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Her
name is Laurnea, and she's an amazing, progressive song stylist
and composer whose distinctive, hauntingly passionate voice and
soul-affirming lyrics defy traditional r&b/pop categorization.
The heart and soul-affirming lyrics that pass through her gifted
golden pipes make indelible impressions so strong they'll surely
last a lifetime. Which brings us to Betta Listen, Laurnea's appropriately
titled Yab Yum/Epic Records debut album.
Betta
Listen, partially recorded at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios
in London, is a glistening collection of exceptionally well-crafted
original songs. And although she is the album's primary composer,
Laurnea shares co-writing and production credits with such top urban
hitmakers as Speech (Arrested Development), Kwesi (a/k/a DJ Kemet),
Omar, and Raphael Saadiq (Tony Toni Tone); additional tracks were
written and produced by Yab Yum producer Jon-John Robinson.
A
serious listen to Betta Listen confirms Laurnea's estimation. Highlight
tracks include "Sun Don't Rain," a beautifully sung and
bountifully arranged future classic; "Happy," a fierce
jazz/funk foray into love's ecstatic possibilities; and "Can't
Let Go," a heartfelt declaration of devotion with prominent
acoustic guitar and heavenly backing vocals. "Today" is
a svelte blend of silk and satin soul; "Infatuation,"
a saga of insatiable sensual stamina; while "Gone" features
one of Laurnea's most straight-ahead, jazz-inspired performances.
Always
inclined to follow her own lead, Laurnea's entry into the solo recording
spotlight offers refreshing contrast to the seemingly endless string
of similar-sounding r&b/hip hop "divas" being force-fed
the public these days. Her music challenges yet champions the listener,
never underesti-mating one's intelligence or taste. Her stylized
musical approach ÷ an irresistible R&B/jazz/soul hybrid
÷ offers serious heartfelt images amplified by an understated
but always effective vocal delivery.
In
addition to the release of Betta Listen, Laurnea looks forward to
the Spring '97 release of the M-G-M movie Hoodlum, directed by Bill
Duke (Deep Cover, Sister Act 2) and starring Laurence Fishburne,
Tim Roth, Andy Garcia, and Vanessa Williams. In the role of a '30s
nightclub singer, Laurnea performs the big band jazz classic "It
Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)," accompanied
by the Duke Ellington Orchestra. (This isn't her first time on the
big screen: Laurnea had a cameo role in Spike Lee's acclaimed School
Daze.)
Laurnea
Wilkerson was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and raised in Los Angeles;
currently, she resides in Atlanta. Her late, beloved mother Velma
Brock once sang with the legendary Sam Cooke; four of her five daughters
were also singers. Laurnea remembers vocalizing since the age of
nine; nevertheless, she insists, "I never dreamed of making
it a career ÷ it's just something I did, in addition to being
a dancer." (In her teens, Laurnea became the lead dancer of
a critically acclaimed, nationally touring drill team.)
"In
fact," she adds, "although I grew up singing in church,
acting in a few plays, and even doing secular gigs, for a long time
I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do with my life."
"Acting
is something I love," Laurnea explains, "but music is
my first priority. The process of making Betta Listen was an exhilarating
creative experience for me especially when a song, once it was recorded,
went beyond the result I'd anticipated."
A
former member of England's pop/r&b group Loose Ends, and later
a pivotal part of Bobby McFerrin's famous "Voicestra"
ensemble, Laur nea was recruited by McFerrin to record the singing
voice of Dorothy for Ringling Bros.' acclaimed touring production
of "The Wizard of Oz On Ice." Her concert tour credentials
include sharing stages with Jeffrey Osborne, singing background
on the Patti LaBelle/James Ingram tour, and performing with Arrested
Development. In addition, she has sung on tv commercials for J.C.
Penney, the Cotton Corporation, South- western Bell, Burger King
and Coca Cola; appeared in four films, including Spike Lee's classic
School Daze; and played Whoopi Goldberg's younger sister on the
ABC-TV after-school special, "My Past Is My Own."
Betta
Listen is a sensational breakthrough album, but longevity is the
key to a hit-making present and a chart-topping future. This is
one young artist whose clear vision and multifaceted talent will
surely serve her well in the long run. "My music is my legacy,"
Laurnea assures us, "and giving it to the people is what I
knew I had to do before leaving this planet for the next phase."
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