Music
Press
"Singer/songwriter Markeisha Ensley brings a rare passion to her work. Her soulful voice, arresting & compelling, soars over her beautifully crafted melodies & lyrics. She will undoubtedly have a long future in the music industry."
Bob Leone
Projects Director (1988-2006)
Songwriters Hall of Fame
"Markeisha's voice expresses such passion, warmth and soul and her emotions are raw and tangible when she is on stage. Ready is an amazing debut from an artist who is clearly on the rise. I expect many great things from her."
Anne Kristoff, Publicist
Markeisha is such an intriguing artist to me, because as a woman, she is lovely and gentle natured, and as a performer and songwriter, she's intense, with a powerhouse voice that's filled with passion! There's a buzz starting, so catch her live now while you still can!
Lorraine Ferro
Dove Award Winner, Songwriter
Songwriter’s Hall of Fame
"What sets Markeisha apart from so many other young singer/songwriters in New
York is her genuine soul. It's in her compositions, her stage presence, and her graciousness- a passion not faked, not forced, and completely giving of herself. And her VOICE will blow you away."
Cassandra Kubinski
Billboard Song Contest Winner, Songwriter
"Markeisha's versatility in her songwriting had me going through a variety of emotions at her show... her insightful lyrics and smooth melodies had me smiling, laughing, and reflecting on my own experiences."
Shelley Thomas, Actress
Markeisha Ensley is a rarity in music... she’s authentic! There’s nothing pretentious or manufactured about her voice, playing or writing. She creates and delivers from the heart. And in an age and industry full of smoke and mirrors, it’s refreshing to hear someone that is a true talent. I am moved by her music and reminded of the great soul and R&B artists that preceded her. She’s the genuine article and well worth your time.
James Casto, Songwriter
"The first time I saw her live, I was astonished by the level of talent and passion in the performance... So spiritually soulful it cut to the bone. There is a new force on the horizon in the world of R&B, and her name is Markeisha Ensley!"
Z. Joseph Guice, Filmmaker
Markeisha's music is organic and comes straight from the soul."
Jordan Forth, Actor
"Markeisha is a singer with rare heart and her talents as a vocalist and musician are irresistible".
Jeffrey Paul Bobrick
Billboard Award Winning singer/songwriter
Every time she sings, I cry. Her mesmerizing voice and soulful lyrics give me goose bumps every time I hear her sing.
Cheyenne Quinn, Actress
Markeisha interprets a song with such intensity and passion that you feel like you're listening to her tell her innermost thoughts, fears, hopes and dreams.
Robert Lee Taylor, Actor
Her music is so refreshing because it's so positive. The message is hopeful and celebratory which is pretty unusual in popular music - I love that!
And of course, her performance is incredible. Her voice is so unique, so unpretentious, raw and beautiful, and powerful. She just brings me joy!
Brenda Foley, Actress/Screenwriter
"Markeisha embodies soulful low notes of Gladys Knight and the spiraling high notes of early Whitney Houston! But the combination is clearly Markeisha’s.
Jack Waddell, Voice Teacher
- Various
Discography
Ready (Full Length CD)
Photos
Bio
"Singer/songwriter Markeisha Ensley brings a rare passion to her work. Her soulful voice, arresting & compelling, soars over her beautifully-crafted melodies & lyrics. She will undoubtedly have a long future in the music industry."
Bob Leone
Projects Director (1988-2006)
Songwriters Hall of Fame
With soulful vocals and impassioned lyrics, Markeisha Ensley is a dynamic singer and songwriter. Her music is organic and comes straight from the soul, encompassing the full spectrum, from love and spirituality to joy and pain. She has a voice that embodies honey and velvet, the deep-felt low notes of Gladys Knight and the spiraling high notes of early Whitney Houston, but the sound is all Markeisha’s. The most striking thing about the NYC based singer/songwriter, however, is her soul. While listening to the words of her heart, enveloped by her depth and warmth, one is greatly touched. Markeisha graces the stage with a powerful presence and invites the audience to come along for an unforgettable ride.
Born in Lincoln, Nebraska and raised in Colorado, Markeisha’s love affair with music began in the church. She joined the church choir at age seven and fell in love with the heartfelt richness of gospel music. She also discovered acting and theatre, particularly the musical Annie, and proceeded to parade around the house belting out the show’s famous tunes. Markeisha continued singing, performing in various talent shows around the area throughout middle and high schools.
Following high school graduation, the singer left Colorado and moved to New York City to attend New York University. It was in the school’s practice rooms where she first discovered her passion for songwriting. Refining her skills as a pianist, she spent many nights in the small refuge of a windowless room occupied by a lone piano. Markeisha later graduated NYU cum laude with a degree in music business and spent the next year and a half working in publicity at Elektra Records. Still harboring a desire to sing and act, she later received her Actor’s Equity card and performed in various musicals throughout New York. She was nominated for an AUDELCO award for her lead role in the musical Jamaica in 2001. She then further developed her acting techniques at the prestigious Circle in the Square Theatre School in New York City.
In 2006, Markeisha released her first full length CD, Ready, which she co-produced with Adam Parness for Parns Music Productions. The soulful disc, with its hopeful message about love and life includes nine tracks penned by the singer. Two songs from that album, “The Strangest Thing” and “Loving You”, received Honorable Mentions in the 2006 Billboard World Songwriting Contest. She was recently featured as a Spotlight Member with the Songwriter's Guild of America and is an ASCAPlus Award winner. Markeisha has performed around New York City in such notable venues as The Bitter End, The Cutting Room, and Rockwood Music Hall.
She is a member of Songwriter's Hall of Fame/NAPM where she studied songwriting under Lorraine Ferro. Markeisha also performs with Life Beat’s Hearts and Voices program, the music industry’s organization fighting AIDS. She is currently writing new material for her second album.
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