Eddie Kanani

Who is Eddie Kanani? There's no one-word answer to that question. He's an artistic songwriter and singer with the producing skills of today's hot beatmakers along the likes of Scott Storch or Timbaland. But under his studio perfectionism beats the heart of a soulful worshipper whose desire is to lead his listeners to experience the joy and encouragement that only God can give. When asked to describe his music, Eddie says, "My sound has been compared to everyone from Justin Timberlake to Prince. But my style is unique and it's hard to classify it by just naming other artists out there. There really aren't any artists doing what I do in Christian music. I'm definitely not trying to be like anyone else, and I want my music to help bridge gaps between people.

THE RECIPE

Eddie's music truly is unique. Like a chef in a Creole kitchen, Eddie starts out making his musical jambalaya with solid, deep bass and hard hip-hop drums and percussion. Next come layered guitar lines heavily spiced with effects like wah-wah, flangers and phasers. Then he throws in the flavors of classic Soul keyboards like the Fender Rhodes and the Clavinet. He turns up the heat with futuristic digital sounds and layers upon layers of his vocals creating intricate harmonies. No one is around as he cooks up his creations because Eddie plays all the instruments and sings all the vocals himself. He is a musical purist and only cooks from scratch. No prefab loops and phrases can be found in his gumbo. And finally he finishes the recipe with his secret ingredient - a taste of old school funk. Stir it all together and Eddie delivers a musical melange that first hooks you with the beat and then encourages your heart with the message. His lyrics are simple and yet very profound. "Most of all, I want everyone to know that they are loved by God, and that no matter what they're going through, they can make it."

A CRIB ... AND A PIANO

To say that Eddie has lived a musical life is an understatement. Born in Syracuse, NY to two professional classical musicians, Eddie grew up surrounded by the sounds of his parents practicing and all kinds of records spinning on the family's stereo. At one week old, Eddie attended his first music audition when his mom couldn't find a babysitter. He started attending concerts regularly at age 3. It's no surprise that at age 5, Eddie started classical training on piano and was writing his own songs out on paper by age 9. Before he was old enough to attend kindergarten, he could often be found in the basement, banging on any drum he could find in his father's percussion room. This early exposure to drums led to rhythm being the key element in all of Eddie's music.

ONE MAN JAM

And then something special happened when he was 14. Using two boom-boxes to ping pong musical instruments on top of one another, Eddie recorded his first song entirely by ear. Hearing a song composed and performed completely on his own opened the floodgates of his creativity, and the writing and recording sessions have continued ever since. Following in the footsteps of his musical influences like Stevie Wonder and Prince, Eddie began to teach himself the guitar and bass so he could realize in the studio any music he heard in his head.

DISCOVERING CHRIST

It wasn't until Eddie committed his life to following Christ after hearing the Gospel for the first time that he started on his journey of learning to use his music for the Lord. During that time of growth in his faith, Eddie began traveling with Christian music groups to schools, prisons, orphanages and churches across the U.S. and as far as Jamaica and Honduras. Eddie also began to play, sing and lead worship for several youth groups and children's ministries around town. During this time, Eddie discovered Christian music. "Fred Hammond was a huge role model and inspiration for me from the minute I first heard his music as a solo artist and with Commissioned." Some of the other artists that encouraged and inspired Eddie are Take 6, the entire Winans family, Larnelle Harris, and Richard Smallwood.

A MUSICAL DOUBLE-LIFE

Enrolled at the prestigious Eastman School of Music, Eddie began an intense study of music composition. There he had opportunities to write all kinds of music for many types of musicians. "Hearing your music performed by a 100-piece orchestra is a feeling I can't even describe ... it's amazing," remembers Eddie. But even with high points like this, Eddie's heart was somewhere else - with his funky, R&B-flavored Gospel music. "Most of my teachers looked down on any type of music besides classical," said Eddie, "but I knew that wasn't right." Eddie began living a double-life of sorts, studying and composing by day, and staying up all night writing and recording songs on the 4-Track recorder in his dorm room.

INTO THE STUDIO

Because he was always recording, Eddie kept sharpening his skills as a producer and before graduating, had already produced tracks f