Indie Review

Originally from Sierra Leone, West Africa, this  multi-cultural artist was born and raised in the U.S. & in Geneva,  Switzerland. From the age of 6 she knew that singing was her calling and  she loved seeing the joy her voice brought to people. "It's a beautiful  way to share emotions and connect with people on a deep level" she  says. Azania's captivating voice, powerful energy and positive charisma  make her a phenomenal performer and a joy to see on stage. She has  performed hundreds of concerts around Europe and in Asia, and looks  forward to travelling worldwide. "It's always wonderful and fascinating  to see how universal music is. It surpasses so many cultural boundaries  and speaks straight to the heart". She has also been invited to sing in  major music festivals, such as the world-renowned Montreux Jazz and the  Paléo festival. In Paris, she won first prize in the French T.V.  competition 'Graines de Star' on M6TV. Broadcast to over 4 million  viewers, it was the first French show similar to 'American Idol' and  'X-Factor'.

A true cameleon, Azania loves  exploring various facets of her voice in different styles of music.  During her 12 years+ of classical opera voice training, she sang in many  different bands of not only soul and funk, but also jazz to disco,  electro/house to gospel, reggae to musical theater. For her upcoming  album, several songs are inspired by the groovy soul and funk era of the  1970's. However Azania's compositions evolve from diverse musical  influences. Reflecting her warm personality, Azania's lyrics are often  enriched with uplifting and positive messages, and her  highly-anticipated debut album will be released in 2011.

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Lamonia works as the Program Producer at New York Women In Film &  Television, where she is responsible for the co-production and  management of over 75 programs, screenings and events throughout each  year.  She is also the managing editor of the organization’s online  newsletter.  In her capacity at NYWIFT, she has spearheaded partnerships  and programs with African American Film Festival, Native American Film  & Video Festival, Latinbeat, New York Film Festival, Tribeca Film  Festival, Urbanworld Film Festival, Human Rights Watch Festival, and  many others.  In addition, she partners NYWIFT with affinity  organizations such as Producers Guild, Directors Guild, NALIP, HOLA,  Women In Animation, Imagenation, Cast & Crew of Color, Colorbars, as  well as the Mayor’s Office of Film, Television and Broadcast, The New  York State Governors Office of Motion Picture and Television Development  and the Made In New York program. Lamonia currently serves as Board  President of the New York chapter of the National Alliance of Market  Developers.  She has held past positions on this same board as Vice  President and Development Chair.  She previously served on the executive  committee for National Association of Black Female Executives in Music  & Entertainment (NABFEME) for many years as their Senior Director of  Strategic Marketing, and has held corporate positions in international  marketing at both BMG and Sony Music International. Lamonia owns and  operates The Gilchrist Experience, which specializes in all areas of  film marketing, creative strategic marketing alliances and artist  management. She attended the Lincoln Center campus of Fordham University  where she was a Media/Communications major, with a concentration in  Film and Creative Writing.  This Brooklyn, New York native is currently  finishing her first screenplay, which will be completed by December 2011. 

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Maimouna “Mumu Fresh” Youssef is a Grammy nominated seasoned singer,  emcee, songwriter and poet. She received a Grammy nomination for her  contribution on the Roots hit “Don’t Feel Right” in 2007 for best rap  song. She has swapped musical licks with Angelique Kidjo, Brian Wilson’s  band, Big Daddy Kane, Nas, Dead Prez, Wilco, Zap Mama, Cody Chestnut,  Martin Luther, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Mos Def, and Talib Kweli.  Maimouna has also rocked the stages of venues such as Denver Colorado ‘s  Red Rocks Amphitheater, Radio City Music Hall, Switzerland’s Moniteau  Jazz Festival, and The Carter Baron Amphitheater in Washington, DC. Her  musical endeavors were a springboard to make her big screen debut in  Dave Chapelle’s “Block Party.” Mumu released her first Solo EP entitled  Black Magic Woman March 2011. A Baltimore native born into a family of  exceptional artists, Mumu began performing traditional African and  Native American songs on stage with her family at the age of 5. As a  youth she joined the Baltimore/Washington based musical theater group  called Uprising and toured with them as a lead vocalist. In addition,  she played a leading role in the Bway musical “Once on this Island”.  Some of her other theatrical experiences include the original trio  showcase “Three Generationz” that consisted of Maimouna Youssef, her  mother, Nataska Hummingbird, and her grandmother, Mountain Eagle Woman  (now deceased). At 16 Mumu formed a jazz/hip-hop/funk/ band with her  cousin Omari “AzIz” Forman-Bey known as Cirius B. Maimouna Youssef won  the title of “Baltimore’s Idol.” Cirius B’s unique sound found it’s way  to producer James Poyser. The Roots recognized Maimouna’s raw talent and  asked her to sing lead vocals. Shortly thereafter, Maimouna was packing  her bags to join the Roots world tour. 

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AYAH is a Toronto singer and songwriter who has collaborated with a number of high-profile  artists, including DJ Jazzy Jeff, Ali Shaheed Muhammad from A Tribe  Called Quest, and Doc McKinney, a Toronto producer who has worked  extensively with The Weeknd. 

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A multi-talented & self-taught singer / songwriter / composer who  possesses a voice so very enchanting in its purity, Ayah has experienced  a fairly nomadic life & found her growing world indelibly touched  by a vast array of musical genres, cultures and social climates. These  elements would inevitably play an influential role in her writing. Ayah,  25, creates her own unique brand of music, an eclectic infusion of  classic Soul/Rock, R&B and hip hop; the musical prowess of  contemporary RnB artists, Soul stirrers, & timeless legends. She has  caught the eye of key players in the industry such as Dj Jazzy Jeff,  who has helped launch the careers of many a classic artist. Ayah  has garnered a grass roots fan base with the release of her last two  projects, “Problem Woman” & “4:15.” She has appeared on projects  with artists like Freeway, Elzhi, Skyzoo, Mac Miller, Slakah the  Beatchild, Tona, etc. Today,  Ayah is working with Dj Jazzy Jeff on their collaboration album, "This  Way". “This is my life, it is not a hobby. This is my one true love, not  a one night stand" - Ayah.

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Abby's sound is the alchemy of soul, folk, jazz, gospel, R&B,  country, rock and pop, forging a gem that erases musical boundaries.  Abby has performed throughout New York City to rave reviews at S.O.B’s,  Joe's Pub, Bitter End, Village Underground and Blue Note. Abby and her  Band have opened for Kindred, Leela James, Ledisi, Dwele, Rahsaan  Patterson, Chrisette Michele and Robin Thicke. Recently, Abby won  BlackPlanet's Soul Beach Music Festival's First Annual Competition in  2009 and was featured in GIANT Magazine's September 2009 issue as an  artist to watch. Abby Dobson has also sung backgrounds for several  recording artists, including Talib Kweli and John Legend. Abby was born  in Kingston, Jamaica and moved to Brooklyn, NY at 7 yrs old. Her early  recollections of music are of country and reggae songs she sang from the  radio as a child, and her aunt shushing the family at the dinner table  to listen. Though no one in her family was a professional musician, she  learned later that her father courted her mother crooning Nat “King”  Cole tunes. She sang leads in church choir with her cousins by her side  as young as 9, studied classical voice and (briefly) piano in junior  high, found herself giving recitals of arias and Great American Songbook  Standards as the only child among adults at her high school music  teacher’s private gatherings, and continued her singing studies through  college and beyond. Abby was drawn like a magnet to the powerful vocal  persuasions of Sarah Vaughan, Whitney Houston, Anita Baker and Donny  Hathaway while inspired by the introspective acoustic leaning writings  of Tracy Chapman, Dolly Parton, and Bob Marley. Abby attended Williams  College in Massachusetts majoring in History/Political Science. Abby  dipped hit he underground circuit singing cover songs at open mic  nights. She began writing her own songs as a better way to get a record  deal.  

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It was at the tender age of 11 that In Bern, Switzerland Paola sings in  her school choir and discovers her desire for the stage. Choir practice  led to competitions and winning led to the conviction that music is her  message. Vocally trained at the Swiss Jazz School, her  singing/songwriting career was kicked off by recording her first demo  with producer Ben Thaler. The two became known as pioneers of soul music  in Switzerland, Paola's song "You gotta know what you want" was aired  in Montreal, Canada. Using this momentum her singing ability was noticed  by national and international artist's R&B singer Emel, and rapper  Kamel of the famous French group Alliance Ethnic with whom she co-wrote  several songs. She recorded her first single "Strong" with Session  All-stars Compilation released on Universal Records as well as  re-writing and performing the anthem of her hometown in  Switzerland. While working as a registered nurse Paola won a spot on Pop  Stars (Switzerland's equivalent to American Idol) which was key  exposure and a catalyst for a number of performances; attracting  audiences with a 10-piece band in Russia, Germany and the renowned  Montreux Jazz Festival, where she performed alongside The Roots' Rahzel.  In December 2006 she recorded a song with Black Thought. Paola resides  in Los Angeles mostly and speaks many different languages (German,  French, English, Spanish, Haitian Creole). Paola first lived in Brooklyn  when she arrived in the states working with well versed producer Selan  Lerner (Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack, Masters At Work, DJ Spinna). Being  of a Swiss father, and a Haitian mother, growing up in Switzerland and  having international friends gave her a diversity of sound. Paola  inspires her audience with songs about life, society, nature and  everything that surrounds people. On stage she is a breath of fresh air,  touching the audience with her positive energy.  

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Darralynn is a journalist/TV producer who founded the new network  Chapter 3 TV. It boasts both original and branded programs, specifically  produced for mobile device viewing. The first 3 shows to launch are  TAWTK-The Audience Wants to Know, WTF? and The Girl’s Bathroom. Chapter 3  TV plans to secure 24/7 mobile programming. The Branded Entertainment  concept sprung out of an immediate need to engage their corporate  relationships with their wealth of experiences developing audiences for  film, TV, events and publishing. The first set of brand partners to be  integrated in the first 3 programs include Bronner Brothers, Upscale  Magazine, Heys Luggage, Radio One, and Faygo soda. Darralynn has written  on the African American experience for more than 20 years for  publications that include  The Source, Upscale, Vibe, Hip Hop Weekly,  Black Enterprise, Rolling Out, People Magazine, The New York Times, The  Detroit News and Free Press. In 2001, Darralynn embarked on her first  independently produced documentary on Poet Laureate Langston Hughes  entitled Hughes’ Dream Harlem. The documentary went on to tour film  festivals in four continents. It premiered on Starz and was later sold  to HBO and PBS. She worked as a production coordinator, manager and  writer for networks MTV, VH1 and BET. She also held the title of  Production MGR and Producer on three TV One shows including “25 yrs: The  Color of Success on the Color Purple’s 25th Anniversary”,  “Get the  Hook Up” and “Renovate My Home”. Darralynn’s most proud of her TV  production credits that include BET’s “The Musicmakes”, “BET News”, and  her work as a Red Carpet producer for the “BET Awards” and “BET Hip Hop  Awards”. The digital content company which is her own, Dhutson, LLC,  since 2005 has produced short-form programs for clients that include  Lions Gate, Paramount, Warner Brothers and Fox Searchlight. 

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Rhonda Thomas was a featured soloist and background vocalist for Isaac  Hayes for 11 years before his untimely passing. Rhonda served in that  capacity while remaining extremely focused on elevating her solo musical  career. Issac Hayes wholeheartedly supported Rhonda’s desire to spread  her wings musically. A resident of Atlanta, GA who performs nationally  and internationally, Rhonda’s natural talent, professional drive, and  amazing charisma have landed her in the presence of greatness many times  and has opened numerous doors for her. She has performed or shared the  stage with Luther Vandross, Roberta Flack, Roy Ayers, and Sam Moore (of  the legendary duo Sam and Dave) just to name a few. With her enchanting  voice, Rhonda has stamped her name on the hearts of all that have  witnessed her singing live. From bringing the roof down in Atlanta’s  Tabernacle when she sang with Incognito’s powerhouse lead-singer Maysa  Leak, to winning multiple awards in Harlem’s Apollo Theater, to the 1996  Olympic Games crowds have fallen under the powerful spell of Rhonda’s  bold vocal styling. Rhonda’s talents were also experienced by listeners  on the other side of the globe. Her 2007 UK “Breathe New Life” Tour was  met with glowing reviews. Rhonda was also asked to compose a song for  Antigua-Barbuda’s Travel and Tourism “365 Beaches”. Her boundless energy  on stage enchants crowds as her voice exudes power and passion executed  with precision. She hails from the Atlanta underground soul scene  having performed with renowned artist India.Arie, Donnie (Motown), and  is a member of the soul bossa group, Jiva. She wears her influences like  an elegant gown draped with the improvisational skill and vocal  acrobatics of Sarah Vaughn and Al Jarreau, and the depth and emotional  effectiveness of Phyllis Hyman and Chaka Khan. 

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Lina's sound crosses several music genres including Jazz, Soul, Hip-hop,  Gospel and Pop. A lyricist, Lina's depth puts you in the mind of Lauren  Hill or Mos Def. In 1998, Lina got her first big break as a songwriter  by penning a tune for Tyrese's self-titled debut album. Lina proved  herself to also be a solid songwriter, penning "Ain't Nothing Like a  Jones" for Tyrese. A musician's musician, who sings classical music in  eight languages, Lina writes all of her songs, and her delivery is  sometimes reminiscent of the great Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughn. In  spite of many comparisons, she’s an original. Her sound is fresh and in  its own lane. Lina's Stranger On Earth debut was released in 2001. The  critically acclaimed album was named as one of "2001's Top 10 albums of  the year" by Billboard magazine. The album turned out the US hit, “It’s  Alright” and the hip-hoperatic UK hit, “Playa No More” plus “I’m Not The  Enemy” which was featured in the 20th Century Fox Film, High Crimes.  Critics praised the disc's bold theme, a syncopation of music past and  present: with its combination of classic and modern sounds. Lina's  sophomore album The Inner Beauty Movement was released on Hidden  Beach/Moodstar/Universal in 2005 and produced such hits as "Smooth", the  steppers anthem and "Leaving You." With rave reviews from UK’s The  Sunday Times and Vibe Magazine, The Inner Beauty Movement showed Lina’s  fans that she was committed to creating consistently good music. 

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