Throughout the month of September, a new artist is featured every week on the front page of the site and sent a free Elicit Magazine goodie bag by entering our latest contest #thestorybehindmymusic! To find out how you can enter, check out our Instagram for more details.
We’re proud to announce this week’s winner, Erica Papillion-Posey, out of Colorado! Erica Papallion-Posey had this to say about #thestorybehindhermusic…
I’m Erica Papillion-Posey, jazz & classically trained [crossover] vocalist, songwriter, recording artist and author from Denver, CO by way of Louisiana’s Bayou! Frankly, music has always been a part of my life. I don’t recall a time without its influence. My true immersion into music started in [a] university. I was actually training to become the next, hottest jazz vocalist until I transfered schools & was told after auditions that the vocal jazz program was being dismantled & [to try] the classical/opera program. Major bummer, so I thought! I was then offered a full music scholarship to TRY the classical/opera program to which I replied, “No, no thank you. I have no interest in classical music or opera, nor have I any knowledge of languages other than English!” And that was the back-and-forth exchange between myself & the music’s vocal dept. for 3 weeks. If I didn’t like it at semester’s end, then no-harm-no- foul. At least I would’ve had the opportunity to try something new at no expense to myself. But I tried it & was immediately hooked then proceeded to pursue both operatic/classical voice while convincing the jazz program to allow me the opportunity to participate in the jazz combos as their only vocalist! With that, I’ve been successfully performing both genres ever since having attained a Bachelor of Music & Master of Music degrees! Both jazz & classical music serve my ‘fire and ice’ personality which is why I’ve never been able to choose. Jazz is my fire, my cellular, organic/raw self while the classical arts serve my ice, the cool in me, my elegance and sophistication. Who could ask for more? What a blessing to have all the aspects you love about an art form [music] realized in such perfect alchemy. I couldn’t be happier!
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