Music
Press
Published: August 31, 2007 5:00 PM EST
By: Isaac Joseph Davis Junior
(Juniorscave.com)
New Music Spotlight: Mahoganee
We are excited about this next interview coming up. Mahoganee released her first album back in 2006 but this artist has been performing and making music for a long time. Originally from Summerton, SC, Mahoganee brings to the table of music a very soulful sultry sound that promises to capture the hearts of her fans. Now living in Washington, DC, Mahoganee is making her bid into the music industry. We are honored to feature Mahoganee’s first interview with a publication ever. Check it out.
Q. What aspect of making music excites you the most right now?
A. What excites me the most is Writing words from my soul & then recording and hearing those words come to life as they reach my ears and then to see my words touch the souls of other people.
Q. What aspect of making music gets you the most discouraged?
A. What is most discouraging is knowing that I make good music and not being able to get it to the masses.
Q. What are you up to right now, music-wise? (Current or upcoming recordings, tours, extravaganzas, experiments, top-secret projects, etc).
A. Right now I am in the process of recording my 2nd album which is entitled “THOUGHTZ OF A DIVA”. I have released the 1st single also entitled “THOUGHTZ OF A DIVA”. You can find it on my website @ (www.divamilitia.com) and myspace @ (www.myspace.com/mahoganee01)
Q. What's the most unusual place you've ever played a show or made a recording? How did the qualities of that place affect the show/recording?
A. (laughs) The most unusual place I have recorded was in my bathroom with 2 single mattresses up against the wall as a soundproofing method. This is actually how I recorded my first album. But seriously “It’s really about doing whatever it takes to fulfill your dreams” and make them happen.
Q. In what ways does the place where you live (or places where you have lived), affect the music you create, or your taste in music?
A. The places I have lived definitely influence the music I create. I am always soaking in moments, emotions and the energy of my surroundings. I was born & raised in the historical town of Summerton, SC, which is where Briggs vs Elliot the first filed of the four cases combined into Brown v. Board of Education, the famous case in which the U.S. Supreme Court, in 1954, officially overturned racial segregation in U.S. public schools. So, this is a part of my heritage which makes it apart of my music. I am a Southern Gurl with a worldwide voice, so having also lived in Savannah & Atlanta, Ga, I have a real down home feel to my music and now residing in Washington, DC, I think my music will have more of a (live feel to it) because DC is famous for GO-GO and my husband & producer Cheefah Dray of Bhp (Beat Huztlerz Productionz) was born & bred In DC, so you will definitely get a DC feel from the new album.
Q. When was the last time you wrote a song? What can you tell us about it?
A. I just wrote a song a couple of days ago & it’s very personal and painful about my husband’s life growing up. Most of the time when my husband is at the keyboard making music I am on the computer typing my lyrics in and as I feel the music I begin to write to it.
Q. As you create more music, do you find yourself getting more or less interested in seeking out and listening to new music made by other people...and why do you think that is?
A. As I create more music I don’t listen to new music made by other people because I don’t want to be influenced in any way by someone else’s music, sound or lyrics.
Q. Lately, what musical periods or styles do you find yourself most drawn to as a listener? (Old or new music? Music like yours or different from yours?)
A. As a listener, I have always been drawn to music & vocals that display emotions that will stir my soul and intellect and because I am a singer/songwriter, I’m always listening to every aspect of a song. Lately I’ve been listening to old & new music. Donny Hathaway, Lalah Hathaway, India Arie, Jill Scott, John Mayer, Robin Thicke, Faith Hill, Kelis, Celine Dion, Arrangements by Quincy Jones, Strange Fruit Project, Leela James, Conya Doss, PRU, Goapele, Algebra, Floetry, Lina, & Hill St. Soul
Q. Name a band or musician, past or present, who you flat-out LOVE and think more people should be listening to. What's one of your all-time favorite recordings by this band/musician?
A. Donny Hathaway-A Song for You & Yesterday
Q. What's the saddest song you've ever heard?
A. A song called “I Miss Her” that I wrote for my mother who passed away in Dec 05.
http://www.juniorscave.com/mahoganee.html - Juniors Cave Online Magazine
Discography
CD "My Life, My Story"- Independent) (2006); New single "Thoughtz of A DIVA" Independent (2007)
Album “Thoughtz of A DIVA” Release Date TBA
Released 1st Single off of 2nd Album Entitled "Thoughtz of A DIVA" on August 21, 2007
Currently have Online Radio Airplay @
canwetalkradio.net
airplaydirect.com----songtiger.com----noisehead.com----slicethepie.com----musicnation.com---iacmusic.com---unsigned.com---showcaseyourmusic.com---broadjam.com---ear2thastreetz.com---titaniumdistribution.com---want2bdiscovered.com---networkhustle.com---friendsmix.net---ijamr.com--myspace.com---divamilitia.com--
Available at:
www.divamilitia.com;
www.iTunes.com;
www.nimbitmusic.com/mahoganee;
www.cdfreedom/mahoganee
Photos
Bio
Mahoganee released her first independent album,” My Life, My Story” in 2006 under the Independent Production Company “Beat Huztlerz Productionz (www.myspace.com/bhproductionz). However, her musical journey began long before this. Growing up in a household with her own musical icons, her mother, father and siblings, started her lifelong passion of singing, writing and performing. She calls the stage "her home" and says "music is in her soul."
Being born and raised in the small historical of Summerton, South Carolina has always kept Mahoganee grounded and has been inspirational in her musical endeavors. As an adult, Mahoganee was drawn to the beautiful city of (Seaport) Savannah, Georgia. This nurturing environment became Mahoganee's second home where she quickly began singing and traveling with local bands, appearing locally in annual festivals and art shows. Welcoming her growth she moved to Atlanta, Georgia. Local bands and the popular social hotspot Café 290 embraced Mahoganee with love. This guided Mahoganee to perform live on the "Tom Joyner Skyy Show".
Atlanta's inspiration gave Mahoganee the humbling experience of working closely with AIDS Activist and Motivational Speaker, Denise Stokes. This project became the song "Good Luck" on the spoken word album entitled "Elevation". She was also given the opportunity to perform on the album "Fierce, Badd & Dangerous" with spoken word artist Queen. Still receiving love from Atlanta, Mahoganee collaborated with Alan Yates of the Alan Yates Band and her background vocals were recorded on their album entitled "Mint Condition".
Mahoganee has now relocated to Washington, DC. In the US capital she is a regular at its local artist venues, performing regularly and is putting together her second album entitled "THOUGHTZ OF A DIVA".
When asking Mahoganee about the impact of her sound and the music industry, Mahoganee expresses these provoking thoughts. She says "I am a part of a movement that will change people... it is music to help not hurt. " She continues this thought by stating, "Music and words heal in an indescribable way and being a part of this means my life truly has a purpose. I am a part of a worldwide community that is taking us into the future to heal the world of pain. My voice is a vehicle for this. Mahoganee concludes saying"I sleep well at night knowing that I am a part of something worth living for."
(Written by Erica-Nicole)
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