"You heard of this Asian R&B dude they call Vudoo Soul? He went to MIT, never sang 'til college, but tries out for American Idol and makes it to Hollywood. Vu walks into Harlem and holds it down easy...You'd never expect the kind of voice that comes out of him. You have to see it to believe it man," raves one fan.
Born and raised in sunny California, Vudoo Soul pursued his musical career shortly after a life-changing experience at his first Alicia Keys concert. Inspired by the star and musical influences such as Stevie Wonder (who was the subject of his first book report in elementary school), Vudoo Soul became a self-taught piano man who has "held it down easy" at the most famous blues venues in the U.S., including the House of Blues in Hollywood and B.B. Kings Blues Club in New York.
The fully enrolled MIT student took his first major step in music by joining an a cappella group called the MIT Logarhythms. What began as an extracurricular pastime transformed into a cathartic creative outlet, as he got his first taste of national touring as part of this vocal ensemble. For the first time, Vudoo Soul saw a world beyond the glass ceiling set forth for him at MIT. He purchased a digital piano shortly thereafter and began teaching himself how to play and write his own music.
After graduating MIT, Vudoo Soul left this electrical engineering degree behind and followed his heart into music. Within 18 months, Vudoo Soul has performed in front of thousands and won recognition across the nation. He has built himself a "see-it-to-believe-it" reputation: audiences are left wide-eyed after seeing him perform, unprepared for the booming voice of soul that deceives his appearance. Last September, he performed to a sold-out crowd at a Hurricane Katrina-relief benefit in New York City's Knitting Factory covered by MTV World News. Vudoo Soul dared to compete at Apollo Night hosted by Harvard University's Black Student Union, snatching the "Winner of the Apollo Night" honor with 19 acts trailing behind him. During his performance for ImaginAsian TV in New York, Vudoo Soul even caused Russell Simmons to interrupt his own media interview to listen to him sing. This month, Vudoo Soul has officially become international, making his debut in Asia in April 2006. Fans' anticipation of his arrival has drawn media coverage from HK Magazine and the South China Morning Post, Hong Kong's premier English newspaper.
Vudoo Soul may not look or sound like what the industry would call the traditional soul man, but he has been driven by an unwavering desire to break that mold. Adoring audiences, standing ovations, sold-out shows and continuous hits to his websites have validated to him that this chosen path was the correct one. Striving for musical perfection and crafting a niche of his very own, Vudoo Soul surveyed his contemporaries and their styles of music and decided to go back to the basics. His singles "Lover Come Over," "Infatuated," "Oh Too Late", "Runnin" and "Nothin' Somethin" shine with a youthful energy and an unbridled passion, yet remain unpretentious and honest in their expression. "I want to help people connect with each other and understand themselves through my music, to make 'em feel, inspire questions...to make some serious noise." Vudoo Soul is retracing the roots of rhythm & blues with timeless songs, engaging performances and a heartfelt voice. A rush of both intensity and tenderness lace every note and lyric, conjuring in his audiences a vividness of emotions, riveting their spirits with the power of a song.
Past performances: B.B. Kings (NY), B.B. Kings
(LA), Knitting Factory (NY), CBGB's (NY), Bowery Poetry Club
(NY), The Bitter End (NY), Crash Mansion (NY), Pyramid (NY), The Middle East (MA),
Club Passim (MA), All Asia (MA), The Edge (Hong Kong),
Fringe Club (Hong Kong), Grand Champion of Kollaboration
2005 (NY), Winner of Emergenza Boston February 2006
Book Vudoo Soul for your venue
College performances: Harvard University, MIT, University of Michigan, Wellesley University, Boston University, University of Southern California, University of Los Angeles, Dartmouth University, University of San Francisco
Book Vudoo Soul for your college or school
To book Vudoo Soul, Submit an offer, make an inquiry, call us at 1-877-266-9130 or email anni
parclandon.com
