Rachel Brown Is Top Of Perez Hilton’s Pops

One of her parents is from Bermuda, the other is Ethiopian.

So it’s hardly surprising American singer-songwriter Rachel Brown’s music fuses island, world, hip-hop and even country sounds into an enchanting groove.

Her music is so enchanting, in fact, she recently won on-line gossip/entertainment maven Perez Hilton’s regular song cover competition — beating out hundreds of other contenders with her version of the David Guetta/Usher collaboration “Without You”.

The self-taught musician was born and raised in New York but first made her musical mark here on the island two years ago with a series of appearances at Chewstick, Beachfest and the Bermuda Music Festival.

“It’s time to announce the winner of our most recent ‘Can YOU Sing?’ cover competition, this time to David Guetta’s superb ‘Without You’ featuring Usher and sometimes less really is more!”  Perez Hilton – also a booster of Bermudian “Rent” actor Nicholas Christopher – announced earlier this month.

“Congratulations to Rachel Brown, our very talented winner, who proves that sometimes all you need is a guitar, a beautiful voice and an effective arrangement.

“All one take! No pre-recorded vocals! No autotune! No distractions! Just simplicity, rawness and a haunting sweetness! Sooo lovely! You MUST check out Rachel’s cover! We can’t stop listening to it!”

Rachel Brown’s Winning Entry In Perez Hilton’s Cover Song Competition

The daughter of Harvard-educated Bermudian lawyer Neil Brown and Ethiopian-born New York wedding couturier Amsale Aberra , Ms Brown said she was stunned to discover she had won the on-line competition.

“This is bananas,” she laughed. “… And I like bananas!”

The recent Harvard graduate was voted one of the most intriguing people on the Ivy League campus in 2010.

Her first widespread musical exposure occured on a family vacation in Bermuda in 2009 when Ms Brown found herself at an open mic night at Chewstick’s neo-griot lounge.

And her performance there led to something much bigger.

“The people at Chewstick loved her breezy, lighthearted singing and lyrics,” said a profile of Ms Brown in a Harvard University newspaper. “They invited her to return to Bermuda in July to perform at their annual musical festival Beachfest …

“Ms Brown identifies this concert as one of her favorite performing experiences. ‘It was just really moving, I’m on the beach singing ]my own composition] ‘Bermuda’, and I can hear the ocean I’m singing about. This was the first time I heard some of my songs really come to life’ …”

Rachel Brown At Beachfest In 2009

She opened for  R&B sensations Robin Thicke and Mary J. Blige in Bermuda and was also invited to perform in the Bermuda Music Festival in October, 2009. This time, she opened for John Legend.

Ms Brown herself has been described as a legend in the making. Her forays into music began when she purchased a guitar during her gap year after high school. But her creativity was alive and thriving long before that. “I was always into making stuff,” she said. “Ever since I was small, no matter how it manifested itself, I would make something.”

“She is very, very self-taught,” said her father. This is evidenced by the expansive range of her artistic ventures, from producing mini magazines at the age of 14 to silk-screening her own clothing.”

In solo recordings, with her guitar or ukulele, her unique voice combines sweetness, sultriness and vulnerability, enchanting the listener.

As a fairly new artist with no formal musical training, Ms Brown found her voice the old fashioned way. “My songwriting process—which started about five years ago — consisted of grabbing my guitar and learning to play it while I wrote these songs,” she said. “I just kind of play things until they sound right.”

Rachel Brown In Concert In Bermuda

Ms Brown’s natural talent was quickly recognised by her peers and established veterans alike. She was the 2010 recipient of the prestigious ASCAP Foundation Robert Allen Award for songwriting as well as a 2011 recipient of the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame Abe Olman Award for Excellence in Songwriting. She also received a very coveted audition slot at the National Association for Campus Activities’ national convention.

Ms Brown’s music also caught the ear of one of her favorite musical influences, Wyclef Jean. Recently the singer received a surprise when Jean brought her up on stage to perform an impromptu duet of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” at an iMentor fundraiser.

With so much happening so fast, Ms Brown is appreciating every step. “It’s been a pleasant surprise time and time again when someone tells me they enjoy the music or they can relate to it because I’m just writing about my life and making music that I enjoy.”

Ms Brown recently released an extended single featuring her award winning single “Bumblebee” as well as two other critically acclaimed songs — “Diamond in the Rough” and a live performance of “Lullaby”. The single is available at Ms Brown’s shows and through various digital distributors.

The multi-talented vocalist is also currently working on her as-yet-untitled debut CD, which is expected to be released soon.

Ms Brown Performing Her Song “Bermuda” At Beachfest In 2009

Photos of Rachel Brown in Bermuda courtesy of Look Bermuda

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