Exciting. Vibrant. Dynamic. Artist. These are just a few of the words that anyone who has ever met or seen John Gillette would use to describe his personality and the aura he projects on stage. In actuality, words like these only begin to scratch the surface of how unique this natural born entertainer really is and how much talent and ability he exudes with each well delivered note he sings, or each isolated dance move he executes. The reason John makes his performances look effortless is because his journey to develop into the talented entertainer he is today started almost as soon as he could walk.
John Gillette was born on a U.S. Air Force base in Bitburg, Germany. At the age of three, John’s family moved back to the States to a small town in Michigan and then subsequently to Montgomery, Alabama where John spent most of his childhood years. Even at a young age, John’s family realized that he displayed an extroverted personality and embraced attention. He loved to spend hours creating his own dance routines and performing them for his parents, family members, friends, and anyone else who would watch. However, the idea that he should pursue the dream of becoming a successful recording artist didn’t materialize until after he had already made his commitment to another career choice.
Upon graduating from high school a full year early, John made the decision to follow in his father’s footsteps and enlisted into the United States Air Force, just shy of his 17th birthday. While serving his country in the military, John worked as an Aerospace Propulsion Apprentice on classified F-15 Fighter engines. It was here that John began lending his voice for military functions and was discovered by his Base Commander soon after performing the National Anthem for his squadron. John sang with enough conviction and inspiration that the same Commander requested him to sing at all base functions permanently, which he continued to do for the remaining two and a half years of his enlistment until he was given an honorary discharge. Inspired by his love of music and bolstered by the experience he gained while performing in the military, John decided to move to North Hollywood, California to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. Having already become an accomplished dancer, he immediately started teaching hip-hop dance classes in order to earn a living while simultaneously improving his choreography skills. It was at this time that he became friends with some of the most talented and renowned choreographers, such as Wade Robson, Shane Sparks and Stephen “Twitch†Boss. It was through the inspiration and cooperative work with these men that John was able to quickly make a name for himself on the dance scene.
While John was performing and traveling in New York City, an opportunity presented itself in the form of a chance meeting with Say-More Productions, a production team who has worked with some of the industry’s hottest artists including Aaliyah, Mary J. Blige, and Joe among others.
From the moment Say-More Productions worked with John, they knew that his attention to detail, inexhaustible work ethic, and magnetic personality would help him rise to the top of the music industry. What was even more impressive was the fact that John seemed to be a relentless learner who was committed to learning, growing and improving everyday as a recording artist and songwriter, even as he continued to gain even greater recognition for his choreography and showmanship.
As a result, John’s passion for singing and dancing has opened many doors to an array of exciting opportunities. His resume is extensive and carries highlights that include dancing for the US Olympics, as well as at major PR events for global corporations like Honda, IBM and JC Penney. He’s choreographed and danced Off-Broadway and opened for recording artist DJ Unk. Currently, John teaches dance across the country and is considered an “expert†who is constantly invited to judge dance competitions nationwide.
Additionally, John dances and choreographs for the NBA Denver Nuggets Dancers and has also formally choreographed for the NFL pro-football Dance squad, The New Orleans Saintsations.
To-date, John is singing, dancing, and writing songs that will appear on his debut album. Most recently, he has been given the opportunity to work with the famed production/artist duo of Midi Mafia, highly acclaimed for working with acts such as 50 Cent, David Archuleta, Lloyd Banks, Brandy, Nelly, G-Unit, Angie Martinez and several others. John is very excited about the tracks he has recorded with Midi-Mafia and expects them to be a part of his debut album. As his star continues to rise and grow brighter, look for John Gillette to become a household name in the very near future.
