THE G SPOD #149 for Dec 7-13

"In My Life" is now at #14 on the FMQB A/C chart! Check it out at

http://www.sabrinashaheen.com/ or http://www.fmqb.com/ac.asp !!

Born and raised in Michigan, Sabrina has been immersed in music and the arts for as long as she can remember.  Starting on her family’s piano at the age of four, at seven, she began formal piano lessons.  At the same time, she was studying ballet (from the age of three through college) and would eventually become a member of the Tri-City Ballet Company while in high school.  (Sabrina has studied a variety of dance, including ballet, tap, flamenco, modern and jazz.)

Throughout the challenges of her life, music has been, in Sabrina’s words, “a true, loyal friend – the thing that’s never let me down.”   Loving various genres of music – hard rock, jazz, pop, classical and dance, Sabrina channeled her love into an intensive program of music study, all with the goal of becoming a performer.

A performer is what Sabrina has become, playing in over ten musical, dance and theatrical roles for the University of Michigan and regional theaters with lead roles in Kismet, A Chorus Line and Peter Pan, among others.  She has sung at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Hall in Detroit and has performed live at Detroit’s legendary Cobo Hall.  She’s been a mainstay in the Detroit music circuit, keeping up a relentless schedule of performing her originals and standards at various clubs, restaurants and parties.  Her versatility has also earned her voice-over work and even won her the lead role in the independent film “Rage Of Justice.”  And in perhaps her most unusual gig, she sang at a private party for Arnold Schwarzenegger. 

Amidst her dizzying schedule and accomplishments, over the last few years, Sabrina worked on what she calls, “my labor of love,” her new album, Love Is…  Produced by Brian Drago and Sabrina herself, the album is a departure from Sabrina’s history of singing jazz.  Instead, Love Is… emphasizes Sabrina’s love of dance and ethereal pop, simultaneously recalling Madonna and Enya.  Sabrina says, “The more self-confident I’ve become, the more I wanted to get into various pop styles; some with a dance beat, some with a middle eastern sound.  To me, it all blends together into my own style.”

Standout tracks include the sultry opening song, “Show Me,” and the album’s title track, “Love Is…” an expression of Sabrina’s vision of what love makes possible for humanity.  She expands, “I love the song because it captures what I believe humans can strive for – a kinder level of living for humanity.”  “Ecstasy” oozes with sensuality, as Sabrina’s voice weaves a tale of hypnotic seduction that’s utterly irresistible.  And the album’s first single, “In My Life,” is the album’s statement of purpose – to follow a dream no matter who or what is in the way.

After years of working to be the best singer, writer and performer she can be, and in a career filled with impacting all whom she encounters, Sabrina Shaheen has reached a peak with Love Is… Her intention to reach people through her music remains as unshakable as ever.  She declares, “I want my music to be heard by people all over the world – I’ve been through so much, and I want to share it with everyone.”  Given Sabrina’s dedication to her craft and her relentless pursuit of her dream, it seems almost inevitable that her wish will come true.

Album Review: Sabrina Shaheen - Love Is

elfslut

Look Into My Eyes

It's not often to you find a single disc album with 18 songs! That alone is quite an accomplishment. Sabrina can be described as sounding like Madonna or Dido or even Enya, but she's distinctly an artist in her own right.

Sabrina's album touches on so many areas of pop music, a bit of mid-eastern, a bit of rock, a bit of ambient and probably a few others as well. Maybe that's why there are 18 tracks, Sabrina needed that many just to show the listener exactly what she can do. That can be a double edged sword at times, but for the most part, Sabrina's album is very cohesive and enjoyable, more so than some of the more recent offerings by the current pop divas.

Sabrina's music is all about sensuality and I dare you not to feel a little sexier after giving this disc a spin.

Highlights include:

Show Me, a song that is asking her lover why she should stick around when it seems like sex is all that her lover is after.

Love Is, which is really exactly as the song states, a dance track that is Sabrina's interpretation of what that emotion really is.

My Love, is a beautiful love song that reminds me a bit of ABBA in a very good way.

What A Dream, is an ethereal trip down the musical plane. 6 minutes of pure sexy.

Sabrina's voice lures you in, it makes you want to dance, to fall in love, or get in touch with your inner sexuality. Slip into something sexy, or grab someone sexy, pour a glass of wine, and be prepared to get your groove on.


Genre: Pop
Sounds Like: Madonna, Dido, Sarah Brightman
Label: New West
Released: 2008
Buy it: CD Baby
Rating: 8/10

 http://community.livejournal.com/mossip/75562.html

Sunday, October 12, 2008

CD Review: Sabrina Shaheen - Love Is...

Sabrina Shaheen – Love Is…
2007, SAM Records

Sabrina Shaheen hails from Lake Orion, Michigan, and has already conquered the state of Michigan. Her debut album, Love Is… is making waves, with a single climbing the FMQB charts and a release now in Australia. Shaheen is a classically trained pianist who can easily migrate from jazz to pop and back. She has a gorgeous voice with a dark vocal quality that is reminiscent of Madonna. Love Is… is cornucopia of styles, and Shaheen’s voice adds more gravity and sensuality to it than your typical ear candy.

Love Is... starts out with Show Me, an urgent last plea to save a relationship where the narrator realizes she's been taken for granted. Show Me is a pop song by virtue of the arrangement, including electronic drums and synth, but if you listen closely you can hear the ghosts of a pedal steel and violin in there somewhere. This is a heart-breaking country ballad dressed up for the city. It's a great tune, but could cross genres as easy as changing clothes. By Myself is a Celine Dion style ballad that has been turned into a dance tune. I like the song but really didn't enjoy the arrangement. The Spanish guitar trills add a nice flavor, but this song would have been much more suited to an orchestral arrangement than the pop/disco style applied.

Look Into My Eyes has a stark, ethereal quality and is written in a Middle-Eastern Hejaz scale. The end result is a dark and haunting melody that will stick in the back of your mind long after the CD has stopped playing. Other tracks that were notable or enjoyable include Save A Smile For Me; Moving On (a heavy guitar rock sound mixed with synth); Foolish Pride; Running Away (think Evanescence) and My Love (Potential hit love song).

Shaheen saves the best for last, however. Veiled is a haunting recollection of the ghost of a relationship past and the wrongs done to the narrator. On this song you get the full aural picture of Sabrina Shaheen's potential. Here is a singer who could mix it up in hard rock, pop, country, jazz or even Broadway. I don't think there is anything she's not able to sing. Her dark and evanescent alto can sound very much like Madonna, but exceeds Madge in range and vocal quality several times over.

Love Is... establishes Sabrina Shaheen as a presence and as an artist to follow. To say that her career arc has the potential to be in the Madonna/Celine Dion/Sarah McLachlan range is not inconsistent with reality. It all depends on breaks and hard work, but Shaheen displays a musical flexibility, a singing talent and a songwriting talent that would allow her to ascend such heights. Love Is... is a fabulous debut. The musical variety here means most everyone can find something to like. And once you get a listen to her voice, you'll gladly listen to anything she wants to sing.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

http://wildysworld.blogspot.com/2008/10/cd-review-sabrina-shaheen-love-is.html

Just started here with RadioIndy..  I am very excited about the release of my new CD "Love Is..." on December 20th and I am trying to spread the word!  Please Let me know what you think and comment!  Happy Listening!!

God Bless!
♥Sabrina