In The Mix: Cheryl Parachutes in with another hit

X MARKS the spot this week as far as the girls are concerned, as Cheryl Cole prepares to release the third single from her hugely successful debut solo album. Parachute, released on 15 March, follows Fight For This Love, which reached No 1 back in October, and 3 Words, which peaked at No 4 in December.

An alternative R&B ballad, Parachute was the result of one of Cole's earliest recording sessions in the US. The track was produced by Syience, whose credits include tracks with Jay-Z, Ne-Yo, Mary J Blige and, most significantly for Cole, Beyonce.

It was Syience's work on Beyonce's If I Were A Boy that impressed Cole so much that working with the producer/writer became a foregone conclusion.

Parachute is a smart love letter to the one who's "gonna catch me if I fall" as Cole's heartfelt words are sung over a marching military-esque beat.

The first Girls Aloud member to step out on her own, Cole has earned her solo chops with stylish ease. The past few months have seen her become the UK's foremost female solo artist and the next few months will see her clocking up the air miles as she promotes the release of 3 Words in Europe.

One for the boys this week comes Jay Sean with his hot new single, Do You Remember, out on 22 February through Cash Money Records. This feel-good song, co-written by Sean, features guest raps from Sean Paul and Lil John and is the follow-up to Down, which hit No 3 in the UK at the end of last year.

Meanwhile, Hounslow-born Sean continues to make music history. His track Do You Remember recently entered America's Billboard Top 10 at No 10 whilst Down was also in the charts at No 7, making him the first British artist in recent memory to have two singles in the US Top 10 simultaneously. Both singles are taken from his recently released album All Or Nothing, which also includes the hit singles Ride It and Stay. Both these singles have been hits around the world from India to Moscow, making Jay Sean one of the biggest and hardest working pop stars on the planet. As well as promoting All Or Nothing across every continent he continues to record new songs and has just finished a track with Justin Timberlake and Esmee Denters, called Lovedealer.

Scott Granger, Monday and twice monthly on Saturdays, Shanghai @ Le Monde, George Street, 0131-270 3900