Kassy Levels
McKinney, Texas, United States | SELF
Music
Press
GRAND PRAIRIE — The DFW area’s music scene is getting cooler by the month. Putting up a fair fight against this year’s Austin City Limits festival is Fall Indie Fest, which is October 8-10 in Grand Prairie. For those not trekking north and south on I-35 for ACL, this local fest will include screeners of independent films and performances by bands from all over Texas. Sunday includes an award ceremony to recognize the musicians and filmmakers. This fantastic event will be held at the Uptown Theater.
We can't say it enough: If you aren't going to ACL, get yourself to Grand Prairie's Fall Indie Fest. You'll see a ton of local favorites.
Here are our recommendations if you can't make it all three days:
For Friday, Sound of Curves is a great start. They’re from San Antonio. They claim the all-too-general indie sound but add a subtlety that helps them stand out. The Hope Trust is a given. They’re a DFW favorite, putting a spin on the former Wallflowers style. Sarah Jaffe, of course, is on her list. She puts on an amazing show in whatever venue she’s at. Her singer-songwriter sensibility is brooding but can also be so sweet and lucid that it’s contagious. Telegraph Canyon mixes it up a bit, bringing folk rock to the party. They’ve toured with the Old 97’s and Broken Social Scene, and have managed to break out all over the world.
Saturday is a big, long set list filled with genres like Christian rock and rockabilly. Charlie Robison is a country celebrity around these parts, and we're sure his set will be packed. He’s had a big break between records but has just released some new material that we're sure he will generously cover. Reverend Horton Heat is a crazy rockabilly band from Dallas that has been around the block a time or two. They have a devoted fan base that will introduce a new style of groupie. Unveiled also flips the line-up by rocking out Evanescence style, without the extremely heavy guitar riffs. Lead vocalist Audra sets the mood and charms your attention while telling a story. Summer Ames is another lead girl you won’t want to miss. She is a singer/songwriter from Dallas that instantly brings out Sara Bareilles. She has a lot of music that will fill up a relaxing and enjoyable set.
Since Sunday is short day of tunes, our list is also short. Mount Righteous and Kassy Levels are the suggestions. Mount Righteous is in a category all on their own. They have 11 members and each one seems to make a different noise to generate their input in the songs. They are high energy and very peppy. Kassy Levels is a singer/songwriter with an acoustic guitar. She has a solid alto voice that is as smooth as a calm river. She writes her own music and is young for her level of talent. - Pegasus News
Discography
"Storyteller" - Released March 2011
Photos
Bio
With fans ranging in age from 3 to 93 and of every race and
background, Kassy Levels, a singer-songwriter from McKinney,
Texas has found a way to reach the masses. It's not everyday that you hear a 14 year old with an amazingly mature alto voice playing songs so catchy you can't get them out of your head. She makes people stop and listen and that's not easy to do in this day and age.
Kassy was born on April 12, 1996 in Richardson, Texas to Kevin
and Karen Levels. Music was always a part of life in the Levels
home. Being of African American and Filipino descent, Kassy
found that her roots didn’t much influence the families musical taste. “We grew up listening to everything from funk to country to gospel to heavy metal.” says Kassy.
But it wasn’t until she was 9 that Kassy's outstanding vocal talents were recognized. After hearing Kassy sing in class, her Sunday school teacher convinced Kassy to sing on the adult worship team at her church. Not long after, she developed a passion for singing and songwriting. She started writing worship music that is still used in the church where her father is pastor. The songs were so good that church members started asking for recordings.
As Kassy entered her teens, she began to expand her scope of
writing by penning songs that related to situations in her life. Her songs reflect a self-respect and maturity well beyond her 14 years. Not surprisingly, the songs have found a much broader
audience than one might expect for a young teen as the depth of
her lyrics speak to multiple generations. Kassy’s songwriting skills go beyond the lyrics as this self-taught musician has mastered the artistry of composing songs which draw you in and leave you wanting more.
As a testimony to her mass appeal, Kassy recently won the
“People's Choice” award in the Pop/AC category at Fall Indie
Fest 2010 in Grand Prairie, Texas. She was recently recognized
by MOG.com and listed as one of their artist of the week on
their Musicxray site. Her song “Sweet Dear” also reached #1 on
“The Radio Cafe”, a Detroit Indie internet radio station weekly top
ten countdown show. She is also currently a finalist in the national Yobi.tv “YobiSing Vocal Talent Contest”.
Citing influences as diverse as Beyonce, John Mayer and Journey, Kassy has created a unique sound within the classifications of modern pop with the laid-back appeal of adult contemporary. It’s easy to see that with her natural charm, dynamic stage presence and collection of outstanding original music, Kassy Levels is the complete “star” package.
Links
