She's being called, "A young Sade meets Lena Horne for the new millennium, " but, the enthralling singer/songwriter with a sound and style all her own, writes and performs music that fuses R&B and Pop with elements of Jazz and Hip Hop that create melodic gems that are hard to forget.
The Seattle native grew up studying musical theater, and began honing her raw skills singing in various choirs before going on to study voice in college. During her undergraduate studies in Washington, D.C., Ifé began working as back up singer on the burgeoning music scene, but, it was while studying abroad during her senior year that she began focusing on adding songwriting to her artistic career path. "I think it was the culture of London mixed with the cold weather and lots of time spent on the trains traveling throughout the UK that inspired me in a different way," she says. "I was always a writer in general, but living and studying in another country is what made my words on paper start to shape into verses and melodies. I felt like the singing and songwriting could really go together."
Deriving inspiration from a diverse set of influences as artists such as Stevie Wonder, Al Jarreau, Lionel Richie, Angela Winbush, George Michael, and Rachelle Ferrelle, to name a few, Ifé's sound is clearly soulful, but don't call it neo-soul--she doesn't consider herself to be a part of that early 90s movement. "I never liked that title because there's nothing 'neo' about soul music...it's been around as long as music has existed, and I'm not going to be boxed into that. That whole wave produced some of my favorite artists, but what makes each of them great is that they're just purely themselves. They create and express from their hearts and that's what comes out in the music. It's not about a brand or category, it's about being genuine."
After years of honing her craft, Ifé's current release is her debut EP, "CRESCENDO," an eponymous five-song collection is just a taste of the chanteuse's musical offerings and serves as the introduction to the the next set of albums on the way. Her full-length porject is slated for a fall 2012 release.
Following in the footsteps of her idol Quincy Jones, Ifé isn't just limiting herself to utilizing her musical talents. Her vision encompasses various parts of entertainment, branching out into business world. "My company, CRESCENDO ENTERTAINMENT, is going to be the conduit through which I not only create and produce various projects that I've been wanting to bring to life, but also will allow me to use my creative expression to help uplift people in their lives. It starts with music, but that's really only the foundation; it's my platform to share my gifts with the world."
Ifé can be seen performing at some of the hottest spots in the country with her live band and has been featured on at major venues including, SOB’s, BB King’s, The Key Club in Los Angeles and was heard on Stevie Wonder’s KJLH radio station in Los Angeles. Ifé’s singles, “Aim o Please,” "Say, Say, Say," and "COME" and are in rotation in several radio stations across the country, online and her global presence is being felt in countries like the U.K., Spain, Nigeria and Korea. Her song, "Make It Better" was chosen by Essence.com as on the the hot new summer songs of the summer for 2011 and her following is continuing to explode.
Her music can also be heard on Sirius XM radio, and a growing list of online outlets. Whether it's an unplugged acoustic set or up to a full 8-piece accompaniment, her sultry stage show is always captivating and sonically engaging. Ifé is one of music’s superstars in the making: one to watch and on the verge.
