Bands / Singers
She is an American songwriter Female Singer in Dubai, and musician. She was born in Missouri City, Texas to American parents. She is the youngest of two children. Growing up in Briargate, she began playing the family’s canary yellow piano in second grade. When she began practicing piano in her spare time instead of playing outside, She realized how connected she was to music. “I started creating small piano compositions and my older sister Judith and I would write melodies and lyrics to compliment them,” she said in a 2012 interview. As a child, She performed in various pageants and singing competitions. For a brief time, she was a member of Girls Tyme, the all-girl singing group with lead singers Beyonce and Tamar Davis. “At that time, the group was about the size of a small church choir. There were at least 10 of us. My sister and I were members of that group, but we decided to leave.” She grew up with an eclectic and amusing choice of music around her. Her father exposed her to the blues – the likes of Bobby Bland, Bo Diddley, and B.B. King, balanced out with greats like Shirley Caesar and Michael Jackson. Every Halloween, daddy, as She calls her father, would crank the song ‘Thriller’, creating spooky yet unforgettable memories. She also shared her mother’s love of contemporary pop and soul music, admiring artists such as Gladys Knight, Patti Labelle, Kenny G, and Michael Bolton. In 1996, She discovered the music of Simply Red. Since then, “Holding Back the Years” has been her favorite song. Her exposure to Whitney Houston in elementary school was extremely significant. “I heard her music and then I saw her. It was like looking in a mirror. I identified with her…her skin tone…her thin frame…her big hair…her voice. I knew from that moment what I aspired to be.” her parents encouraged her to express herself using her natural abilities and talents. After forming Sachet, pronounced Sa-shay, a three-member girl group with her sister Judith and Khalija Johnson, a close childhood friend, the group caught the attention of famous Houston rapper Scarface and he renamed the group Daddy’s Little Girls. After a while, the girl group disbanded and She and Judith formed a duo. They performed throughout the Houston area and won several talent competitions. She and Judith formed another girl group, Mahogany, with a new acquaintance Bridgjette Taylor, almost inking a deal with Master P’s No Limit Records. The opportunity fell through because Mahogany was already signed to a management company who blocked them from signing with No Limit Records. “I remember when he came to visit us at our home in Briargate. We were all in the living room and he seemed so chill. I think he was impressed with our vocal abilities. It’s a shame we weren’t able to sign with No Limit, but I believe everything happens for a reason.” She attended The High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, TX. She also attended Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia and graduated in 2005. She and her sister continued singing together and eventually formed the duo Laughlin Drive, a reference to the name of the street they grew up on. They recorded in Atlanta, Georgia with Bryan Michael Cox (Mariah Carey, Usher, Toni Braxton). Although a complete music project was never released, the sisters continued to perform in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2006, She began working in the corporate sector for a property management company. She also worked for an events and promotions company. Realizing she needed to focus on music, she left the corporate sector in 2008 to launch her solo career. In 2009, She performed in the Alliance Theater production of Jesus Christ Superstar GOSPEL and met Andrew Lloyd Weber, arguably the most successful composer of our time. She was then invited to perform in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with the Celebration Club Band. “The opportunity to visit Africa was life-changing. You just can’t put into words how beautiful Ethiopia is, especially the people.” In 2010, She recorded her first EP, “Universal Language: Prelude 1,” while working in Africa. Showcasing her songwriting and vocal abilities, “UL:P1” caught the attention of tastemakers and bloggers, and she subsequently released a second EP, “Universal Language: Prelude 2.” Her cover of Jamiroquai’s “Morning Glory” was praised by the British funk and acid jazz band and featured on their official social media Facebook page, receiving warm regards and comments from Jamiroquai’s fans around the world. In 2011, She toured as a vocal accompanist for Melanie Fiona during the BET Music Matters Tour. After the tour ended, She released her third EP titled “Always Needed You.” While releasing music was her primary focus, she additionally appeared on the silver screen in Tyler Perry’s “I Can Do Bad All By Myself” and contributed vocals to the movie’s soundtrack. During this time, she also booked work as a runway and print model. In 2012, She co-wrote the song “Think Twice” with Chicago-based production duo Tensei. With her on vocals, along with Khari Lemuel of The Ones, the song was released on Tensei’s “Two” EP under Plug Research Records. The same year, She collaborated with Tensei again and released the song “Sunshine (Fireflies).” In March 2013, She released “Blue and Stuck,” a song written about unrequited love, a message to all that love is not for pretenders. In April 2013, She released her third 6 track EP, “Universal Language: Prelude 3.” She forthcoming project, “CHEERS TO LIFE,” will be released in 2015. She has recently performed at Beats on the Beach in Abu Dhabi, Jazz@PizzaExpress in Dubai as well as corporate events and fundraisers in Qatar and Oman. She has been featured in countless blogs and plans to make 2015 a year to remember. She is an advocate for human rights and peace. She hopes to bring awareness to the social climate of the world and affect social change through music.
American Female Singer in Dubai
