Monika Bourgeois

THREE RIVERS - Monika Bourgeois has learned that knowledge and confidence are key to succeeding in the music industry.

A 1997 Three Rivers High School graduate, she already has her own
independent publishing company - Bougies Music Group, taken from a college nickname - and will be releasing her second CD soon. MP3s of her music are available at her online store, and she landed a ringtone contract through StarOne, so people can buy and then download cell phone ringtones of her
singing.

A singer-songwriter, she calls her genre "faith music," an effort to avoid
the stereotypes that "gospel" is black music and "Christian" is white music.

"I use every color of artist as long as they've got it," she said.

She has recorded with artists in Chicago, and hopes to head to Nashville
soon.

But sometimes having sought-after music comes with hitches, as she learned a few years ago when she "submitted a jingle for review" at a car dealership. She never received a response, and one day someone called her and said, "I
heard you on TV!"

At that time she didn't know what rights she had under copyright. So she had to do some research. She checked out a few books and began to study. When
she read "This Business of Music," she said it felt like blinders falling
off.

Looking back on it, she says, "When I lost that jingle if they'd have given me beans (for it) I'd have taken it."

"I had no idea the business of music. Because I didn't know my value I was willing to accept that ... Never again am I going to sell myself short."

Originally from the Chicago area, she learned vocal projection by singing over the vacuum cleaner. She then traveled around with her grandmother, an evangelist. By her senior year, she was living in Three Rivers and attending Three Rivers High School.

TRHS offered Bourgeois her first opportunity to be involved in the arts in schools. She participated in plays and sang in the Aristocrats.

"To be involved with a group of people that didn't go to my church that could get together and be creative - that rocked," she said.

Then-Aristocrats teacher William Smith let her work as a student aide. "He would leave me with the microphones and recording equipment," she said. "He would say that the mikes were on, don't sing too loud."

"That gave me a chance to practice on equipment I didn't have."

Bourgeois was named "most outstanding senior vocalist" that year.

She went on to Oral Roberts University, where she studied vocal music and performed in a commercial for the school. In 1999, she released "Let God Be," and then took a four-year hiatus during which she was married and had a
daughter, Majesty Grace.

Now she's back writing again.

Her new CD, "From the Mind of a Christian Girl," is due to be completed in
August.
She cites "Overwhelmed" and "Not Here" as her favorite songs on the album.

The former she considers a favorite because it's a song of gratitude.

"I see where I was before and see where I am now," she said. "It's a life exploratory song. I'm so grateful to have this opportunity again - I thank God for giving me the mentality to get back into music."

That mentality is that she can't get lazy - music isn't going to fall out of
the sky - and that she needs to have confidence in what she's doing.

The latter, "Not Here," tells the story of Jesus' resurrection through the eyes of the angel who announced it. 'It's a cool song," she said. It started out as a song for her answering machine. She set up three tape recorders and
did backup vocals for the song - all to go on her answering machine. This was six years ago; she said she was a writer and producer simultaneously but at that point didn't realize it.

She determined that one day she was going to finish it, and about a month ago, she did.

Now, still living in Matteson, Ill. and waiting for resolution of the
as-yet-unresolved copyright dispute with the dealership, Bourgeois plans to head to Nashville to further her career.

"If you're going to dig for diamonds you've got to go to the mine," she
said.

Her musical dream is to write for singer CeCe Winans; her advertising dream is to land a McDonald's contract.

While she would be so happy with the latter, "I'm never going to run over somebody (to get it)," she said. "I may have to walk around - it's business.There are 'yes'es and 'no's all the time. Are you willing to take a 'no'
knowing there's a 'yes' around the corner?"

For more information on Bourgeois or to purchase music or ringtones, visit www.monikabourgeois.com or www.singnika.com.
- Three Rivers Commercial News