Angela McKenzie: Knowing Her… By Heart - Friday, 09 September 2005 Angela McKenzie By Deardra Shuler Canada’s loss was America’s gain when the stunning Canadian artist Angela McKenzie moved from Toronto to New York in 1999. With a mere $300.00 in her pocket Angela quickly learned that New York can swallow that sum in no time. Raised by a single mom, Ms. McKenzie was an only child and is a child of miscegenation of East Indian/Black and Irish blending. She grew up in a rather closed Canadian society which in some ways spawned her shy and introverted personality as a youth. Outside of school, Angela had few friends and spent a lot of time alone and in doing so, developed an analytical mindset that made her ponder the deeper meaning of life. This deep introspection and sensitivity has been transported to her music and into a humanitarian bent. Though often musicians tend to be lumped into a particular category, one gets the feeling that Angela could move comfortably through most any style whether it be pop/rock/folk, quiet soul, country, jazz or even rhythm and blues. She is a balladeer of no small talent. In fact, her impressive vocals were recently corroborated by the screaming crowd that witnessed her ‘Harlem Day’ appearance on the CD 101.9 FM stage at 135th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue. After McKenzie sang “Water In My Well,” a song contained within her CD entitled “9,”audience members enthusiastically voiced their approval by shouting out “’We’re buying your, CD, Angela!’” And, those who did buy “9” were not only treated to the smooth vibes and harmonious convergence of her music emphasized by songs such as “Hard,” “I Know You By Heart,” “Off Blue,” and “Time is a Healer,” but also found themselves helping to feed the hungry. As an advocate for hunger, McKenzie formed the AMcK Initiative which raises awareness and resources for organizations aiding impoverishment. Her efforts have resulted in several food drives, which she often conducts at her appearances and also won her kudos from New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg. Hunger is a cause that is very dear to Ms. McKenzie’s heart because it is something she has experienced firsthand. Upon arriving in New York, Angela briefly stayed in Flatbush Brooklyn with a friend of her mother’s then opted to take over the apartment of a Rutgers professor who lived in Manhattan. However, trying to jumpstart her career, the jobs she took netted little money and got eaten up in rent with little left over for food. As a consequence, Angela experienced many days of starvation often relying on the kindness of strangers for sustenance. “I had to be creative everyday in order to figure out how I was going to eat,” recalled the one-time starving artist. It is often those very tribulations that fire the soul and set one on a course that gives purpose to their life. Angela has never forgotten what it was like to go hungry and so she combines her musical talents and her humanitarianism by asking her fans and concert goers to bring non-perishable foods to donate to City Harvest which is the nation’s largest charitable hunger-relief organization. “I think I was 6 or 7 when I was brought to Canada from Guyana,” reflected McKenzie. “Guyana is very vague in my mind since as a child you tend to take on the culture of the environment in which you are raised. I attended the Toronto High School for The Performing Arts which consisted of 15 children. We learned theatre mostly, interpretive dance and also vocal. I however had my own ideas concerning what it takes to sing, so doing all that vocal structural work didn’t do much for me. I found much of the vocal exercises very restricting. I learned to sing in full voice because the West Indian community can be brutal with their jokes,” claimed the young performer. Angela began to emerge from her shell as a teenager and started to seriously consider a career in entertainment. After graduation, she went on the road with a play and then tried her hand as a production coordinator on movies when Toronto became the hot spot for movie production. She moved to the States once her job dried up. “When I came to the States it was my intention to see if I could continue in movie production so I interned with the Mayor’s Office of Film,” she explained. McKenzie then took a job at Western Media where she was the Director of Operations. “My singing began to take a backseat. Even today, I unfortunately find myself involved in my non-profit organization and primarily singing on an ‘as needed basis.’ Since I am really this one-person show, I find I get bogged down in busywork. There is a lot of labor which takes away from the creative side of things. I am lucky my voice is good to me and continues to holdup” she continued. There was a period of time Ms. McKenzie worked for the United Nations. “A fulfillment of one of my dreams was working for the UN. I worked there on a contractual basis. It was one of the best periods in my life. However, if you are not a member of the Security Council or working in the field, you tend to lack hands-on experience. Paperwork can get tedious at the UN and for a brief and shining moment, I actually got somewhat of a permanent contract. Unfortunately, it took 6 months to get my first paycheck. Thank God, I had a friend there who helped me get through that period. I started thinking I liked the idea of the UN and all its humanitarian pursuits, but what was I really doing to accomplish that. So, I decided to do something on my own. Thus, with the help of a colleague named Danny Myint and Vanessa Brezac, a former colleague from Western Media, we co-founded the AMcK Initiative which allows me to sing and do humanitarian service,” said the big hearted performer who loves to go to the gym during her downtime. “Last year, I spent most of the year working on my ‘9’ CD. The majority of the songs on my CD were written by Grammy winner Diane Scanlon. Ultimately, I would like to have a hit record that could support a successful non-profit. I feel fulfilled by the non profit and also by my music so it would be great if I could do both as a career goal. This year I am hoping to work on more shows,” stated the diffident singer. Interested parties can learn more about Angela McKenzie and her CD on her website at www.angelamckenzie.com “The Buddhist have a proverb which basically translates –‘if one gives up today… today, may have been the day, one’s goal is achieved,’” said Angela insightfully. “Each day offers a potential breakthrough. Basically, I like to move away from myself and not concentrate solely on me. I’d rather direct whatever challenges I have toward giving service to other people. Ever since I adopted that way of thinking, I’ve felt more comfortable in my own skin. I’ve felt closer to who I am.”