Sonya LaChelle

Awe-inspiring. Electrifying. Captivating. These are just a few of the words, of many, that describe the voice of Sonya LaChelle. With the surprise of an unexpected whirlwind, Sonya’s debut single, “You Ain’t Got Nothin” took the Tampa Bay area by storm. Fresh off of the success of that release, Sonya’s eagerly anticipated full-length effort, “With You” is as exciting and inspirational, and definitely unforgettable.

It is her diversity and style that makes her sound magical. And through her collaborations with fresh and innovative production talents, Sonya is able to deliver a complete package. Wanting to maintain a highly eclectic palette of musical offerings, Sonya solicited the production talents of Dexter Redding, son of the legendary Otis Redding, John “Dash” Dixon, Chris Spencer, and newcomers Damon “Idiomz” Curtis and Kensington “Phat Boi” Franklin. This array of producers has taken traditional, contemporary, R & B, hip-hop and jazz sounds, thrown them in a pot, stirred them up and served a musical feast for the ears that is packed with flavor.

A truly unique talent herself, Sonya grew up in the Tampa Bay area having strong ties to her musical roots. As the daughter of Larry Sanders (The Prophet of Soul) it was inevitable that her abilities would soon shine through. And her talents were revealed early on. Sonya began singing for the Lord at the age of 9. Though content to sing at church for many years, the strength and power of her vocal ability continued to grow and provide inspiration for any that could hear her.

The growth process that has lead to the introduction of Sonya’s full-length album has been a revealing experience for her. Although she came up with an adoration for praise and worship, Sonya’s tastes have expanded to include the unadulterated power in the voice of Whitney Houston, the intricate yet down to earth stylings of Mary J. Blige, and the jazz-like smoothness of neo-soul. It is no wonder, then, that her own sound is as widely diverse and equally eclectic.

Her focus is deliberate as she intends to captivate and minister to a more distant set of ears. She is reaching out, not only to her more established listeners, but also to the youth. “Why? Because they are young and I want them to have an opportunity to choose who they are to be, rather than allowing themselves to be trained to conform to what's comfortable for everyone around them. We are not called to be terrorists in society, but productive. And sometimes, productivity warrants a revolution so that new things that are relevant to the day and time can be discovered. And that's what I hope to get across to the young - be they young in age or young in heart - those who are willing to hear, learn, and grow beyond their current mindset...”

Many times, artists will come up with a “catchy” title for their album, then set out to write a song or songs that conform to that title. Most of the time, you can tell that the end product was a “forced” fit. Not the case with “With You”. Written well in advance of the conception of the album as a whole, “With You” encompasses every passion and every message that Sonya has been lead to speak on. One listen, and your spirit will be enveloped.