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“Trayce” was born Maryam Aishah Hassan-Daniels on January 27, 1993 in Brooklyn, NY. However, make no mistakes about it, she loves where she comes from. “Growing up in Brooklyn helped make me the person that I am today,” she explains. “ I don’t know about anyone else but all I can recall are family, friends, fun times and music always playing. Like whenever the weekend or the summer came it was picnics, backyard barbeques, pinochle, softball and paddleball games; block parties, swimming pools, parks, and all the while there was music playing… it was crazy. I would always remember the hot songs like ‘For You I Will’ by Monica and ‘I Believe I Can Fly’ by R. Kelly. Then, I would try to sing them.“ By the time she was 4 Trayce was singing, songwriting and composing and has the cassette tape to prove it!!! (LOL) While in the 1st grade (6 yrs old) she auditioned and was given the lead role of Dorothy alongside 4th & 5th graders in her elementary school production of “The Wiz Comes To Bushwick.” “Those I guess were the results of learning to read at an early age,” she replied. When she was 7 yrs old she says that she remembers her mom & her brother convincing her to sing on the subway cars in NY just to see the response she would get from the subway audience. “If you can do it here, you won’t have stage fright anywhere;“ was her moms motto, and perhaps she was right. When she became 8, she was singing at churches, senior centers, health fairs, community functions or any other place that would allow her to sing. It appears that her persistence paid off because in 2002 via an open casting call she auditioned and was cast alongside Jack Black in the Paramount Picture “The School of Rock” as Tomika, the big girl with the even bigger voice. “This to me was amazing, and sometimes I still find it hard to believe. I got the opportunity for the world to hear my voice and be in a movie at the same time. I also got to travel to London, Paris & Germany, shoot a music video and performed on numerous talk shows, absolutely incredible!!!” Though she loves acting, singing is her passion. “I believe it was in 2004 when I sang in the NY Knicks Kids Talent Search during half-time at a Knicks game. It was a packed house and I sang “AT LAST” by Etta James. The house lights were supposed to go down & a spotlight should’ve been on each artist as we performed but something went wrong & the house lights stayed on. Looking at the thousands of people actually made me want to show out even more.” Trayce won that competition after an upset. A different act was named the winner but when the thousands in attendance showed their dismay and continued to do so, The Garden decided to go to the video tape and play back their applause meter which indicated that Trayce actually won. “That was fun and crazy at the same time. We (each act) were all back in the green room and as far as we were concerned the show was over. The person who assisted us while we were there came in and announced that a mistake had been made & that I was actually the winner. I was happy for myself but sad for the guy who was stripped. How I found out about the particulars was through an older kid who I didn’t even know who went to my middle school. He was at the game with his dad & he told me how it went down.” When asked about her goals for the future she replied, “ To be a world renowned entertainer, to be an accomplished singer, dancer & actress, a triple treat, not threat. I don’t think that an artist should feel threatened because of another artists talents. Just give the best of what you have to offer and that alone is a treat!!!” Trayce’s love for singing is evident by the ever growing amount of trophies & awards that she has in her home. (15 and counting) There is also a makeshift mini Grammy which she received as a gift. “That is most definitely one of my goals. To get to the Grammy‘s & maybe even win one would be an amazing feat. There’s something about a trophy that seems to make it all official.” With several shows lined up for the spring, Trayce hopes to entertain and captivate her audience with original material & precise choreography. “I don’t mind doing cover songs, it’s kind of a way to pay tribute to an artist, but I love seeing the audience jam to my songs because it makes me want to work even harder. Since I love to dance, I gotta make it right!” Another goal of Trayce’s is to get to work with choreographers such as Jamaica, Shane Sparks, Laurie Ann Gibson & Dave Scott just to mention a few. When asked which producer she would like to work with she replied, “ I can’t limit myself to just one because there are so many that I would love to work with… Brian Cox, Rodney Jenkins, Timbaland, Missy Elliott, The Runners, Battery 5, The Clutch, T-Pain, Corna Boyz, Dream, Star Trak Seven, and the list goes on!!!” Currently a Senior in High School, Trayce maintains a 3.5 grade point average all while making time for the step team, the concert choir, choreography & the studio. “I thank God for all of the talents that He has bestowed upon me,” Trayce exclaims, “So world watch out because ‘You Got Me.’”