TED MILLS, NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
April 16, 2008 12:00 AM
At 21, singer-songwriter and composer Becca
Solodon stands on the threshold of the second
stage of her career. Today her first EP, "In My
Room," was released on the Internet, to be followed next month on CD.
And though it may be
her first release, Miss Solodon has been careful
in this, her first real volley into the pop world.
When she was 16, Miss Solodon was diagnosed
with a rare form of cancer, which led to the amputation of one leg below the calf. During this
process, her dreams of becoming a professional
singer led to some extraordinary connections.
Just six weeks after leaving the hospital, she
opened for Mariah Carey, one of her idols, during the star's 2003 Santa Barbara appearance.
Not long after that appearance, Miss Solodon
was approached by at least three labels.
"I was offered contracts, but I knew it wasn't
the right time," she said. "I took them to my
lawyer and he said I'd be absolutely insane to
sign them."
Instead, Miss Solodon buckled down and began writing. A lot. And most of it at
home.
"In My Room" refers in part to where most of that writing and recording takes
place, and where she creates her romantic blend of pop and R&B.
"Half is my bedroom, the other half is my studio," she said. "In 2003 I got my keyboard and ProTools (the sound production software), and in 2004 I got a microphone and put studio foam on the walls."
The home studio became Miss Solodon's musical laboratory, although she's also be-friended many producers along the way, including Ronnie King and Damion "Damizza" Young.
"They both pushed me to develop my songwriting before I started releasing anything. I was still writing and growing as an artist (in 2003)."
One of the first songs that, in Miss Solodon's mind, reflects her true style as an artist is "Simply Irresistible," created as a collaboration between the singer and a Finnish musician, Ves Rain, with whom she shares a common friend. Mr. Rain sent a
song sketch via Internet, Miss Solodon sent back a vocal track, and Mr. Rain recorded the track live with musicians in Finland.
Other tracks on the six-song EP come straight from Miss Solodon's home studio.
"It took me a while to learn, but I have recording down very well," she said. "I'm
quite picky, actually, especially about vocals. In the chorus sections, I have tons of
harmonies, all my own. Mixing vocals is my specialty."
One song close to her heart is "Always Watching Over Me," dedicated to a younger
friend, Krista Romero, who passed away last year from leukemia.
Miss Solodon met Krista at the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation, which, along with
other organizations like the Make-a-Wish Foundation, helped Miss Solodon with her
own illness.
"Going to see Krista (in the hospital) was like seeing a younger version of myself,"
she said. "And meeting her parents reminded me of my own. I knew what she was
going through. She may be gone, but she will live on through the song."
Since 2003, Miss Solodon's once-hobby has now become a passion, and despite being a full-time student and working part time at the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation,
she has been pulling many late-night sessions to get the EP ready.
A full album of new material is planned for September, and she is still lining up concerts.
On May 3, Miss Solodon will perform at UCSB's Relay for Life and that same night at
a benefit show at the Santa Barbara Woman's Club. An end-of-semester concert at
City College is also in the works.
YOU SHOULD KNOW
Becca Solodon's six-track EP "In My Room" is available at www.beccasolodon.com.
FREE DOWNLOAD OF 'IN MY ROOM' EP ON WWW.BECCASOLODON.COM!!!!!
~.~ BECCA'S BIO ~.~
Becca Solodon has opened for Mariah Carey, played with The Commodores and has had studio sessions to the wee hours of the morning with legends like James Ingram while studying under vocal coach David Coury (American Idol & MTV’s Making Menudo). She’s so diverse, she has even been featured on mixtapes around the world along side DJ Skee, B-Real, Kurupt, Snoop Dogg, Young De and Dj Couz. Publications such as Rolling Stone, People magazine, television stations and radio alike have featured the young starlet. So how did Becca Solodon, a 21 year-old Santa Barbara City College music student and highly recognized local songwriter/celebrity and musician get so lucky?
“Studying under producers Ronnie King and Damizza has really taught me how to express myself through many different genres of music. I feel really blessed to be where I’m at right now and I can’t wait to see what the future brings," she said. Becca's love for music started at age 4, and she began taking musical training soon after. Ronnie King (2Pac, Kc-I & Jo Jo, and The Offspring) and Damion "Damizza" Young (Mariah Carey, Snoop Dogg & Korn) both recognized her talent immediately after meeting her through friend, Nikki Simon-Katz, of the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation. "We knew she had a voice. In the studio we realized she had a style," said Ronnie King, a producer and musician who also mentors Becca in songwriting. “She is bar-none the most well-rounded and talented artist I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.” Added Damizza.
“In My Room” is a snapshot that takes you through Becca’s recording process and is set for release through her newly designed website (www.beccasolodon.com) as well as her Myspace page (www.myspace.com/beccasolodon) via snocap. “It always seems to end up with me recording & mixing vocals in my room at 6am after an all-nighter of writing, hence the title.” Whether it be the sultry "Simply Irriestable" or the up-tempo "Little Misfit", Bex will take you for an emotional joyride through the music that has chronicled her life over the past 4 years. "I’ve seen my days of struggle and my days of sunshine, this EP introduces you to me & sets the platform for the rest of my musical career."
Becca started recording into her Motif keyboard, when lacking a direct line from her keyboard into her computer, Becca ingeniously placed her speakers on the floor and recorded the song saved on the keyboard into the built-in microphone on her computer. She then quickly graduated to her now massive Pro-Tools rig. When shown the home recordings, Edgar Sanchez (Alicia Keys, Pharrell & Vanessa Marquez) of Star Trak Recordings exclaimed, "You’re doing this out of your room?"
Becca is also a volunteer for the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and American Cancer Society spending a large chunk of her time inspiring young children.
hey becs..been mixing on so secure for the last 2 days. almost done with it=) it sounds great! i'll try to master it next week. have a great weekend and say ho to the fam.
aww its ok beckito, i fell asleep right when i got home and my 45min nap turned into 4hours!! then i got sick the next day and ive been stuck in been=/ ahhh. and i stillll havent seen the hills! goshh lol. k well lets get together soon then bex<3
Can you put something out before i leave??? my mom bumps ur cd EVERYDAY wile shes in the shower! not that is old... but i wanna hear beccas New talent!!
finally got to see/listen to everything on your page...verrry verrrrrrrrrry sweeeeeeeet. Your beats are amazing. I cannot believe you're doing all this. mad mad respect girl seriously. I can hear the passion for music in your voice, that's what's going to leave people begging for more. I'm off to your non-myspace :) site for more, in fact. oh and you demanded feedback :) so my only thing is I love your video blogs-maybe put some of those steady beats you seems to have plenty of in the background? other than that I'm entirely impressed. WOW!
YOU KNOW I GOT YOUR BACK ANYTIME BECK'S, YOUR THE ONE THAT ROCKED THE SHOW EVERYONE LOVED IT! EVEN JASON RIGHT NEXT TO ME IS EXPLAINING HOW GREAT YOU DID, AND PICKING HIS NOSE!!
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