Shuree

Sounds like: Ultimate dance party; compare to Whitney Houston, Katy Perry, Mandisa

Top tracks: "One G1rl Can Change the World," "Dancin' 2 Eternity," "Undeniable"

Shuree showcases a wide variety of vocal talents, ranging from rap a la Nicki Minaj on "Mine" to a stripped down, worshipful performance on "Undeniable." The album closes with an edgy dub-step remix of the title track that encourages listeners get out of their seats and "Dancin' 2 Eternity." Helmed by Grammy-nominated producer Oh, Hush! (Cee Lo Green, Justin Bieber), One G1rl paves the way for artists who want to break out of the traditional guitar-strumming-worship-leader mold and redefine the genre.

- Christianity Today

Whitney Houston's recent death rocked the world of Shuree Rivera, a promising young pop singer who releases her debut album in March. Shuree (she goes by her first name as an artist), like so many young girls, was inspired by Houston to start singing in the first place.
Shuree Rivera
Shuree Rivera

But Shuree may relate to the late diva more than others. Houston's life was marred by drug problems and a rocky marriage. Shuree grew up in a broken home where domestic violence and substance abuse were the norm; she lost a 21-year-old sister to an overdose.

"Growing up, all four of us [children] faced abuse of all kinds," Shuree says. "Our parents would fistfight in our home and out on the street, and drug and alcohol abuse was all around us. We all had to make a choice how we were going to handle our own personal pain."

On her blog, Shuree wrote, "There were many painful abusive situations I faced as a child. I remember when the darkness tried to overtake my existence as young woman. I remember wishing that I was dead. What stopped me from hurting myself? The Word of God." On another blog post, she wrote a poem about her mother that includes these lines:

Childhood abuse screwed you mentally
making you a mom who couldn't see
a new day had begun
but the demons of your past seemed to always come

You locked yourself up when your bipolar hit
Daddy and you began to split

A past of pain, regrets, and no love tore up your soul
and made you turn to drugs
I never knew you were an addict before
and this was how you coped before I was born

5 kids later we all wait for the day
when we'll have our mother
and her demons are slayed

We're all waitin for a little love
but all we keep gettin is our mamma's drug

Through faith and persistence, Shuree has risen above her circumstances. The first single from her new album is called "One Girl (Can Change the World)"—and she really believes it.

"I know from my own life that your past does not dictate your future," Shuree says while sipping on a steaming cup of joe at Filter coffeehouse in Chicago. "Every great superhero has a point in their life where they experience heartbreak or disaster or loss, and out of that grew strength and courage. That's what they used to change the world."

To combat the darkness of her childhood, Shuree turned to her hopes and dreams—music.

"When times got really bad, I would hide in my closet and sing to myself," says Shuree, who, inspired by Houston, started singing at the age of 7. "I would pretend that I was being interviewed by a talk-show host, telling them about my childhood and how I made it through. It was like I was preparing for the day when I got out and could tell my story."

Now, nearly two decades later, Shuree's story is being told with the help of Grammy-nominated producer Oh, Hush! on an upbeat studio album, Broken Is Beautiful. The project provides listeners a glimpse into songs of a heart set free from the pain of the past.

Shuree developed a heart for ministry during while at Nyack College in New York. As she reached out to at-risk youth on the streets and listened to their stories of dysfunctional families, she realized that her own painful past, hundreds of miles away in Columbus, Ohio, was not much different from the lives of youth in the Bronx.

"I really felt convicted to be a role model for them," Shuree said. "I didn't want to be a pop star that just gave teenagers another song that would cause them to shake their booty or get pregnant at the age of 16."

Shuree says Houston, Cyndi Lauper, and Mariah Carey have been major influences, though her Christian faith has always been her central focus. Today, she leads worship at Compass Church in Naperville, Ill., and sings on the worship team at Willow Creek Church in South Barrington, Ill. She also works as a background singer, writes songs with EMI in Nashville, performs, and speaks at youth conferences. And, oh yeah, she made an irresistibly catchy video for Fanta.

Her producer, Oh Hush!, says that Christian music is often "three or four years behind what's happening in the mainstream," but that Shuree is cutting edge. "It's not real safe vanilla typical stuff you typically hear. We're keeping it competitive with what's happening in the mainstream instead of playing it safe and doing what's been done before.

"She wants to inspire people. I've written songs with major label artists who have gold records on their walls, and I'd put Shuree's single ["One Girl"] up with any other ones I've written. It's an empowering song; it's a message people need to hear."

Shuree will showcase her talents and promote her new album April 14 at Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church, opening for Rebecca St. James on the "Purity & Worship Tour." - Christianity Today

Whitney Houston's recent death rocked the world of Shuree Rivera, a promising young pop singer who releases her debut album in March. Shuree (she goes by her first name as an artist), like so many young girls, was inspired by Houston to start singing in the first place.
Shuree Rivera
Shuree Rivera

But Shuree may relate to the late diva more than others. Houston's life was marred by drug problems and a rocky marriage. Shuree grew up in a broken home where domestic violence and substance abuse were the norm; she lost a 21-year-old sister to an overdose.

"Growing up, all four of us [children] faced abuse of all kinds," Shuree says. "Our parents would fistfight in our home and out on the street, and drug and alcohol abuse was all around us. We all had to make a choice how we were going to handle our own personal pain."

On her blog, Shuree wrote, "There were many painful abusive situations I faced as a child. I remember when the darkness tried to overtake my existence as young woman. I remember wishing that I was dead. What stopped me from hurting myself? The Word of God." On another blog post, she wrote a poem about her mother that includes these lines:

Childhood abuse screwed you mentally
making you a mom who couldn't see
a new day had begun
but the demons of your past seemed to always come

You locked yourself up when your bipolar hit
Daddy and you began to split

A past of pain, regrets, and no love tore up your soul
and made you turn to drugs
I never knew you were an addict before
and this was how you coped before I was born

5 kids later we all wait for the day
when we'll have our mother
and her demons are slayed

We're all waitin for a little love
but all we keep gettin is our mamma's drug

Through faith and persistence, Shuree has risen above her circumstances. The first single from her new album is called "One Girl (Can Change the World)"—and she really believes it.

"I know from my own life that your past does not dictate your future," Shuree says while sipping on a steaming cup of joe at Filter coffeehouse in Chicago. "Every great superhero has a point in their life where they experience heartbreak or disaster or loss, and out of that grew strength and courage. That's what they used to change the world."

To combat the darkness of her childhood, Shuree turned to her hopes and dreams—music.

"When times got really bad, I would hide in my closet and sing to myself," says Shuree, who, inspired by Houston, started singing at the age of 7. "I would pretend that I was being interviewed by a talk-show host, telling them about my childhood and how I made it through. It was like I was preparing for the day when I got out and could tell my story."

Now, nearly two decades later, Shuree's story is being told with the help of Grammy-nominated producer Oh, Hush! on an upbeat studio album, Broken Is Beautiful. The project provides listeners a glimpse into songs of a heart set free from the pain of the past.

Shuree developed a heart for ministry during while at Nyack College in New York. As she reached out to at-risk youth on the streets and listened to their stories of dysfunctional families, she realized that her own painful past, hundreds of miles away in Columbus, Ohio, was not much different from the lives of youth in the Bronx.

"I really felt convicted to be a role model for them," Shuree said. "I didn't want to be a pop star that just gave teenagers another song that would cause them to shake their booty or get pregnant at the age of 16."

Shuree says Houston, Cyndi Lauper, and Mariah Carey have been major influences, though her Christian faith has always been her central focus. Today, she leads worship at Compass Church in Naperville, Ill., and sings on the worship team at Willow Creek Church in South Barrington, Ill. She also works as a background singer, writes songs with EMI in Nashville, performs, and speaks at youth conferences. And, oh yeah, she made an irresistibly catchy video for Fanta.

Her producer, Oh Hush!, says that Christian music is often "three or four years behind what's happening in the mainstream," but that Shuree is cutting edge. "It's not real safe vanilla typical stuff you typically hear. We're keeping it competitive with what's happening in the mainstream instead of playing it safe and doing what's been done before.

"She wants to inspire people. I've written songs with major label artists who have gold records on their walls, and I'd put Shuree's single ["One Girl"] up with any other ones I've written. It's an empowering song; it's a message people need to hear."

Shuree will showcase her talents and promote her new album April 14 at Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church, opening for Rebecca St. James on the "Purity & Worship Tour." - Christianity Today

Shuree Rivera believes that one girl can change the world, and she just might be the person for the job.

Rivera, a music leader at Compass Church in Naperville, is taking her message beyond the house of worship with the release of her first album, “Broken is Beautiful.”

“Through my music, I want to reach people at a place that encourages them to live with a purpose,” Rivera said. “I want to write lyrics you can live by and not just sing to.”

The singer-songwriter speaks from experience. Rivera said that, while growing up, drug and alcohol abuse was prevalent in her home. Domestic violence was a common occurrence.

She said many of the stories she tells through songs such as “One Girl (Can Change the World)” and “Broken is Beautiful” come from her childhood experiences.

“My mom is a recovering crack addict, and I lost my 21-year-old sister to a drug overdose,” Rivera said. “I grew up in a home where I loved to sing, and it was my escape from the realities that were happening. I would write lyrics and sing to soothe my soul.”

It wasn’t until she left home and got involved in urban ministry that she found her true calling.

“I was first exposed to urban ministry — a nonprofit outreach to young people — while a student at College of New York,” Rivera said. “That is where I realized that a lot of young people shared my story, and I found a place where I was able to relate to the world.”

She went on to graduate with a degree in music business in 2001, and began pursuing her dream as a recording artist. Her first album, “Broken is Beautiful,” will be released in November.

“I wanted to become a recording artist and write some of the things that were on my heart,” Rivera said. “My hope is that in this album, the lyrics will be alternative anthems people can sing when they are feeling down, that will give them hope and courage.”

Shelley Bacote would say she is succeeding. She first heard Rivera’s music while attending a service at Compass Church, and said Rivera’s “soulful voice” makes her “songs and their messages stick in your mind.”

“Shuree’s songs minister to young and mature women alike, particularly those who may have gone through difficult times or personal struggles,” Bacote said. “Her music has a way of offering the hope that their future will be better than their past.”

Bacote said Rivera’s personal struggles serve as inspiration for all who hear her music.

“To a person who is currently going through something that is causing them stress or worry, her story can remind them that, even if their situation doesn’t immediately change, they should not give up on life.” - Naperville-Sun