Shauna Solomon

You may know her as the singer who provided you with dance hits such as "Weekend" and "You Can Get Over". You may remember her early work with the Funky Green Dogs Project and Liberty City. One thing you will definitely remember about Shauna Solomon is her presence and her talent. Boi's Chris Eterno recently had the opportunity to catch up with Shauna while she was in L.A.

CE: Shauna, thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with me.

SS: No problem at all.

CE: At what age did you start singing?

SS: Around 4 or 5 years old in my grandmother's church. She was a preacher.

CE: Where do you hail from originally?

SS: I'm from New Jersey.

CE: At what point did you get your start in the business?

SS: I got my start when I moved to Miami and hooked up with the Murk Boys.

CE: Was that when they were called Liberty City?

SS: No, the first record I ever did with them was "Reach For Me" under the Funky Green Dogs Project. Then after that, we became Liberty City.

CE: Of your body of work, what have you written?

SS: My upcoming album is completely written by me…. Except for one of the songs, but it's mostly my original work upcoming.

CE: Are you planning on reuniting with the Murk Boys on any upcoming projects?

SS: Well, right now, I'm located in L.A., and they are in Miami. I'm concentrating more on my solo album. I wouldn't mind teaming up with them again though. We have a great chemistry when we work together.

CE: Is there any specific producer with whom you desire to work?

SS: Hmm……..I would LOVE to work with Ralphi Rosario again.

CE: You have has a recent string of hits with Harlequin such as "Weekend" and "You Can Get Over". Other than your upcoming album, what other releases and re-mixes can we look for from you and Harlequin?

SS: I have another single coming out called "Touch". Also, the follow up to that will be a cut called "You Are".

CE: Do you have any specific re-mixers in mind for those?

SS: We have a couple of people in mind. We are looking for a specific vibe to see where the mixes are going, but I really can't divulge the names specifically.

CE: What can you tell us about your new album?

SS: Oh, it's a great album. I'm so proud of this release. It's about so many things…..Every day life. It's about love, dealing with daily ups and downs. There are a lot of my personal feelings written into this album. It's set to release in June.

CE: Who are your musical influences?

SS: Wow, there are so many. Whitney, Aretha Franklin, bonnie Rait. I listen to all different genres of music. I'm proud of that. It's allowed me to adapt in my singing. I've sung everything from Spanish to French, House, Gospel, Reggae. I have many different influences.

CE: Out of your body of work, what is your personal favorite?

SS: I would say that my personal favorite is "You Can Get Over". I'm proud of it. The lyrics are very uplifting and inspiring.

CE: With all the recent controversy around Internet downloading and the sensitivity of the subject in the recording industry, I understand if you do not with to weigh in on the matter. However, I must ask where you stand on the issue of music downloading?

SS: Well, we live in American and that's just the way it is right now. Being in the industry, I understand this side of the argument, however, I am also a music consumer so I understand the other side of this argument too. It's very sticky right now. I buy a lot of music out there in order to support other artists. I believe that what you put out is what you get back too.

CE: In what direction do you see dance music heading?

SS: I don't know. Things are constantly changing music-wise and I think that's a good thing. It keeps people interested. We take for granted that most people out there really don't know what House music is. I find myself often trying to explain to people what it's about. Dance music varies from genres like Tribal to Drum and Bass and many others too. Knowing that there are so many types of music out there, I think House will continue to change and innovate in order to stay fresh.

CE: Lastly, what is the next plateau for Shauna Solomon?

SS: I've actually been doing some acting since I moved out to L.A. I would like my music and acting career to merge at some point. I'm getting ready to go out on the road. The weather is getting warm and with the new album coming out I really hope to get a great response from fans.

CE: Shauna, thank you so much for making time for the readers and good luck on the new album.