Raffia

Nadine "Raffia" Ford is a New York born-Los Angeles based professional singer, songwriter, and music instructor. Raised a short distance from New York City in the suburbs of Long Island, Nadine was constantly surrounded by a rich culture of soulful music, dance, and meaningful art which later served as a foundation for her own musical talents.

At the tender age of five, young Raffia discovered her passion for singing, and further recognized her God given gift to perform. As a child, she was a stand out vocalist as a member of the Childrens Church Choir, during which time she made her solo debut. At an early age, she chose to focus on developing her vocals skills utilizing her involvement with the choir as a means of displaying her singing ability.

Years later, Raffia began writing compositions with musical inspiration from such artists as Whitney Houston, Rachelle Ferrell, and Anita Baker to name a few. Her voice could be best described as soulful, sultry and passionate. From her ballads, to the up-tempo dance tracks, Nadine possesses the musical rhythm and style that has been compared to likes of Phyllis Hyman, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, and Toni Braxton.

Raffia graduated from the prestigious Berklee College of Music, in Boston Massachusetts, with a Bachelors Degree in Music Education/Voice Principal. Shortly after graduating, Raffia received the opportunity to travel to Manila, Philippines performing as the lead vocalist of the funk/jazz fusion band entitled Satya. She later sang with recording artist Jennifer Holiday, who played the original "Effie" from Dreamgirls at Marthas Vineyard. It was evident early on that Raffia was destined for stardom, and that she was merely scratching the surface of what was yet to come.

Raffia later performed with, or provided background vocals for, numerous artists including Aretha Franklin, Ledisi, Anita Baker, Gloria Estefan, Patrice Rushen, Melissa Etheridge, and Donnie McClurkin. Her dreams turned reality and her hard work certainly did not go unnoticed.

In 2009, Raffia competed to be part of P Diddys Making His Band reality television show. Her voice and persona awed the judges as she was chosen as one of five finalist out of thousands of musicians who had audition from across the state of New York. Her vocal ability carried her throughout the entire competition and into the televised final round of eliminations.

The success continued, Raffia begun work with Tito Jackson, receiving additional television exposure while singing lead/background vocals from the Jackson 5s greatest hits. The television program was entitled The Jacksons- A Family Dynasty debuted on A&E in December 2009.

With a slew of experience on her resume, and several highly respected musicians and producers in her corner, Raffia has begun working on her solo career. She is currently in the studio working on her debut album with various producers. She is prepared to share her potent singing and songwriting talents with the masses.

Raffia explains her sound this way; "Music is a powerful tool that was created to show expression. In my music I strive to express positive and meaningful life experiences that we all can relate to, regardless of age. Music is about touching people, and giving a sense of substance, hopefully sending a message that can be taken and applied to everyday life." Her debut album will feature a blend of Soul and R&B with a Jazz vibe that sets her apart. Raffia is a rarity in the music world today; a strong singer who lives to give her audience more than a performance, and a rare look into her musical soul.