ROBKAST, Netherlands: episode 132 - www.RobKast.nl Listen - week of July 13thEDS MIXED BAGwww.edsmixedbag.com
REVIEWS " Wendy has a great voice; a big voice. Her music is really big." - R. Hendrix, MTV Networks
" The Voice . With Wendy Kitts it's all about The Voice. Woman Empowered is euphemistically orchestrated... Starting off with The Voice, Wendy St. Kitts lays down a path through R&B music that touches on a multitude of styles. The music and instrumentation is top quality, but kept in reserve as a counterpoint to the big, inspiring voice of Wendy St. Kitts. Songs such as Should I Love Him Or Walk Away are a breath of fresh air. The song is built on swing beat and a simply piano foundation that serves as the perfect counterpart to St. Kitt's melodious alto. Treasure inspires a dance groove with its island influence and frenetic piano. The Guitarist (You Don't Know Me) rides a jazz bass line and some of the tastiest guitar riffs this side of New Orleans." - Wildly’s World
**LISTEN TO WENDY ON VIVIDNURBAN.com VividNUrban.com
Woman Empowered's ON SALE NOW @ iTunes & WWW.CDBABY.COM DOWNLOAD WOMAN EMPOWERED HERE
Woman Empowered's ON SALE IN ST. KITTS-NEVIS @B's Supermarket , Sandy Point, Tel 465-6388 Sandra Lamb, Princess' Street, Tel 667-9717Dollar Stretcher, Sandy Point, Tel 465-8310 Bevis, St Paulʼs Tel 465-8471
“Woman Empowered is the best way for me to define myself and my music. In writing this album and in sharing my story, I have eased my load. I am FREE! I never thought this was possible. I am smiling, dancing, laughing, living and loving. †Wendy St. Kitts
Hailing from the Caribbean island of St. Kitts, Wendy grew up in the thrall of music; she began studying classical piano at the age of eight and music was everywhere in her household – country, hard rock and metal. But it was the sound of Barbara Streisand’s voice that, in Wendy’s words, “(She) blew me away. I was left dumbstruck by the sound of her voice.†The passion and smoldering fire of Nina Simone left its mark as well, but it was Ellie Matt, an enormous calypso star in the Caribbean, that inspired Wendy to begin writing songs and arrangements. But she soon stopped songwriting, as she found herself “too intimidated†by the old masters she was studying to allow herself the room to experiment and grow as a writer and artist.
Some time off led to two weeks of recording in New York and now, the release of her debut album, Woman Empowered. Opening with the title track, an anthem of determination to transcend the barriers she faces, Wendy sings the unforgettable chorus over a slinky, syncopated groove and a hypnotic piano riff. Her voice roars clear and true, unstoppable in its desire to fulfill the full range of her desires and commitments. “Should I Love Him (Or Walk Away)†is a ballad of full throttled power and emotional honesty that depicts her uncertainty to pursue love – when she knows how intense the experience is and how disruptive it can be. And “So Good, Yeah†is a showcase for the intense intimacy of Wendy’s voice; going from a whisper to a heartfelt demand and drawing the listener into her depth of her emotional world, it is an overwhelming musical experience. Musically, the album is a synthesis of the styles Wendy has taken in: soul, r&b, reggae, afro-beat and the calypso of her native island.
Wendy St. Kitts’ approach to music is to save and make lives whole through her voice, songs, talent and compassion. On Woman Empowered, the first life she has saved has been her own, but its message is destined to transform the lives of those who hear it.