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Shades drawn, lights dimmed, you’re relaxing on your bed, and a soft voice echoes gently off the walls as the mood is set to sate the listening ears. Chrissy Depauw’s acoustic-soul LP is a sensual album. Her voice is magnetic. She is a star on the rise.
The Los Angeles based artist is more than just a voice. Depauw wrote and arranged all ten tracks on her self titled debut album. The CD touches on diverse topics, and embodies a soulful focus of relationships and life issues uncommonly visited. If you are unfamiliar with her as an artist, you may want to acquaint yourself with this talented songstress, because she is on the verge of signing with a major label.
Depauw is in the process of recording her second independent acoustic LP, and is due for release in October or November. Then, she will make a big splash by releasing her first complete LP once she has signed with a major label.
While simultaneously working on both projects, Depauw is working with established producers on the latter of the two projects. Darryl Anthony from the R&B group Az-Yet, Eric Seats who produced songs on Aaliyah’s final LP, and Focus, a producer with Dr. Dre are some of the names of the people that will influence the sound and outcome of her final product.
Depauw has performed locally at prime locations, such as, The Temple Bar, Hotel Café, and The Viper Room. Her accomplishments as an artist include selling over 10,000 albums independently and ranking in the top 100 Myspace artists in all of her categories.
Her musical journey began after hearing Lauryn Hill’s acoustic album. Depauw immediately purchased a guitar without having any knowledge or experience playing the instrument. Soon after, she began to create a sound of her own that was different from most of the influences she credits for her success as an artist. SWV, Jodeci, and Mint Condition are a few of the myriad of 90’s groups Depauw says were among her favorite artists.
Currently, Amel Larrieux is the artist Depauw recognizes for influencing her singing career. When compared, their voices both pose soothing harmonies causing attentive ears to paralyze drying eyes from blinking to break the pause of being completely consumed by vocals. In other words, they leave you mesmerized.
With the exception of the few extremely fortunate artists getting discovered quickly, Depauw is grinding her way to the top like many have done in the past. She performs regularly at the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, CA. You will know it’s Depauw when you hear a guitar and a mellifluous voice emerging from the crowded walkway. Enticing large groups of locals and tourists, she introduces her CDs by performing the original songs she has produced.
Touring is an endeavor Depauw hopes to soon include in her routine of performances. Among the artists she hopes to tour with are The Dave Matthews Band, Coldplay, and John Mayer. If her album takes flight the way she hopes it will, this may soon be a reality. There is no doubt she has complete control over her voice, and can sing well enough to establish her presence in her music genre. Her talent is undeniable, and should allow her to accomplish her expectations.
- Trent Hensley FOR LA2DAY.COM
Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, California, is a street performer’s paradise. The pedestrian-only three-block strip of high-end shops and restaurants is just a short walk from the beach. It welcomes an estimated 10 million visitors each year.
[Chrissy DePauw, Street Performer]:
“Santa Monica is a place where people from all over the world come, and so I’m getting my music all over the world by staying in one place.”
The variety is huge. The talent is impressive.
[Josh Vietti, Street Performer]:
“My name is Josh Vietti, and I’m a pop violinist.”
Street musicians and other performers pay a yearly fee of thirty-seven dollars to the city for a permit to claim a spot on the promenade. Local ordinance also regulates the noise level of a performance and makes sure performers move to a different spot every two hours. It’s a small price many talented performers are willing to pay for what some consider to be the world’s best street performance venue.
[Chrissy DePauw, Street Performer]:
“Being out here and selling CDs, I would probably sell more than I would if they were sitting in a record store, because there aren’t very many record stores anymore.”
Many artists consider street performing to be a way to maintain control over their own careers. - Open Santa Monica
Chrissy DePauw’s latest EP is what I like to call “short and sweet.” The first track, “Never Too Far”, showcases and sets the tone for the entire EP with it’s simple and pure vibe. DePauw sings her words with authenticity and a genuine tone that all listeners will be able to feel on this album. Her music is very reminiscent of a younger Joni Mitchell or Mama Cass, yet her voice is strong like Goapele or Jill Scott. The second track, ”Perfectly Human,” which had the perfect transition from “Never Too Far,” is for anyone who has ever been in love. Her voice draws you into the track as if you were there with her in thought.
The remaining three songs, “Shine,” Filthy Heart,” and “Hide Away” round out the EP and stay with the folk/soul theme of the album. DePauw’s Acoustic Summer EP is sure to please any listener and has made it’s way in my iPod’s “favorites” playlist. There are only five songs on this album, which leaves me feeling sad because all of the music is so great. We want more music from you Chrissy DePauw, so keep us in the loop when you have more music! - Indie Music Reviewer
Link: http://www.shoutmouth.com/index.php/news/25_Hottest_Women_Who_Deserve_Record_Contracts
2007 has been a great year for hot chicks. Beyonce, Shakira, Nelly Furtado - they've all done their part in providing eye and ear candy worthy of our praise. But for every Fergie out there, there are dozens of little Fergalicious babes just waiting for an opportunity to blow your stereo away.
Here we pay tribute to 25 of the hottest chicks who deserve record contracts. Check out their tunes and download their songs. Without your support, we may never see them on Vh1, MTV, or the cover of Blender.
A&R men and women, are you listening looking?
#7. Chrissy DePauw
Chrissy is a Acoustic / Pop / Soul musician from Los Angeles with influences ranging from Stone Temple Pilots to Ella Fitzgerald and Mute Math. Chrissy has music for sale on her MySpace.
- shoutmouth.com
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
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Bio
While street singing will always hold a dear place in this former full time basking beauty's heart, Chrissy DePauw is definitely shedding that skin and embracing the release of her debut album. "When you're selling 50 cd's a day, you're thinking life is pretty sweet, but there comes a time when you remember that dream you had when you were little of accepting a Grammy, or being on stage at an arena with thousands of people singing to your songs. That memory quickly got me in gear to begin the recording process of my debut album Somewhere Sweeter."
The album's lush landscape of dreamy guitar layers, sparkly synths, keys, strings, drums, bass, and at times even her piano player beatboxing, make for the perfect wrapping to her deliciously airy, sweet voice. Deep and rich at times, high and fluttering at others, but always the perfect tone to deliver her words of love, life and self acceptance. Written over the past five years, while waiting tables and then street singing, she finally found the right team to help paint that picture. She was introduced to Erik Colvin, a Berkley School of Music Graduate and producer/multi instrumentalist through her friends The Ivy Walls, a prominent indie pop band. She had been singing backing vocals for their sophomore album "The Elegant Universe" when she realized Erik's talent and vibe was what she needed to make her then only acoustic songs come to life. And so it began. A a two year process of recording and re-recording. "I'm a perfectionist" she says when reflecting on constantly wanting to fix things. "we would always start the session off with fixing things from the last session I kept telling myself I need to let go a little bit, but I'm so happy to be able to listen back to this album and not have little things rub me the wrong way. I can listen and be proud."
Standing at nearly 5'11, Chrissy gets asked the famous questions every single day; is she a volleyball player or a model? She says she proudly responds "neither!" She claims her hands are too sensitive to hit volleyballs, and she likes sweets a little too much to enter the modeling world. "Singing and writing songs is all I've ever wanted to do." She credits her little brother's xylophone for helping her write her first song. "All I can remember is that it was about butterflies and rainbows, and it gave me goosebumps I thought it was so beautiful! haha"
"Growing up with three brothers and no sisters, I was a bit of a tomboy, but when I didn't feel like playing baseball or video games, I would escape to my own musical world of everything from Stone Temple Pilots to Brandy. I would sing at the top of my lungs until I saw my parents coming up the driveway. I would rush to my desk and start doing my homework."
While all of her high school friends went on to college, she didn't think twice she packed all her belongings in her rusty 88' dodge minivan that her dad picked out for her 16th birthday, and left her familiar San Diego beaches for the Los Angeles life of dream chasing.
Chrissy soon met Atlantic recording artist Hope, who took a special interest in helping her learn the art of street singing on the world famous Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. Her brother, Christian taught her a few chords on the guitar, and Chrissy took that knowledge and wrote three new songs, and started going out to sing with Hope. "She would let me sing when she took breaks. It was amazing. She would build up a big crowd of people, then introduce me, and I got to sing for them. I don't know if I would have ever found my true voice if it wasn't for the experience of street performing. I am forever grateful!!"
Since then Chrissy went on to sell over 50,000 cd's to locals and tourists on Third Street and with their help her music began traveling the globe. She quickly became one of the most listened to indie artists on myspace garnering 2 million plays. Chrissy has shared the stage with artists such as Colbie Caillat, Miguel, and John West. She has had her music featured in several independent films as well as the "Honey 2" sequel. Chrissy is currently performing at colleges nationwide and local Los Angeles venue favorites, such as The Hotel Cafe, The Viper Room and the legendary House Of Blues, while preparing for the release of her lush debut "Somewhere Sweeter".
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