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I love music more than anyone can possibly know. From the time I could speak I loved every aspect of music, the live show, especially the dancing. Throughout my childhood I sang solos in church starting at 3 years old. I loved it. I was realy influenced by the pop music of the 80's, especially disco and Michael Jackson. My sister brought home Gap Band music from college and I just loved it!!! I would dance so hard I nearly passed out.. My dad had a big collection of Big Band music and I would tap dance upstairs until he told me to stop shaking the ceiling.
Janet Jackson and Paula Abdul were a regular part of my choreagraphy preparation for cheerleading and college dance team (University of Tennessee, Knoxville) I am classically trained in piano taking private lessons from 6 to 16 years of age. Dance lessons ruled my life from 6 to 12, my favorite being jazz and tap. I then focused on cheerleading in hopes to become a collegiate cheerleader. My dream came true when I made the University of Tennessee Dance Team. That is when I realized that you can really achieve whatever you want. Even though my dad discouraged me from majoring in entertainment related fields, I still got to enjoy it through the dance team. You just have to keep pursuing what you love. So it was on to the Atlanta Hawks dance tryouts and I made the final cut before the squad was picked. Even though I didn't make it I had a really strong desire to pursue entertainment.I got into sales for a while but I couldn't get the music bug out of my system. I still choreographed for high school and college cheerleading and dance teams but I wanted more. I wanted to be able to dance and sing like my idols, Janet, Paula Abdul and I loved Whitney Houston....who didn't?So one night on my birthday, I went to a jazz club, met the keyboard player and requested a song. He didn't know it so I sang a little for him and he invited me to do a few songs with him. Over the next couple of years I honed my skills listening to other artists like Mariah, Whitney, Toni Braxton, Teena Marie, Anita Baker and many others.I was pretty much crowned the "Kareoke Queen"(LOL...it was my only outlet!!!!) for quite a few years and within the first year I was fortunate enough to meet a member of the Tams. After their show at Michael's on Valentines' Day Reggie from the Tams approached me and told me that Tiny from XSCAPE was putting a girl group together. I didn't believe him at first but he called a month later, I sent my demo with a friend's and we went down to meet with Tiny and Speedy Cottle from the Tams. They wanted to put me in a girl group and my buddy CJay signed a contract with them in hopes to secure a record deal. Although that did not work out, I went on to hone my recording skills. That was new to me but I wrote a few songs and kept recording until I could get my sound developed. I kept singing kareoke, won a few contests, and got some local exposure. Before long, singing Christina Aguilera, Pink, Missy Elliot, Mya version of LadyMarmalade became a staple at all the contests. People would request for my friend and I to sing it everywhere and we got some exposure so I would occasionally throw in my original material.Eventually I would meet one of the members of SILK, Gary Glen at a private party for NAS in Atlanta. I sent a demo, but it wasn't quite right, but I kept auditioning. B Street Live held auditions in ATLANTA and I made the cut for the show. VH1 Diva Search was also in ATLANTA and I made the top 75, first cut, with other contestants from all over, including Tamar Braxton. That was an eye opening experience to how crazy the music business really is. I have never seen so many people in one room competing for ONE spot. I was thrilled to make it that far. Persistence was the key so I kept working on a demo and finally landed an investor in Knoxville. I wrote and recorded a full album, but it was not meant to be. I waited a few years and used that project as a demo on myspace. I finally had written and arranged my own material, a definite accomplishment for me since I had never done that much material by myself.It is true that things happen for a reason. Within a few months I landed an audition with LIL G of SILK and his manager, Justin Samms, C.E.O. of Newland Management Group. And within a year I wrote and recorded my new single "BACK OFF ME" produced by LIL G!!!So if you keep striving to make it in whatever you do, you will eventually get there. You may stumble over some obstacles and you may fall, but you just get back up, dust yourself off and keep believing. Surround yourself with successful people and you will be a success. Put on your armour to protect you from negative comments and if the negativity keeps coming from a certain source? Eliminate it!! The path is straight and narrow and today is the day of the independent musician!! I am very excited for what the future holds. Thanks for coming to my page and have a wonderful day!!!-
