes R&B chart and cementing its place as one of Top 50 Albums of the year. Credit this in part to her soulful, sexified single, "Hold Me", which VH1 featured on its hit show, "Love and Hip Hop Atlanta". Subsequently, Janine inked a deal with Atlantic Records as a joint venture with her own Little Mixtape Records, paving the way for Dark Mind's formal 2014 reissue. And, let's not forget that, along the way, Janine and the Mixtape was nominated for the Critic's Choice Award at the New Zealand Music Awards.
Re-mastered, "Dark Mind" serves as a fitting introduction to Janine's enigmatic and entrancing sound. Janine recently premiered "Hold Me" featuring Pusha T, and once again turned heads. A soft piano melody gives way to her stripped delivery before "King Push" delivers a confessional verse. Elsewhere on the EP, "Bullets" offers a powerful catharsis as Janine's voice takes flight, while "Let It Run" coasts from a nineties-influenced R&B soundscape into a spacey crescendo.
"I just record truth," admits Janine. "This is who I am. It literally is my mind."
It's all in the name, as they often say, and Janine wanted her name to represent something different. "The Mixtape represents my love for hip-hop mixtapes which are raw, honest, and tough," she shares. "It also represents something sentimental and cute that you make for the person you care about. Both make up who I am, a tough, honest, cute, cheesy, thoughtful mixtape. There's another dichotomy too. The Mixtape could be me when I'm solo with my laptop, beats, guitar and synth or with a full band. It works as the sound of the project."
Believe it or not, Janine dabbles in more than just music. She is a self-sufficient artist who creates viral visuals and designs her own album covers. And, if you're hoping to track her down, you'll need to look for the girl shooting hoops in a fresh pair of size 3 high-tops.
No doubt: Janine and the Mixtape is a force to be reckoned with. Don't say we didn't warn you.
Last Updated: May 31, 2021
