*Kenya is a richly inspired vocalist/songwriter whose jazz-kissed soul style is wooing admirers simultaneously in the U.S. and U.K.
Ironically, her lyrically captivating compositions almost never made it to the ears of the public. Kenya’s life roles as wife and mother of two sons plus working for over a decade as a physical therapist, clinician and educator nearly eclipsed her vision of herself as a viable artist bearing valuable musical gifts.
Now, thanks to her reinvigorated relationship with God, the support of her loving husband (a surgeon) and counselors that cosmically expanded her viewpoint on life purpose—all of that has purposefully changed as Kenya prepares to share her first full-length CD, My Own Skin. Time invested finding herself has resulted in songs informed with wisdom first gleaned for her that will be balms of insight and comfort for others.
“There are many layers to me and spaces within me,” Kenya shares. “My Own Skin is about the importance of being yourself.
As an ‘80s kid that melded the Jazz from Billie Holiday to Grover Washington, Jr. that her drummer father sat her down to study, the Soul music of Minnie Riperton and the Jackson 5 she gravitated to at a young age, and the Top 40 of the Police and Robert Palmer that she rocked out to from radio and videos, Kenya’s musical vocabulary is broad and spoken fluently throughout My Own Skin.
Kenya’s current American lead single “Let Me” represents her lighter, danceable side as she sings an open invitation to let her give you joy over a steady mid-tempo groove with lovely flute and synth ambience. The video for “Let Me” was filmed in Los Angeles and features Amin Joseph (of the “Zane Chronicles” and “Transparent” TV programs).
Kenya McGuire Johnson is a native of Denver, Colorado, who began singing at eight and playing flute in third grade.
Kenya released two EPs prior to her U.K. release of My Own Skin. The self-penned Starting Over in 2010, produced by GRAMMY®Award-winning producer Maurice Joshua and a project covering her favorite songs Jazz Made Rhythm in 2012—via her own KenyaMJMusic company and building fan bases both here and abroad. She has opened shows for Lalah Hathaway, Rachelle Ferrell and Raul Midon, Kenya and family were also profiled in EBONY magazine as a couple that made a way for their unorthodox marriage to be a mutually successful situation.
Find Kenya Online via @KenyaMJMusic
source:
Kisha
[email protected]
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