Renee Sebastian

Renee Sebastian (born Darlene Renée Sebastian Domingo on August 7, 1973) is a Filipino-American soul-infused pop and R&B singer and songwriter in the Bay Area, California.

Early life

Sebastian was born in Monterey, California to Filipino parents and wasraised in the Philippines. She became a professionally trained jazz andmodern contemporary dancer by the age of 13. She was used to wowingaudiences of over thousands yet it wasn't until the latter part of herteenage years that she recognized her vocal abilities. Encouraged byher teachers to embrace Performing Arts while attending Colegio SanAgustin High School in the Philippines she became a member of theCultural Centers' Girl's Choir in Manila and was soon walking out oflocal talent competitions with an arsenal of accolades. Years later shewould move to the Bay Area and train under top vocal coach, Seth Riggswho had orchestrated vocal arrangements for musical legends
Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Barbara Streisand, Enrique Iglesias,
Natalie Cole and Quincy Jones. Sebastian studied at the illustrious Jazz Schoolat Berkeley, California. Renee holds a Bachelor of Science degree inComputer Science with a minor in Mathematics from Saint Peter's Collegein Jersey City, New Jersey. She currently resides with her husband andkids in Danville, California.

Music career

She emerged as a prolific, consistently engaging vocalist on the BayArea R&B and Soul music scene in 2004 with her self-titled (butunreleased) debut album Reneessance. An elastic talent who moveseffortlessly from glossy ballads to hip-hop inspired pop, Sebastian hasestablished herself as a creative force on her own. Since thesuccessful release of her hit single Deliciously Dangerous, which wona Billboard songwriting award, garnered radio adds nationwide andreceived acclaimed reviews from national trade publications, includingan "R&B Pick of the Week" from Billboard magazine. She's aself-described "progressive artist" and creator of a popular New YorkCity soul showcase series Blowout Lounge.

Mrs. Sebastian (2008)

Her sophomore album Mrs. Sebastian will be released in March 2008 and onit the songbird raises romance to new heights. The vocally challenging,“This Is Me” is an R&B, Hip-Hop blend with a soulful but urban edge thatboasts a unique chorus while the ballad “Every Lesson,” is a mid-tempotrack that explores life lessons. The emotive first single “These AreThe Signs” is another playful mid-tempo jam about the distinctionbetween “love” and “making love.” Surrounding herself with a team ofmulti-talented instrumentalists and producers including Keyon Harrold(50 Cent, Jay-Z), Hanan Rubinstein (Leela James), Raymond Angry(Christina Aguilera, Lauryn Hill, Joss Stone, Meshell N'degeocello) and
Grammy Award winning Ralph Kearns, they all believed in Renee as asinger and wanted to contribute to the project.

Collaborations

She has shared the stage with notable artists "Eric Roberson", "Heavy", and "PJ Morton".

Discography

*2008: "Mrs. Sebastian" EP
*2004: "Deliciously Dangerous" Single

External links

* [http://www.reneesebastian.com/ Renee Sebastian Official site]
* [http://www.myspace.com/reneesebastian/ Renee Sebastian] On MySpace
* [http://reneesebastian.blip.tv/ Renee Sebastian] On Blip.tv
* [http://www.blowoutlounge.com/ Renee Sebastian] On Blowout Lounge
* [http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=RENEE|SEBASTIAN&sql=11:kxfrxqwaldje~T0 Renee Sebastian] on Allmusic

References

* [http://news.google.com/archivesearch/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=6-0&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdocs.newsbank.com%2Fg%2FGooglePM%2FSJ%2Flib00188%2C10A071B807425BBB.html&ei=MT2UR7L1A5roqwPlk6S9CQ&usg=AFQjCNH5DpLGhnWshZAHa5SZoftbDwakAw&sig2=f9hcxduPmccRbg0g9ByXUw THESE MOMS ROCK - MAMAPALOOZA FEST PUTS SPOTLIGHT ON MUSICAL MOTHERS] On San Jose Mercury News
* [http://www.prnewsnow.com/PR%20News%20Releases/Art%20And%20Entertainment/Music/Bay%20Area%20Music%20History%20Performing%20on%20Stage%20with%20RB%20Soul%20Singing%20Sensation%20Renee%20Sebastian%20at%20the%204th%20Annual%20Mamapalooza%20Festival%20on%20May%2014th%20at%20Slims%20San%20Francisco%20CA] PR News Now.
* [http://hyphenmagazine.com/features/issues/fall04/bad_girls.php Bads Girls] On Hyphen Magazine
* Artist Spotlight. New Music Weekly. Retrieved on 2004-04-02.
* BILLBOARD SINGLES REVIEWS. Billboard. Retrieved on 2004-06-05.
* BILLBOARD SINGLES REVIEWS. Los Angeles Independent. Kevin Herrera. Retrieved on 2004-05-19.
* [http://www.singeruniverse.com/competitionwinner4.htm#topfive Top Five Vocalists of the Month] on SingerUniverse Magazine.
*No. 19 NMW AC40 Chart. New Music Weekly. Retrieved on 2004-05-14.
*No. 38 NMW Top40/CHR Chart. New Music Weekly. Retrieved on 2004-04-09.