The Back Room
Introducing... The Back Room
A new live performance podcast for showcasing local talent.
Every Tuesday, catch new episodes
on Memphis Artists for Change's YouTube channel!
Every Tuesday, catch new episodes
on Memphis Artists for Change's YouTube channel!
Suavo J
Marco Alexander
|
|
|
"His voice can make his listeners feel any emotion known to man. On top of that, you add unique sounds and a kick that you can feel to Marco's amazing voice, and you get a product in which music is missing…" -Danielle Simmons (Atlanta Music Blog)
Marco Alexander, born Marcus Alexander Hurt, is an international Singer/Songwriter, Composer, Arranger, Instrumentalist, Designer, and all around ARTIST. Second born in Memphis, TN and listening to such artists as Jackie Wilson, Phil Collins, Frankie Lymon, Sam Cooke, Sting, and Michael Jackson; he started his study of music at an extremely young age. Along with being exposed to such artists, he is also the second cousin of Andrew Love; of the late horn section duo, “The Memphis Horns.” These artists, along with legendary family members, have taught Marco to develop a style that is not only untouchable, but also timeless. Marco grew up watching his mother Rosalyn, lead the church choir while sitting next to the organ player so that he wouldn’t get into trouble. It was very clear that he was destined to be around the arts for a very long time. With his parents being instrumentalists & vocalists, he was often granted the opportunity to travel and study sounds that were unfamiliar to him. Whether it was the sound of beating on pots and pans as a toddler, or listening to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra perform The Sea Symphony on a middle school trip; Marco took advantage of every opportunity to understand the idea of music. He always seemed to be extremely interested in every aspect of the performing arts. Marco started in piano lessons at a very young age however, started to study string instruments soon after entering the third grade. He was also a part of one of the nations leading children's choirs, “The Angels of Praise” under the direction of Anthony Q. Richardson (whom he gives credit for a lot of his vocal ambition). As a result, Marcus was granted the opportunity to represent several professional symphony orchestras and industry music organizations on television/radio airings as a young prodigy. During his senior year in high school, Marcus (double bass) won the opportunity to make his Carnegie Hall debut with the National Festival Symphony performing Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony. At the point of graduating high school, Marcus was already venturing into the theater world where he won his first audition. Since then, he has been featured in shows such as Thoroughly Modern Millie (Chorus), Aida (as Mereb) in four different theaters, Dreamgirls (CC), and more. This is where he found a new love for production design and had already begun designing his future shows under the name "Marco Alexander". Marco received a bachelors degree in Music Education & Music Performance, with a minor in music business from the University of Memphis, where he studied with John Chiego. After countless success at the University, this led him to tour and perform with over 23 ensembles nationwide and tour on national soundtrack tours with Disney and Nintendo.
"People tell you often that the sky is the limit. I am one who finally understands that statement and can honestly challenge it by saying that the sky is NEVER the limit. There is so much more left to discover, if you are willing to work for it." -Marco Alexander
As well as being a trained musician, Marco has created a sound that will influence any situation. His voice is untouchable, his harmonies are uncommon, and his lyrics are written from everyday situations that occur throughout the world around him. However, his music is not only inspired from the traditional Pop/R&B culture, but other world cultures from known to the unknown. He refers to this as the "LivingMusik" sound. Having traveled and studied music in Germany, West Africa, and other countries, Marco has never settled in the common way of musical execution. He has always thought of himself as someone who never conformed to this world (or your average sound/experience); from the way that he processed thoughts to the way that he arranges his melodic structure. This brought him to start working on his debut EP, entitled “Friction”.
"In most cases, the track has to carry an experience before I decide to add lyrics to the track. If I don’t feel anything before the lyrics, it will not be a song worth hearing. Everything I sing about, someone around the world is going through." -Marco Alexander
It was not until 2017 that Marco released his debut EP. He was about finding his sound. Since then, he has performed in such venues such as The Orpheum Theatre of Memphis, The Cannon Center, The Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Carnegie Hall; as well as other countries such as Germany, The Czech Republic, and New Mexico. He also has credits on albums as a musician (double bassist), as well as a singer/ songwriter/arranger. Marco, now the owner of clothing brand “Sound Kulture” has also developed a clothing line, designed by himself, that has been seen in New York, Paris, Los Angeles, and even accompanying his music. On the back of each design for his “Friction” EP, is the title of one of the songs sewn in reflective nylon. Marco has been an Ethnic Print clothing designer for almost 10 years now. This has led him to share his style with the world and encourage being completely YOU!
In January of 2020, Marco traveled to Dakar Senegal, to begin studying for his 18 track album “Kultured Friction”. While there, Marco recorded with over five recording artists from all over Africa, earning him the title of INTERNATIONAL. In July 2021, Marco released his debut album and is now preparing for his debut tour and more.
“The definition of Friction is the resistance that one surface or object encounters when being placed over another. Take that definition and replace it with someone who never quite fit in because he saw the world in a different light. There is more to it, but that’s the gist of why I chose that title.” -Marco Alexander
Marco Alexander, born Marcus Alexander Hurt, is an international Singer/Songwriter, Composer, Arranger, Instrumentalist, Designer, and all around ARTIST. Second born in Memphis, TN and listening to such artists as Jackie Wilson, Phil Collins, Frankie Lymon, Sam Cooke, Sting, and Michael Jackson; he started his study of music at an extremely young age. Along with being exposed to such artists, he is also the second cousin of Andrew Love; of the late horn section duo, “The Memphis Horns.” These artists, along with legendary family members, have taught Marco to develop a style that is not only untouchable, but also timeless. Marco grew up watching his mother Rosalyn, lead the church choir while sitting next to the organ player so that he wouldn’t get into trouble. It was very clear that he was destined to be around the arts for a very long time. With his parents being instrumentalists & vocalists, he was often granted the opportunity to travel and study sounds that were unfamiliar to him. Whether it was the sound of beating on pots and pans as a toddler, or listening to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra perform The Sea Symphony on a middle school trip; Marco took advantage of every opportunity to understand the idea of music. He always seemed to be extremely interested in every aspect of the performing arts. Marco started in piano lessons at a very young age however, started to study string instruments soon after entering the third grade. He was also a part of one of the nations leading children's choirs, “The Angels of Praise” under the direction of Anthony Q. Richardson (whom he gives credit for a lot of his vocal ambition). As a result, Marcus was granted the opportunity to represent several professional symphony orchestras and industry music organizations on television/radio airings as a young prodigy. During his senior year in high school, Marcus (double bass) won the opportunity to make his Carnegie Hall debut with the National Festival Symphony performing Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony. At the point of graduating high school, Marcus was already venturing into the theater world where he won his first audition. Since then, he has been featured in shows such as Thoroughly Modern Millie (Chorus), Aida (as Mereb) in four different theaters, Dreamgirls (CC), and more. This is where he found a new love for production design and had already begun designing his future shows under the name "Marco Alexander". Marco received a bachelors degree in Music Education & Music Performance, with a minor in music business from the University of Memphis, where he studied with John Chiego. After countless success at the University, this led him to tour and perform with over 23 ensembles nationwide and tour on national soundtrack tours with Disney and Nintendo.
"People tell you often that the sky is the limit. I am one who finally understands that statement and can honestly challenge it by saying that the sky is NEVER the limit. There is so much more left to discover, if you are willing to work for it." -Marco Alexander
As well as being a trained musician, Marco has created a sound that will influence any situation. His voice is untouchable, his harmonies are uncommon, and his lyrics are written from everyday situations that occur throughout the world around him. However, his music is not only inspired from the traditional Pop/R&B culture, but other world cultures from known to the unknown. He refers to this as the "LivingMusik" sound. Having traveled and studied music in Germany, West Africa, and other countries, Marco has never settled in the common way of musical execution. He has always thought of himself as someone who never conformed to this world (or your average sound/experience); from the way that he processed thoughts to the way that he arranges his melodic structure. This brought him to start working on his debut EP, entitled “Friction”.
"In most cases, the track has to carry an experience before I decide to add lyrics to the track. If I don’t feel anything before the lyrics, it will not be a song worth hearing. Everything I sing about, someone around the world is going through." -Marco Alexander
It was not until 2017 that Marco released his debut EP. He was about finding his sound. Since then, he has performed in such venues such as The Orpheum Theatre of Memphis, The Cannon Center, The Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Carnegie Hall; as well as other countries such as Germany, The Czech Republic, and New Mexico. He also has credits on albums as a musician (double bassist), as well as a singer/ songwriter/arranger. Marco, now the owner of clothing brand “Sound Kulture” has also developed a clothing line, designed by himself, that has been seen in New York, Paris, Los Angeles, and even accompanying his music. On the back of each design for his “Friction” EP, is the title of one of the songs sewn in reflective nylon. Marco has been an Ethnic Print clothing designer for almost 10 years now. This has led him to share his style with the world and encourage being completely YOU!
In January of 2020, Marco traveled to Dakar Senegal, to begin studying for his 18 track album “Kultured Friction”. While there, Marco recorded with over five recording artists from all over Africa, earning him the title of INTERNATIONAL. In July 2021, Marco released his debut album and is now preparing for his debut tour and more.
“The definition of Friction is the resistance that one surface or object encounters when being placed over another. Take that definition and replace it with someone who never quite fit in because he saw the world in a different light. There is more to it, but that’s the gist of why I chose that title.” -Marco Alexander
lisa mac
|
|
|
Lisa Mac has walked through a hurricane.
It’s the best way to describe the violent storm of her abusive past, a secret prison that kept her
controlled and quiet. For almost a decade Lisa’s voice was stifled – but now she’s picking up the pieces
on the other side, finding herself in the debris.
Lisa was born and raised in Memphis. You’ll know it within minutes of meeting her or hearing her
music, a seamless blend of blues, pop and the city’s signature gritty hip-hop beats. She’s creating her
own kind of soul. It’s unsurprising, considering that she grew up singing in church, and says she first
discovered her voice when she got connected with the Gospel community as a teen.
That hurricane stole almost a decade from Lisa. Scarred but not broken is her sensitive heart – she sees
her music as a chance to connect, to bring people joy. Instead of dwelling on her past, she’s grabbed the
pen and is writing her own next chapter. That story begins a few years ago, when Lisa stumbled onto a
little house in Memphis’ eclectic Cooper-Young neighborhood. There was something about this spot –
she scraped together the money to rent its expansive back studio, and eventually took over the whole
place. She invited artists and like-minded people to share the space and christened the funky little house
at 688 Cox Street: Studio688. A deeply creative visual artist, the studio was a home for Lisa’s painting
and photography; but it was inside Studio688 that she began making music again, with fellow musician
and producer Wil Deshazo (Fast Planet). It’s where she first played “Hurricane.” It was where everything
changed.
Through the community she’d built at Studio688, “Hurricane” made its way to guitarist and producer
Elliot Ives (Justin Timberlake, FreeSol, Lord T & Eloise). Instantly, something clicked. “We just have
something in common, an underlying vibe,” she says. “He gets me – he gets exactly what I want. I want
to surprise people, confuse them a little bit. Really, I write blues songs – they’re relatable and real and
coming from a real place. But the sound is pop with hip-hop and rap influences. I want to catch people
off guard a little bit.”
It was clear from the start that Ives was the perfect fit to produce Lisa’s music, and with his help her
vision began to take shape.
“The man loves to make beats and I love beats,” Lisa laughs. “My brother is a DJ so growing up, my
bedroom next to his, I was surrounded by beats. It’s just so cool that my love for blues and Elliot’s gift of
beats have come together like a magic potion.”
Undoubtedly, there’s an element of magic to all of this. Lisa ticks off a list of people who’ve been put
into her path in the last year who’ve made this possible. All these characters who’ve defined this new
chapter have all landed at exactly the right time. She wrote “Hurricane” in May. She met Ives in June.
And since then, things have moved fast. Whirlwind fast.
Lisa says it’s nothing short of divine intervention – but from the outside, it’s easy to see that Lisa, at last,
is the one calling the shots. From the inside, mostly Lisa feels grateful. She’s a born-and-bred Memphian
who sees her city rising up around her, and wants to find a way to pour back into it.
First, though, she’ll finish her debut album with Ives and engineer Scott Hardin at Young Avenue Sound.
It will be ready for release it in 2016 – from there, she’ll chart a path forward, away from the wreckage
of what was and boldly into a future that Lisa is finally defining for herself.
It’s the best way to describe the violent storm of her abusive past, a secret prison that kept her
controlled and quiet. For almost a decade Lisa’s voice was stifled – but now she’s picking up the pieces
on the other side, finding herself in the debris.
Lisa was born and raised in Memphis. You’ll know it within minutes of meeting her or hearing her
music, a seamless blend of blues, pop and the city’s signature gritty hip-hop beats. She’s creating her
own kind of soul. It’s unsurprising, considering that she grew up singing in church, and says she first
discovered her voice when she got connected with the Gospel community as a teen.
That hurricane stole almost a decade from Lisa. Scarred but not broken is her sensitive heart – she sees
her music as a chance to connect, to bring people joy. Instead of dwelling on her past, she’s grabbed the
pen and is writing her own next chapter. That story begins a few years ago, when Lisa stumbled onto a
little house in Memphis’ eclectic Cooper-Young neighborhood. There was something about this spot –
she scraped together the money to rent its expansive back studio, and eventually took over the whole
place. She invited artists and like-minded people to share the space and christened the funky little house
at 688 Cox Street: Studio688. A deeply creative visual artist, the studio was a home for Lisa’s painting
and photography; but it was inside Studio688 that she began making music again, with fellow musician
and producer Wil Deshazo (Fast Planet). It’s where she first played “Hurricane.” It was where everything
changed.
Through the community she’d built at Studio688, “Hurricane” made its way to guitarist and producer
Elliot Ives (Justin Timberlake, FreeSol, Lord T & Eloise). Instantly, something clicked. “We just have
something in common, an underlying vibe,” she says. “He gets me – he gets exactly what I want. I want
to surprise people, confuse them a little bit. Really, I write blues songs – they’re relatable and real and
coming from a real place. But the sound is pop with hip-hop and rap influences. I want to catch people
off guard a little bit.”
It was clear from the start that Ives was the perfect fit to produce Lisa’s music, and with his help her
vision began to take shape.
“The man loves to make beats and I love beats,” Lisa laughs. “My brother is a DJ so growing up, my
bedroom next to his, I was surrounded by beats. It’s just so cool that my love for blues and Elliot’s gift of
beats have come together like a magic potion.”
Undoubtedly, there’s an element of magic to all of this. Lisa ticks off a list of people who’ve been put
into her path in the last year who’ve made this possible. All these characters who’ve defined this new
chapter have all landed at exactly the right time. She wrote “Hurricane” in May. She met Ives in June.
And since then, things have moved fast. Whirlwind fast.
Lisa says it’s nothing short of divine intervention – but from the outside, it’s easy to see that Lisa, at last,
is the one calling the shots. From the inside, mostly Lisa feels grateful. She’s a born-and-bred Memphian
who sees her city rising up around her, and wants to find a way to pour back into it.
First, though, she’ll finish her debut album with Ives and engineer Scott Hardin at Young Avenue Sound.
It will be ready for release it in 2016 – from there, she’ll chart a path forward, away from the wreckage
of what was and boldly into a future that Lisa is finally defining for herself.
CINO
|
|
|
Candy Fox
|
|
|
Candy Fox is from the Home of the Blues and Birthplace of Rock 'n Roll - Memphis, TN! Her musical roots run deep, as she started singing at church at the tender age of three. She grew up in Memphis before moving to Boston, where she earned a BA in Communications from Boston College, where she was also a member of Voices of Imani, BC’s gospel choir. Shortly after graduation, she won a radio contest that earned her the title the "Boston Idol," which helped her land a spot in the Top 100” during the second season of American Idol (the year Rueben Studdard won).
Candy Fox returned to her hometown and lent her sultry vocals and fiery-energy to the hip-hop/Rock/soul band Free Sol, who won the 2003 Mid-South Grammy Showcase and released an album, 11:11. This was all before beginning her solo musical journey, which has afforded her the opportunity to make music and tour nationally AND INTERNATIONALLY with some of the best in the industry, including: David Porter, William Bell, Toni Green and the late great J Blackfoot from Stax Records; other Memphis hometown favorites, such as Wendy Moten, Reba Russell and Susan Marshall; Jazz artists Kirk Whalum, Miles Jay, Phil Perry and Paul Taylor; R&B/Soul artists Howard Hewett and Shalamar, Cherrelle and Alexander O’Neill, Micki Free, Larry Dodson of the Barkays, Glenn Jones, James Ingram, Dave Hollister from Blackstreet, En Vogue, Angela Winbush, Chico DeBarge, Calvin Richardson, Regina Belle and Tony Terry; Broadway sensation Jennifer Holliday; Gospel artists Mr. Del, the late Richard Smallwood, Kurt Karr…AND THE LIST GOES ON! Likely her most notable accomplishment to date is releasing her indie debut solo album, Soul Stir, while honing another career in marketing and communications. Given her diverse musical background, Candy Fox is all about “stirring your soul,” as we see and hear on the album, available on iTunes, Amazon, etc. You can also order a hard copy and book Candy Fox for a show via email at: candaceagray@yahoo.com. Candy Fox is currently part of the Sounds of Vinyl production, which takes diverse audiences on a riveting trip through the American musical landscape. You might also catch her performing as part of the Grizzlies House Band down at FedEx Forum. Candy Fox is fronting a new band out of Memphis called Third Coast, led by guitarist and music producer Garry Goin.
Candy Fox returned to her hometown and lent her sultry vocals and fiery-energy to the hip-hop/Rock/soul band Free Sol, who won the 2003 Mid-South Grammy Showcase and released an album, 11:11. This was all before beginning her solo musical journey, which has afforded her the opportunity to make music and tour nationally AND INTERNATIONALLY with some of the best in the industry, including: David Porter, William Bell, Toni Green and the late great J Blackfoot from Stax Records; other Memphis hometown favorites, such as Wendy Moten, Reba Russell and Susan Marshall; Jazz artists Kirk Whalum, Miles Jay, Phil Perry and Paul Taylor; R&B/Soul artists Howard Hewett and Shalamar, Cherrelle and Alexander O’Neill, Micki Free, Larry Dodson of the Barkays, Glenn Jones, James Ingram, Dave Hollister from Blackstreet, En Vogue, Angela Winbush, Chico DeBarge, Calvin Richardson, Regina Belle and Tony Terry; Broadway sensation Jennifer Holliday; Gospel artists Mr. Del, the late Richard Smallwood, Kurt Karr…AND THE LIST GOES ON! Likely her most notable accomplishment to date is releasing her indie debut solo album, Soul Stir, while honing another career in marketing and communications. Given her diverse musical background, Candy Fox is all about “stirring your soul,” as we see and hear on the album, available on iTunes, Amazon, etc. You can also order a hard copy and book Candy Fox for a show via email at: candaceagray@yahoo.com. Candy Fox is currently part of the Sounds of Vinyl production, which takes diverse audiences on a riveting trip through the American musical landscape. You might also catch her performing as part of the Grizzlies House Band down at FedEx Forum. Candy Fox is fronting a new band out of Memphis called Third Coast, led by guitarist and music producer Garry Goin.
A.C.E.
|
|
|
Gerald Richardson
|
|
|
Gerald Richardson is a native Memphian, who is very proud of all of the opportunities that he has had while in the wonderful world of music here and abroad. Gerald was raised in the Memphis Music community. His parents were both accomplished musicians and singers and his siblings and were all a part of being active in music. Gerald's professional musical journey started in 2012 as a background vocalist for a number of artists; in 2015 he began singing lead vocals. He has also recorded with multiple national artists. Gerald released his first single “Naturally” in 2019 and his song topped out at #2 on the Global Soul Chart. He is currently recording an album that is scheduled to be released in September 2022. He would like to thank everyone that has supported him throughout the years!
Savannah Brister
|
|
|
Memphis-based singer-songwriter, Savannah Brister, has a stunning way of grabbing her audience’s attention and commanding the hearts of everyone who hears her. With her powerful vocals and emotional songwriting, she resonates with everyone in the crowd and makes them feel welcome with her quirky personality. She got a chance to be a part of NBC’s show, ’The Voice’ at the beginning of 2019 and scored a spot on John Legend’s team. Her other accomplishments include winning an HMMA award for her song, “Dear World” in 2021 and placing first in a songwriting competition with her latest single, “Feelings.” Savannah is now working on her first EP. Don’t miss out on hearing this young performer share her heart and soul; she will be sure to leave you wanting more.
Yella P
|
|
|
Damion Kereem Pearson, aka ‘Yella P,’ is a multifaceted artist from Memphis creating a sound rooted in the blues with shades of soul, gospel, and hip-hop. Mostly self-taught, Damion began playing harmonica at age 13, saving up his lunch money for a month to purchase the instrument. Adding to his arsenal, Damion later learned to play the guitar, saxophone, trombone, and piano. He got his start on Beale Street playing with ‘Big’ Jerry Parnell.
Tyke T
|
|
Tyke T combined honest lyrics, bold production, and insight garnered from his graduate education to climb the charts without the help of a major-label. The indie artist -- who graduated with an MBA from Middle Tennessee State University -- studied the charts and organized his fan base, storming the Top 50 of four Billboard charts with his sophomore EP, 2017's The Prelude. Born Tyrone Stroble in Smyrna, Tennessee, Tyke's main influences were '90s R&B and New Jack Swing by the likes of Jodeci, Bobby Brown, and Bell Biv Devoe, as well as rap from Master P, Kanye West, Drake, 8Ball & MJG, UGK, and Outkast.
|
Adajyo
|
|
Sequoia, Stephani, Britne and Joy — the foursome that makes up the dynamic singing group, ADAJYO, first met in high school and became fast friends. In fact, the group was formed on the heels
of a three-way school suspension for skipping class. After noticing Sequoia’s gift, Britne, Stephani and Joy wanted so desperately to hear her sing that they forged a tardy excuse from their teacher, skipped their homeroom course and sneaked into the choir room to hear her. After the suspension ended, the group was properly formed, lacking only one thing - what to be called. Wanting a name that sounded different than the norm, they thumbed through a dictionary and stumbled upon the word ‘adagio’, meaning: a steady, slow and graceful movement in music. Thus, ADAJYO was birthed. Originally desiring to be backed by instrumentation, the foursome was encouraged by friend and vocal mentor, Thomas Jackson, to use their first instruments - their voices. He rearranged Richard Smallwood’s Total Praise for them and their journey as an acapella group began to take root. Since then, their sound has evolved from gospel to soul with inflections of jazz and R&B. With nearly two decades of friendship and life experiences under their belt, ADAJYO has since created their own genre, appropriately called “Heart Music”. This new genre, much like its creators, cannot be fashioned to fit into existing categories. Instead, Heart Music weaves together many styles, sounds and harmonious blends, all to share a message of light and life, love and unity. Surrounded by family and friends who also share deep roots in soul-stirring music, this band of powerful women credits a lot of their sound to musical giants such as Stevie Wonder, Take 6, New York Voices, Tweet, PJ Morton, Shea Norman, Imogen Heap and a host of others.. Their unique, airy voices continue to pave new roads in music and have reached the ears of many legends; even affording them the opportunity to back vocal powerhouse, Lalah Hathaway, on stage. When they are not stacking vocals in the studio or swaying gracefully on the stage, they can be found tapping into other talents, ranging from culinary to performance arts or spending quality time with their families. With hearts as pure as the lyrics they dream up and sing over their adoring supporters, ADAJYO is swiftly becoming one of the ones to watch. Follow along as they make their mark in musical history. |
Nick Black
|
|
Nick Black is a fun, optimistic, and authentic artist from Memphis, TN. Influenced by the feel-good music of Justin Timberlake and Bruno Mars, and the musicality of legacy acts such as Al Green and Sting, Nick has created his music to sound modern and unique, yet familiar and nostalgic.
His stage presence as an entertainer is quite something to behold. Nick pulls the audience in and doesn’t let them go. He creates an experience that he wants everyone to be part of. Pulling people up from the crowd, singing to a fan in the front row...everyone's included. He grew up between two worlds: his family’s deep ties to church, and his hometown of Memphis where Soul, RnB, Rock N’ Roll, and Blues legends made names for themselves, Black’s sound is an organically grown phenomenon, honed at open mic nights, in church, at hundreds of club gigs, and now on larger stages across the USA. Since his first album in 2012, The Soul Diaries, his authenticity and passion has been the foundation of his identity, both as a person and as an artist. In March and April of 2020, with touring being shut down, Nick embarked on a record-setting 30 songs in 30 days called “Nick Black’s $ongs from $cratch” on his Twitch channel writing songs in real time from samples, riffs and lyric lines sent in by viewers. He has since written over 100 songs in front of a quickly growing live streaming audience, 12 of which landed on his brand new TWITCH #1 album, which has over 100,000 plays on Spotify. |
Faith PQ
|
|
Kemmie Douglas, artistically known as FaithPQ (Poetikally Quoted), identifies as she. She is a poet, spoken word artist and member of The Traveling Poets in Memphis, TN. She has mentored youth in the community with Hattiloo's WOSO mentoring program. FaithPQ utilizes her voice in poetry to inspire self identity, self expression and bringing mental health awareness. She started off writing short stories and essays elementary that led to several award wins and she fell in love with poetry in the 6th grade. FaithPQ's first embark on the Memphis poetry scene was winning 2nd place at the National Civil Rights Museum's Drop the Mic Poetry Slam in 2014.
I enjoy slam poetry but I'm here for the art of it all. I'm a firm believer in collaboration. My new found love is collaborating my love of poetry with my love of music. Every opportunity to hit the mic is an opportunity to inspire creativity as an " instrumental poet". |
Yung Titan
|
|
Memphis, TN native, Yung Titan creates music from his passion, pain, and process as he battles balancing his life as a husband, father and MC. "My addictions, struggles, faith and praise bleeds out in every song, I'm just grateful knowing I'm not alone, and I can inspire others musically that go through the same thing."
Titan, 31, looks to bring the missing heart in christian hip-hop as he embarks on his new Faith Season journey. |
Cameron Ross
|
|
Energetic, inspiring, and smooth are some of the words that can describe the music of Cameron Ross. A native of Osceola, Arkansas, Cameron grew up in an environment surrounded by music. He began playing saxophone at the age of 11 in the 6th grade. By high school, he had his own band that played at various church and community functions. Upon completing high school, he earned a band scholarship to Arkansas State University where he earned a bachelor's degree in music education. He later returned to school to earn his Master of Music Education from The University of Memphis. He also is a music education researcher and has an upcoming article in Music Education Journal. Cameron is a twenty-one-year veteran of education and currently teaches band at Snowden Middle School in Memphis. He also serves as the jazz chairman for the West Tennessee State Band and Orchestra Association.
In 2012, Cameron released his first music project titled New Perspective, a collection of original and covers of inspirational and smooth jazz. In 2017, he released his second project Power which focused on contemporary praise and worship. He has also appeared on the projects of several other artists as well. Cameron has performed in several venues across the country such as Humphries Backstage in San Diego, The Perfect Note in Birmingham, and Wet Willie’s in Washington D.C. He has also been invited to perform several shows in Toronto, Canada. Some of the television appearances include The Bobby Jones Gospel Show, Good Morning Memphis, and The Trinity Broadcast Network. He has also performed the national anthem for the Memphis Grizzlies three times. Cameron has been married for 22 years and has two children. |
Doll Mccoy
|
|
Doll McCoy,is a singer/songwriter born and raised in Memphis,TN. She formed her roots singing,and directing in the church choir at Greater Mt. Moriah Baptist Church. Going on to become a student at Ridgeway Jr. High/High School,she met her 3 sisters,and together they formed the group,”ADAJYO” and have been together for 18 years. With a desire to expand her knowledge and artistry, she relocated to Los Angeles,CA from 2011-2015,working with artist such as Raphael Saadiq,and Leonna Lewis. In 2015, she went on to work for the B.B. King Blues Club,traveling the world aboard Holland America Cruise Lines until 2018. Now,back in Memphis,she uses all that she has learned and continues to perform in the city,create new music with ADAJYO,curate events such as “Doll’s Playlist”, and will release on her own music soon!
|
Bird Williams
|
|
Nicknamed “Bird” for his melodious style of singing, Bird Williams, native Memphis born & raised, has graced a great many stages in the mid-south area with his amazing soulful talent. Bird has that “ole skool” flow that pulls listeners directly into the song. Take a listen to Bird Williams and join the ever growing fan base who loves true R&B in its full glory. Available now at ALL streaming and download companies worldwide.
|