THE FLOW ON-LINE MAGAZINE – FEBRUARY 2006

ANGELA MCKENZIE: THE LADY SINGS WITH HER HEART
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 a day. Raised by a single mom, Ms. McKenzie is an only child. The artist who is of East Indian/Black and Irish blending, was raised in a closed Canadian society which spawned her shy and introverted personality. 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 is revealed through her music.

“I think I was 6 or 7 when I arrived in 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 movie production coordinator 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” explained Angela. After the Mayor’s Office, McKenzie went on to work 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. 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.

In terms of her music, 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 a screaming crowd during a performance in which 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!’” Those who did buy “9” were 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.” Recently “9“ was entered into the running for 3 Grammy Award nominations for Best New Artist, Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance and Best Contemporary Folk Album. McKenzie also struck up a deal with Intersection Floral Design, a company that is including her CD within their Valentine’s Day promotion. By calling 212-772-7183 customers can purchase a dozen roses, heart shaped balloons, and get a copy of McKenzie’s CD. The popular café Sandwich Planet will give patrons a copy of “9” along with the gourmet goodies they order on Valentine’s Day as well. The café located at 534 Ninth Avenue (below 40th Street) can be contacted at (212) 273-9768. Proceeds will be donated to America’s Second Harvest, the nation’s largest charitable domestic hunger relief organization.

Through her organization, the AMck Initiative, McKenzie raises awareness and resources for organizations aiding impoverishment. Hunger is a cause that is very dear to Ms. McKenzie’s heart and she conducts a food drive whenever she performs having experienced hunger firsthand. Upon arriving in New York, Angela’s effort to jumpstart her career, often netted little money. The bulk of her money was 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 eat,” recalled the one-time starving singer. 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 and/or purchase her 9 CD (the majority of the songs are written by Grammy winner Diane Scanlon and Eve Nelson), so some of the proceeds can be donated to City Harvest.

Interested parties can learn more about Angela McKenzie through her website at AngelaMcKenzie.com

Deardra Shuler, The Flow Magazine