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The road to stardom for new In Ya Face Records Pop/R&B diva Holly Rae is paved with early lessons on self reliance and hard work. Feisty and fearless, her music and imagery are a reflection of her influences both classic and contemporary. They are the fusion of the sophisticated vocal stylings of Mariah Carey coupled with the carefree lilt and fashion forward tastes of Rihanna.

Born to a highly musical family, Rae was blessed with a huge voice and enormous personal charisma. However, as a teen Rae grew up fast, tired early of family life and struck out on her own at age 16. She began a hard scrabble life that lead her to often work 3 jobs just to make due. "I believe my struggles as a teen have helped prepare me for all the work I need to do as a new recording artist and performer. This is a very tough business and I think giving up my early teens to support myself has given me the endurance I need to make it," said Rae.

The challenge was equally daunting because Rae is from the San Francisco Bay area, not Los Angeles where the action is. However, shortly after leaving home she met Rawle 'Raw' Galvan, then a street hustler who was rumored to be starting a new record label. She auditioned for Galvan and he fell in love with her voice and her uninhibited personal style. "I just remember being blown away by this 5 foot 4, 16 year old girl. If I could have, I would have signed her on the spot and I secretly hoped no one else would find her before I was prepared to make her a star myself."

Fate intervened and Galvan was forced to put his plans ..ing a label on hold but he never forgot the little girl with the big voice. In the interim Holly Rae became a fixture on the Bay Area club scene. Armed with a fake I.D., she set out sharpening her reputation as the wild child with the tomboyish streak who loves fast cars. "I was out there, everybody knew me and I enjoyed the attention."

A couple of years passed and Galvan got his upstart record company In Ya Face Records off the ground with the help of partner Howard Misle. Soon, Galvan got re-acquainted with Holly Rae and was delighted to find that she was still a raw undiscovered talent. After a knock out a cappella version of Jessica Simpson's hit "I Wanna Love You Forever," Rae became one of In Ya Face Records first signings. She admits "I knew this audition was a big step for me, but I had waited so long to get this break, it just felt like it was a destiny fulfilled." Determined to capitalize on the ever changing world music tastes, Rae, Galvan and Misle all agreed that J.R. Rotem who was flying high with the global success of both Rihanna and Sean Kingston was exactly the producer they needed to shape her new CD. Beefing up her street credentials Holly Rae also collaborated with Poli Paul, who is best known for his versatility working with everyone from The Black Eyed Peas to Christina Millian and Chingy. The result is a CD that is masterfully primed for the urban pop tastes of today's youth. The CD fuses the sultry sounds of everyone from Janet Jackson, one of Rae's early influences to the soulfulness of Christina Aguilera who is also a great inspiration.

Not one to rest on beauty and vocal skills alone, Rae has put her strong work ethic to good use in her home studio honing her writing skills. "I recognize that there are a lot of talented female singers out there but the ones who write have the edge," Observes Rae. "I think a lot of music fans can identify with a lot of my personal stories, so I'm making them part of my work. I think that is the only way your fans really know exactly who you are." www.inyafacerecords.com