Ayla Stackhouse
Porterville, California, United States | SELF
Music
Press
Ayla Stackhouse’s single “Somebody Who Loves Me” is out and available on iTunes, CD Baby and Amazon.com.
The single is in advance of the complete album which will be released at the end of June.
Ayla, a top student at Harmony Magnet Academy, who has been working with Hollywood producers, sings R&B, pop, Broadway, opera, European classical, country and jazz. She also plays piano, clarinet, guitar and the cello.
“Somebody Who Loves Me” which she wrote, was produced by former Motown great Michael B. Sutton.
Ayla, who was born in Detroit and moved to Porterville when she was 12-years old to live with her aunt, Anita Stackhouse, said she was inspired to write the song after reading Nicholas Sparks’ book “The Last Song.”
She describes her musical style as pop-rock-R&B-alternative and said she is influenced by Regina Spektor, Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, Justin Beiber, Willow Smith, Taylor Swift and Mariah Carey.
Ayla, a straight-A student, has attended the Bates Academy of the Gifted in Detroit, was named Top Vocalist at Bates Performing Arts School, and has been recognized with an array of certificates, including Appreciation Award from City of Hope, National Public Lands Day Award, Inland Idol Award and made it to the second round in Simon Cowell’s X-Factor.
In November, Ayla performed at NightClub at Noon for The Jazz Journeys Educational Institute in Philadelphia. She was invited to perform after the director of Jazz Journeys heard her jazz-practice session.
The 15-year-old upcoming pop star enjoys Disney and Nickelodeon, and said she is hoping to break into television and movies in the near future.
Ayla, the youngest of eight children, is the daughter of Sheila Jordan and Phillip Stackhouse in Detroit.
She learned about the debut release through a text from her producer.
“I got it this morning when I got up and I went to school and started telling all my friends,” she said. “I’m completely excited that this is finally happening. It felt like it took a long time to get here.”
- Esther Avila from the Porterville Reporter
Discography
Somebody Who Loves Me
Photos
Bio
Ayla Stackhouse was blessed with an apropos name because this talented teen is ‘stacked’ with talent. The Detroit-native is a natural-born singing sensation fortified with operatic training, jazz chops, budding capabilities on three instruments (classical piano, guitar and clarinet) and a passion for writing her own songs. Though her schooling has been in loftier realms of music, Ayla is determined to craft a pop album that connects to kids her age. All of this and much more is evident in the music of her debut CD, produced by multi-faceted Motown veteran Michael B. Sutton.
“Ever since I was little I’ve been watching Disney Channel,” Ayla (pronounced “Ay-Luh) says with a laugh. “I love opera and my father – who’s also a singer – taught me jazz, but I don’t want to sing just that music for the rest of my life. My musical lane will be something like Pop-Rock-R&B-Alternative…a list of styles all mushed together!”
The centerpiece of the collection is Ayla’s” debut single “Somebody Who Loves Me,” inspired after she read the book “The Last Song” - a novel written expressly for Miley Cyrus to bring to the big screen. “It’s a story about a dark ‘emo’ girl whose father taught her to be this amazing pianist, but when her parents split up, she decides she never wants to play again…until she meets a boy who changes everything for her. Then she breaks through and blossoms.”
Ayla also wrote Falling,” a wistful and blissful delight in ¾ waltz time that sweetly reflects the feelings of a young girl experiencing the magic of love for the first time. Ayla composed the song on her signature pink guitar. “I wrote ‘Falling’ in 8th grade with my best friend Katelyn,” Ayla shares. “I did the music and we worked on the lyrics together. I’d bring my guitar to school everyday then during recess and lunch I’d sit on the bench outside, play and try to write songs. I wrote ‘Falling’ in ¾ because I just love the way it feels…it’s the Chopin in me.”
Bravely funneling shades of her own life into her artistry, Ayla is in the mature process of overcoming emotional challenges of coming from a broken home. Though divorced, her parents are united in their support of and desire for their daughter’s success. “My mom taught me everything about fashion and style,” Ayla says, smiling. “She’s the one who picked out my pink guitar.” Ayla received much encouragement for her gifts and is blossoming into a remarkable young lady in her own right. One would be hard pressed to find anyone who works harder or wants success in the entertainment world more
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