YahZarah

Dana Williams, known by her stage name, YahZarah (pronounced "yah-zah-rah"), is an American R&B/neo soul singer from Washington, D.C.Harrington, Richard. "Marcus Johnson's Three Keys to Success", "The Washington Post", 2003-12-12, p. T06.]

Growing up in Durham, North Carolina,Tullis, Eric. " [http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A262048 Purple St. James (Yahzarah)'s The Prelude] ", "Independent Weekly", 2008-08-06. Retrieved on 2008-09-29.] YahZarah (whose name loosely means "Queen Mother is the brightest star", a tribute to her deceased grandmother from Ghana)Fact|date=September 2008 was greatly influenced as a child by artists like Tina Turner, Prince, Chaka Khan, George Clinton, and Minnie Riperton, as well as the music of the church. She studied music at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and attended North Carolina Central University on a full scholarship in the jazz program. [Greenlee, Cynthia R. " [http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A15909 Double shot of soul: The debut record by Neo-Soul artist YahZarah is also the first release for local R&B label Keo Music] ", "Independent Weekly", 2001-05-16. Retrieved on 2008-09-29.] Her break into the industry was singing back-up vocals for Erykah Badu, on the "Mama's Gun" album and tour.

Later, Williams took on the YahZarah moniker and went solo. She released two albums, "Hear Me" and "Blackstar". [" [http://2008.sxsw.com/music/showcases/band/70473.html YahZarah Performing as Purple St. James] ", South by Southwest, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-09-29.] Her music video "Wishing" was shown on BET. [" [http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-609445941.html YahZarah makes her debut with the album Blackstar] ", "Chicago Defender", 2003-11-26.] "Blackstar" reached number 44 on "Billboard"'s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. [ [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=333&cfgn=Albums&cfn=Top+R%26amp%3BB%2FHip-Hop+Albums&ci=3052095&cdi=8088410&cid=12%2F27%2F2003 "Blackstar" (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart)] , "Billboard", December 27 2003.] As a performer, YahZarah has shared the stage with artists including Stevie Wonder and Anita Baker,Fact|date=September 2008 and has opened shows for others, including Earth, Wind & Fire, Musiq Soulchild, Floetry, Rahsaan Patterson, and R. Kelly.Fact|date=September 2008

A classically trained vocalist, YahZarah is also noted for her ability to sing in the whistle register,Fact|date=September 2008 displayed on tracks such as "Baby" (from the "Blackstar" album) and a rendition of "My Funny Valentine" on jazz pianist Marcus Johnson's "In Person - Live at Blues Alley" LP.

YahZarah is also featured on the album "Connected" by The Foreign Exchange and the Little Brother album "The Minstrel Show".

Re-introducing herself by the new stage name Purple St. James, she released an eight-song EP, "The Prelude", in September 2008.

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