New York bred songstress Sy Smith, has been one of the only artist who has been able to beautifully walk the tightrope between dance music, and neo-soul music. Its release delayed whilst working on other projects and touring with The Foreign Exchange, her fourth album Fast and Curious proves worth the wait, with evolved production throughout by Mark de Clive Lowe.
If you've been a fan of 9th Wonder, Phonte, Little Brother and/or Foreign Exchange or even a follower of the burgeoning music scene in North Carolina for the past three or four years, then you will not be a stranger to the unique, soulful and powerful vocals of one Carlitta Durand but just in case you are [a stranger that is] to this 25-year old singer and songwriter born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and bred in North Carolina (US), then by God, an introduction is well and truly long overdue.
With each guest appearance and release, Carlitta Durand’s fanbase grows steadily within the neo soul and jazz crowds as well as within the West Coast Hip Hop circuit. The 26 year old brings a further dimension to each project she has been on, leading to much longing for a full-on project from her following.
Possessing a silky voice made for night-time grooves, the North Carolina native became the talk of many music blogs when in 2009 when she dropped her impressive Doug & Patty EP, made up of delicious soulful R&B, set to the theme of the Nickelodeon/Disney cartoon Doug. As 2010 slowly came to an end, Ms Durand offered some more free goodness in the form of Nostalgic Nights, which should continue her elevation to becoming a globally recognised talent.