Singer-songwriter artist Bria Lee fuses the sultriness of soulful singer-songwriters like Amy Winehouse, Lauryn Hill, and Alicia Keys with the bump of hip-hop. It’s a smooth topline set over a grimy 808 thump with touches of jazz and organic instrument for added flair. Bria’s vocals ooze a woozy soulfulness that manages to conjure the smoky expressiveness of a jazz vocalist and the sass and swagger of a MC.
Bria grew up in a musical household. Her mother sang and played guitar, and her father was fascinated with artists and musicians. She formally studied classical piano at the Manhattan School of Music; performed jazz as a singer in NYC; and, privately, she wrote pop songs. Though she prefers not to dwell on it, these disparate paths merged after her father passed away. During this painfully complex time, Bria found herself aimless in an 80-hour grind. Between waiting tables and working at a pizzeria, Bria wedged in restaurant gigs. A chance opportunity to showcase for Republic Records Chief Executive and Co-Founder Monte Lipman changed everything. Now, signed to Republic Records, Bria has issued a clutch of well-received singles that exude a sensually emotive sensibility that fuses rugged hip-hop beats with sublime, edgy pop. She is now seeding the way to her debut EP with the banging “One Shot” [feat. Fat Joe] imaginatively remixed by Pitbull, and the smoldering “Piece By Piece.” These tracks showcase Bria’s refreshingly eclectic musicality.
