JB Livingston

Profile: Elise Estrada

Elise Estrada is a Juno nominated Asian Canadian singer/songwriter/performer. She has already achieved incredible results both in Canada and internationally. Since launching her career with her self-titled debut in 2008, Estrada has reached an audience in excess of an incredible 635 million people worldwide.

On her sophomore album Here Kitty Kittee, she is back with a fresh set of claws! It is an upbeat, energetic, dance album. Her first single “You’re So Hollywood” nabbed the coveted “most added” song at Canadian Top 40 radio across the country. Elise’s first co-write “Lipstick” is a captivating, power ballad that takes audiences on the journey of mending a broken heart.

“When I recorded my first album I was eighteen. Now I’m a little more grown up and I know exactly what I want to do and where I want to go, so this is a little more grown up, a little edgier. Instead of a ten PM curfew it’s midnight.”

Recorded over the course of 2010 at Threshold Sound + Vision in Los Angeles and at Vancouver’s SA Trackworks and RockSTAR Studios, Here Kitty Kittee taps directly into the raw energy that’s become a hallmark of Estrada’s live performances. The album embraces the savvy, independent woman she’s become, and candid takes on losing love, putting on your game face and moving beyond it such as ‘Broke’ and ‘Heartless’.

As part of Elise’s success is her amazing team: RockSTAR co-founder and VP, Adam H. Hurstfield, Orlando Calzada (Bon Jovi, TLC, Monica, Destiny’s Child), Sean Hosein (Kelly Rowland, Laura Pausini, Hedley), Davor Vulama and SA Trackworks Steve Smith and Anthony Anderson (Destiny’s Child). “My relationship with them is probably my most important one,” Estrada says. “Everything they write, it’s me. It’s what I’m thinking and what I’m feeling.”

The 23-year-old, Vancouver based recording artist has claws and isn’t afraid to let them show. Augmented by delicate acoustic touches and underpinned by hard-hitting beats and massive hooks, Here Kitty Kittee is simultaneously urgent and soulful. A high energy set of infectious, in your face Pop/R&B that alternately purrs and roars, showcasing the single-minded determination Estrada applies to every facet of her career as a performer, television personality and actress, and sinking its claws in deep on the first listen and refusing to let go.

To be clear though, when Estrada’s claws do come out, it’s not about adopting some put on, superstar, pose. It’s about being confident, self-possessed and unapologetically sexy - “It’s about being a strong woman,” Estrada says bluntly. A woman who can tap into deep reserves of strength even at a time when strength is hard to muster, get over it, get on with it and never look back. A quality she’s developed by spending her entire life relentlessly pursuing her dream through endless pageants, talent shows and singing competitions.

Elise Estrada has been working very hard for many years to become a seasoned veteran. In fact Elise Estrada has been singing, modeling, and performing since she was 4 years old. Elise has been a beauty queen, wearing the crown as ”Miss Vancouver Princess” in 2004, and been a cover girl in Asian Magazines such as “STAR FILES” and appearances in U.S.A.’s own “J14 Magazine”, all the while honing her writing and perfecting her vocal skills for her “bigger picture” ambitions.

“I’ve wanted to do this since I was four years old. I was always that little girl who sang at every family party, and we Filipinos, we love our karaoke,” she says, laughing. Still, it wasn’t until she began singing professionally at age sixteen that Estrada truly set out to make her dream a lasting reality, taking every gig she could to hone her vocal and performance chops. “I did everything and anything I could to gain experience and prepare myself for when an opportunity did come.”

When Estrada was ready - After winning an international ‘Idol’ style competition in Canada she went on to compete in the finals of Asia’s immensely popular ‘Pinoy Pop Superstar’ television series, ultimately landing a lead role in a Disney Television pilot that was to be loosely based on her real life pursuit of stardom. Shortly after moving to L.A to work on the project, however, the deal went south; leaving Estrada feeling momentarily defeated, but still determined to succeed. “Sometimes doors are going to close, and sometimes they’re going to slam in your face, but you have to keep going and that’s what I did.”

Once back in Vancouver, Estrada entered the 2007 ‘Beat 94.5 Music Awards and won the grand prize, a recording/management deal with high powered North American indie label RockSTAR Music Corp http://www.rockstarmusiccorp.com . “A dream come true, again,” she says, but one she approached with a more critical eye than she might have previously, knowing the project might not last beyond her first single.

Now, two years and nine MediaBase top ten hits in a row later, Estrada’s star is shining brighter than ever. Fuelled by chart topping hits ‘Insatiable’ and ‘Unlove You’, her 2008 self-titled debut propelled her to stardom. Landing her slots on sold out tours with the likes of The Backstreet Boys, Rihanna, Nelly, 50 Cent and Lady Gaga, and garnering accolades and awards including a BDS 30,000 Spins Award for 2007’s mega-hit ‘UnLove You’, a 2009 CRMA for “Best New Artist or Group (Rhythmic/R&B/Urban/Dance), as well as multiple MMVA nominations and a 2009 JUNO nod in the category of R&B/Soul Album Of The Year.

While working on Here Kitty Kittee Estrada has also found time to bring her ample talents to television; hosting twenty episodes MuchMusic’ popular ‘Love Court’ series, and appearing on a Thailand based episode of the network’s popular ‘My Date With…’ as well as numerous other MuchMusic specials.

In 2011 Estrada will return to the small screen as a mentor on a new Much series entitled ‘Rockstar Academy’, but will also make her big screen debut in ‘Beverly Hills Ninja 2; Dancing Ninja’ co-starring alongside David Hasselhoff and Lucas Grabeel (High School Musical, Milk). Estrada will also be featured heavily as a spokesperson for Times Telecom/Bell Mobility in an upcoming national advertising campaign.

To say Estrada has a lot going on is a huge understatement, but she approaches every aspect of her work with unflagging professionalism. “I don’t get overwhelmed. I don’t get stressed. I wake up every morning doing something I love. I’m the luckiest girl in the world.” But though she may consider herself lucky Estrada doesn’t owe her career to some random sequence of fortunate events. Her success is as much a product of relentless dedication as it is of her belief that any opportunity is only as good as the effort you’re willing to commit to it.

What makes a pop/R&B song great isn’t just how universal or hooky it is, but how committed the singer is to their performance. On Here Kitty Kittee Elise Estrada’s commitment is absolute, proving once again exactly why she is Canada’s favourite pop princess. Showcasing not only her powerful voice and undeniable charisma, but also her uncanny ability to inhabit a song so completely, you can’t imagine it being sung by anyone else.

Interview

Interview with Elise Estrada is coming soon!

Must Listen

• Torture
• Yin Yang
• Lipstick
• Poison

Links

• http://www.youtube.com/TheOfficialEliseE
• http://www.facebook.com/EliseEstradaMusic
• http://www.twitter.com/eliseestrada
• http://www.myspace.com/eliseestrada

• “Elise Estrada Official Website” 
  

Featured Video

(Source: prweb.com)

Posted on: 22nd November 2010 - 4 notesReblog