If Kabanya-Chemise could describe her relationship with music, she would say, “music is my life’s journey”. Kabanya Chemise has had a love affair with music since the age of 3, when she discovered that she could play piano by ear. At 5, she began studying classical piano and began studying the flute at 8. It soon became apparent to all within earshot: Kabanya-Chemise was a musical prodigy. And she had it honest. Not only had she inherited a rich musical heritage from her mother, aunts and grandfather, but Kabanya-Chemise was raised in the black southern Baptist church in Albany, Georgia, “hearing deacons ‘raise’ common meter hymns and hearing the inherent harmonies of a congregation who had never been taught their part . . . they knew it instinctively.” Thus that musical gifting was imparted to her as she sat with her grandmother and the other “Mothers of the Church” every Sunday during her younger years. That divine sound was imprinted upon her soul and musically influences her this present day.

For the first 10 years of her life, Kabanya-Chemise was an only child, raised by a single mother, so music became the sibling she longed for and her closest friend. Music literally came to life for her. “When listening to music as a child, I would see colors that represented the key that the song was in: C major – white, Db major – dark purple, D major – white with tiny red polka dots, making a pink color (like a Andy Warhol Campbell soup label), Bb – amber topaz, F major – white again, Eb – coffee brown, B minor – a soft lavender … I knew that was very different and unusual . . .but I appreciated having that perception of music in my mind. I believe it had everything to do with my musical creativity.”

It wasn’t long before Kabanya’s love for music began to manifest talents and gifts in the areas of singing and songwriting. She wrote, played and sang her first song at age 11. By the age of 12, her musical gifts were so well honed; she was playing piano for a neighborhood church and directing the church choir. Ultimately, it was her participation in a junior high school talent show that cemented her desire to become a singer and performer. “ I can specifically remember the sense of self-satisfaction and confidence I felt when I finished my song in the talent show. That feeling led me to understand that singing, playing, writing, and composing was what I wanted to do . . .for life.”

While Kabanya-Chemise is thankful for the musical inspirations that came from her family and the church, she also recognizes that God’s superior purpose and timing had her coming of age in the 70’s, making it impossible for her not to be heavily influenced by the soulful and dominant sounds of that era. When she wasn’t singing hymns at church, she was grooving to the sounds of Bill Withers, Roberta Flack, Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, The Isley Brothers, The Emotions, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Earth Wind and Fire, Michael Jackson/The Jackson 5, George Clinton and Aretha Franklin. However, Kabanya-Chemise distinctly remembers riding through her hometown of Albany, GA, with her schoolteacher mother, whose car only had AM reception, which meant that Kabanya-Chemise expanded her musical taste to include acts such as Fleetwood Mac, The Doobie Brothers, Paul McCartney, Average White Band and Captain and Tenille, which she grew to love as much as her R&B/Soul influence.

Parallel with the impression that the music of the southern black church left upon Kabanya-Chemise as a child, the rich, harmonious and unique sounds of Sweet Honey in the Rock (a five-woman a cappella group) played a great part in masterfully fine tuning her ability to hear harmonies and create countermelodies. Her exposure to such a priceless musical treasure as Sweet Honey, she owes to Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, who has greatly inspired and poured into who Kabanya-Chemise is today as a recording artist, arranger, producer, writer and composer. Also the fact that Dr. Reogon and Kabanya-Chemise’s mother are sisters, speaks largely to the deep, rich family musical roots from which Kabanya-Chemise hails.

Kabanya-Chemise continued to study music, the flute and classical piano, with the late Mr. Wiley Graydon, of Albany State University, throughout her school age years. She wrote a number of songs in her spare time, but instead of profiting from her songs, many times she opted to give them to people as gifts. Upon high school graduation, she left Albany for Americus, Georgia to study music at Georgia Southwestern State University. But it was during a Christmas break her sophomore year that she made a life-changing discovery. At a small recording booth in Greenbriar Mall in Atlanta, Georgia, Kabanya-Chemise realized that she had a deep desire . . . and an even greater need to record her voice, layering and doubling it, creating harmonies with herself that gave her this unmatched feeling of self-actualization. “I’ve never forgotten the guy who owned the recording booth. His name was Seth. He had instrumental cover tunes that you could choose from and he would record you and you immediately had your own demo . . .for only $20! I recorded Sweet Love – Anita Baker, Any Love – Luther Vandross and Crucial - New Edition. I was only 18 years old. From that experience, I began my quest to be a recording artist. It was something that burned inside of me . . .I had to hear my voice playing back to me on speakers! ” During her junior year, she transferred to The University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. While at UGA, she began to pursue the career that she longed for as a recording artist. She began to do studio work with superstar producer, Jermaine Dupri and worked as a vocal coach for Grammy Award – winning recording artist, Usher.

Since graduating from The University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music in December 1994, Kabanya-Chemise has worked passionately on her music and has broadened her career as a professional singer/recording artist, arranger, musician, composer and songwriter. She has worked with many premiere artists such as Kurt Carr, Karen Clark Sheard, Jonathan Nelson, Ann Nesby, Dionne Farris, Chante Moore, Jennifer Holliday and Michael McDonald. Throughout the years of her seeking to fulfill her passion, she found her calling to music ministry through playing keyboard and organ, helping to develop church music departments and presently serving as Minister of Worship and the Arts at The Ray of Hope Christian Church, Rev. Dr. Cynthia Hale, Senior Pastor. However, she has found that her first and true calling is to nurture and love her four wonderful children who joyfully inspire her to write beautiful melodies and earnestly pen the true sentiment of her heart. The release of her highly anticipated single, “Sky Blue”, on November 6, 2009, marks a milestone of great accomplishment in her life, against all odds. In April 2010, the rest of the journey will be revealed in her long-awaited album, “THE MOSAIC”, to be released by Sonance of Khemet Music.

Now she is ready for the world to hear about her life experiences through her music. She insists on being very honest in each song and wants people to feel like they can share in that “honesty” with themselves and with God when they hear this music. “It’s a different kind of worship moment than the one we’re used to in a church service. This is about transparency and keeping it real between Him and us. Go ahead and say, ‘God, I’m hurting’ so you can say, ‘but I know you are my Healer’ ”.

This music is about our Monday-Saturday experience. It’s about finding a safe-place. It’s about being true to ourselves . . .it’s about healing and restoration . . .it’s about new opportunities for love, happiness . . .and life! Enjoy!