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Here's what people are saying about Steel Yourself...
"...proper crashing future-hop with sassy, soulful & brooding female vocals, thumping drums, twinkling samples & an eerie kaleidoscope of uncluttered, invigorating sound...the general vibe is SO damned fresh & crisp with a genuinely unnerving amount of pure talent & verve."- Norman Records
"An inspiring voice used to uplift, Sontiago’s rhymes and soaring singing voice get her message out to aspiring MCs, male and female alike."- URB Mazgine, Next 100
"A gifted lyricist not afraid to take on subjects like womens' rights and relationship violence."- Portland Press Herald
"she definitely has the ability to bust a rhyme with a message...With the lyrics featured in the CD sleeve, this is a breath of fresh air for those sick of the I’m-gonna-pop-a-cap-in-yo-arse gangster rap."- 100 Magazine
"Sontiago is definetly impressive and is just a plain fun listen."- RVA MAgazine
"...a well-realized album by a woman who can sing and spit...That's representative of the whole; the rapping is competent, the singing impressive."- Montreal Hour
"This album isn’t safe, it isn’t like much you’ve heard before, and it can sometimes be uncomfortably real, but it’s so damn honest..."- Portland Phoenix
BIO:
Ever since her poetic grandmother brought her to see Ella Fitzgerald live in concert at age 7, Sontiago has never stopped being influenced by music. Many a summer night her mother would catch her dancing with her own reflection in the sliding glass doors, lip-syncing the entire Like A Virgin album. But it wasn't until her older sister stumbled upon a Philadelphia radio station that reached their boondocks Pennsylvania home that rap fell on Sontiago's ears. The static-infused Doug E. Fresh recording wasn't enough to satisfy her.
High school brought about her first composed rhyme and a place behind the microphone as an apprenticing dj at a local college radio station. College brought about talent shows and forming a group that only played one show.
In 1999 she parted ways with her college town in the dirty south with her BFA and Outkast albums in tow, and landed in Portland, Maine.
She and her former dj, Moshe, have won Best Hip-Hop Act from 2001-2007 in the "The Portland Phoenix's Best Music Poll.
Playing to a sold-out crowd during her CD release party at SPACE(cap. 300)and again at her sophmore release...she knew she had to take it on the road with Dilly Dilly and Gabe FM
Combining emcee skills with a room-captivating singing voice, Sontiago commands the stage with seasoned presence. Her eloquent and clever delivery, coupled with insightful lyrics flow over homegrown beats and comment on just about everything life can throw your way. Socially conscious, positive and political messages serve as a refreshing alternative to commercialized hip-hop.
Sontiago/Gabe FM/Dilly Dilly : Crush the Rainbow
Sontiago : Listening to Shadows
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