Denise Samantha Mendoza was raised in San Jose, California. Her parents found that she was very blessed with many talents in music, such as singing, dancing and playing the piano. Samantha grew up from a variety of influences from Karen Carpenter to Lauryn Hill. Her style has set her apart from many other artists and gave her obliged performances at talent shows, special events and festivals all over the Bay Area.
In 2002, she moved out to Las Vegas and continued to set exposure in many of the Clark County High Schools and private events. In 2004 she was requested to perform in Papeete, Tahiti to sing in a live showcase along with many artists from Asia and the South Pacific. As time past, her musicianship became her entity. She began to write her own music and soon enough she began to perform at local venues such as the Cooler Lounge and the Boston. Her original music uprooted from her influences of Hip Hop, soul and R&B. Only then she realized where her music could take her. In March 2006 she had won the title of Pinoy Pop Superstar of Las Vegas 2006 singing to Whitney Houston’s hit “I Have Nothing†followed by her winning finale song “Vision of Love†by the famous Mariah. Soon after, she then won at the Tahiti Fete of San Jose along with Te Vaca Nui as 2nd place for musicians which she sang solo lead for the Ahuroa a song called “Maine Kuki Airani†a Cook Island song. She not only known through out the Polynesian Community in Las Vegas for Te Vaca Nui, and gave her the chance to sing a duet of “Te No’o Nei Au†with Hawaii’s own premiere music band Makaha Sons for Pure Aloha 2006.
Samantha that same year had linked up with amazing well-renowned DJ Duwop. Together they came together, to control an audience like no other. They have performed together and soon grabbed a hold of YouthINasia, FEMALE MC. Not only were these three talented, but represented Filipinas in Hip Hop; with a female DJ spinning the feel good music, a female MC speaking truth, Samantha as their soul singer, these three had an untouchable reputation willing to uphold itself. With the trio, she then wrote her popular song “Spinnin’ Around†which was a hit for the local scene of Las Vegas. After a performance for the Asian Pacifac Festival held at Stardust Hotel, Samantha was requested by a director named Patricio Ginelsa of Daly City to perform for the Lumpia Palooza 3 in San Diego, CA. Patricio has directed music videos such as “Bebot†sung by Apl. De Ap and/of the Black Eyed Peas to producing the hilarious movie “The Debut†which stared Dante Basco who the famous “Rufio†in the 1991 movie Hook. Together, all three females had won the hearts of many audiences from Vegas, LA and their fans in San Diego. Their power to create chemistry that had marked their individual gifts in music and represented Hip Hop and their Filipino culture. However, the trio had gone their separate ways into solo acts around Las Vegas.
Samantha since then has been eager to break through the music scene in Las Vegas, to shine through into the industry, where she belongs. She has sang in the presence of Hip Hop Pioneers such as DJ Grandwizard Theordore, Grandmaster Caz, Melle Mel, and Kool DJ Herc to performing with her colleagues 2Mex, The Chapter Crew, Bone Thugs to even Mya and Ghostface Killah.
Currently Samantha is involved in live performances all over the country. She has been in the entertainment industry out in Las Vegas, performing at The Orleans to the Wynn with several entertainment bands in Las Vegas. Currently, she is working diligently on her solo project; a long awaited album she has named "Long Distance". She still involves herself in many of Las Vegas' great bands such as RnR (Rhyme n' Rhythm) and features herself on many other local acts to support Las Vegas’ music community.
Samantha has also been establishing herself with her own live cover band to perform in various casinos and venues around Las Vegas.This song list includes her inspirations of Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, Amy Winehouse to Sergio Mendes. In many of her sets she will give the audience a sneak peak on some exclusive original tracks which you will only hear during these performances. Her purpose for the collaboration of her originals and cover songs is to give you just a taste of Samantha’s unique sound. Nonetheless, bring Las Vegas a new wave of flavor to the city that never sleeps. Samantha is living her dreams being a professional artist breaking through the mainstream media. She focuses herself on all her talents and dreams to create a brand new sound into fruition and mark true talent into the music industry.[LOVEMYFLASH]
