Vudoo Soul
"You heard of this Asian R&B dude they call Vudoo Soul? He went to MIT, never sang til college, but tries out for American Idol, makes it to Hollywood. Vu walks into Harlem and holds it down easy... You'd never expect the kind of voice that comes out him. You have to see it to believe it man."
Tell me about your history? How did you get where you are now?
"I never imagined a voice like that coming out of a body like yours."
- American Idol judge Randy Jackson,
voting thumbs-up for Vudoo Soul
Vudoo Soul does not look or sound like anything the music industry would traditionally label a "soul man". However, driven by an unwavering desire to break that mold, Vudoo Soul is emerging as one of the freshest faces and styles in music today.
After graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the young singer found himself frustrated with the heartless expectations of a "real" career path. Thus, he abandoned his electrical engineering degree to follow his passion and chase the dream of music. With an unstoppable resilience, sharpened by a childhood on unforgiving streets, Vudoo Soul took matters into his own hands in order to create himself a space in the music industry. Despite his unlikely circumstances and a lack of any prior knowledge of music, he quickly became self-taught as a pianist and songwriter, developing a keen resourcefulness and relentless optimism in his hustle as music's underdog.
Within 18 short months, his tireless work ethic gained him a nation-wide audience, performing for thousands of fans - from New York to Texas to California. Displaying an explosive stage presence and a booming voice of soul that betrays his appearance, Vudoo Soul has infamously garnered a "you-gotta-see-it-to-believe-it" reputation. In his unusual presence as a lead-vocalist in the Kuumba Singers Gospel Choir, he toured throughout Atlanta, GA leaving wildly supportive audiences in his wake. In September '05, he performed to an ecstatic sold-out crowd at a Hurricane Katrina-relief benefit on the Main Stage of New York Citys Knitting Factory, covered by MTV World News. Vudoo Soul dared to compete in various Apollo Night-style events, where audiences witnessed him beating the odds to win one title after the next. During his performance for ImaginAsian TV in New York, Vudoo Soul even caused Russell Simmons to interrupt his own media interview in order to catch him in action. Moreover, Vudoo Soul has now officially become an international entertainer with his April 2006 debut in Asia. Fans anticipation of his arrival has drawn major media coverage from HK Magazine and the South China Morning Post, Hong Kongs premier English newspaper.
No one can deny the ever-growing audience that has consistently validated Vudoo Soul's tremendous talent: Hollywood Finalist for American Idol Season 2, Winner of the Boston Black Student Union's Apollo Night 2004, $1,000 Grand Prize Winner of Kollaboration New York 2005, $1,500 Grand Prize Winner of The New York Blackberry Soul, Two-time Champion of New York's Training Camp Underground Hip-Hop/R&B Showdown, and most recently, $3,000 Grand Prize Winner of Asian Elevation. Adoring fans of all ages, ethnicities and backgrounds can't be wrong. Yet, this is just the beginning.
As the recording and final production of his first official album approach, Vudoo Soul continues to travel and deliver his engaging performances with a heart-felt voice. His intense, yet tender nature inspires audiences everywhere with an emotional brilliance that moves and mesmerizes spirits through the power of a single soul and his song.
Catch the latest with Vudoo Soul @ http://www.myspace.com/vudoosoul
College Performances: Boston University, Harvard University, MIT, Wellesley College, Boston College, UT Austin, UMass Lowell, UMass Amherst, Brandeis University, Pace University, Suffolk University, LaGuardia Community College NY, San Jose State University
Other Venues: Crash Mansion (NY), The Bitter End (NY), The Knitting Factory Main Room (NY), Bowery Poetry Club (NY), CBGB's (NY), Pyramid (NY), Mercury Lounge (NY), Tribeca Performing Arts Theatre (NY), B.B.King's (NY & CA), Club IVAR (CA), Pasadena Civic Auditorium (CA), Paradise Rock Club (MA), The Middle East (MA), Club Passim (MA), All Asia (MA), The Edge (Hong Kong), The Fringe Club (Hong Kong), Cashman Center Theatre (Las Vegas), The ONYX Hotel (Austin, TX), Athenaeum Theatre (Chicago, IL)
Have you performed live in front of an audience? Any special memories?
Yes. Anywhere & Everywhere!
Your musical influences
Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Donny Hathaway, Elvis Presley, SWV, Tevin Campbell, Soul 4 Real, Alicia Keys, Musiq Soulchild, Ben Folds, Boyz II Men
What equipment do you use?
piano
Anything else?
Piano-driven, Singer-Songwriter Craftings, built off of a Foundation in 70's R&B/Soul Music, sheened with a Pop Polish.
