Alise King, local artist and winner of the Michigan Chronicle’s Best in Black 2016 “Best Local Artist” competition, is ready for her fans to hear a different side of the vocal powerhouse with the Aug. 10 release of her new EP, “In the Key of Soul.”
“‘In the Key of Soul’ is my baby. It’s been a work in progress. Most people know me as the powerful soulful singer. When I perform with my live band, I’m doing covers 99.9% of the time. It’s rare that I get to do my originals and I wanted to give people a piece of me, a piece of who I am. Not just as an artist, but as a woman and as a wife and a daughter. ‘In The Key of Soul’ is personalizing who Alise is outside of the microphone,” King said.
When describing the EP’s sound, King mentions some familiar names.
“The sound gives Jill Scott. It gives India.Arie. It gives a little Jazmine Sullivan and Fantasia vibe, but it definitely gives you Alise. It gives you that soul. It definitely gives you that power. It also shows a softer side of me. A lot of people are used to me being that belting singer, but on this I kind of give them groove. I give them sultry. They get a different side of me.”
Known as the Soulful D.I.V.A., a divine instrument vocalizing her ability, King has opened for notable artists such as George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic, CeCe Peniston and the Emotions and has performed the National Anthem for the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.
King’s talent and stage presence has garnered the attention and accolades she deserves. No stranger to winning awards, such as the Detroit Black Music Awards, Detroit Stars Singing Competition, “BET Apollo Live” and, of course, “Best Local Artist” in the Michigan Chronicle’s Best in Black 2016, King said she is proud to be celebrated by her peers and by the city she loves.
“To be nominated with some of the people that I was in the category with was amazing. I’m talking about some of my favorite singers from Detroit, like Gwenation and L’Renee. That was an amazing experience in itself,” King said.
“The experience was absolutely amazing. It was one of the best award shows that I’ve attended in Detroit. All of the events, like the nominee party, everything was amazing. The venue was beautiful. The performances were amazing. I really felt like I was at a mini version of the BET Awards. I made some great connections that night. So, it put me in a better situation to rub some elbows.”
Since winning “Best Local Artist,” King has gone on to open for Bobby Brown, Kelly Price, Dru Hill, Next and one of her greatest influences, Aretha Franklin, who she is currently writing songs with for an upcoming Franklin album.
When asked what advice she would give to aspiring artists, she said dedication is key.
“Don’t give up because your dreams are absolutely worth it. The one thing that I’ve realized is that nobody can stop you but you. If you believe in you, that’s all that matters. If you can put in 8-10 hours at work, you can put in 8-10 hours on your dream,” she said.
With tour dates through the end of the year, King is currently planning her 2018 tour with dates to be announced soon.
“In the Key of Soul” is available on all digital platforms and at www.aliseking.com.
About Post Author
