Introducing
to the world Reggae Music’s Newest Sweetheart
CYNTHIA
”EMPRESS “RILEY
Being
raised in the concrete jungle provided so many opportunities to get
into the wrong thing, but with the nurturing and encouragement of her
mother Empress immersed herself in her studies, the church and her
family. A well rounded artist, Empress also plays 3 instruments: the
violin, the piano and the clarinet. She always stayed connected to
her love of music through the church choir, the school choir, or just
hanging with friends who shared her same love of music. Her journey
to the stage has not been easy or short. Many people don’t realize
the challenges that face artists, in particular female artists. Like
most of us having to work to survive, Empress tried to stop dreaming
of the stage and stick with more conventional ideals of life and
work. “I always had a good job, and could just work the job and
be successful…but I always felt like a caged bird.
The 9 – 5 thing just wasn’t me, I needed to be free to sing, to create, meet people and spread love - that’s what it’s about.” Her dream of singing was always within reach, but it wasn’t until tragedy struck, that she decided to finally take the leap of faith to bring her dream to reality. In 2007 Empress lost both her dad and her older brother both within a 3 month span. The losses devastated her but at the same time gave her the renewed ambition to follow her dreams. Hence, www.myspace.com/empressriley was born in June 2007. Through myspace and the internet she was able to make the international contacts that she needed to go to the next level.
Most importantly, her introduction to the Musical Ambassador, Mr. Trevor Elliott, was what she needed to open the door. “He gave me the chance to prove myself by providing great music”. It was during this time she wrote and recorded her single “Hurry”.
The 9 – 5 thing just wasn’t me, I needed to be free to sing, to create, meet people and spread love - that’s what it’s about.” Her dream of singing was always within reach, but it wasn’t until tragedy struck, that she decided to finally take the leap of faith to bring her dream to reality. In 2007 Empress lost both her dad and her older brother both within a 3 month span. The losses devastated her but at the same time gave her the renewed ambition to follow her dreams. Hence, www.myspace.com/empressriley was born in June 2007. Through myspace and the internet she was able to make the international contacts that she needed to go to the next level.
Most importantly, her introduction to the Musical Ambassador, Mr. Trevor Elliott, was what she needed to open the door. “He gave me the chance to prove myself by providing great music”. It was during this time she wrote and recorded her single “Hurry”.
“I grew
up listening to the likes of Bob Marley and the Wailers, Peter Tosh,
Marcia Griffith, JC Lodge, Patra, Cynthia Schloss, Dawn Penn, Gregory
Isaacs, Everton Blender, Tinga Stewart, Ziggy Marley and the Melody
Makers, Lauryn Hill, just to name a few…the list could go on and
on and on. Using these artists and so many more as a study guide
helped her to develop her own personal style. “Reggae music on a
whole brings me joy and satisfaction like no other music in the
world. I would have to say Lover’s rock is my favorite style of
Reggae. I love being a woman, I love being in love and I express
that through my music. My dream is to create, sing and perform music
that will stand the test of time and bring people together! No games,
no gimmicks, no flash... just nice vibes, love and music!”
Empress has
been busy writing new material and has been in the studio recording
nonstop in an effort to complete her much anticipated debut album,
“Like Candy”, named after another big tune in her catalog. Play
after play, track after track, her fans keep returning to her
Myspace. It’s absolutely amazing, considering that her album is
not out and she is technically a newcomer. But in her own right, she
is making a name for herself. One fan at a time, one sound at a
time, one radio station at a time, Empress is proving that she is in
it for the long haul. Her fans declare over and over, Empress you
did it again…more sweet reggae music! She has been making the
rounds on the international reggae scene through radio interviews
from South Florida to Texas, to the UK, Africa, New York and so many
other stations who have joined the effort to take the Empress global.
She just returned from Boston where she performed at the Western
Front club. She was also recently featured on a television show
showcasing local artists, typically hip hop and rap artists. They
selected Empress, the only female and the only Reggae singer out of
100s of audition tapes, where she performed her track “Jah People”.
Her main emphasis is on completing the album and releasing the CD,
finding the proper management team and continuing to expose the world
to the entire package, Empress the singer, Empress the performer, and
as always she will bring it straight to the people!
For more
information, please contact:
The journey
has begun my friends …We hope to SEE YOU THERE!
