- Conya Doss
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Conya Doss 
Conya Doss performing at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, in February 2003Background information Birth name Conya Doss Born Cleveland, Ohio, United States Genres R&B, soul, funk, neo soul Occupations Singer-songwriter, record producer, teacher Instruments voice, organ Years active 2002–present Labels Orpheus, Conyadosssongs, Dome Associated acts Dwele, Eric Roberson, Sy Smith, Rahsaan Patterson, Yahzarah Website Conyadoss.com Conya Doss (born in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter and record producer. In 2001, Conya Doss started her own recording label Conya Doss Songs and began recording her first album. In 2002, Doss released her first singles "Good Good" and "Coffee" which were followed by the release of her album, entitled A Poem About Ms. Doss. The album also spawned the singles "Starship" and "You Really Hurt Me". Later that year, Doss began performing at several Midwest venues. In 2003, she returned to the studio to record her sophomore album. In 2004, Doss released the single "Missin' You". The single created a buzz for her upcoming album, Just Because which was released in November 2004.[1]
In May 2008, Doss released her lead single "What I'd Do". The song received airplay from local radio stations, charted on Billboard and also received airplay from BET J's Soul Sessions. In April 2008, Doss released her fourth studio album, entitled Still.[2] The album also spawned a second single "It's Over", which listed her for iTunes' "Best R&B Indie Track". In 2009, Doss released two more singles "Can't Stop" and "Message". In 2010, Doss was the given the honorary music title "Queen of Indie Soul".[3] In August 2010, Doss released the lead single "All In You" from her upcoming album. In September 2010, Doss released her fifth album "Blu Transition". In March 2011, Doss released her second single "Wi-Fi".
Contents
Early life
Doss has been singing since she was five. She grew up listening to the likes of Bonnie Raitt, The Doobie Brothers, Stevie Wonder, Angela Winbush, Nina Simone, and Jane Child. She attended Cleveland School of the Arts along with Avant and 71 North. She later received her teaching credential and has become a teacher of children with special needs in the Cleveland Public School system. She began using music in her classroom as a way to connect with her students and her debut album “A Poem About Ms. Doss” was inspired by a heartfelt letter from one of her students.[4]
Musical career
2001-2003: A Poem About Ms. Doss
In 2001, Conya Doss started her own recording label Conya Doss Songs and began recording her first album. In 2002, Doss released her first singles "Good Good" and "Coffee" which were followed by the release of her album, entitled A Poem About Ms. Doss. The album also spawned the singles "Starship" and "You Really Hurt Me". Doss later began performing at several Midwest venues. In February 2003, Doss performed at Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. For her debut album she received 3 Stars in USA Today where music critic Steve Jones said "No matter what twists and turns relationships may take, they never seem to make this honey-voiced newcomer from Cleveland lose heart. Doss stirs emotions on her inventive first single, “Coffee”, and takes a loving nod toward her soul/jazz roots with a cover of Norman Connors' Starship. Her poem is a smooth and sexy one worth more than just a cursory reading." [5]
2003-2005: Just Because
In 2003, Doss returned to the studio to begin recording for her second album. In 2004, Doss released the single "Missin' You". The single created a buzz for her upcoming album, Just Because which was released in November 2004.[6]
2005-2007: Love Rain Down
In 2005, Doss began recording sessions for her third album. After a two-year hiatus, she released her third album, Love Rain Down in October 2006.[7] Shortly after the album's release, Doss began touring and performing at worldwide venues. In 2007, Doss performed the album's lead single "Tell Me Why" on BET J.
2008-2009: Still
In May 2008, Doss released her lead single "What I'd Do". The song received airplay from local radio stations, charted on Billboard and also received airplay from BET J's Soul Sessions. The song earned Doss a nomination for "Best Underground Artist" at the BET J Virtual Awards alongside Eric Roberson, Vikter Duplaix and Rahsaan Patterson...[8] In April 2008, Doss released her fourth studio album, entitled Still.[9] The album also spawned a second single "It's Over", which listed her for iTunes' "Best R&B Indie Track". She later appeared on PBS and performed her singles "Tell Me Why", "Message", "It's Over".[10]
In 2009, Doss began promoting her third single "Can't Stop". She later performed the song in dedication of her late friend at local venues. In June 2009, Doss toured with Yahzarah, Sy Smith, Maya Azucena on the Soulsista Tour. Following the previous tour, she toured with Yahzarah, Sy Smith, and Ra-Re Valverde on the Soul Uprising Tour in July 2009.
2010-present: Blu Transition
In August 2010, Doss revealed the recording sessions for her fifth album entitled Blu Transition. In late August 2010, she released her buzz single "What We Gon Do" to Soultracks as the Free Choice Track Download. It became CD of the Month in September 2010 while the single received 4000 digital downloads in one month, setting a new record on Soultracks since Lalah Hathaway in 2008.[11]
Style
Doss' stage presence consists of her afro style hair. Doss is an alto with a soprano-like vocal range. Doss demonstrates her alto range in songs like "Something 2Nite", "It's Over", and "Starship", where as in songs like "Message", "Good Good", "I Miss You" is where she demonstrates her mezzo-soprano range. She cites Stevie Wonder, Donnie Hathaway, Chaka Khan, Prince, Steely Dan, Natalie Cole, Sade, Jodeci, Rude Boys, Lauryn Hill, and D'Angelo as her musical inspirations.[12]
Personal life
In 2010, Doss gave birth to her son named Landon Blu. She named her fifth album after him.[13]
Discography
- Albums
- 2002: A Poem About Ms. Doss
- 2004: Just Because
- 2006: Love Rain Down
- 2008: Still...
- 2010: Blu Transition
- Singles
- 2002: Coffee
- 2002: Good Good
- 2002: Starship
- 2003: You Really Hurt Me
- 2004: Missin' You
- 2004: Damn That
- 2004: Sweet Love (I Don't Know)
- 2005: Ain't Giving Up
- 2005: Here We Go Again
- 2006: Tell Me Why
- 2006: Let You Know
- 2008: What I'd Do
- 2008: It's Over
- 2009: Can't Stop
- 2009: Message
- 2010: What We Gone Do
- 2010: All In You
- 2011: Wi-Fi
Tours
- 2003: Conya Doss Tour
- 2007: Love Rain Down Tour
- 2008: Still... Tour
- 2009: Soulsista Tour (with Sy Smith, Yahzarah, and Maya Azucena)
- 2009: Soul Uprising Tour (with Sy Smith and Yahzarah)
- 2011: Blu Transition Tour
Awards and nominations
These are the awards won by American R&B singer Conya Doss.
Year Category Nominated Work Result Ohio Hip Hop Awards[14] 2007 Best Female Vocalist Won Soultracks[15] 2007 Best Female Vocalist Nominated Soultracks[16] 2008 Female Vocalist of the Year "Still" Won Centric/BET J Virtual Awards[17] 2008 Female Vocalist of the Year "What I'd Do" Nominated iTunes Awards 2008 Best R&B Underground/Indie Artist "Still" Nominated 2008 Best R&B Indie Track "It's Over" Nominated References
- ^ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007MU0YW
- ^ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001451YB4
- ^ CLEVELAND’S REIGNING QUEEN OF INDIE SOUL CONYA DOSS TO RELEASE FIFTH STUDIO ALBUM BLU TRANSITION. Hip Hop Press]. Retrieved on April 1, 2011
- ^ http://www.saveoursoul.nl/aom/aomapr2005.htm
- ^ http://www.heliopr.com/Client%20Press%20Page/Press%20Clips/Conya-Doss---USA-Today.jpg
- ^ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007MU0YW
- ^ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000J3FCP6
- ^ "Best Underground Artist – BETJ Virtual Awards 2008". BET J. http://www.bet.com/specials/betjvirtualawards08/va08-nominees/va08_nominee_bestundergroundartist. Retrieved 2009-01-30.
- ^ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001451YB4
- ^ http://www.wviz.org/index.php/WVIZ/applause/11330
- ^ http://www.soultracks.com/story-conya-doss-download-record
- ^ Conya Doss Myspace. Myspace. Retrieved on September 16, 2010
- ^ http://www.soultracks.com/story-conya-doss-blu-transition.
- ^ http://www.bet.com/specials/betjvirtualawards08/va08-nominees/va08_nominee_bestundergroundartist?Referrer=%7B7B0F7896-6EC9-4342-83BD-E99CC2EF22D1%7D
- ^ 2007 SoulTracks Readers' Choice Award Winners!. Soultracks. Retrieved on September 16, 2010
- ^ 2008 SoulTracks Readers' Choice Awards Winners!. Soultracks. Retrieved on September 16, 2010
- ^ "Best Underground Artist – BETJ Virtual Awards 2008". BET J. http://www.bet.com/specials/betjvirtualawards08/va08-nominees/va08_nominee_bestundergroundartist. Retrieved 2009-01-30.
External links
Categories:- African American female singer-songwriters
- American record producers
- American rhythm and blues singer-songwriters
- American soul singers
- Living people
- Musicians from Ohio
- Neo soul singers
- People from Cleveland, Ohio
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