LOS ANGELES (Top40 Charts/ Douye' Official Website) - Beautifully texturing her pure, sultry and smoky vocals with a sensual and soulful, cool retro-jazzy vibe, Nigerian born, Los Angeles based singer-songwriter Douye' broadens her base of passionate fans all over the world with the highly anticipated release of Journey, her independent debut album.
A largely autobiographical 11-song collection reflecting the multi-talented artist's vast array of musical and life experiences, Journey showcases her seductive, emotional voice in a dreamy, easy grooving landscape that draws inspiration from the many creative influences that have touched her life.
While growing up with the rhythmic, blues and jazz driven music of her home country, Douye' was also inspired by American jazz and soul legends Billie Holliday, Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, Peggy Lee and Stevie Wonder, and Nigerian born contemporary jazz vocalist Sade.
A more recent influence on her development as a songwriter is famed pop writer Terry Shaddick, who co-penned Olivia Newton-John's era defining 1981 classic 'Physical,' among other hits. Douye' and Shaddick collaborated on each of the tracks of Journey, the songs that would launch Douye's recording career.
Douye's songs are filled with depth and flowing melodies, from the beautifully haunting, retro soul flavored first single 'Still Hurting' to the dreamy and inspirational 'Fly Away' and the sweetly melancholy, acoustic track 'Cold Wind Blows.'
The socially conscious side of Douye's artistry is showcased on the cool grooving, hypnotic and trumpet-laced 'Wicked World,' whose lyrics tell a hard hitting emotional tale of a parent abandoning its child due to drug addiction. The emotional heart and soul of Journey is the cool bluesy jazz flavored title track, which reflects upon her destiny as an artist sharing her vast musical gifts with the world.
'Everyone goes through that process in life, where you find yourself searching for your truest heart and destiny,' she says. 'The songs on Journey are all about me going through many ups and downs that have helped me discover my core essence of who I am and what I represent in life. The key to healthy emotional and spiritual living is learning to accept oneself for who one is. I've come to realize the importance of accepting life for what it is, while at the same time challenging life to find what's gold inside me. As the lyrics say, I'm searching for me, whatever may be, I'll never ever give in.''
Developing a lifelong affinity for music at an early age, Douye' began singing in church at the age of seven and quickly began focusing on her future as a professional singer. By age ten, she was expressing her innermost emotions in poetry, which led naturally to her development as a compelling songwriter. In her mid-teens, she traveled to Europe to pursue her growing musical dreams, and she later immigrated to the United States to study voice at the acclaimed Musicians Institute in Hollywood, California.
After graduating from MI, Douye' continued honing her singing, songwriting and musical direction, becoming a prolific writer and performing for audiences at clubs throughout Los Angeles while working towards her ultimate goal of becoming a recording artist. Developing a full range of artistic interests, she complements her musical style with life's lessons, deep passions for writing poetry and collecting primitive art.
