Sy Smith attended Howard University earning a B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Music Therapy. Soon
after graduation, Smith’s musical aspirations began to swirl – she
joined a local all-female band. With encouragement from fellow
musician-friends, she packed up and moved to LA, hoping to get a
toehold in the business. Studio sessions and local clubs allowed her to
have her voice heard, and luckily, producer/songwriter Sauce
(Somethin' For The People, Will Smith) was listening. Sauce summoned
her for vocal and writing sessions, pushing her to develop her own
skills as a producer; Sy was a quick study! In
addition to her success as a vocalist, Smith is also an accomplished
songwriter. In 2001 she was honored by the National Academy of
Television Arts and Sciences with an Emmy nomination in the category of
Outstanding Music and Lyrics for writing and performing "Welcome Back
(All My Soulmates)" the title track to the HBO Original movie “Dancing in September” starring Isaiah Washington
and Nicole Ari Parker. This original tune is an accolade to soulful
things of old and the people who remember them.
Sy Smith Performing @ Chocolate Bar
Her career also
includes two recent NAACP Theater Award nominations for Best Supporting
Female-Local for the musicals Body Language and If You Don’t Believe: A Love Story. Her film credits include "Do You Only Wanna Dance" (a song Sy co-wrote, performed by Mya in “Havana Nights”). For the short film Black Rose she not only co-writes alongside hit producer Terry Lewis
the film’s key performance songs, but also stars in the film as the
lead character Rose, a South African recording star. Her voice and
writing also attracted the attention of the Brand New Heavies.
On their 2003 release "We Won't Stop" Smith is featured on seven tunes,
of which she co-wrote four. She is also a featured vocalist on a recent
release from Blue Note Records jazz guitarist Ronny Jordan on "Once or Twice," a tune she co-wrote which one critic called an “instant soul classic.” While
Sy eagerly looks forward to hitting the road with her band, she has
plenty to keep her busy at home. She has formed Psyko!, Inc. a
production company through which she plans to help promote other
artists through regular events; the first being “B!tchcraft… a venue
for She.” Sy’s calendar is seldom bare as she is constantly called for
recording sessions and vocal arranging for jingles and album recordings
alike, having recently done commercials for Nissan, Proctor & Gamble and on-the-spot vocal arrangements for Toshi Kubota, Nicolay and Airpushers.
Sy’s eclectic sound and unparalleled live performances continue to draw
a diverse range of fans (Prince, Sheila E. have been spotted at her
shows). After lately completing stints in Hong Kong, Japan (where she co-headlined the Blue Note Tour with Frank McComb), the First Annual Ghana Jazz Festival and the Bermuda Jazz Festival, the Royal Gazette reported, "this pretty young thang's talent was just about as awesome as the stars that night were."
Sy Smith Links:
Sy Smith on Myspace
Official Website
|
