Pasha Gypsy

"So, lil’ Miss Pasha Gypsy, what do you want to be when you grow up?" "A singah", she says as she stands in the mirror with a hairbrush, tossing her hair and crooning with the likes of Chaka at the ripe old age of 3. "I’ve loved to sing and perform ever since I can remember", Pasha says. It's no wonder she feels the allure of music with a family full of performers: a mother who whales and a father whose guitar playing is second to none. She was destined to rock the crowds. From the beginning her parents exposed her, her brother and sisters to their musical lifestyle. From late night rehearsals where as a baby Pasha would take naps in the bass drum to their tours and club dates when she was barely walking and talking. "Singing and performing is what I DO and LIVE for and I must emphasize the performance part because there's nothing like getting on stage with a kick ass band behind you and workin that crowd . If you didnt know where you were when you came, you definitely knew when you left". No one was immune to music in Pasha's family. Her older sister Toi is a gothic voice in her own right. Pasha's brother, the youngest in the family, Joshua, AKA Baby J, is also doing his thang', recording his first cd at the tender age of 9.Pasha's influences were as varied and colorful as her family. "I grew up hearing everything from Sly and the Family Stone to Pat Benetar and lots of Jimi Hendrix. I was also exposed to a lot of blues and classical. At one point, I was even going to train to be an opera singer. Even though I didn’t go there, Kathleen Battle is still my girl". But these days, Pasha is all about paying tribute to huge voices like Teena Marie and Chaka Khan. "For me, the music of today can't touch voices like that. I also love Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart, Billy Holiday and when I wanna bang my head I gotta hear some Skunk Anansie, Disturbed or Sound Garden ".So what has Pasha Gypsy done? "As far back as I can remember, pretty much every thing musical I could get my hands on from choirs and musicals to talent shows" she says. Also, in her early years she began turning her poems and short stories into lyrics as well as feeling her way around any and all instruments then moving on to making beats on her parents old school drum machine. From there she started recording hooks and backgrounds for her friends. Then she felt it time to take it to the next level so she enrolled herself into L.A.’s famous Musicians Institute. "That was one of the best decisions that I could have made. I learned so much about myself as an artist and musician". Next she went to work for one of L.A.’s hottest recording studios. "I started out as an intern but I was soon running the studio" - dealing with the likes of Bunny Wailer, Snoop Dog, Wutang Clan, Battle Cat, Fat Jack/ATU, Montell Jordan and their labels Priority, Defjam, Warner Brothers and Sony just to name a few. "That's where I learned a great deal about the word business in the music business and I also became taken with the whole recording process." From there she invested in some equipment for herself, a Korg Triton and Protools. Now armed with some new tools she continued writing and then producing and recording for herself as well as for hire. At this point she was longing for more. So with getting back to her roots in mind she sought out some band situations. "That's really where my heart is. Give me a stage, some seasoned musicians and a dj for that electronifunk feel and it's over. As far as the audience, well my motto is there's no crowd too small or to big to entrance".Well...it’s plain to see that Pasha has a long and fruitful career ahead of her. Her mother knew she was destined for greatness, influencing her choice of names for her baby. Pasha means "Leader", "Gypsy" meaning traveler (and often) performer. "I get asked all the time if it's my real name or just my stage name. I laugh and Im like um...I couldn’t make that up even if I tried."Ms. Gypsy is truly a musical force to be reckoned with, a tireless songbird, “The beautiful voice of reason" says Dena Murray, entertainer and author. "That girl can sing!" Exclaims California based radio Personality Jere Crosby of 100.5 the zone. “Pasha Gypsy has character, drive, personality and her music has gone international. The Joint One Crew and fans in Japan await her return” says DJ Joey Slick. “Singing/performing is my undying passion. I can’t imagine doing any thing else” and with a gift like hers it seems pretty clear that she wont have to.By Gisselle Lima © 2007..