Issue link: http://theflywire.uberflip.com/i/245164
nd, Grace & Gratitude "The Uber Awesome Socialite Rockstar," that's the tagline of lyrically gifted songstress, SahLence. If you've ever spent five minutes in her presence, it's easy to see why. Her personality is bright, her words are luminary, and her voice is sensational. This charismatic and eclectic singer-songwriter hails from Staten Island, New York, but was raised along the east coast and carries with her all the flavor of New York, all the color of Miami, and all the gritty soul of Baltimore. The songstress just released her debut EP "Grind, Grace & Gratitude." SahLence began singing at the age of eight in her school concert choir, and greatly progressed as a vocalist under the guidance of several amazing and accomplished instructors. Her love for songwriting also spawned at an early age. She began writing short stories and jingles at the young age of four years old. By the age of 12, SahLence had co-created the score of an all original off-Broadway play written by her and her fellow classmates in a New York City arts program known as "Broadway Breaks Away". By the age of 14, she was producing, writing, recording and singing her own original music. A classically trained Soprano I, SahLence has the versatility and range to sing a wide array of genres from Opera to Jazz, however, her heart is in Urban Pop and R&B.As a performer, SahLence earned her stripes learning the ropes as a background vocalist for several artists on the Baltimore music scene, including Marcel Russel, J.S.O.U.L and Che Ray. She attended college at Coppin State University, a small HBCU in the heart of Baltimore, Maryland, where she majored in Music Entertainment Management. Her major further encouraged her presence on campus as a performer, and she quickly became known for her powerful voice and colorful personality. Wanting to break away from being known as "just another background vocalist", she began frequenting open mics in the DMV area, and quickly began to shine as a solo artist, making herself a staple at favorited open mic events Organic Soul Tuesdays and Warm Wednesdays. On her quest to become a soloist, SahLence met DC producer and drummer Kevin Rutledge, who groomed her studio etiquette. SahLence learned the ropes of recording under Kevin's guidance, and with him, wrote and recorded dozens of records as both a songwriter and artist. Over the years, SahLence has had the opportunity to collaborate with several artists and producers as both a singer and a songwriter. She has had the privilege of working with Fred The Godson, Boola (Ne-Yo, Beenie Siegel, Nicole Wray, Kanye West) , Syesha Mercado (American Idol Season 7 finalist), The Heatmakerz (The Diplomats, Cam'Ron, Juelz Santana), The Twilite Tone (Common, Kanye West), Jarina DeMarco (Wyclef Jean's All Handz On Deck), Dice Raw of The Roots, Ray Angry (Joss Stone, The Roots, Mick Jagger, Elvis Costello) and several other world renowned artists, producers, and musicians. Though the grind has been non-stop and the experiences enriching; this is step one. SahLence realizes that she is merely getting started in her career, and is excited for all that is to come in the future.