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"I love being on the cusp of American and African culture. Both world affect me and my music," she says. When she opens for Femi, who performs with backup singers noted for their frenetic African dance moves, she sas she will emphasize the relevance for her song lyrics. - Chicago Sun-Times
Internationally acclaimed Chicago poets, Ugochi Nwaogwugwu and Krista Franklin will be giving a one-off live performance in Leeds on Wednesday 12 October 2005.
The event, which is hosted by Interplay Theatre and Leeds Young Authors, follows on from the successful poetry night staged last year as part of the I Love West Leeds Festival.
Ugochi is known as a singing sensation in her native city of Chicago. Her performance combines words and song, in a style which she calls vocal harmonics. She uses this technique both as a poet and a storyteller and to date she has performed in Paris, Amsterdam and London
- BBC Leeds
Expand your entertainment horizons with this nightof genre-blending showmanship. Join hosts musician Billy Branch and WBEZ's Sylvia ewing to take in performances by hip-hop artist Avery R. Young and singer Ugochi (right). - Chicago Tribune
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Still working on that hot first release.
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Bio
Ugochi and The SJS Trio are taking over the world. Her musical interests span all corners of the globe. Ugochi was born to Nigerian parents in Chicago. She credits both worlds with being the catalyst for her unique word, sound power and singing ability.
Ugochis sound has been described as lively, energetic music that makes your feet move and heart think. Ugochi has written poems that have been honored by internationally renowned organizations like Apples and Snakes in the UK . She has also shared the stage with established artists such as Common, Eric Benet, John Legend, Femi Kuti, Edwin McCain, Maxi Priest, Malik Yusef, Umphreys McGee, J. Ivy, Luciano, Shaggy, Wayne Wonder and Stephen Marley and Toots and the Maytals. Chicago Music Awards classified her as "Best African Entertainer 2005." Her musical reverberation, part Afrobeat and part Chi-town soul has been cleverly coined Afro-Soul.
Generally Ugochis choreo-poetic style of spoken word has been fused with her unique singing ability in order to generate a more powerful word sound attraction. A child of Nigeria, West Africa, Ugochi has grown into a full-fledged singer and songwriter comfortable enough with her talent for sound and the absence of it. A former rapper, turned poet, gone singer, Ugochi has become extremely versatile and creative with the range of music she is able to perform.
Ugochis music has allowed her to travel to many countries in Europe, including Paris, Amsterdam, London, Leeds, Italy as well as Nigeria, Brasil, and Jamaica. She also performed in Dance Africa Chicago 2001 where she received rave reviews by the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun Times. In 2003, legendary Chicago diva Chaka Khan saluted the emerging artist as someone who will have a long life in the music business, when she was selected as a semi-finalist on Star Search. Ugochi also wrote the only original song for the critically acclaimed Red Hot and Riot Compilation, in honor of the late Fela Ransome Kuti and global AIDS awareness. The song, So Be It, was performed by R&B star Kelis.
Thanks to the underground success of her debut album project appropriately titled African Buttafly, Ugochi is currently working on her sophomore album project that is sure to be another word, sound wonder. Illinois Entertainer Magazine hails her as an urban singing phenomenon, a rising star with reach far beyond her city block. Chicagos Power 92.3 radio personality, Cortney Babygirl Hicks, acknowledges her as the next independent artist to watch as she soars to her rightful place in music history. She continues to share her gift of song internationally. Ugochis hope is that she will see more of the planet through her music, eventually bridging the gap while taking in the sights and sounds of the world.
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