Tia Dae

Art Talk
A Brighter Vision
By:Larry Saxton
WI Contributing Writer

Tia Dae, vocalist and Washington DC native, has performed locally at Georgia Avenue Day, Unifest, and the Black Family Reunion. She was a nominee at the 9th annual Washington Area Music awards, a finalist in the WKYS competition "Next Hit", and was featured in the New Artist Spotlight segment on WHUR 96.3 FM. Tia signed her first recording deal with independent label Bright Vision Entertainment where she has released her first commercial CD single, I'm Tryin'. Tia sat down to talk to the Washington Informer about her life and music career.






WI: You wrote in your bio that when you were about five-years-old, your grandmother would call on you to sing for company. Do you remember the song you would sing?


Tia: The song my grandmother would always want me to sing was “Wind Beneath My Wings.” That was my grandmother’s favorite song. My grandmother liked to show me off. When she had company over she would have me come out to perform for them. I would be the entertainment.

WI: Where did you attend high school, and did you do any performing while you were there?

Tia: I attended H.D. Woodson High School. I performed locally at Unifest, Georgia Avenue Day, and The Black Family Reunion. At that time, I was with a different managing group and we would travel to Atlanta, where I performed at the Underground, and at Six Flags in New Jersey, and in Orlando, Fla.

WI: If you could choose an artist to sing a duet with, who would it be, and why?

Tia: It would be Mary J. Blige. She has a story that is somewhat similar to mine, and I think she could give me the direction that I am looking for. I believe she could give me a lot of pointers on how I could better my own career, because in this business, you should be growing continually. It would be a beautiful experience to do a duet with Mary J. Blige.

WI: When you listen to music, who do you listen to?

Tia: I’m listening to Dwele right now, he’s a singer out of Detroit. I have his CD on repeat. I can listen to r&b, rock, heavy metal, or opera; it depends on how the music grabs me at that moment. I just love music.

WI: You are an actress as well as a singer. Which is more demanding for you?

Tia: I like to call myself an entertainer, not just a singer. Both acting and singing are highly demanding. I often think about Jamie Foxx and how he was able to transition between being a comedian and a singer. A lot of people were saying, “How could he release a CD of songs?” Well, he is an entertainer, and that’s how I like to think of myself.

WI: What audience do you try to reach with your music?

Tia: I feel most comfortable with the mature crowds. I’ve grown a lot in my life and most of the lyrics in the songs I sing are based on real life situations in adult life. I would like to be able to cross over so I can connect with everyone, especially the younger generation. Personally, I believe the younger generation is suffering because of the music that’s being put out for them. I don’t believe the music makes young people do certain things, but if they continually hear negative influences, that’s what they’ll follow.

WI: Do you write any of the songs you sing?

Tia: Yes, I write a lot of the songs I sing.

WI: Is there one song that you have written that comes to mind right now?

Tia: The song is “It’s a Quiz Called Life.” It talks about trying to figure out this quiz called life. We study long and hard to find the answers, but all we need to do is get down on our knees and pray. Without having faith, we have nothing. I think life is a quiz, but we can find the answers.

WI: Tell us about your new CD.

Tia: It’s my CD single “I’m Tryin’,” which features two songs, “I’m Tryin’” and “Natural High.” “I’m Tryin’” is more of a ballad with a sadder feel to it. The song speaks to the struggles you may be going through, but you keep trying to make your way out. “Natural High” is more of a laid back, grown-up song with a sexy feel.

WI: All of your songs seem to all have messages. Why?

Tia: The music has a message to me. I like to write some of my own music so I can sing about situations that I feel people go through everyday. Growing up and listening to the pain coming through in Mary J. Blige’s songs, I could relate to that. I want people to relate to my songs, but I don’t want them to relate in a way that they get lost, or confused. I want them to relate in a way that they say “OK, I can do something. I can make it out of the situation that I’m in.”

WI: Where can we get a copy of your CD?

Tia: You can get it on-line at CD Baby, you can get on i-Tunes, BrightVisionEnt.com, that’s my label, and you can get it at Kemp Mill Records.

WI: What’s behind your drive to achieve your goals as an artist?

Tia: I believe it’s the determination I have because of the struggles I’ve gone through. I believe that I am somebody and that I will go places. I just had to wake up and pay attention. Believing in yourself, you have to believe you can accomplish what you want. People can believe in you all they want, but at the end of the day, if you don’t believe in yourself, other people believing in you means nothing. So I’m going to keep on pushin’.

WI: As an artist how would you like to be viewed in the African American community?

Tia: As a survivor. I’ve survived a lot of things. I work hard everyday, and that’s what it takes to make it in this business and in life. I want to be viewed as a person with determination, that is motivated, who is a leader, not someone who is just seen, but a person who has something to say and is respected. I want to help people change their lives for the better. I know, to some, these may seem to be lofty goals, but these are my goals and I will accomplish them, and that’s a promise I’ve made to myself. Look out for Bright Vision Entertainment’s First Lady, Tia Dae. I’m on the move!

For more information on Tia Dea visit www.myspace.com/mstiadae and www.brightvisionent.com.


Art Talk
A Brighter Vision
By Larry Saxton
WI Contributing Writer

Tia Dae, vocalist and Washington, D.C. native, has performed locally at Georgia Avenue Day, Unifest, and the Black Family Reunion. She was a nominee at the 9th Annual Washington Area Music Awards, a finalist in the WKYS competition “Next HIT,” and was featured in the New Artist Spotlight segment on WHUR.

Tia signed her first recording deal with independent label Bright Vision Entertainment where she has released her first commercial CD single, “I’m Tryin’.” She has been nominated for Most Promising Female Artist of the Year at the 2007 Underground






Print This Page WI: You wrote in your bio that when you were about five-years-old, your grandmother would call on you to sing for company. Do you remember the song you would sing?


Tia: The song my grandmother would always want me to sing was “Wind Beneath My Wings.” That was my grandmother’s favorite song. My grandmother liked to show me off. When she had company over she would have me come out to perform for them. I would be the entertainment.

WI: Where did you attend high school, and did you do any performing while you were there?

Tia: I attended H.D. Woodson High School. I performed locally at Unifest, Georgia Avenue Day, and The Black Family Reunion. At that time, I was with a different managing group and we would travel to Atlanta, where I performed at the Underground, and at Six Flags in New Jersey, and in Orlando, Fla.

WI: If you could choose an artist to sing a duet with, who would it be, and why?

Tia: It would be Mary J. Blige. She has a story that is somewhat similar to mine, and I think she could give me the direction that I am looking for. I believe she could give me a lot of pointers on how I could better my own career, because in this business, you should be growing continually. It would be a beautiful experience to do a duet with Mary J. Blige.

WI: When you listen to music, who do you listen to?

Tia: I’m listening to Dwele right now, he’s a singer out of Detroit. I have his CD on repeat. I can listen to r&b, rock, heavy metal, or opera; it depends on how the music grabs me at that moment. I just love music.

WI: You are an actress as well as a singer. Which is more demanding for you?

Tia: I like to call myself an entertainer, not just a singer. Both acting and singing are highly demanding. I often think about Jamie Foxx and how he was able to transition between being a comedian and a singer. A lot of people were saying, “How could he release a CD of songs?” Well, he is an entertainer, and that’s how I like to think of myself.

WI: What audience do you try to reach with your music?

Tia: I feel most comfortable with the mature crowds. I’ve grown a lot in my life and most of the lyrics in the songs I sing are based on real life situations in adult life. I would like to be able to cross over so I can connect with everyone, especially the younger generation. Personally, I believe the younger generation is suffering because of the music that’s being put out for them. I don’t believe the music makes young people do certain things, but if they continually hear negative influences, that’s what they’ll follow.

WI: Do you write any of the songs you sing?

Tia: Yes, I write a lot of the songs I sing.

WI: Is there one song that you have written that comes to mind right now?

Tia: The song is “It’s a Quiz Called Life.” It talks about trying to figure out this quiz called life. We study long and hard to find the answers, but all we need to do is get down on our knees and pray. Without having faith, we have nothing. I think life is a quiz, but we can find the answers.

WI: Tell us about your new CD.

Tia: It’s my CD single “I’m Tryin’,” which features two songs, “I’m Tryin’” and “Natural High.” “I’m Tryin’” is more of a ballad with a sadder feel to it. The song speaks to the struggles you may be going through, but you keep trying to make your way out. “Natural High” is more of a laid back, grown-up song with a sexy feel.

WI: All of your songs seem to all have messages. Why?

Tia: The music has a message to me. I like to write some of my own music so I can sing about situations that I feel people go through everyday. Growing up and listening to the pain coming through in Mary J. Blige’s songs, I could relate to that. I want people to relate to my songs, but I don’t want them to relate in a way that they get lost, or confused. I want them to relate in a way that they say “OK, I can do something. I can make it out of the situation that I’m in.”

WI: Where can we get a copy of your CD?

Tia: You can get it on-line at CD Baby, you can get on i-Tunes, BrightVisionEnt.com, that’s my label, and you can get it at Kemp Mill Records.

WI: What’s behind your drive to achieve your goals as an artist?

Tia: I believe it’s the determination I have because of the struggles I’ve gone through. I believe that I am somebody and that I will go places. I just had to wake up and pay attention. Believing in yourself, you have to believe you can accomplish what you want. People can believe in you all they want, but at the end of the day, if you don’t believe in yourself, other people believing in you means nothing. So I’m going to keep on pushin’.

WI: As an artist how would you like to be viewed in the African American community?

Tia: As a survivor. I’ve survived a lot of things. I work hard everyday, and that’s what it takes to make it in this business and in life. I want to be viewed as a person with determination, that is motivated, who is a leader, not someone who is just seen, but a person who has something to say and is respected. I want to help people change their lives for the better. I know, to some, these may seem to be lofty goals, but these are my goals and I will accomplish them, and that’s a promise I’ve made to myself. Look out for Bright Vision Entertainment’s First Lady, Tia Dae. I’m on the move!

For more information on Tia Dea visit www.myspace.com/mstiadae and www.brightvisionent.com.


Art Talk
A
- Washington Informer

Suitland singer releases her first full album
by Ken Sain | Staff Writer
E-mail this article \ Print this article




Tia Dae may have just released her first full album, but the Suitland singer⁄songwriter is hardly an overnight success story. And that is reflected in the title of her debut CD, ‘‘It’s A Nu Dae.”

‘‘I was a teenager when I was first approached by a record producer, and it was a wild ride for a couple of years,” Dae said. That ride included a Wammie nomination in 1994 by the Washington Area Music Association.
But her career never took off.

Now Dae has signed on with an independent label, Bright Vision Entertainment. She released a two-track CD in June and now has her first full album out.

It has seven songs and Dae said that she wrote 98 percent of the lyrics herself. The sound is similar to one of Dae’s inspirations, Mary J. Blige.

‘‘It’s adult music, it’s very relaxing, very versatile,” Dae said. ‘‘I’d say it has a funky R&B, soul, jazz feel to it. It’s going to grab people.”

She kept singing right as a teen and was eventually discovered. But getting that first CD made never fully materialized. And in the interim, Dae gave birth to two daughters, Tytiana 10, and JiMie, 2.

It was the desire to live closer to her older daughter’s school that led Dae to move to Suitland in December. Now she is balancing being a mother and trying to find success on an independent label.

‘‘It’s very demanding,” she said. ‘‘Nothing but the force of God can keep me from doing everything I need to do, because I want to take care of those two girls. I want them to be able to do things in their lives that I wasn’t able to do. I want to make sure my children are set.”

Dae says she writes about life.

‘‘’Quiz Called Life’ (one of the tracks on the CD) is very much about life,” Dae said. ‘‘We don’t know the answers, but once we find them, we have to hold on.”

Bey Bright, head of Bright Vision Entertainment, was the executive producer on the CD. There are three tracks from the CD available to listen to on the Web at www.brightvisionent. com⁄label.

Dae said that she wants to continue to grow as a musician, including learning how to play the guitar. But most of all she wants to stay humble, no matter how much success may come her way.

That includes an album release party scheduled for March 21. Details are still being planned.

‘‘Sometimes your excitement can evolve into a state of stupidity,” she said. ‘‘I’m just trying to stay grounded.”





- Gazette.Net

Hard work, determination, and a strong belief in self are very important attributes to enter the highly competitive, dog-eat-dog world of the entertainment industry. Some artists simply entertain audiences to make them feel good and important for a special evening. Others take their talents deeper by sharing personal experiences to encourage and edify others to get through insurmountable situations. Song stylist and actress Tia Dae has chosen both routes for her career path.

As an accomplished actress in both film and stage, Dae plays a small bit part in the recent independent film, "Jazz In The Diamond District," about a young lady chasing her dream to become a successful vocalist. Through her own burning desire for music while paying the obligatory dues, Dae's dream is to be recognized as a positive impact, especially for a younger generation. In 1994, she was validated with a WAMA nomination (Washington (D.C.) Area Music Awards) in the Urban Contemporary category amongst nationally known musicians Me'Shell Ndegeocello and Toni Braxton. Despite that respectable company, Tia yearns to sing a duet one day with R&B diva Mary J. Blige because of their similar storylines of connecting with their audiences about overcoming their personal struggles.

It's A Nu Dae draws upon Dae's personal journey in her adult years, both painful and joyful, set to a hybrid of jazz, R&B, and dance, while also drawing upon Neo-Soul heroes Jill Scott and Erykah Badu, shades of Anita Baker's jazzy sultriness, and Mary J's tenacious passion. This debut six-song EP shines best on "I Remember," reminiscing about pleasurable romantic moments; "A Quiz Called Life," an insightful look at life's observations; and the most intriguing piece, "I'm Tryin," about the intense frustration in leaving a hopeless relationship: "I'm tryin' to get past the lies." Even though "Dance Wit' Me" does not rate as highly amongst the aforementioned selections, Dae flexes her entertainment skills with a soft but sassy vocal on top of eighties' disco throwback beats. "It's A Nu Dae" is a decent first start, but with bonafide vocal abilities and an unrelenting drive to stay motivated and positive in a sometimes jaded business, Dae will return to the studio with an increased vengeance.

By Peggy Oliver

- Soul Tracks.com

Washington Times
The Washington Times
May 26, 1993
Opportunity raps
Two `black music' confabs kickin' it at city hotels
Author: Laura Outerbridge; THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Edition: 2
Section: E
LIFE
Page: E1
Estimated printed pages: 7
Article Text:
Except for the stars in her eyes, Tia Davis pretty much leads the life of an average 15-year-old.
She likes to read, write letters, go to movies and amusement parks "and most of all, sing," the Northeast D.C. teen-ager explains in a no-nonsense chirp.
And can she sing. After an audition two years ago with local producer and WKYS-FM disc jockey Alvin Jones, "He had to rearrange the pictures on his walls and pick up the china," says her father, Prince Davis. "She literally let loose."
Since then, Tia has been a regular in Mr. Jones' monthly talent showcases at the local Ritz nightclub, among others. She does the hits by all the big rhythm and blues divas: Anita Baker, Whitney Houston, Gloria Estefan.
Over the past year, Mr. Jones says, he's watched her mature into a practiced entertainer.
"At first she was very shy," he says. "Now she's becoming more of a performer. Slowly but surely, she's developing into an art! ist."
And this week, Tia and her dad are gearing up for what they hope will be the break in her fledgling career.
Some of the biggest names in the R & B business will spend Memorial Day weekend in Washington. Singers, rappers, producers, radio and record-label executives will be here in scores to perform, talk music, play golf and keep an eye out for new talent at not one, but two glitzy music conventions.
Tia hopes to perform at one of the many talent showcases scheduled at nightclubs through the weekend, where young hopefuls will sing side by side with big-name performers such as Run DMC and Doug E. Fresh.
"There's no telling when an opportunity like this will present itself again," says Prince Davis, 38, who has spent the past few days scrambling to assemble a portfolio of photos and a demo tape of his daughter to hand out.
"This is probably the best opportunity to be discovered, with all these executives being in town at the same time! ," the D.C. Superior Court employee says.
For her part, Tia Dav is is ready to make her run at fame. "I'd like to see myself at the top," the 10th-grader at H.D. Woodson High School says. "I want to be the best I can be."
* * *
- Washington Times