Solange

Genre: R&B Hometown: Houston TX
www.myspacepages.com/Solange

Saturday, March 18   Hosting
Cedar Street Courtyard   (208 W 4th St)

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Solange Knowles remembers the first time she performed in public. She was just 4 years old and a member of a Houston’s children’s dance troupe that she’d joined at the age of 2 and a half. The troupe was in a local competition and when Solange hit the stage, she soaked up the attention and support of the audience. “I knew right then, “Solange smiles, “that I loved being up there and that I wanted to entertain.”

12 years later, Solange has lived her dream and –armed with a confidence and creativity belying her youth –become a rising young star. A Solo Star Solange’s list of achievements is notable. She’s an accomplished songwriter and producer. She spent the summer of 2001 hosting the very first MTV/TRL tour starring Destiny’s Child and featuring Jessica Simpson, Nelly, Eve, Dream, City High and 3LW. She’s been featured on television and her striking sense of style has been highlighted in Teen People, Vogue, Seventeen, YM, Honey and J-14. She’s toured the world as a key dancer with Destiny’s Child, the platinum plus Grammy winning vocal act led by her older sister Beyonce, and written and produced songs for DC’s Kelly Rowland including the title track from Kelly’s debut solo album, Simply Deep. And .. there’s Solange’s own sparkling debut, Solo Star.

Solo Star also boasts collaborations with the Neptunes, who deliver the lilting “Crush,” and Timbaland, who steps forth with the hip shaking “Get Together.” Precociously talented, Solange started writing lyrics at the age of 7 and by the time she hit 12, was already piecing together melodies from the tracks that producers sent Destiny’s Child. “I knew that songwriting and production was something that I wanted to explore, “Solange recalls. “Being in the studio is the fun part for me. By the time Solange was 16 a deal was in place and work on Solo Star began. Most recently, Solange has written songs on the latest Destiny’s Child album-Destiny Fulfilled.

Solange has co-starred in the movie “Johnson Family Vacation” with Cedric The Entertainer, Bow Wow and Vanessa Williams. She has just finished shooting “Bring It On, Yet Again,” the sequel to “Bring It On.” Asked if there’s any message she wants to impart and Solange is thoughtful. “I’d like people to hear the maturity, both in the range of music and the lyrics. That I’m not just another teen singer and that I rally put a lot of myself into my music. That’s why I really think it’s important that young people do for themselves and not allow anyone to shape them or create them. I’ve had to really stand my own ground with Solo Star, listen to different points of view, even from my own family, but at the end I had the confidence to stand by my choices and stand for myself. That’s what Solo Star is all about. Being true to yourself and your vision.”